Startseite / Emotional Realism Kurzgeschichte / Too Late to Care / Kapitel 1 – Kapitel 9

Alle Kapitel von Too Late to Care: Kapitel 1 – Kapitel 9

9 Kapitel

Chapter 1

I was completely soaked as I walked home alone, and my phone vibrated just as I stepped through the front door.In the family chat group, my mother, Bea Austin, pinged me with the message: [What are you doing about food for the next few days?]Bitterness flared in me as my tears welled up in my eyes, but before I could even reply, Bea had sent another text.[Don't touch anything in the fridge.][Everything belongs to John and Jane—it's one for each of them.][If you touch it, you'll affect the balance.]The sense of warmth and gratitude that I'd just felt vaporized instantly.All I sent back was one word: [Okay.]I really wanted to ask just then: What about me?However, I'd asked that question plenty of times, but no one cared—as if I didn't get to share anything in the house at all.As if it was only natural.Putting away my phone, I searched around the house but only found a loaf of bread that was getting stale. It wasn't easy to finally fall asleep, starving and cold.

Chapter 2

There was so much of the twins' junk that the floor had no place for anything, so John's cat's litterbox ended up on my bed.I felt a dull ring in my mind, and I couldn't help turning toward the living room where laughter echoed.Bea just happened to be looking in my direction, and at that moment, I knew for certain that she saw the look of humiliation and helplessness on my face.And yet, it was only a brief glance, and she turned away soon enough.This wasn't the first time anyway, and I hadn't slept in the storeroom from the start.However, Jane started crying a hissy fit complaining that her room was ten square feet smaller than John's, so Tia and Bea had no choice but to convert half of my room into a closet for Jane.John didn't complain, merely glowering as he slammed the door on his way out.After he stayed outside for an entire day, the other half of my room ended up as his gaming room, while I was left in the weather-prone storeroom.And now, as I watched the endless

Chapter 3

Grabbing my trophy, John then posted it in his friend group chat to brag.As for Jane, she demanded a party to celebrate, her competitiveness obviously piqued.And so, our parents decided to hold a grand banquet for them on the day of my birthday.They had planned to celebrate it for once, and I had been looking forward to it for months and confirming that everyone's schedule was clear for the occasion.I had yearned for it and even fantasized about it, but reality always made a fool of me.On the day of the party, Tim and Bea were sweetly coaxing me for once."We can celebrate your birthday some other day anyway, but your siblings will get really upset if we don't host this party.""They are always so competitive. Don't be like them, okay?"I pursed my lips, resisting the urge to tell them that this would probably be my last birthday with them.Just then, an attendant arrived with the cake.John and Jane stood side-by-side in front of it, smugness written all over their face

Chapter 4

Losing all composure, I rushed straight at John, glowering and holding out my hand at him as everyone watched in surprise."Give it back."There was guilt in John's eyes, and he promptly leaped behind Bea while Tim glared at me in annoyance. "What's your problem?!"I ignored him, my eyes red and teary as I stubbornly glared at John. "I said give it back!"However, yelling myself hoarse only made John angry, and he looked up at me. "This isn't fair! Grandfather gave you a pendant but not me! I just want my fairness!""Fairness?!" I bellowed, my voice shaking from rage as I vented all my frustrations. "Since we were kids, every gift received has been split between you and Jane! This is the first time I've ever received anything! And you call that fair?!"John flushed as he couldn't argue, but that was when Jane rushed up, snatching the pendant off John's neck.Then, as I looked on in shock and despair, it shattered into countless pieces while Jane leered at me in disgust. "There,

Chapter 5

After the trouble I had caused at the party, Bea felt especially humiliated after her relatives privately reasoned that she and Tim shouldn't play favorites.Deciding that she would vent everything on me, she glared at the storeroom door, raising her voice as she said, "No one shall talk to him starting today until he admits his own fault and apologizes!"The silent treatment lasted for days, with the family treating the storeroom like no man's land—no one even got close to the door, let alone asked how I was.Ironically, the storeroom remained just as silent, and it bugged them.Bea eventually couldn't resist asking Tim in private, "Why is your son so stubborn? He just has to apologize to his own family! And we're family! What, is he worried we won't forgive him?"Tim was smoking, his eyes weary. "What a difficult child."Bea didn't understand either.As a parent, she had every right to favor whichever child she wanted.Moreover, they didn't starve me and afforded me a stable

Chapter 6

After all, the entire storeroom was empty, including the ragged cardboard boxes where I kept my books and clothesEven my scent didn't linger in the air.It was only then that my parents considered the possibility that I hadn't come home since that party, or that I had not been home for days.Fear and unease began to eat at Bea.She pulled out her phone with trembling fingers, but when she swiped to my number, she was suddenly snapping again, "Where the hell did you go, Zac? Are you really running away over some petty feud?!" Beside her, Tim was scowling in silence, and he kept smoking.Soon, as they didn't receive a reply, Bea really began to panic, even tugging on Tim's sleeve. "You have to do something. He never screws around this much, and this is the first time he has run away. Where could he go, when there are no friends or family to take him in?""That's none of my business," Tim growled through gritted teeth. "What's the point of keeping an ingrate like him around? He'

Chapter 7

Jane had collapsed without warning.After she was rushed to the hospital and examined, the doctor's expression was solemn as he told Tim and Bea, "It's acute kidney failure. The transplant surgery needs to be scheduled quickly, and it's recommended to test family first."John turned pale at the diagnosis and shook his head, distancing himself. "No. I refuse."The doctor shot him a look. "Twins, was it? There's a good chance you're a match. This can't wait considering how serious the patient's condition is."Bea was horrified and clutched John's arm. "Please, John. It's just one kidney—this is your sister we're talking about."John shook her arm off violently right then, freaking out instantly and not caring that there were others down the hallway."That's not fair!" he screamed. "Why?! Why should I give her my kidney?!"Bea almost passed out right then, hearing John debating fairness even in this situation.Tim had enough too, leaping up and slapping John across the face, holle

Chapter 8

All color visibly drained from Bea's face, and she could hear a dull ring in her ears, while a chill started to run up her limbs. "What did you say?" she asked in disbelief.Mr. Ackles was just as bemused. "But you should be aware. You signed the consent form."Bea was ready to deny it when she suddenly remembered.She had been busy forcing me to hand my trophy over to John, and at that point, I had asked her to sign a consent form.The thought left her falling to despair, and her voice cracked as she asked, "C-Can you tell me when that was?"Mr. Ackles told her, and she closed her eyes, losing all hope.Hence, despite being a proud woman her whole life, she dropped to her knees in front of Mr. Ackles—in front of every person watching in the dorm."Please, I'm begging you… please help me contact Zac…"At that moment, Bea understood everything.I left them because I was thoroughly disillusioned with their family, and whatever messages they sent never reached me.-I had jus

Chapter 9

After much thought, I decided that I was worried, so I spent the night compiling receipts of all the expenses the family had spent solely on me.The math ended up with a laughable number: fifty thousand.I unblocked the family group chat and sent the receipts and the final number, with Bea soon replying through an audio message, "Why? What's with these receipts out of the blue?"Tim then added, "How could it be only fifty thousand?"I calmly replied, "Just learning by your example. You kept all the receipts to make sure you can prove there's always an equal share of everything in the house. It's just that there's usually none for me."I'm not deflating the numbers either, and I'm sure you know how much money you spent on me."As for Jane's illness, I refuse to donate my kidney. If you insist, I will repay the money I owe."Bea's audio message quickly followed, shuddering and cracking with hoarseness, "Does that mean… if you repay us, you won't ever come back?"I didn't answer a

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