บททั้งหมดของ The Debt of Blood: บทที่ 1 - บทที่ 10

The day I was discharged, my dad dropped me off at a bus stop and left in a taxi.His reason was simple."I've already paid 600 for you. I'm not wasting another 20 on a cab."I clenched the last of my change and took the bus home. The ride took a full hour.When I pushed the door open, my younger brother, Brian Jones, who was two years younger than me, was pacing around the living room in a brand new pair of limited-edition Adidas sneakers."Hey, bro, check these out. Aren't they awesome? Over 2,000 dollars!" he said, grinning with pride.I looked at his shoes, then down at my own. My canvas sneakers were faded from too many washes, the soles worn so thin they were almost gone. I did not say a word.My shoes were what I called a luxury. Twenty bucks, earned after three months of collecting recyclables.My dad leaned out from the kitchen. The moment he saw me, his face darkened."You're back? Thought you dropped dead in the hospital. Hurry up. The dishes are piling up. Wash the

After the finals, I estimated my score. It was about 20 points higher than my best practice test.Winterford Institute of Technology. I had it in the bag.The admission letter arrived on a day my dad was not home.When I took the envelope from the mail carrier, with the words [Winterford Institute of Technology] printed on it, my hands were shaking. I hid it at the very bottom of my backpack. Then, like always, I picked up a mop and started cleaning the floor.I did not say a word about it. Not until the day before school started.That day, I packed everything I owned into one bag. Then, I set my acceptance letter and my ticket on the dining table."I'm leaving after dinner. I'm going to Winterford Institute of Technology."My dad was in the middle of serving Brian a piece of stewed beef. His hand shook, and the piece of meat slipped from his fork onto the table.He grabbed the acceptance letter, staring at the school name for a long time, then looked at me in disbelief."Wint

When Brian could not reach me, he completely lost it.He actually showed up outside my company building, holding a glaring white banner.[Unfilial son Chester, who earns a million a year, abandons his critically ill father. Unforgivable!]It was rush hour. People gathered around, pointing and whispering."He looks so put together. Didn't expect this from him.""Not even taking care of his own dad. That's heartless."I stood in the lobby, looking through the glass doors at the young man shouting himself hoarse outside.Ten years had passed. He had gotten heavier. Greasier. He wore a designer T-shirt and held the latest smartphone, yet there he was, putting on a pitiful act.The security guards were about to drag him away, but I stopped them."Let him make a scene."I pulled out my phone and dialed 911."Hello, there's someone causing a disturbance outside the office building. He's seriously disrupting the area."The police arrived quickly.When Brian saw them, he did not ba

My dad lay in the bed, his eyes hollow. When he saw me, his lips trembled."Where's Brian? Where did he go?""He ran," I said calmly. "Took the money from the house and ran off with some woman.""That's impossible! Impossible! Brian would never do that. He's a good son…" He tried to sit up, but all he could manage was a weak struggle."A good son?" I said. "Dad, did you forget your own rules? Fair exchange."As I packed his things, I spoke slowly, almost casually. "You spoiled him his whole life. Gave him everything without asking for anything in return. You made him believe it was all his by right. When something comes that easily, why would he value it? Why would he ever think about giving anything back?"You made him exactly what he is today."He froze. Tears slid from the corners of his eyes and into his ears."And what about you?" he asked, his voice shaking. "I was so strict with you… Why are you treating me like this, too?""Because you taught me to keep score. I'm just

People started gathering around. Parents and students whispered, pointing at us."Aren't they the father and son who are always begging around here?""Who's that guy? Dressed pretty nicely, too. Is he the older son?""Looks like it."I looked at the two people in front of me, the ones who had once filled my life with endless pain.There was nothing in my chest. No anger. No bitterness.If anything, it felt almost funny. "Give you something to eat?" I repeated the words, the corner of my mouth twitching slightly. Then, I opened my bag and pulled out a crisp five-dollar bill."You want food? Fine." I pointed to a car not far away. A BMW. Mine."See that car? Go clean the windows. Fifty cents per window."There are four side windows, plus the front and back windshields. I'll count it as six dollars total. This five is your deposit."My dad froze.Brian froze, too.The crowd fell completely silent."What? Too little?" I looked down at them. "Dad, you taught me this. If you wan