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mommy i don't lie anymore dailymotion
mommy i don't lie anymore
mommy i don't lie anymore dailymotion
mommy i don't lie anymore
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Short filmTranscript
00:00born. Not because I actually lied, but because of this thing on my wrist, the Verity band.
00:06Mom was obsessed with science-based parenting. So when my twin sister Emma and I were born,
00:13she strapped these bands on us. Green light means truth. Red light means you're manipulating reality.
00:20Emma's band? Always green. She could literally cut up mom's designer dress and blame the cat,
00:26and that little device would glow like a Christmas tree. Not me. She'd say. Green light. Believed.
00:33Me? I'd say. Mom, I'm hungry. And flash. Red light. Instant punishment. And mom's punishment wasn't
00:42gentle. No food. Locked in my room. Digital blackout. No phone. No Wi-Fi. Nothing. She'd say.
00:52The machine doesn't lie, Stella. Starve now. Learn later. I'm doing this for your own good.
00:58After 10 years of this, I started believing it too. Maybe I really was born wrong.
01:05New Year's Eve, everything changed. My mom. New Year's Eve, everything changed. Mom was getting
01:13ready to take Emma to see the ball drop in Times Square. And that's when the pain hit. Like
01:19a knife twisting in my gut. I collapsed on the floor. My skeletal frame curling into itself.
01:26Mom, please. It hurts. The band flashed red. She looked down at me, disgust in her eyes.
01:34Nice try, Stella. Faking sick to crash our night? Pathological.
01:39She grabbed Emma's hand and headed for the door. I wanted to scream. But part of me thought,
01:45maybe she's right. The band is red. So I must be lying. I must not actually be in pain.
01:53Sorry, Mom. I won't lie anymore. But the pain got worse. Way worse.
02:02New Year's Eve, the door handle turned. For one second, I thought,
02:07she's coming back. She's a doctor. She'll know something's wrong.
02:11Hurry up. The fireworks are starting. Emma's waiting.
02:15Please. Something's really wrong. I feel like I'm dying.
02:20She glanced at my wrist. Red light flashing like crazy. She crouched down, grabbed my chin,
02:27forced me to look at her.
02:28Stella, how long are you going to keep this up? Can't you just be honest? Stay here and think
02:33about what you've done. Honey, should we at least leave her some food?
02:38Mom stood up. Food? She has a stash of snacks she bought with stolen money. She won't starve.
02:44Brushing off her hands like I was dirt. Lock the door. When that band turns green, we'll talk.
02:51But. But what? Soft parenting is why she's like this. Look at Emma. Her band is always green.
02:58Stella is just a compulsive liar. She needs discipline. But my closet was empty. Emma stole
03:05that money. Emma ate those snacks. I tried to defend myself once. I didn't take it either.
03:13Red light. Three days locked up with nothing but bread and water. Emma peeked through the door,
03:21made a face at me. That's us. We're gonna see the pretty fireworks.
03:26The door locked. The house went silent. Just me. Alone. The pain was unbearable. But I kept thinking.
03:37Mom's right. The machine doesn't lie. The band is red, so I must be lying. I'm not in pain. I'm
03:46not in pain.
03:47I'm not in pain. I crawled to my desk. I had to write. That was the rule. If the band
03:56glowed red,
03:57I had to pen a thousand word apology essay or mom would never let me out. I am a liar.
04:04I opened my
04:05journal. Pages and pages of apologies I'd written over the years. But this time, I wanted to write the
04:12truth. My vision blurred. I could barely see. My hand shook as I wrote. Mom, I really love you.
04:22It really hurts. Why won't you believe me? Please believe me just once. The moment I finished the
04:31last word, the pain vanished. Just... gone. I felt light. Weightless. I looked down. I was floating.
04:40And there, slumped over the desk, was my body. Motionless. The Verity band still flashing red
04:49on a dead girl's wrist. Oh. I'm dead. Emma peed. I heard laughter. Mom, Dad, Emma coming through the
04:59front door. Tonight's fireworks were amazing. Especially that smiley face one. Just like our Emma.
05:07Mom's voice was so warm. I'd never heard her sound like that when she talked about me.
05:13I wanted to help them take off their coats. That's what I always did.
05:18Mom! I reached out to hug her. My arms passed right through her body. Like wind. She shivered.
