Chapter 2

2

Death freed me, released me from that narrow, dark coffin.

Blood seeped from the cracks in the wood, gruesome.

But we were in the middle of nowhere, and no one would find my body.

Even as a ghost, the suffocating terror clung to me.

After lunch, Mom personally gave Sarah her heart medication.

"Sarah, even if the doctors say you're okay, you need to take care of yourself."

"It's all Amy's fault! If she hadn't tricked you into going to that cemetery full of coffins, your heart wouldn't have acted up."

"I made her taste fear. She likes coffins so much? I let her lie in one and enjoy it!"

"Sarah, you should have heard her screaming."

Mom's cruel expression stunned me, and tears fell.

No one could see my sadness.

When I was stuffed in that coffin, I was covered in blood, and I don't know how many bones I broke.

That day, Mom dragged me from the hospital, kicking and screaming, and drove me out to the middle of nowhere.

To keep me from escaping, she had someone nail the coffin shut.

"You need to understand the fear Sarah felt!"

"If I don't teach you a lesson, you'll never learn!"

I fought the pain, banging on the coffin, begging.

"Mom, I'm sorry! Please, let me out! I messed up, I swear, I'll never do it again! Mom, I don't want to die! Help me!"

Mom forgot that I had claustrophobia.

When we were little, Sarah locked me in a closet for a day and a night, and I've been scared of small, dark spaces ever since.

My chest heaved, as if someone was choking me.

I just wanted out, no matter what, even if it meant taking the blame for things I didn't do.

But Mom didn't care.

That night, her voice was cold.

"It's too late for apologies."

"So, you're scared now? You can just think about what you did!"

Her footsteps faded away.

I struggled, trying to pry open the lid, desperate for a chance to live.

Then, there were more footsteps.

I thought someone had found me and screamed for help.

But it was useless. They didn't notice me.

Eventually, the oxygen ran out, and with no one coming to rescue me, I closed my eyes.

I was so bitter!

Until I opened my eyes again as a ghost.

Because of my anger, I drifted to Mom's side.

She and Dad were in France with Sarah, enjoying a vacation.

For a week, I followed them, watching them take family photos without me, eating and laughing, imagining a future without me.

They had forgotten me, and no one cared.

After taking her medicine, Sarah's face flickered with an odd expression.

She took Mom's hand, her voice soft.

"Mom, don't be upset. When Amy comes back and apologizes, we'll forgive her, right? We're still family."

Mom squeezed Sarah's hand.

"Sarah, Amy will never be family. The moment she murdered your brother, I stopped seeing her as my daughter."

"If only Amy were half as good as you, she wouldn't do all these terrible things!"

I scoffed, watching Mom's anger.

Mom, the killer is right next to you, but you can't see her!