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All Chapters of A Mother's Final Portrait: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

12 Chapters

Chapter 1 Dead and Unloved

I died. My dress was switched out for tattered fabric, and it hung loosely on my body. My face was a mess; knives slashed it all up. My soul was hovering in the air, not dissipating on just yet.I followed that strong feeling that had been tugging at me. Strangely, it led me home. My mother was in the living room, grunting as she pushed a gigantic gift box over to Yvonne Hendrickson.The box contained the gifts she had carefully picked for Yvonne. Every single one of them was worth a fortune. Me? My mother didn't even give me her best wishes when I came of age.All these years, the one thing she often told me was, "I wished it was you who died."When I was born, I was born a healthy baby. My twin brother, however, died before twenty-four hours were up. The doctor said my brother died of multiple organ failures, presumably because he didn't receive enough nourishment during gestation.The dame on the next bed was munching on her fruit and spoke of her experience. "Well, we have a s

Chapter 2 Unloved

Yvonne noticed the disgust my mother had for me, and a small smile curled her lips. She raised her head and asked in feigned innocence, "What would you do if I was kidnapped, Mom?"My mother put down what she was holding and quickly approached Yvonne. Then, she enunciated solemnly, "I will not let that happen to you. If it does, I will make a portrait of the kidnapper the first chance I get and save you, trust me."Yvonne hugged Mom's arm and giggled cutely. "You're the best, Mom. Still, Jessica is also your daughter. We can forgive her for lying this time, can't we?"She looked so genuine. That look on her face took me back to three years ago. I had an important piano competition coming up, and I desperately wished for my mother to come. I wanted to show that I was good at something. I wanted to show that I could make her proud, too.I just wanted her to know I was no omen. I organized and reorganized my words before I made the call, and as carefully as a scared kitten afraid of

Chapter 3 Frustration

After Yvonne moved her present into her room, she chirped happily, "Can you come with me on the graduation trip, Mom?" She took out her phone and presented her proposal. There, she had a list of all the cities she wanted to see.Yvonne chirped and happily introduced all the spots on the list. My mother seemed a little out of it. She stared at the phone, her brows furrowed. Yvonne called out to her, but she said nothing.A few times later, she started tearing up, and her voice cracked, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't do this. Jessica's still brooding. I can't think about the trip."My mother snapped out of it and felt her heart ache seeing her beloved daughter cry. So, she hastily hugged Yvonne and cooed, "This isn't your fault. Jessica is just being a child.""However, I just got a call." Mom said hesitantly, "My colleagues said they found a female corpse in a dumpster about six miles away. They've determined that it's an abduction and murder case. Do you think it could be your sister?"Y

Chapter 4 Deign

I asked her the same question a long time ago. I was in Grade Nine, and studies were hard. My mother fell ill, and she needed thousands for her treatment. To lessen her burden, I traveled to a lot of cities and joined many competitions to win any cash prizes possible.Then, I did nothing but go to school and the hospital to care for her. I lost so much weight back then. I nearly ran myself to the bone out of sheer exhaustion. My mother seemed to be moved, and she smiled at me for the first time in my life.When we ran into our neighbors, she would praise me and call me a good girl. I would follow her around, carefully tugging on her sleeve. Still, I always had a smile on. It was a timid but blissful smile.I thought I could touch my mother for the first time in my life. I thought my efforts could get her to love me, to be gentle to me. Everything seemed to be getting better, but then the afternoon came. Yvonne was holding her opened piggy bank.She came up to me, crying like a hurt

Chapter 5 The Truth

A week went by, and the cops finally released the DNA report. My DNA report. When they called my mother, she was making breakfast for Yvonne.I stood beside her, numbly looking at my mother as she delicately plated every single dish. She knew her beloved daughter cared about details."Melanie, we have the victim's DNA report. She's an adult woman aged twenty. She was abused horrifically before her death. More than thirty fractured bones and two dozen knife wounds. They were done before she died."My mother froze and stopped pouring milk. Her arm was a little petrified. She didn't even think when she blurted, "Really? We have a cruel killer, then.""I know. I just want to arrest them and give the victim the justice she deserves.""Yeah. I'll get to work later," my mother answered and poured the milk into Yvonne's mug. She even placed Yvonne's favorite cartoon spoon by the mug.Then, my mother went to Yvonne's room and was about to rouse her for breakfast."Sure, Melanie. We'll be