05:26Why is it so cold in here? Is the heat off?
05:29I stood there, staring at my transparent hands. Right. Dead people can't hug the living.
05:37Should we check on Stella? Dad said casually. She hasn't eaten.
05:41If she finds me dead, will she be sad? Will she regret it?
05:56Still putting on an act? Think I'll carry you to bed? Stella, you're ten years old, not five. I
06:03screamed at her, only two feet away. Mom, I'm not playing. I'm dead. Look at me. Touch me. I'm freezing.
06:14Emma squeezed past her, held up her wrist with that smug little grin.
06:18Look, my band's green. Stella's is still red. She's lying even in her dreams.
06:25Mom patted Emma's head. That's my good girl. Ignore the liar. Let her stay there. Maybe she'll
06:32learn how to be honest. Dad peeked in. Should we at least put her in bed? It's freezing.
06:37Put her in bed? The parenting expert says cold treatment is the answer. Look at that red light.
06:43She's still in full defiance mode. Come on. We have to visit grandma tomorrow.
06:49The door locked again. I floated next to my corpse, staring at that single point of red light in the
06:55darkness. Mom, if you'd just stepped closer, if you'd just touched my hand, you'd know I was ice cold.
07:03But you didn't. Still, that night, a rat crawled out of my empty closet. I used to scream whenever
07:10I saw rats. But now, I just floated by the ceiling, watching it scurry across my dead body.
07:17It bit into my toe. It's okay. You can't feel it anymore. It'll be over soon. The next morning,
07:24sunlight streamed through the window. No warmth reached my body. In the kitchen, I could hear
07:30Mom making breakfast. The smell of bacon and eggs crept under my door. My favorite. But Mom always
07:38said liars don't deserve meat. So, I only ever got steamed broccoli. She was claying the pans extra loud on
07:45purpose. Trying to tempt me out. Trying to make me give in and apologize for things I never did.
07:53In the old days, I might have caved. But I don't need food anymore.
08:00Stella still hasn't come out? That night, a-
08:03Stella still hasn't come out? Dad asked, reading his paper.
08:07She is so stubborn. She can eat or not. I don't care.
08:12Emma walked to my door and made a big show of sniffing the air. Then she screamed dramatically.
08:19Mom! Stella's room smells gross. Did she poop in it?
08:23Mom stormed over, pounding on the door.
08:26Stella! Are you an animal? The bathroom is right there. Did you seriously go on the floor just to spite
08:33me?
08:33I remembered being six. I had food poisoning. Couldn't make it to the bathroom in time. Soiled my pants.
08:40Mom didn't help me clean up. She made me stand in the yard. Pointed at me and told the neighbors.
08:47Look at this. She's such a mess, she can't even use the toilet by herself.
08:51Now she thought I was dirty again. Leave her. Mom said, waving her hand like she was swatting a fly.
08:58Let her sit in her own stink. But Dad stood up, frowning.
09:03That smells really bad. I should check. Could be a dead mouse or something.
09:08Dad! Please! Open the door! I'm right here!
09:12I waved my transparent arms frantically. Dad's hand touched the doorknob.
09:17Stella! His phone was ringing. Dad's face went pale.
09:22What? The server crashed? Okay, okay, I'm on my way. Honey, there's an emergency at work. I'll be gone for
09:29a few days.
09:30Wait, what about Stella? He was already out the door. If that call had come one second later,
09:36I would have been found. Maybe then, I wouldn't have rotted alone.
09:41That afternoon, Mom took Emma shopping. The house was empty except for my corpse.
09:46When they came back that night, loaded down with fancy lobster and gifts, the smell had gotten worse.
09:53Ugh! Mom gagged the second she walked in.
09:56Stella, are you trying to turn this place into a dump?
09:59She didn't even open my door. She grabbed duct tape and sealed the gap at the bottom.
10:04You want to be disgusting? Fine. Stew in it. Don't stink up my house.
10:09She patted her hands together, satisfied. Then went to steam the lobster.
10:15I stared at that sealed door. My last shred of hope suffocated under that tape.
10:21His phone was ringing. By day three, even the duct tape couldn't contain the smell.
10:27Mom was arranging fresh flowers, trying to cover it up. But the stench of death is unmistakable.
