After the Countdown

The moment my consciousness left my body, I felt very, very light.

I floated in mid-air. Seeing the stiff body on the bed, I sighed.

So the soul really does leave the body after death.

I passed through the wall and finally left the small room.

Lunch was set on the table, with three sets of tableware.

My mother had cooked the food, my father was serving it, and my sister was sitting at the table, waiting.

I also sat in my seat.

I waited for them to ask, "Where's Brandon?"

But that didn't happen.

After the meal, my sister limped towards the storage room. My eyes lit up.

I shouted in a voice no one could hear, "Heidi, open the door! I won't be a bother to you guys anymore!"

But before her hand could touch the door, my mother scolded her.

"Heidi, what are you doing?! Stay away from that room! Does your leg not hurt anymore?!"

My sister was frightened and quickly left.

That afternoon, our neighbor, Auntie Mary, came to borrow salt. She asked, "Where's Brandon? I haven't seen him for a few days."

My mother's expression stiffened, but quickly returned to normal. "He's resting in his room. He's not feeling well."

"Is he okay? I have medicine..."

I smiled bitterly. Auntie Mary, no medicine can save me now.

"There's no need!" My mother's voice sounded a little anxious. "It's... It's nothing. He'll be fine after a few days of rest."

Auntie Mary didn't ask any further, and once again, I lost the chance to be found.

After Auntie Mary left, my mother looked at the storage room several times, but never went over once.

In the evening, my father came home. I spread my arms to stop my father. "Dad, please go check on me! I won't make you angry anymore! The countdown is over!"

But my father simply passed through me.

"Is he still locked up?" he asked.

My mother stayed silent.

"Open the door," my father said.

I was overjoyed. Would I finally be found?

Would my parents be sad?

Would they praise me for being a good kid?

As my mother was walking to the storage room, the phone rang.

After my father answered it, his expression changed drastically. He almost lost his balance.

My mother was startled. She quickly ran over to support him.

I sighed. It was so close. I was almost found.

"We have to go to my hometown! Someone from the village called and said Mom is dying!"

They took my sister and left in a hurry. The storage room door remained unopened. I was forgotten again.

Although I already died and had no heartbeat, hearing the news about my grandmother still made my heart ache.

In the last 18 years, my grandmother was the one who loved me the most. Knowing that I could only live for 18 years, she could barely sleep every night.

I followed my parents back to my father's hometown to see my grandmother for the last time.

My grandmother lay on the bed, withered and frail.

She tightly grabbed my father's hand and struggled to speak. "Daryl, where's Brandon? Why isn't he here?"

My father guiltily looked away. "He... he's at home. He didn't come with us..."

My grandmother suddenly widened her eyes. "You fool, what did you do?"

My father was startled and instantly told her the truth, "Brandon made a mistake, so I punished him by making him go hungry..."

When my grandmother heard this, she suddenly lost all her strength. She murmured something.

"What did you say, Mom? I can't hear you." My father got closer to try and hear what my grandmother was saying. "Brandon… didn't die… what?"

His ear was almost touching my grandmother's lips.

I was too far away and couldn't hear what my grandmother said.

I only saw my father's body instantly stiffen, as if struck by lightning.

He seemed to be in utter disbelief, even forgetting to blink.

"Brandon!!"

I was startled to hear my father scream my name like that.

His face was ashen. Ignoring my mother's questions, he kept muttering, "We made a mistake... We made a mistake..."

What mistake?