Chapter 3
Chapter 3
I was floating above, looking down at my own body.
Weird. I thought dying would hurt like hell, but I just felt… light.
My body was still lying there, blood dried on the back of my head, face pale as paper.
The house was total chaos.
Dad stayed right next to the paramedics, carrying my screaming sister toward the door.
Mom clutched a bottle of pills, rushing behind them.
Nobody looked back at the daughter forgotten in the corner of the living room.
“Come on! The ambulance is waiting!” Dad’s voice was frantic.
Mom suddenly stopped and glanced back. “Where’s Riley?”
“Forget about her! Stella’s the priority!” Dad snapped, carrying my sister down the stairs.
Mom hesitated for a second, then ran after them.
The front door slammed shut, rattling the family photo off the wall.
The sound of breaking glass echoed through the empty apartment.
In that photo, Stella stood right in the center with Mom and Dad’s arms wrapped around her, all of them beaming.
And I was shoved off to the side like some random photobomber who didn’t belong.
I drifted over to the window.
Watched the ambulance speed away, red and blue lights flashing.
They had no clue that their older daughter was already dead.
A phone started buzzing in the bedroom.
I could see the caller ID showing Ms. Peterson, my homeroom teacher.
Chapter 3
“Hi, this is Ms. Peterson calling about Riley. She wasn’t in school today and didn’t call in sick. Just wondering if everything’s okay? Please give me a call back.”
Sunlight streamed through the curtains onto my desk, where I’d laid out all my textbooks for today.
I was supposed to stop by the bookstore after school to get that new art book.
Now… I’d never need it.
My spirit drifted helplessly toward my family, pulled by some invisible force.
In the ER, Stella had been given a sedative and was finally quiet.
The doctor frowned as he checked her over.
“She’s just shaken up. Nothing serious.” He took off his stethoscope.
“Some rest and she’ll be fine.”
“Thank God!” Mom collapsed into a chair, sobbing into her hands.
Dad put his arm around her. “It’s okay. Stella’s going to be alright.”
I stood right in front of them, wanting to scream:
‘Look at me! I’m dead! Your older daughter is dead!”
But my voice couldn’t reach the world of the living.
A nurse walked in. “Are you looking to admit her?”
‘Absolutely!” Dad jumped up. “My daughter needs the best care possible.”
The nurse scribbled on her clipboard. “Patient’s name is Stella Williams, right?”
“Yes, she-”
“What about the other patient?” the nurse suddenly asked.
“The paramedics mentioned another young female at the scene who was injured?”
Mom and Dad looked at each other, confused.
“Oh, you mean Riley?” Mom waved her hand dismissively.
didn’t mean to.”
“No!” Stella suddenly got worked up. “She did it on purpose! She hates me! She always calls me a burden an says I’ll destroy the family someday!”
Her breathing turned rapid, the monitors started beeping frantically.
Doctors and nurses rushed in, total chaos again.
drifted to the corner, watching it all play out.
My whole life, whenever Stella said “Riley hates me,” Mom and Dad would look at me like I was
“Stella says you hid her toys?”
“Stella says you woke her up on purpose last night!”
“Stella says you put something in her water?!”
Even now, with me dead, they still believed every word she said.
Dad’s phone rang.
He stepped into the hallway to answer.
“Hello? Oh, Officer Martinez. What?!”
His face went white as a sheet.
“No! That’s impossible!” His voice shook. “Are you sure it’s our Riley?”
pure
evil.
Chapter 3
The nurse nodded and left.
squeezed my eyes shut in agony.
They hadn’t even noticed I’d stopped breathing.
tella shifted in bed, letting out a weak moan.
Mom rushed to her side immediately. “Baby, what’s wrong? Tell Mommy.”
Riley!” Stella said weakly. “Riley wants to hurt me!”
Don’t worry, Mommy won’t let her hurt you.”
Mom stroked her hair, voice impossibly gentle. “Riley just accidentally knocked over her glass, sweetie. She
idn’t mean to.”
No!” Stella suddenly got worked up. “She did it on purpose! She hates me! She always calls me a burden and
ays I’ll destroy the family someday!”
ler breathing turned rapid, the monitors started beeping frantically.
Doctors and nurses rushed in, total chaos again.
drifted to the corner, watching it all play out.
My whole life, whenever Stella said “Riley hates me,” Mom and Dad would look at me like I was pure evil.
Stella says you hid her toys?”
Stella says you woke her up on purpose last night!”
Stella says you put something in her water?!”
ven now, with me dead, they still believed every word she said.
Jad’s phone rang
de stepped into the hallway to answer.
Hello? Oh, Officer Martinez. What?!”
His face went white as a sheet.
‘No! That’s impossible!” His voice shook. “Are you sure it’s our Riley?”
20:02
Chapter 3
The cop’s cold voice came through the phone:
“Preliminary findings show a 16 year old female, fatal head trauma, deceased for at least three hours.
We’ve confirmed the victim’s identity as your eldest daughter.
Riley Williams.”
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My An
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for REAL
hapter 4
