Chapter 3

My dad sat up all night, but I never returned.

My mom walked out of the bedroom.

"That brat isn't back yet?"

My dad sat at the table, smoking a cigarette.

"I asked the neighbors this morning. No one has seen her."

"She's definitely hiding somewhere to throw a tantrum," my mom said, throwing down the dirty laundry. "Isn't that her favorite trick? Whenever she messes up, she plays the memory-loss card so we'll feel bad for her."

"She almost killed Joy this time, and she's still playing games? Just wait till she gets back. I'll teach her a lesson she won't forget!"

My sister was playing with blocks on a stool. She looked up. "Mommy, don't hit Elena."

"Joy, sweetheart," my mom immediately said softly. "Your sister made a huge mistake. She almost let you freeze to death. She has to be punished when she does something wrong, okay?"

My sister nodded half-understandingly and went back to her blocks.

My dad sighed and put out his cigarette.

"The town is only so big. Where could she run? She probably felt sorry for herself and crashed at some neighbor's place last night."

Before he could finish, Mrs. Gable's loud voice echoed from the front yard.

"Arthur! We need to gather at the Old Oak Tree for the New Year's Town Blessing!"

My dad stood up.

"Everyone has to be there for the town blessing. When she shows up, I'll make sure she learns her lesson!" My mom untied her apron, then noticed a half-sewn ragdoll on the couch.

It was my doll. My mom had made it for me.

A few days ago, my sister had ripped its arm off, and the stuffing was spilling out.

My mom had promised she would fix it for me.

But the next second, my mom marched over and ripped it apart with both hands.

Rip.

The fragile fabric tore completely open. The cotton stuffing spilled out all over the floor.

My entire soul trembled. I wanted to stop her, but my body passed right through.

Right. I was dead.

I could only stand there, watching my mom throw the ruined fabric into the trash can.

"How old is she, still playing with this childish junk? All she does is play dumb, putting this doll above her own sister!"

The doll's button eye fell onto the floor, rolled a few times, and stopped near my sister's foot.

My sister picked it up and squeezed it in her small palm.

"Let's go," my dad said, walking toward the door. "She might already be hanging around the Old Oak Tree to watch the ceremony."

"Good! We cannot let her off easy this time. Doesn't she love forgetting things? I'll hit her until she can't forget this lesson for the rest of her life!"

They locked the door and walked toward the town square, holding my sister's hand.

"Elena isn't back yet?" a neighbor asked on the way.

"She's completely spoiled!" my mom complained immediately. "Just because we scolded her a bit yesterday, she ran off and stayed out all night! She's a teenager now, but she has absolutely no sense of responsibility!"

"You have no idea. That illness of hers... who knows if it's real? She forgets what she should remember, but remembers the things she shouldn't."

"Last time I scolded her, she forgot about it a second later and asked me what was for dinner with a smile. Can you believe how frustrating that is?"

"Well, the girl is sick. You should be more patient..."

"Patient?" My mom's voice rose. "If we're any more patient, she'll walk all over us! She has to learn her lesson this time!"

I followed quietly behind my mom, my tears falling silently.

So, this was what my mom really thought of me.

A crowd had already gathered under the Old Oak Tree.

Red ribbons were tied to the branches.

An altar was set up, and incense and candles were smoking lightly in the morning light.

My mom's eyes searched through the crowd, her face growing darker by the second.

"Why isn't she here?"

"Maybe she's too scared to show up. We'll search house by house after the ceremony. I don't believe she could have vanished into thin air."

I blinked.

Mom, Dad... I'm right here, in the pit behind this Old Oak Tree.