Chapter 3

When I woke again, I found myself lying on a soft bed.

My face and hands were bandaged. Mom came in, holding a bowl of chicken soup.

She blew on each spoonful, then fed it to me. This was the first time in eighteen years she'd been so gentle with me.

My nose stung, and tears fell.

"Mom, I really didn't say those things to Seraphina. Please, believe me?"

She mumbled a distracted "Mmm," told me to rest, and left.

I quickly drifted into a hazy sleep, but dimly heard someone talking to Mom and Dad:

"Time's almost up. Lock her away now!"

My body was lifted and placed into a confined space.

The familiar scent of pine wood brought me back to awareness.

I struggled to open my eyes and discovered that Mom and Dad had crammed me into my cello case!

Behind them stood a man dressed in flowing robes, looking like some kind of spiritual medium.

Seeing the fear in my eyes as I tried to struggle, Dad shoved me back into the case with a vicious glare.

"Stay there and atone for your sister! The Seer said Seraphina's spirit can't find its way back because you drove it away!"

Mom, her hands pressed together, murmured, "Don't be afraid, Seraphina. Your mom and dad have locked this wicked child away to pay for what she did. Please calm down, come back to us soon, just a visit. Tell us where your body drifted off to…"

Julian, the medium, waved a hand, signaling them to seal the lid.

"The deceased's spirit will definitely visit in a dream within seven days. After that, you can let her out!"

"No, Mom! I hurt so much, please don't lock me in!"

I struggled in terror, but Mom held me down tightly. Dad, with a grim look, snapped the latches shut.

The world plunged into darkness. I desperately heard the cello case being locked.

"If it weren’t for you—always showing off, always stealing her light—she’d still be alive."

Mom's cold voice filtered in. Dad's voice was full of disgust, "It's just a few days in the cello case as punishment. Is that really more painful than Seraphina being lost to the sea?"

My throat burned. I couldn’t breathe between sobs. The wounds on my fingers tore open again, and blood seeped out of the case, soaking the floor.

"No… please, I'll really die in here…"

"Hmph! There are air holes in the cello case, and we gave you enough nutrients to last seven days. Don't you dare try to threaten us with death!"

"If only your death, you evil spawn, could bring Seraphina back, how wonderful that would be!"

Hearing those last words, I completely gave up struggling.

Tears streamed out, stinging the injuries on my face.

I started to develop a high fever, my consciousness gradually blurring.

I don't know how much time passed, but then the door to the room where they'd set up Seraphina's memorial opened. Instantly, my will to survive reignited.

Mom, Dad, please save me, I feel terrible…

Mom's anxious voice reached my ears.

"The Seer said, as long as we fulfill Seraphina's wishes from her diary, she'll definitely visit us in a dream!"

"Right, let's start doing them one by one now!"

Dad urged her, and they left again.

The door to the memorial room slammed shut with a *bang*.

My only hope shattered once more.

My body grew colder and colder. My vision began to blur.

In the darkness, I seemed to return to my childhood, to a birthday celebration Mom and Dad threw for us.

Mom carried a cake glittering with candles, and Dad smiled, clapping his hands.

"Happy Birthday to our two adorable little birthday girls!"

He smiled, holding out two gifts. "Elara, this is your new sheet music. Seraphina, this is the Barbie doll you wanted…"

I smiled, reaching out to take the gift, but their faces instantly twisted.

Mom slammed the cake onto the floor. Dad tore the sheet music in his hand to shreds.

"You deliberately mocked your sister, forced her to suicide, didn't you? You murderer!"

I cried, shaking my head, "No! I just wanted to tell her, even if she couldn't follow the path of music, there were so many other possibilities for her future…"

"Liar! You killed her! You'll pay for her life!"

I cried, struggled, as if trapped in a long nightmare.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself no longer in that cramped, locked cello case.

Instead, I was floating in the air above the memorial room.