All Chapters of Sunlight on Thawed Ground: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1

I crashed hard onto the icy tiles of the hallway floor, my limbs seizing in violent, uncontrollable spasms.The chaotic chatter of the corridor was instantly drowned out by a deafening, high-pitched ringing in my ears. The footsteps and voices of nearby students and parents warped, growing distant and muffled, as if filtered through a thick layer of cotton.I desperately tried to lift my head, aching to call out for my mother, Marie Wilcox, but my neck felt so heavy. No sound would come. Only hot, silent tears spilled uncontrollably from the corners of my eyes, tracking down my face.A familiar voice pierced through the ringing. "Ashley, are you okay?"Seeing me sprawled on the ground, he rushed over to help me up, only to recoil in shock as another violent tremor racked my body."Don't... touch me," I gasped, using every ounce of my remaining strength to squeeze out a breathless whisper. "I'm fine. Please, don't tell the teachers, and don't tell my mom."The deep-seated terror o

Chapter 2

My head lolled helplessly, my forehead knocking hard against her arm. A wave of dull, throbbing pain bloomed across my skull, and the black spots dancing in my vision began to multiply."Move!" Marie hissed through gritted teeth, her voice low and toxic with vitriol. "Stop humiliating me out here. Just wait until I get you home."She dragged my limp body down the corridor, hauling me toward the vacant classroom at the far end of the hall.Passing students slowed their steps, forming a loose circle. They pointed and murmured among themselves as we passed."What's happening? Why is that doctor dragging her like that? It's terrifying. Look at her arms and legs twitching!""Oh, you don't know? That's Ashley Wilcox, the school's most notorious faker. That doctor is her mother. What else would it be? She just wants to skip class, so she's staging another one of her dramatic episodes.""Seriously? That's pathetic. No wonder her mom is entirely fed up with her."The biting whispers drif

Chapter 3

"Kill her?" Marie let out a cold, sharp laugh, her eyes flashing with pure contempt. "If she actually had the spine for it, she'd pass out and never wake up. At least, that would save me the embarrassment of dealing with her pathetic attention-seeking out here!"With a violent shove, she released my collar. My limp body crumpled instantly, crashing heavily against the edge of the corridor steps.A dull crack echoed as my head slammed into the sharp concrete, and a warm, thick crimson began to well up from my forehead immediately.My body convulsed even more violently from the impact, but I forced my heavy eyelids open, staring desperately up at her.I wanted to scream, "Mom, look! I'm bleeding. I really am not faking this. Can you just believe me this once?"But Marie merely looked down at the blood with unadulterated disgust. "You're even manufacturing blood now just to keep your little act alive? You truly are something else. Too bad you waste all that cleverness on underhanded

Chapter 4

"Dr. Wilcox! Stop this right now!" Hailey screamed, her face contorted with panic as she lunged forward, desperately trying to wrench the water bottle from Marie's grip. "You're killing her like this!""I am giving you ten minutes," Marie finally said, halting her actions.She stood up slowly, positioning herself right above me with icy detachment. "If you are still lying here playing dead when the clock runs out, I will drag you out to the middle of the sports field. I'll make sure every single student and faculty member in this school can see you."I'll let everyone see just how incredibly pathetic and humiliating you are—a lazy, worthless parasite who can only survive by faking illnesses!"With that final insult, she spun around and marched back to the examination room.The freezing water continued to drip from my hair and clothes, pooling around my rigid torso. My body had gone completely stiff, and the biting cold was gradually replaced by a hollow numbness.Hailey crouched

Chapter 5

I had no idea how much time had passed before I felt someone gently rocking my body. The frantic voice of the school doctor and the breathless weeping of Hailey drifted into my ears.And there was another voice—a voice I never expected to hear break like this.I fought to pry my heavy eyelids open. My vision remained a blurred haze, but I could make out a trembling figure crouching right beside me.It was Marie. Her eyes were swollen and bloodshot, her face drenched in tears. Gone was the icy detachment and the visceral disgust she had worn just moments ago. In their place was a frantic wave of pure panic and remorse."Ashley... please wake up..." she whimpered, her fingers brushing against my forehead so gently that they felt unreal. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have doubted you, hit you, or screamed at you."Please, just wake up, okay? I'll take you to the best hospital in the city. I'll get you every test you need and make sure you get the care you deserve."I swear I'll never f

Chapter 6

I had no idea how much time had passed before the hospital room door creaked open softly.The attending doctor stepped inside, gently placing a hand on Marie's trembling shoulder. "Dr. Wilcox, let the child go for a moment. She's only just regained consciousness, and her body is far too weak. She needs proper, undisturbed rest."Jerking out of her trance, Marie carefully loosened her grip, her eyes brimming with a poignant blend of reluctance and heartache as she drew back."About her condition..." She turned to face him, her voice thick with anxiety. "Can it be cured? Will there be any lasting side effects? She is still so young. I can't bear to see her suffer through this pain any longer."The doctor sighed, spreading open a thick stack of diagnostic reports and pointing to the analysis lines. "Rest assured, this condition is curable, and it won't leave any permanent damage."It is a form of covert neurosis. It is entirely invisible on standard physical examinations, which is wh

Chapter 7

Marie immediately pressed the call button on the headboard, her eyes never leaving me for a second. Her hand clamped tightly around mine as she soothed me over and over."Don't be scared, sweetheart. Stay with me. The doctor is coming right now. The discomfort will pass soon, okay? Just hold on."I nodded weakly. Watching her usually composed demeanor dissolve into utter panic brought a fragile wave of warmth to my chest, laced with a poignant, sharp pang of bittersweet irony.The mother of my past would have weaponized my pain, screaming that I was staging a performance to shirk my duties. Yet now, she was unmoored by the slightest hint of my physical distress.Within moments, the attending doctor rushed into the room. He ran through a quick check-up on me, then let out a relieved sigh."Don't worry. It's just a mild flare-up of your symptoms," he reassured me. "Your system has just endured a massive trauma, and you're still profoundly weak. It will clear up once your emotional s

Chapter 8

"It's so good." I nodded vigorously, feeling the bittersweetness. "It tastes exactly like it did when I was little."Marie smiled—the first genuine smile I had seen on her face in years, devoid of coldness and stripped of malice. There was only absolute tenderness and quiet relief. Even the deep, chronic exhaustion in her eyes seemed to soften and fade.In the days that followed, she put all her work on hold and canceled every unnecessary social engagement, dedicating her entire existence to sitting by my side and tending to my daily recovery.She accompanied me to every therapy session, guided me through my emotional lows, and prepared my favorite dishes. Gone were the days of forced restrictions and starvation; she never again rationed my meals.Every morning, she would walk down the hospital corridors with me, breathing in the fresh air. She kept the conversation light and cheerful, sharing gentle stories to lift the crushing weight of anxiety from my shoulders.In the afternoo

Chapter 9

"My sweet girl," Marie choked out, pulling me into a tight hug. "Everything is going to be okay from now on. For both of us."I leaned into her, finally letting myself relax. "Let's just forget about the bad stuff, Mom. From this moment on, it's just the two of us looking out for each other.""Yes," she said, nodding hard through her tears. "I'm going to take good care of you. I won't let anyone treat you unfairly, and I won't let this sickness get the best of you again. We're going to live happily together."True to her promise, Marie started opening up to me. When things got tough, we talked through them together. She learned how to communicate with me properly and love me with all her heart.I finally let my guard down, slowly getting back the confidence and cheerfulness I thought I'd lost forever.Once everyone at school found out what had happened, they all came to visit me at the hospital. Hailey brought over a massive stack of study guides."Don't stress about your schoolw

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