جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 10

I shook my head frantically, digging my fingers into the cracks between the stones as I tried to haul myself up.River water rushed into my nose, but I couldn't make a single sound.My mother, Jennie Weber, shrieked at me from the bank over my little sister Katie Weber's medicine. "Did you swap her pills? Katie saw you with her own eyes!"I tried to sign, but my fingers were frozen stiff.It wasn't me. I had never even touched Katie's pill bottle.But when I opened my mouth, the only thing in my throat was the hollow rasp of air passing over my ruined vocal cords.My father, Mike Weber, turned to the bodyguards behind him. "Silence means she's admitting it. Let her soak. When she's thought it through and opens her mouth to confess, then you can fish her out."Katie gently tugged at Mom's arm, her voice soft. "Mom, the river's so cold. Amanda's going to get sick...""Sick? She doesn't have a heart condition like you do. She's as healthy as a horse! Katie, you're just too kind. W

But Dad had forgotten that I'd just had surgery on my broken leg back then. The doctor had said I couldn't have sweets or anything cold.The video skipped ahead.It was Katie's first day of elementary school. She was bouncing around in the doorway in her brand-new uniform.Mom crouched down to straighten her school tie, her eyes soft and tender."Katie never gave us a moment's worry, even as a little girl. Not like Amanda, always making a scene every other day. Her leg had healed perfectly fine, but she insisted on staying in that wheelchair. She just wanted us to hold her more, didn't she?"But it was the doctor who had said I needed three more months of observation and shouldn't walk yet.Dad suddenly spoke up. "Remember that time Katie had a fever, and Amanda insisted she wasn't feeling well either? We took them to the hospital, and Katie's fever was up to 39 degrees Celsius. Amanda's temperature was perfectly normal."Mom looked annoyed. "Let's stop talking about her. Just t

When the car pulled up in front of the police station, Mom's hands were still shaking.Dad sat in the driver's seat, gripping the steering wheel so hard his knuckles had gone white.Mom murmured to herself, "Maybe... maybe it isn't Amanda. Maybe they got it wrong."They got out of the car and walked into the station.A young officer sat behind the front desk. He looked up when he saw them. "Are you Amanda Weber's family?"Mom and Dad nodded.The officer stood and came out from behind the counter. "Follow me."We walked down a long corridor. At the end was an iron door. The officer pushed it open to reveal another room, colder still.In the center stood a mortuary table, with a white sheet covering a human form.Mom stopped in the doorway, trembling from head to toe, and didn't go in.The officer pointed at my body. "Please confirm the identity."Dad walked over and stood beside the bed.He reached out until his fingers touched the edge of the sheet. He paused there for a fe

That was where the writing stopped. There was nothing after it.Mom went through the cards one by one, very slowly.In the silent room, her breathing grew heavier and heavier.Then she noticed another notebook pressed flat at the very bottom of the box.It was thin, with a kraft-paper cover.She opened it to the first page. It was in my handwriting.[September 3. Today Katie told her classmates, "My sister's a mute. Don't talk to her." I asked her why she'd said that. She laughed and said, "I was just kidding. Why are you taking it so seriously?"][September 10. Katie swapped her medicine for vitamins. When I found out, I asked her about it, and she said, "You little cripple, my business is none of yours. If you like them so much, you take them. Wouldn't want them going to waste."][October 5. Katie showed Mom my diary and said I'd been badmouthing Mom behind her back. Mom got really angry and yelled at me. Katie stood next to her and said, "Maybe Amanda's just in a bad mood."]

Mom ignored her.Aunt Helen's voice rang out again, louder this time. "If you ask me, going early was a mercy. Just look at Mike and Jennie. Look how much they've aged in the past six months..."Before she'd even finished, Dad spun around.He crossed the distance in two strides and grabbed her by the collar, his eyes bloodshot. "Say one more word about my daughter. Go on, I dare you."Everyone around them froze.Aunt Helen was terrified. "M-Mike, I was just talking..."Dad's voice tore out of him. "Just talking? My daughter is lying right there, and you're standing here just talking?"He raised his fist, but then lowered it without striking her and released her collar.Aunt Helen stumbled back a few steps, and someone caught her.Mom turned and walked to my memorial portrait. She wiped the raindrops off the frame with her sleeve.Then she lifted her head and looked at the relatives."My daughter, Amanda Weber, was smart and kind. She was the greatest pride of my life."The