Semua Bab Dying for My Adopted Brother's Sake: Bab 1 - Bab 9

The air was thick with a foul odor. A plaster cast of me stood in the middle of the living room; the face looked anguished and painful;the features were disturbingly lifelike.The cast stood next to a trophy.As I took in the scene, it finally dawned on me that I was dead. I had died from the moment they sealed me into the plaster."Mom, is John upset with me? He's glaring at me. I'm scared." Suddenly, my brother, Julian Gomez, spoke as he shrunk into our mother's arms in fear. "I've been having nightmares for days. I dreamed that he was trying to strangle me to death!""He wouldn't dare!" Mom's doting expression twisted into loathing at the sound of my name. "You lot, take that cast out of here. I don't want it scaring Jules."She glared at the plaster cast coldly. "I was going to let you out today, but since you're still being vicious by scaring Jules, you can stay in there for a few more days. The fortune teller said a few days in there won't kill you. Use this time to think ab

The next day, Tom went to Mom in a hurry and told her, "Mrs. Gomez, Mr. John's statue is smelling really bad. Should we let him out?" "Don't worry. He's always been a liar. This is probably another one of his tricks," Jessica said snarkily."The fortune teller said that staying in there for a few days won't kill him. Once he realizes his mistakes, we'll let him out," Mom said coldly.Tom opened his mouth to say something, but Dad cut him off. "That's enough. He's still my son, no matter what. We'll let him out once he learns not to be jealous of Jules."I was still his son?The words felt like a cruel joke. The first day of my return had been spent in chaos as Julian had screamed at the sight of me.Before any of us could react, he had fallen off the stairs.I could still remember the look Dad had given me when he walked past me, carrying Julian. "I wish you weren't my son."The words hit me like a slap, extinguishing any lingering hope that I might be welcomed home. "Enough

"There's a corpse in this statue," a voice sounded suddenly, jarring in the midst of unending praise.Jessica's face grew cold instantly. She glared at the old man standing in front of my plaster statue."Who's this lunatic spouting nonsense? Get him out of here right now!" she snapped, ordering the guards to throw the old man out.I recognized the old man immediately—he had been selling little plaster figurines at the side of the road when I met him.At the time, after Julian had framed me, I had passed out by the side of the road out of starvation. The old man had saved me. In return, I often went to his stall to help him out.Why was he here?I watched as the guards picked up the old man, my mind whirring.Then it hit me—I had invited him over previously. Today was my birthday.Mom and Dad had promised to hold a grand banquet for me, but clearly, they had forgotten that promise.I looked over at the neglected cake in the corner.Or maybe they hadn't forgotten—it was just t

Just like that, the art exhibition ended in dramatic fashion.The police took Julian and my parents away. They also saved my body from being eaten by the wild dogs.Even though the police had arrived just in time, they still couldn't save my body from being gnawed beyond recognition. During the autopsy, the coroner turned away and draped a white cloth over me.It was the only dignity I was afforded after death.In the police station, Mom and Dad still refused to believe that I was dead."That's impossible! We left breathing holes for him. He must have conspired with you to put on this show. Tell me, how much did he pay you? I'll pay you double!" Dad roared."Look at this!" The police officer slapped a DNA report down on the desk. Dad took the document and skimmed it quickly. His expression darkened."It was really John?"After reading the document, Mom was stunned. "That can't be! He can't be dead. That body wasn't his! The fortune teller told us that he would survive a few day

I found Jessica in an alley in the slums.She was scrounging for food in the trash can. As I watched, she pulled out a moldy piece of bread and held it out toward the empty space beside her, smiling dumbly. "Here, Johnny. Eat this. I'll take you to school after this."The bread fell onto the ground."Eat, Johnny." Jessica picked it up again, ignoring the dust on the bread, and tried to offer it to the air.I stepped in and took the bread. "Jessica.""Johnny?" She froze for a moment, then reached out to take my hand.I stepped back. "I'm scared, Jessica. Can you come save me?"Her expression turned frantic. "Yes, I will! Don't be scared. I'm right here. No one can hurt you now."I led her out of the alley. Just as we reached the sunlight, a large truck came barreling at us. Jessica was struck and thrown several feet away.Before she died, she stared straight in my direction, blood and tears running down her face. Smiling, she said, "Don't be scared, Johnny."She finally rememb