7
629words
September 28 was my birthday. As I passed by a wonton stall, the craving for them hit me.
After hesitating, I shelled out $5 on a small piece of pork and scallions.
I wanted to make wontons for myself.
That day, James had been chewed out by his boss. His coworker's family trip posts, which were praised by others, only fueled his rage.
My tiny pork purchase became his outlet.
He swung the bat at me, cursing. Unable to endure, I tried to flee but couldn't stand up.
While he rested, I called Sarah.
Being far from home, she was my only ally here. She rushed over.
When she arrived, James paused his assault.
But hearing she'd take me, he exploded, striking her skull with the bat.
She hit the shoe cabinet and died instantly.
Realizing he'd killed her, James panicked. He taped my mouth and locked me in the bedroom as I tried to scream.
He dismembered Sarah with the cleaver, bit by bit, stuffing her into the fridge.
Her clothes were tossed under the bed.
He grabbed my ID and cards, then fled. To silence me, he struck my head with the bat.
He didn't kill me outright because the fridge couldn't hold another body, and corpses rot fast…
Later, he fell off the cliff…
Unpaid electricity bills cut the fridge's power, letting the meat decay.
That's why Sarah vanished when James appeared—she feared him, her killer.
As a ghost, Sarah might not know she was dead, thinking I was the ghost, trying to" save" me.
Was I alive?
I checked the mirror for signs of life.
The bruises hadn't faded, but I had a shadow.
I'd spied on James—he had none.
Sarah, dead
System: Sarah kept trying to get me out, meaning no harm. I believed escaping the house would unravel everything, honoring her wish. Hopefully, someone will find her body.
The next day, at the same time, Sarah appeared. I waited by the door, taking nothing, grabbed her hand firmly, and stepped outside.
Outside was a white void, then stairs appeared, like a map loading before me.
Sarah led me to the building's entrance, tears in her eyes.
"Laura, you're finally out."
She fixed my hair.
"Live well. Go."
I stumbled forward. Suddenly, James appeared.
He didn't stop me.
His face shifted, becoming someone else." Laura, go."
Wary, I asked," Are you James?"
He smiled, saying nothing, pointing down the path.
I took a few steps, then the ground vanished. A falling sensation gripped me.
Voices reached me." Patient's awake. Doctor, more sedative?"
A gentle, hoarse male voice replied," No need."
"Laura, can you hear Mom? Stop losing it, please, wake up, my girl."
I opened my eyes to a white ceiling. Mom sat by my bed, stroking my hair.
"You went wild, spitting out the wontons I made, calling the police…I had to bring you here."
I smiled weakly, gripping her hand in her shocked gaze."Mom, I'm fine.I'm awake."
Truly.
Mom wiped tears."Thank God."
As doctors and nurses left, faint voices lingered at the door.
"Living with corpses for twelve days—what a survivor, but she went mad."
"Twelve days…what'd she eat?"
"No clue, but she kept muttering 'wontons, wontons' when she woke up …"
"Madwoman's words—who'd believe her?"
Epilogue
Gripping Mom's hand, I walked away from the hospital. A soft breeze brushed my ear and warm sunlight lay ahead.
Behind me, a young couple whispered," Heard about that old complex on the east side? They found three bodies one morning, already rotting."
"The downstairs neighbor still hears chopping at night—everyone moved out in fear. She got a text from upstairs asking if it was too loud—nearly died of fright."
"You're scaring me! This is a hospital—don't tell ghost stories here."