10:34Sweet, rotten, oily. She cut a rose stem too hard. A thorn pierced her hand. She snapped.
10:43Stella!
10:44She grabbed a rolling pin from the kitchen, stormed toward my room.
10:48I'm done with you, you disgusting little brat. Time you learned what real pain feels like.
10:55Don't come in, Mom! Please! I'm decomposed! You'll be scared!
11:00Even though she never loved me, I didn't want her to see me like that. But she ripped the tape
11:07off,
11:08jammed the spare key in the lock. Bang! The door flew open. The smell hit her like a wall.
11:16She stumbled back, dry heaving. Stella, what are you doing? By day three, she saw me,
11:24still slumped over the desk. Back turned, not moving. To her, this was the ultimate rebellion.
11:33I'm talking to you. She marched over, raised the rolling pin, but stopped. She wanted to see my face
11:41first. Wanted to see my defiant expression. Get up! The moment she touched me, she froze.
11:49Through the thin fabric, her hand didn't feel warm flesh. What? But momentum carried her forward.
11:58She yanked. My body, stiff as a board, toppled backward, taking the chair with it. And there was
12:06my face. On my blackened wrist, the Verity band hung lifeless. My journal slid off the desk,
12:14fell open at Mom's feet. The last page stared up at her. Mom, my stomach really hurts. The band is
12:22broken. I'm not lying. Please don't punish me. She saw me, Mom screamed. Not a human sound. A raw,
12:33guttural shriek that tore through her throat. She stumbled backward, slammed into the bookshelf.
12:39A vase shattered. But she didn't seem to feel the pain. She just stared at me, eyes wide, unblinking.
12:47No. No, no, no. This is makeup. Special effects. Stella, get up. I'm not mad anymore. Stop scaring me.
12:55Her hand reached out, trembling to touch my arm. The second her skin made contact with my corpse,
13:01she recoiled like she'd been burned. That cold was too real. Mrs. Lisa from next door called 911.
13:09I heard a scream. She'd heard the screaming. When she saw what was in my room, she collapsed in the
13:14hallway.
13:15Within minutes, sirens. Police. A medical examiner. They pulled up the crime scene tape. Cameras
13:22flashed over my body. Mom sat on the couch, a female officer's hand on her shoulder. She was babbling.
13:28She was faking. She always lies. The band was red. Machines don't lie. I was just teaching her. I was
13:37doing it for her own good. No one responded. They all looked at her like she was a monster.
13:43The medical examiner crouched next to my body. He muttered under his breath,
13:48Severe malnutrition. Organ failure. This kid was starved for at least a month. He carefully
13:54tried to remove the Verity band, but it had fused. Damn. He cursed. He had to use tools to pry
14:03it off.
14:04Even dead, my soul flinched.
14:13Mom's. A cop picked up my journal, put on gloves, started reading. Mom's eyes locked onto that book.
14:21Suddenly, she lunged for it. That's her confession. She admits she lied. Look. She wrote it herself.
14:28The officer pushed her back. Slid the journal into an evidence bag. We'll determine what's true.
14:34That's when Dad got home. He saw the black body bag being wheeled out on a stretcher.
14:39Saw the long zipper that sealed away my entire life.
14:44His legs gave out. He collapsed. Wet himself. Emma stood nearby, sobbing in confusion.
14:52She pointed at the blood-stained Verity band on the evidence table.
14:56Why is Stella's band black? Mine's still green, see?
15:01She held up her wrist. The green light blinked cheerfully. It was grotesque.
15:08The cops started questioning Mom in the living room. She grabbed the Verity band off the table like it was
15:14a life raft.
15:15Test it. That band proved she was lying. Red light means lie. I never abused her. The machine told me.
15:23I was just educating her.
15:25The officer looked at her like she'd lost her mind.
15:28Ma'am, the victim shows signs of extreme malnutrition.
15:33That's discipline. That's teaching her to be honest.
15:36Mom was shrieking now. Then she did something insane.
15:41You don't believe me? Fine. I'll wear it. I'm not lying. Watch. It'll be green.
15:47She snatched the band, still stained with my blood and bits of skin, and jammed it onto her own wrist.
15:55Click. Locked. The rubber pressed against her skin. Sticky. Cold.
16:03She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. She needed to prove she was innocent.
