Chapter 2

The day Chloe was buried, the sky wept with a dreary drizzle.

I stood by her grave, watching her parents clutch her tombstone, their wails tearing through the air. My mind was a complete blank.

The police had closed Chloe's case as an accidental death.

I staggered back home, a ghost of myself, collapsing onto the sofa, my brain still trying to process the brutal reality of her sudden demise.

Dad came over, patting my shoulder, telling me to try and move on, that it was just an accident.

But then Mom sat beside me, her eyes fixed on Dad with an unsettling intensity.

"Honey, actually, I've always wanted to know..."

"If your mom and I fell into the water, who would you save?"

I shot up, my blood turning to ice. The image of Chloe stabbing herself flashed relentlessly in my mind, painting my vision crimson.

"Mom! What... what are you asking this for?!"

My throat constricted, and my scalp prickled with dread.

Dad looked horrified too, his eyes wide.

"Why are you asking that out of nowhere? It's creepy!"

But Mom's gaze remained locked on Dad, an empty, lurking something in her eyes.

"Quick, tell me, who would you save?" she urged, her voice sharp.

My heart hammered against my ribs, lodged in my throat. I couldn't even breathe.

This scene, especially Mom's tone, the pauses in her words, her unnervingly serious expression...

It was an exact replica of what happened before Chloe died!

"Oh, come on, why ask such a boring question?" Dad said, a hint of impatience in his voice. "My mom passed away years ago. What's the point of asking that now?"

Mom ignored him, her stare unwavering, her words deliberate. "Just pick!"

As far as I remembered, Mom and my grandma had a wonderful relationship when Grandma was alive. My grandma was incredibly kind to Mom, and Mom was very devoted to her. Mom had never been the unreasonable, badgering type.

This was the first time she'd ever cornered Dad like this, demanding an answer.

I couldn't understand. Why had Mom changed so much after Chloe died?

Dad didn't want to answer, but Mom wouldn't let it go. Her expression grew increasingly agitated, almost ferocious, as if someone was chasing her for an answer.

Seeing Mom's emotions spiraling, Dad finally relented, answering patiently.

"You're my wife, of course, I'd choose you!"

I thought that would be the end of it, but the next second, Mom shrieked like a maniac.

"You're lying!"

"You're only choosing me because your mom is dead!" she screamed hysterically.

Before Dad and I could react, Mom burst out of the house. We chased after her in a panic, only to see her grab a bottle of pesticide and chug it down.

"Mom!" I yelled in terror.

The next second, foam frothed from her mouth, and a strong, acrid smell filled the air. She writhed, her body curling, eyes rolling back, convulsing in agony on the ground.

Dad was paralyzed with fear, his face ghostly white, as he lunged towards her.

"Call 911!"

I fumbled for my phone, but it slipped from my trembling hand and clattered to the floor. Then I heard Dad's heart-wrenching wails.

Mom was gone.

I collapsed onto the ground, my ears ringing with the last words Chloe and Mom had spoken.

"If your mom and I both fell into the water, who would you save?"