Lahat ng Kabanata ng My Last Breath on the Operating Table, Their Last Goodbye at the Crematorium: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 9

“Marcus, it really hurts. Can you please take it away?”I looked at the cigarette butt pressed against my arm, beads of cold sweat forming on my forehead, but I didn’t dare move.“It hurts already? This is nothing compared to what Mom went through. Paige Quinn, do you know how much it hurt me to hear her screaming in agony that day?”Marcus Quinn pressed down harder, and I felt like the cigarette butt was going to pierce right through my arm. The smell of burning flesh filled the air.Hearing his words, I bit my lip and kept silent, enduring the pain.He was right. This pain was nothing compared to what Mom went through to bring me into this world. She lost her life on that operating table, while I was given mine.And the one holding the scalpel during that surgery was my father. He watched his wife go from vibrant to lifeless, bit by bit.My arm was covered in scars, crisscrossing like a terrifying map. Even in this sweltering heat, I didn’t dare wear short sleeves, afraid peop

Dad walked in, looking serious, holding a piece of paper in his hand.I nodded quickly and stepped outside, knowing my place. Dad was the best doctor around. If anyone could save Marcus, it was him.......“We’ve found a kidney donor.”I had just left the room when I overheard Dad talking to Marcus.“Is it a match?” Marcus asked eagerly, his voice filled with hope.“Yes, and she’s agreed. We can schedule the surgery right away.” Dad’s voice was calm as usual, but relief washed over me. Marcus was going to be okay.Back in the attic, I wrote in my diary: “Today, we found a way to save Marcus. I’m not exactly sure what a donor is, but I know it means he’s going to be okay. I’m so happy.“When Marcus gets better, I’ll cook all kinds of delicious food for him. Mom wrote in her diary that before I was born, Marcus promised he’d protect me forever. I believe in Mom, and I believe in Marcus. They’ll forgive me.”I was in the middle of writing when a sudden knock on the door made

“Marcus! Are you feeling better?”“I’m doing much better, Dad. Who was the person that saved me? I’d like to thank her in person for saving my life,” he said, looking at Dad with a weak smile.Dad’s expression faltered for a moment, but he quickly put on a smile and said, “Marcus, you just focus on getting better. I’ve already thanked her on your behalf, and she’s very happy to have been able to help you.”Marcus nodded, relief washing over his tired face. “Once I’m out of the hospital, I want to thank her personally. I owe her my life.”Watching them so at ease together made my heart ache. I realized that without me, their lives would not change at all. If anything, they seemed better than before.Despite everyone’s objections, Uncle Gibson held a funeral for me three days later. Maybe out of guilt or regret, Dad actually showed up.“This is the funeral for my daughter, Paige Gibson. She passed away in a tragic accident. I hope she finds peace and happiness in another world,” Un

Uncle Gibson looked like he was in shock, as if the life had been drained out of him. Then he collapsed to his knees.“We’re both guilty! We’re responsible for all of this! But instead of owning up to our mistakes, we blamed everything on a child!”The entire room fell silent, the air thick with tension. Even Marcus stood frozen, unable to move, while Dad tried to pull him away.“Dad… is what Uncle Gibson said true? Was it really not her fault? I thought she was the one who took Mom’s life!”“It wasn’t her fault at all!” Uncle Gibson shouted, his voice cracking with emotion. “The surgery failed because of us, not her! How could any of this be blamed on a child? It’s a pity that, even after your sister died, you felt no guilt toward her, only hatred.”I didn’t know how to process it. Had all those years of insults and suffering really been just a terrible mistake in the end?They had hated me for so long, wishing I were dead. I hated myself too, believing I was born a murderer. Bu

"I won’t let go! She’s not dead. How could she be dead?" Marcus kept muttering, his voice trembling."Marcus, let her go," Uncle Gibson said as he approached, his face pale and his eyes bloodshot. "She lived her whole life for you. Do you want her to have no peace even in death?""Uncle Gibson… I…""Paige had a hard life. Let her be happy now. If you hold on like this, she’ll never be able to rest."Eventually, they took my body from Marcus. He could only watch as my remains were slowly cremated. And I watched too, as I turned to ash, disappearing from this world."Uncle Gibson, I failed Paige. I failed her all along," Marcus said, his voice breaking."It’s too late to dwell on that now. We all failed her. Paige was a good kid, but she was unlucky to be stuck with us. We’re all to blame," Uncle Gibson said softly.After a long silence, Uncle Gibson’s phone rang, startling him. He answered it, and I watched his expression shift from shock to disbelief. The phone slipped from hi