Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 1 - Chapitre 8

After that day, the atmosphere at home completely changed.My family made me move into the storage room. My mother said it was because my sister was growing and needed more sunlight.My mother no longer asked me what I wanted to eat. She would quietly set out the tableware, one set short, look at me, and then add it.My father rarely spoke to me anymore. Sometimes, when he came back from outside, he would pause when he saw me sunbathing in the yard.Then, he would turn around and go in through the back door.My sister would occasionally stare at me from the storage room door, her gaze strange, as if she were observing a monster.Before, I was the treasure they cherished for 18 years.Now, I was the scapegoat for everything bad that happened in the family.If the tap wasn't tightened, my father would instantly frown and chastise me, his tone no longer gentle like before, "Are you doing this on purpose? You're wasting water! Do you know how expensive the water bill is?! Stop wast

The moment my consciousness left my body, I felt very, very light.I floated in mid-air. Seeing the stiff body on the bed, I sighed.So the soul really does leave the body after death.I passed through the wall and finally left the small room.Lunch was set on the table, with three sets of tableware.My mother had cooked the food, my father was serving it, and my sister was sitting at the table, waiting.I also sat in my seat.I waited for them to ask, "Where's Brandon?"But that didn't happen.After the meal, my sister limped towards the storage room. My eyes lit up.I shouted in a voice no one could hear, "Heidi, open the door! I won't be a bother to you guys anymore!"But before her hand could touch the door, my mother scolded her."Heidi, what are you doing?! Stay away from that room! Does your leg not hurt anymore?!"My sister was frightened and quickly left.That afternoon, our neighbor, Auntie Mary, came to borrow salt. She asked, "Where's Brandon? I haven't seen h

Dad was visibly distraught. The villagers helped to arrange a simple funeral for Grandma.It was rare to see a grandmother and a grandson die at the same time."Brandon!" Mom hugged my skinny body. She hugged me so tightly it felt as if she wanted to squeeze me into her bones."I made a mistake... I made a mistake... Open your eyes and look at me..."But I would never respond anymore."Mom, there's a piece of paper here!" My sister had sharp eyes and found the letter under the old pillow.Dad wiped away his tears and unfolded the paper with trembling hands."Mom, Dad, and Heidi. By the time you see this letter, the countdown should have ended. I'm so happy I get to live with all of you. Thank you for your hard work in the last 18 years. I hope we can still be a family in my next life! Oh, right, use the money in the piggy bank to buy a toy for Heidi! Consider it an early birthday gift."The time of writing was the night of my 18th birthday, after I blew out the birthday candles

There was very little left of Dad's compensation money after the funerals.Mom earned $400 a month selling vegetables, but there was not much left after expenses.They had to borrow money.They borrowed from all our relatives. My aunt lent them $4,000, my uncle lent them $2,000...After scraping around, they were still $20,000 short.That evening, Dad sat at the dining table, smoking one cigarette after another.Mom cried next to him. "Why don't we... sell the house? We've already let Brandon down, we can't let Heidi down too...""Where will we live if we sell the house?""It doesn't matter where we live. Let's cure Heidi's leg first."Dad stayed silent for a long time. He put out the cigarette on the table, leaving a black burn mark."Tomorrow I'll go find Lester. He has work. It's tiring, but it pays well."Lester was a foreman at a construction site.I floated in mid-air, looking at Dad's hunched back. I suddenly recalled when he carried me on his back when I was a kid,