16:09Needed to prove her parenting was right. She held up her wrist, eyes wild.
16:15Watch. I'm Rachel. I'm Stella's mother. That's a fact. Absolute truth.
16:22The red light exploded. Bright. Violent. Like a fresh wound tearing open.
16:29Mom's confident expression shattered. She slapped the band like it was a broken TV.
16:35What? No. I said the truth. I am Rachel.
16:40She started talking faster, panic rising in her voice.
16:44It's broken. The examiner broke it. Let me try again.
16:48I never abused her. I did it for her own good. I love her.
16:52The red light flashed faster. And suddenly, she remembered. Me. 10 years old. Getting the maximum
17:01punishment. Curled on the floor. Biting my lip so I wouldn't scream. Is this what it felt like?
17:08Mom lost it completely. She started screaming at the band. Spit flying.
17:14Why is it red? I'm telling the truth. Turn green, you piece of junk. You're framing me.
17:21But the red light kept flashing. Like it was mocking her. You're a liar. You're a liar. You're a liar.
17:30You're a liar. Dad couldn't take it anymore. This man who'd been invisible for 10 years.
17:36Who always stayed out of it. He snapped. He lunged at Mom and slapped her across the face.
17:44You monster. What did you do? That was your daughter. You treated her like an animal.
17:50Mom fell to the floor. Blood at the corner of her mouth. But she didn't fight back. Didn't cry.
17:57She just stared into space, muttering, Not my fault. Not my fault.
18:04Then her eyes landed on Emma, cowering in the corner. It's her. It's Emma. Emma's band was always
18:11green. Emma was the good one. If it wasn't for that green light making me trust her,
18:16I wouldn't have believed the red light so much. This is Emma's fault. All eyes turned to Emma.
18:22That little princess we'd all protected. The cop walked over. Gently removed the green Verity band
18:29from her wrist. Took out a screwdriver. Pried it open right there. Crack. The plastic shell split.
18:37Inside? No sensors. No chips. No heart rate monitor. Just two cheap LED lights and a watch battery.
18:46The circuit was hardwired. Power on. Green light. That's it. This is a two dollar toy. Your younger
18:54daughter's band was factory set to always be green. No matter what she said, did, or lied about,
19:01it would glow green. Your so-called science-based parenting was a joke. A sick, biased joke.
19:10Dad couldn't take it anymore. No. Mom suddenly screamed. She clawed at the band. Get it off. Get it
19:17off. It's red. I'm not a liar. I'm not. But the clasp was jammed from her violent struggle. Wouldn't
19:24budge. I can't get it off. Stella, take it back. I'm sorry. It's all my fault. This little bit of
19:31pain,
19:31and she was breaking. Mom, I suffered for 10 years. The cops needed evidence for charges,
19:39and you better stop. So they opened my journal in front of my parents.
19:43February 14th. Sunny. Mom put celery on my plate. I'm allergic. My throat swells. I can't breathe.
19:50I said I can't eat it. But because I was scared of making her angry, my heart raced. Red light.
19:58Mom said I was picky. Lying. Made me eat the whole plate. That night, I threw up blood. My throat
20:05felt
20:06like it was on fire. Mom saw it and said I'd snuck tomato juice. That I was faking. She punished
20:12me for 10
20:13more minutes. Mom's hand flew to her mouth. She was shaking violently. She remembered that night,
20:20the officer turned the page. June 1st. Children's Day. Emma cut up mom's dress. Emma's heart rate is
20:28always slow. Green light. I tried to explain, but I was scared of getting beaten. So my heart raced.
20:35Red light. Dad couldn't take it anymore. This man who'd been invisible for 10 years,
20:42who always stayed out of it. He snapped. Dad couldn't take it anymore. This man who'd been
20:50invisible for 10 years, who always stayed out of it. He snapped. He lunged at mom and slapped her
20:57across the face. You monster. What did you do? That was your daughter. You treated her like an animal.
21:05Mom fell to the floor. Blood at the corner of her mouth. But she didn't fight back. Didn't cry.
21:12She just stared into space, muttering, Not my fault. Not my fault. Then her eyes landed on Emma,
21:21cowering in the corner. It's her. It's Emma. Emma's band was always green. Emma was the good one. If it
21:29wasn't for that green light making me trust her, I wouldn't have believed the red light so much.