Chapter 6 Stages of Grief

When my mother and Yvonne came rushing to the station, I was already lying in the coffin. My mother pleaded and pleaded with her colleague. In the end, they relented and opened the lid. When she saw my rotting corpse, her eyes went red.Then, she said tremulously, "Where's the report? Give me the report!""My condolences, Melanie." The forensic doctor handed a report to my mother. She took it and went through the report. It showed who the victim's next of kin was.It was her. Melanie Larson.My mother hurled the report away like it was some scalding stone. I was curious. My mother would only look so distraught when Yvonne was hurt. It was surprising she'd do that for me.My mother looked at her comrades and muttered, "No, it can't be. It can't be Jessica. This must be a mistake. It must be. Jessica's a prankster. She's just pulling this to ruin her sister's coming-of-age celebration. That must be it!"She tried to convince herself, "Give me a moment. I'll make a portrait. I'll pr

Chapter 7 Gruesome Video

My mother worked for three days. She didn't sleep or rest. My mother lay on the ground, caressing my head inch by inch as she drew the portrait line by line. When the tenth portrait was made, her sanity finally crumbled.I was crouching right beside her as I looked at all the portraits she made. Yes, she was a good artist. The portraits were spitting images of me. I kept staring at the portraits and was a little surprised that my mother would make such a beautiful rendition of me.When I was eight years old, I, in my childlike naivete, thought that my mother was a great artist. I had no idea what her job really was about. So, I bragged about it to my classmates.They then wanted to find out how brilliant my mother was. They bet she wasn't better than Van Gogh, but I raised my head and said without hesitation, "Of course. She's the best in the world!"After school was out that day, I got home and did all my chores. Then, I carefully asked my mother if she could make a portrait of me

Chapter 8 Too Late

The video ended, and chaos ensued in the autopsy room. Everyone was cursing the killer's cruelty. My mother remained on the ground, unmoving. It was as if she was petrified by some sort of higher power.I hung my head low, smiling bitterly. Ah, so that was it. No wonder the kidnapper never wanted money. No wonder he only wanted my mother to show up. This was nothing but revenge.I didn't know what to feel. Sadness, maybe. There was also relief, though. I was heartbroken about how little my mother cared about me. I was also glad she didn't come.Although my mother never loved me, she was a pro when it came to her job. There must be a reason why she refused to give the man's brother the portrait he asked for.I did resent her, but I would never want her to die. She was my mother, after all. I always held out hope that perhaps she would finally love me, even if the love she had for me was minuscule.That hope was dashed for good. After all, the dead had no use for love.…My mother

Chapter 9 For the First Time

The interrogation was over. Victor requested a meeting with my mother, and she agreed. They met up, he looked at her, and he laughed."Are you crying? Finally? Finally feeling something for the girl?" He clicked his tongue. "It's such a pity. She called out to you right until the very end, you know."He pranced around in a sick imitation of my struggle before my death. "She flailed her arms just like this. 'Mommy, Mommy, save me!' Oh, she cried. Yes, she did. Right, right. You don't know this, but I called your youngest daughter first."He asked, "Know what she said? 'Just kill her. It's not like my mother loves her anyway. She wouldn't cry even if she died.' He cackled. "She's your daughter, alright. Every bit as despicable and heartless as her mother is."Victor cackled, gloating some kind of perverted satisfaction. My mother bent over in agony and spat a mouthful of blood. That only made Victor laugh harder.A long while later, my mother wiped the blood off her lips and said, "

Chapter 10 Pity

This again. This was one of the tactics Yvonne loved to use on me. She'd 'accidentally' bring up the fact that I could live well even without them to my mother. She'd tell her how I was nice to everyone but them, that I was always distant when it came to them.That was how she deepened the conflict between my mother and me. That was how she made my mother hate me more. However, that tactic of hers finally failed. My mother swiveled around and stared into her soul with a gaze so chilly, it could freeze the whole house."Mom…" The moment she said that, my mother gave her one tight slap. That stunned her. My mother was holding my therapy records. It had the contents of my conversation with my therapist.'When did you start cutting yourself?''Grade Nine.''And how did these thoughts manifest themselves?''My sister framed me, and my mother didn't believe me. I didn't steal her money. She lied. She said I should've died like my brother did. She said I'm an omen. She said I'm someone

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