Chapter 7
They broke down completely, falling onto me and crying hoarsely. “We’re sorry, we’re so sorry..
But I hated their touch. I curled up like a hermit crab, trying desperately to withdraw into myself
Mom and Dad noticed and frantically said: “Riley, don’t move. We won’t touch you. We won’t.” They stood up shakly, tearful when I noticed their hair
had turned white.
Had it turned white because of me?
But what good did that do now?
Noah fed me, but I couldn’t swallow even a grain of rice.
“I want some water,” I said weakly.
He immediately handed me a cup, testing the temperature before bringing it to my lips.
The water touched my lips, easing my thirst, and I said: “That’s enough.”
“You love water so much, you’re like a little fish!” Noah smiled, affectionately stroking my head.
I pulled back and said: “Because I couldn’t get clean water before.” I would never forget that parching thirst.
Noah’s eyes reddened again. He turned away to cry, his hand helplessly gripping his knee, repeating “I’m sorry” over and over.
I looked at him. “Is that the only thing you can say?”
He froze, his hand anxiously tugging at his sleeve–just like how I used to be anxious and awkward around him.
I pulled out an envelope from behind me when his eyes widened. “Is that for us?” Noah’s eyes brightening with hope.
“It’s for Ms. Stevens. Could you try to send it to her?” I said. I wasn’t sure if it would work. But I didn’t want her to think I was a bad kid.
The light in Noah’s eyes instantly died, lowering his gaze and said: “Okay.”
I felt my breathing grow weaker even my fingers were trembling.
Noah noticed too and grabbed my hand tightly, repeating my name: “Riley, Riley!”
Ha… that ridiculous name.
“Don’t call me… Riley…” I closed my eyes, leaving only Noah’s anguished cry behind, “Sister!”
They all cried bitterly. Mom kept holding me in her arms, shaking her head: “I don’t believe it! Her body is still warm. I don’t believe it!” Dad chain–smoked, one cigarette after another. Noah seemed crazed, talking to the sky. Emma cried helplessly.
For days, they remained in this state of collapse.
My soul floated above, watching with boredom. “Tsk, do people only regret when they’ve lost something?”
I was leaving anyway, but I needed to see that letter delivered to Ms. Stevens first.
Noah kept the letter pressed against his chest.
When would he send it?
Noah seemed to hear my thoughts. He took out the letter. Like a madman, he rushed out, saying he had to deliver it. But after searching everywhere, he couldn’t find Ms. Stevens’s contact information.
12:49
Burnt Beauty, Family Beasts
5.6%
Chapter 7
Ms. Stevens was a renowned artist who valued her privacy, especially to protect herself from her obsessive fans. Contacting her was nearly impossible.
After a month of dead ends, he wandered the streets in a daze, his eyes empty of spirit. His eyelids drooped as if sleepwalking, and he actually opened
the letter.
As he read, he began frantically punching the wall, tears streaming down.
“Ms. Stevens, I wish you were my mother.”
“No one in my family loves me.”
“The only chance to escape was taken from me.”
The contents of the letter seemed to cause him immense pain, blood trickling between his fingers.
After a long time, he finally stopped and lay on the ground.
The ground was cold. Yet he pressed his chest tightly against it, then closed his eyes.
“Sister…” he murmured.
A car blared its horn at him. Noah scrambled up awkwardly, bowing repeatedly as he moved away.
The driver stuck his head out and spat at him: “Pfft! Where did this homeless bum come from?”
Back home, Noah carefully placed the letter in a frame.
Everyone read it and wept.
“Riley didn’t love us, and we deserved it…” Mom sobbed.
I frowned, my nose wrinkling in irritation. I hated the name Riley. Why did they all insist on calling me that? But they never seemed to see anything wrong with the name.
The family was barely holding together.
Until one day, Emma accidentally broke the frame-
Noah went berserk, pointing at Emma’s nose: “How many times did Riley cover for you? Mom and Dad always thought she burned down the house, and now you’re breaking her letter!”
Emma shrank into a corner, frightened. Mom and Dad heard this news and collapsed to the floor.
Their bodies seemed drained of all strength and only capable of saying: “I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”
After quite some time, they finally got up.
Mom muttered, dazed: “I can’t take it anymore…” So she divorced Dad.
Noah lost his mind too, holding that letter every day, reciting my name, talking to me endlessly.
Emma was sent to live with relatives.
The family fell apart.
And I, it was finally time for me to truly leave.
♡ (0)
(0)
il.. Doacte
6.0%
Chapter 1