21:33This is Emma's fault. All eyes turned to Emma. That little princess we'd all protected. The cop walked
21:41over. Gently removed the green Verity band from her wrist. Took out a screwdriver. Pried it open right
21:48there. Crack. The plastic shell split. Inside? No sensors. No chips. No heart rate monitor. Just two cheap
21:58LED lights and a watch battery. The circuit was hardwired. Power on. Green light. That's it.
22:06This is a two dollar toy. Your younger daughter's band was factory set to always be green.
22:12No matter what she said, did, or lied about, it would glow green. Your so-called science-based parenting
22:21was a joke. A sick, biased joke. Dad couldn't. I laughed. Laughed until I cried. Turns out, ghosts can
22:32cry too. The officer turned to the last page of the journal. Her voice broke. The handwriting was a mess,
22:41clearly written while dying. Mom, if I die, will the band stop glowing red? Or if it turns green,
22:49will you hug me then? I'm not lying. My stomach hurts so much. Like knives. Next life, please don't make
23:00me
23:00wear the band. Please. Mom stared at the shattered pieces of plastic on the table. That green light she
23:08trusted without question? A cheap piece of junk. Mom started laughing. Her voice cracking with every
23:17sound. But it was the laugh of someone breaking. Worse than crying. Fake. All fake. I killed my honest
23:26daughter. And I worshipped a liar. She'd lost her mind. For real this time.
23:35My death became front page news. Mrs. Lisa, the neighborhood gossip, posted everything online.
23:43Title, Girls Starved to Death by Fake Science Band. She described my corpse in detail. The band fused to
23:52rotting flesh. The internet exploded. Monster. Murderer. She doesn't deserve to be a mother.
24:01Comments poured in like an avalanche. Someone doxxed mom. Our address got leaked. People threw red paint on
24:10our door. Wrote death in huge letters. Dad got arrested too. Neglect. Failure to protect. He wasn't there
24:20when I died, so he got off light. But his company fired him immediately to avoid the PR nightmare.
24:27Our family went bankrupt. Sold the house, the car, everything to pay legal fees. Dad couldn't stand
24:36living with that psycho anymore. He took what little money was left, and Emma, and disappeared.
24:43Emma was a bad seed, sure. But she was still his blood. Before they left, Emma tried to take her
24:50green band.
24:52Dad stomped on it. Why the hell would you want that piece of trash?
24:55Emma cried as he dragged her away. My dad got out on bail. The psych eval said she had severe
25:03PTSD
25:04PTSD and psychosis. They left her alone in that rental apartment. The one that still smelled like
25:11death. Her mental state deteriorated fast. She started talking to me like I was still there,
25:17and she refused to take off the red light band. To punish herself, she'd added a shock device to it.
25:24One that delivered a jolt the second the light flashed red. She said the small shocks were the
25:30only thing that eased her guilt. She'd cook a whole table of food, then talk to the empty air.
25:37She'd pick up a piece of meat. Her hands shook. The band flashed red. She was anxious.
25:43She smiled, but her eyes were empty. Mom's heart is racing. Mom's lying. Liars don't deserve food.
25:53Picked up a remote. One she'd rewired to trigger the shock on her wristband. It hurts. And shocked
25:59herself. It hurts. It hurts. Is this what Stella felt? I'm sorry. Mom got out. Mom started reenacting my
26:10diary entries. I couldn't eat celery because of my allergy. So she forced herself to eat spoiled food
26:17until she vomited blood, then swallowed it back down. I was locked in isolation. So she locked herself in
26:25my old room, lights off, and bowed to my photo until her forehead bled. Over and over. Blood on the
26:34floor.
26:35Late at night, she'd see the red glow of the band reflected on the wall. To her, it looked like
26:42my
26:42bloody eyes watching. She scribbled in red pen on the back of my journal. I'm sorry. I was wrong.
26:49Red light means pain. Red light means love. Please come back and say it hurts one more time. I'll save
26:57you.
