Her Life for Mine

From that point onward, my body grew weaker by the day.

I wasn't allowed to have a full meal. Half of my meals had to be set aside as an offering for Noah and placed in front of his ashes. It didn't matter if we had any leftovers. The portion had to be taken from my plate.

In return for my offerings, Grandma said that Noah would protect me.

Every night, she would make me kneel before his urn and call out his name. I was only allowed to go to bed after I paid my respects to him.

She claimed that it would make my brother watch over me and allow me to live a long life under his protection. However, I overheard her conversation with a medium.

"Giving him half of her meals is the same as giving him half of her life," the medium said.

By the end of it all, my life would become his.

Little did they know that Noah had never returned to the house. The spirit that appeared in the house had always been a girl.

When I developed another high fever, Grandma asked my parents to return home. Mom looked anxious, but Dad was expressionless.

Mom asked Grandma, "Are you telling me the truth, Mom? Is Noah really back?"

They assumed that I was unconscious and began to openly discuss Noah's return. Sensing their eyes on me, I tried my best to stop myself from trembling.

"While I was lighting a candle for him a few days ago, I saw an obscure shadow eating the food we offered. It was Noah—he came back."

Dad frowned. He looked like he wanted to say something, but he ultimately stayed silent.

"My son… My son is back."

Mom started to cry, but Grandma immediately hushed her. She didn't want Mom to wake me up.

"So what if I wake her up? This brat should've died ages ago!" Mom barked. "Haven't we been raising her all these years just so Noah can return?"

She added, "Have you forgotten about your promise to me, Mom? You said that—"

Before she could finish, Grandma snapped, "I remember everything!"

Grandma slammed her cane against the concrete floor and declared, "I haven't forgotten about my promise. Now shut up and do as I say!"

Grandma rarely lost her temper. Hence, her outburst shocked Mom and caused her to fall silent.

Moments later, Mom finally asked, "Are you sure this will work, Mom?"

"It'll work. I even brought in a medium. It has to work no matter what."

"Will Noah's spirit be back once she wakes up?"

"If he's not back this time around, he'll definitely be here the next time," Grandma stated firmly.

Overjoyed, Mom immediately declared that she was going to get me some supplements.

"This body is far too thin. Did the doctor mention that she was malnourished? I'll need to get some supplements. I can't have Noah falling sick the moment he returns…" she said as she walked out the door.

As her voice faded, I heard Grandma and Dad whispering to each other. They seemed to be talking about a cliff and swapping lives.

I caught fragments of their conversation before I wasn't able to focus anymore.

At that moment, I couldn't move my body at all. By the time I woke up the next day, I might not even be myself anymore. Unfortunately for me, there was nothing I could do about it.

…

When I regained consciousness, the medium was calling my name.

"Noelle? Noelle."

I forced my eyes open, but the medium was nowhere in sight. Instead, I saw a young girl dressed in white. Her expression was grim, and she was staring at me without saying a single word.

She stepped toward me and lowered her head to look at me. Blood dripped from her face onto mine. The liquid was thick and sticky, and it smelled like rusted metal.

I wanted to grimace and ask her to get away from me, but I couldn't move a muscle.

Next to my ear, the voice calling my name grew louder and louder. At some point, it even sounded slightly sharp.

I wanted to lift my hands and cover my ears.

"So loud…"

I managed to mutter. When I opened my eyes again, Grandma was sitting beside me, staring anxiously at my face.

"Did it work?" she asked the medium.

The medium glanced at me again.

Mom's tears were dripping onto the floor.

"Noah! My dear son!" she cried.

"Mom? Grandma? How am I alive? Why are you guys crying?"

Mom looked puzzled. "Who are you?"

"I'm Noah, Noah Langston," I replied slowly, trying to act like my brother when he was younger.

"It worked!" the medium exclaimed.

Grandma reacted before anyone else could. Pulling me into a tight embrace, she said, "Noah—you're finally back."

Mom seemed like she was in disbelief.

"Is Noah actually—"

Before she could finish her sentence, Grandma and the medium immediately reprimanded her in a stern voice.

"Don't be ridiculous! Noah is right here."

And just like that, I became my brother, Noah Langston.

I hadn't expected everything to go so smoothly, and I didn't think they'd believe me without question.

I used what little I knew of Noah based on what Grandma told me and learned how to act like him. I mimicked his preferences and the way he spoke.

Noah hadn't come back. I was pretending to be him, but none of them had seemed to notice.