Chapter 2

The closer we got, the more I could see Mom shaking.

It'd been almost five years since the earthquake, and the old neighborhood looked completely different now, with rows of new buildings everywhere.

But the spot where Edith and I were trapped was still nothing but ruins.

I could still remember Mom and Dad that day, desperate and frantic, clawing at the broken concrete with their bare hands until their fingers were covered in blood.

"Edith loved barbecue-flavored chips, so I made sure to buy a few extra bags. And I brought plenty of milk, too," Dad said.

He took the snacks out of the car and carefully laid them out on the rubble.

Mom's eyes were already teary. When she saw Dad take the suitcase out, she tried to rush over, but Dad held her back.

"Please, just let me see it one more time," she begged, her voice shaking.

Dad's brow tightened, exhaustion and pain written all over his face.

He rested his hand on the suitcase's combination lock, hesitating.

My heart was in my throat.

Would Mom and Dad notice?

Would they realize they'd taken the wrong suitcase, and that inside wasn't Edith's belongings, but my corpse?

"It'll only make it harder to let go. Let's just leave it closed. The past should stay in the past," Dad said.

He sighed, resigned.

But Mom refused to let go.

Right then, Dad's phone rang.

He picked up, and Grace's anxious voice came through the phone. "Mr. Carter, I can't find Elaine again. Where could she have gone off to this time?"

Mom snatched the phone from Dad, her temper instantly ignited.

She said, "Don't bother with her. She's just acting out on purpose.

"She's deliberately making trouble for us on a day like this. Grace, lock her door and let her stay in there as long as she likes."

Dad looked fed up.

He told Grace not to bother with me either, and then hung up right away.

Mom snorted. "Thinks she's clever, huh? She thinks I'll just forgive her if she stays out of sight?"

The silence hung heavy, with a suffocating tension simmering beneath the surface.

Dad didn't say a word. He quietly got ready to light the fire.

But the fire in Mom's eyes only grew fiercer.

Mom said, "It's all Elaine's fault! Because of her, I can't even hold on to the last thing Edith left behind.

"We've always treated her so well. How could she be so vicious? She coaxed Edith into hiding during the earthquake, playing some stupid game of hide-and-seek.

"Now Edith can't even move on. Does she hate her own sister that much?"

Mom's eyes were bloodshot, and she cursed through gritted teeth, her words dripping with venom.

I'd lost count of how many times I'd heard this.

I knew Mom was hurting. She needed something to take it out on.

I turned to look at Dad. He didn't feel sorry for me anymore. There was only numbness and coldness in his eyes.

Because of me, he lost Edith.

And because of me, Mom's mind broke.

Dad was a lawyer. He'd always been all about logic and keeping his cool.

But day after day, the pain wore him down. He couldn't even look at me without something dark in his eyes.

Back when Mom would lash out at me, Dad would sneak me candy while I hid in the closet, leaning against the door to whisper his apologies.

"Elaine, Mom's just sick for a while. Stay hidden a bit longer, okay? Sorry, I know it's hard on you," he'd say.

But later, he'd start drinking a lot, tucked away in corners where Mom couldn't see him.

He'd pull me aside and ask me why I had to play hide-and-seek with Edith.

After that, he didn't care if Mom hurt me anymore. He'd just lock me in my room and forget I was in there all day, not even bringing me any food.

And now, he finally spoke, his voice distant and hollow. "Once Edith rests in peace, I'll send Elaine back to our hometown.

"Then, we can start over."

It felt like I was just some disposable piece of junk to him.

My heart skipped a beat.

I wanted to smile and feel happy for Mom and Dad, since they could finally break free from the nightmare and find the courage to start again.

But the flames were already dancing, ready to burn away whatever was left of me.

My chest felt empty, but the pain was still there.

Mom clutched Edith's teddy bear, her expression vacant and bewildered.

I let my soul merge with the teddy bear, and suddenly, it felt as if I was once again cradled in Mom's embrace.

The familiar warmth I'd missed for so long enveloped me.

I remembered when I was first rescued from the ruins. Before I could even see what was happening around me, Mom pulled me straight into her arms.

But the last trace of warmth I felt was smashed to pieces by Mom's slap, as soon as I mentioned "hide-and-seek".