Chapter 3

I didn't want a toy. I only wanted Mom to tell me she was proud of me.

I rested my head against the cold door.

I tried to lift my hand and knock one more time.

But before I touched it, everything turned black.

I was so tired. I needed to sleep.

Then my body felt light.

I felt like a soap bubble.

I slowly floated upward, with nothing solid beneath my feet.

When I looked down,

I saw my own body leaning against the cold kitchen door with its eyes closed.

The wet red star was still clutched in my hand, wrinkled like a tiny wilted sun.

I floated closer and tried to take it, but my fingers passed straight through.

Oh.

I had become a little ghost.

Just like the ones in cartoons, with no feet, floating everywhere while no one could see them.

Ms. Harper had been right. Children who breathed leaking gas could no longer touch their moms and dads.

I drifted through the crack beneath the door.

Mom was holding Lily's hand beneath the gazebo outside our building.

Mrs. Parker, who sometimes slipped me candy, stood beside them.

Mrs. Parker gave Mom a thumbs-up and smiled until her eyes nearly disappeared.

"Rachel, you're the most progressive mother in this whole building. Your ideas are so modern!"

Mom smiled broadly and stroked Lily's hair.

She spoke loudly enough for several women at the farmers'-market stand nearby to hear.

"Exactly. What year is this? Why should anyone still favor sons over daughters?

"My Lily is the treasure of my heart. Boys are tough, so a little punishment won't hurt. Noah needs rules now so he'll learn to take good care of his sister later."

The other women praised her too, calling her a model modern mother.

Mom looked very proud.

I floated beside her and stared at her smile.

I used to think Mom was prettiest when she smiled.

Now I only felt cold, like I was standing in snow without a coat.

Lily gripped Mom's shirt, her face frighteningly pale, and tugged at her hand.

"Mom, can we go check on Noah? I'm scared..."

"Scared of what?"

Mom pinched Lily's cheek, her voice dripping with tenderness.

"I told you the window was open. Your brother is tough. He's probably playing by himself already.

"Come on, I'll buy you the strawberries you wanted, and we'll go home after you eat them."

"No, Mom..."

Tears gathered in Lily's eyes.

"I heard Noah say the window closed. Can we please go back and check?"

"Why are you being so stubborn?"

Mom began to sound impatient.

A woman in a red jacket hurried over, looking alarmed.

"Did you hear what happened yesterday? A family in another apartment complex went shopping and left their child home alone. Gas leaked after the window shut, and the child died before they returned. The parents nearly collapsed. It was terrible."

The moment she finished, Lily burst into tears and pulled Mom toward the building with both hands.

"Mom! We have to go back! Noah is still in the kitchen! I need my brother!"

Mom stumbled when Lily yanked her, and the smile fell from her face.

She was about to scold Lily for misbehaving.

Then Mr. Dalton, the building security guard, came racing toward them on a maintenance cart with a bullhorn in his hand.

"Attention, residents of Building Three! We have a major gas leak. The alarms are going off at the management office. Everyone check your units immediately!"