Chapter 2

"Mom... Chloe is so cold..."

My voice trembled, and my breath smelled of copper and blood.

My parents used to tell me that this ice rink was built by top-tier professionals and that the temperature could be adjusted.

But now, to punish me, Mom had turned the temperature down to minus thirty degrees.

Whenever I used to come in here, they would bundle me up like a marshmallow.

But now, my nearly bare body was shaking violently.

And someone had filled my skates with thumbtacks.

Every single step was a sharp, piercing torture.

Still, I told myself that Mom loved me. If I just apologized properly, she would forgive me.

But across the heavy glass door, my mother’s angry scream shattered my last hope.

"Shut up! Lily was only wearing a t-shirt today. Did you strip her jacket off?"

"Lily knows when she’s cold! You must have taken it off her, you wicked girl! How dare you complain about being cold? You deserve to freeze to death!"

I wanted to tell her it wasn’t me.

But then I remembered the time I went to make Lily’s baby formula, and she accidentally swallowed an eraser from my desk.

Mom had made me kneel outside in the freezing wind all night.

I had cried and said it was an accident.

But Mom had slapped me.

"Lily doesn't know any better! You must have put it there on purpose to choke her!"

"Why are you so malicious? Have we not been good to you? Do you have to kill her to be satisfied?"

"Don't try to manipulate me with your tears! I despise your fake innocence!"

I swallowed my explanations along with my tears.

Once, when I was younger, I accidentally broke my late grandmother's vintage vase.

But Mom had rushed over to check if I was hurt first.

When I cried out of guilt, she gently wiped my tears away.

"Nothing in this world is more important than my Chloe."

"When you cry, my heart breaks."

I didn't want Mom's heart to break.

And I didn't want Mom to hate me.

If I just kept skating, she would forgive me.

I gritted my teeth and pushed myself up from the ice.

My burning skin was stuck to the frozen surface.

The moment it tore away, the pain almost made me pass out.

The tacks dug deep into the soles of my feet, but I forced myself to keep moving, keep dancing.

Until my body grew completely stiff.

My teeth chattered uncontrollably, and my feet refused to take another step.

Through the glass, I heard Mom's voice.

"Sweetheart, Lily, Mom is going to take you out for some delicious pancakes."

The footsteps of my mother and Lily faded away.

I panicked and screamed toward the door.

"Mom! Don't leave! Mom..."

The footsteps grew quieter and quieter.

Mom had completely forgotten about me.

My heart felt frozen solid, cold and aching.

I collapsed onto the ice, curling into a tight ball.

"It's okay. Mom loves Chloe. She'll come back for me."

I whispered to comfort myself, and eventually, I drifted off to sleep.

It felt so warm, like I was back in my parents' loving embrace.

I was still their precious little girl.

I smiled in my sleep, and then I saw Dad coming home.

He was carrying my favorite strawberry cake in his hand.

"Where's Chloe? I was too harsh on her last night. I bought her favorite cake."

Hearing Dad's words made my chest tighten.

My heart ached, like it was being gently scratched by a kitten.

"Dad..."

I ran over to hug him, but my arms passed straight through his body.

I couldn't touch him at all.

I looked down at my transparent hands.

Slowly, the realization hit me.

Chloe was dead.

Would Mom and Dad finally forgive me now?