Blamed, Framed, and Frozen
"She's only eight years old, and she's already spreading rumors about her sister!"
"She even stole our neighbor's emergency money!"
"Worst of all, she conspired with human traffickers to sell her own brother!"
In the underworld courtroom, Mom and Dad rushed to accuse me of my "crimes," talking over each other in a frenzy. They thought this was just a dream, and in the middle of it all, they did not forget to warn my sister and brother standing nearby.
"You two better watch carefully. This is what happens to disobedient kids after they die!"
I instantly understood.
As the middle child, I had once again become the "example," the one sacrificed in their lesson.
'Mom... Dad... this isn't a dream. You locked me in the freezer, then took Grace and Tommy on vacation. I was locked in there for three days. I was so cold, my whole body frozen stiff...'