26:58I promise. Too bad I'm dead. Dead people can't cry for help. Eventually, the state intervened. Mom's self-harm
27:08got so extreme, she nearly killed herself, that they committed her. She ended up in a psychiatric
27:15facility. She was the strangest patient there. She'd found a red plastic ring somewhere and wore it
27:23around her neck like a collar, her homemade band. If anyone tried to remove it, she'd bite them like a
27:31rabid dog. Don't touch my light. Stella's watching. She'll be mad if you take it. She developed a Pavlovian
27:39response. Rachel, time to eat. Mom would touch her neck, then start convulsing, screaming. Red light,
27:47red light. Don't punish me. I'll eat. I'll eat. Even if the food was scalding hot, she'd gulp it down,
27:54burning her esophagus. Wouldn't spit it out. She was reenacting my final moments, living my hell
28:02on repeat. Mom started reenacting my diet. Years later, Emma grew up. Without proper guidance and with
28:10a trail of infamy behind her, she ended up at the bottom of society. When she ran out of money,
28:15she remembered. Mom's still in that facility. She showed up one day. Not for love. For cash.
28:30Hey, crazy lady. Dad's dead. Give me your hidden stash. Disgusting. Just like your dead daughter.
28:39If you don't give me money, I'll pull your tubes and send you to join her.
28:44For a moment, Mom's cloudy eyes cleared. She looked at Emma and suddenly remembered. That band.
28:52That always green toy. That decade of deception. It was you. Mom's voice was gravel. You lied.
29:02You're the fake green light. You killed Stella. Give her back. Give her back.
29:09The last shred of maternal love twisted into vengeance. Mom lunged. Grabbed Emma by the throat.
29:17Die. You should have died. Not her. You. Help! Emma thrashed, but couldn't break free from a mad
29:26woman's grip. Orderlies rushed in. Sedated Mom. Pulled her off. Emma stumbled out of the room, terrified.
29:34They're all insane. She bolted for the exit. A truck plowed into her. She survived. Barely.
29:45Both legs shattered beyond repair. Wheelchair for life. A total wreck. Meanwhile, Mom was strapped to a bed,
29:53staring at the ceiling. Tears streaming. In her dreams, she finally saw me. I was ten again.
30:02No band. White dress. Smiling.
30:06Mom! She reached for me, crying with joy. Stella! But her hands sparked with electricity. The second she
30:15touched me, I burst into flames. Turned to ash. No! She woke up screaming. Heart rate through the roof.
30:24If she'd been wearing that band, it would have been blood red. Eternal torment.
30:30Years later, I stood in the void, watching it all. Mom in the facility. Emma in a wheelchair,
30:39begging on the streets. Dad, drunk and dead in some gutter. I felt... nothing. No satisfaction. Just a flat,
30:50dead calm. Next to me was an old dog. Buddy, my childhood pet. Mom threw him out years ago.
30:59He'd been waiting for me at the boundary. Buddy nuzzled my leg. Barked twice. As if to say,
31:06let's go. Don't look back. Yeah. Time to leave. This life was too bitter. Nothing worth holding on to.
31:18I floated to Mom's hospital room one final time. She looked ancient. Hair completely white.
31:25Frail as paper. She sensed something. Her cloudy eyes focused on a point in the air. Right where I stood.
31:35Stella? Is that you? Her trembling hand reached into the emptiness. Mom destroyed the band. I don't believe
31:42in it anymore. Come back, please. I'll cook for you. No celery. I'll buy you new dresses. Not Emma.
31:50Tears rolled down her face. I looked at the red marks on her neck from the homemade band.
31:56I sighed. Reached out. My cold, ghostly finger touched her forehead. Sleep, Mom.
32:05In sleep, there's no pain. A breeze blew through the room. The old journal on her nightstand flipped
32:12open. The last page, my dying words, stared up at the ceiling. But below it, in shaky handwriting,
32:21were new lines. Written by Mom during a lucid moment.
32:25Next life, let me wear the band. Let me be the liar. Punish me however you want. Just don't leave
32:33me.
32:34I stared at those words. Felt nothing. Too late. Repentance means nothing to the dead.
32:43Mom, I don't hate you anymore. But I don't love you either. Let's not meet again.
32:51I turned away. Buddy wagged his tail. In the distance, a door of light appeared.
32:58The gateway to the next cycle. I looked at my wrist. The Phantom Verity Band. Still there.
33:07Even in spirit form. I grabbed it. It shattered into stardust. I felt weightless. Free. No red light.
33:18No hunger. No lies. Just freedom. I flew. Morning came. A nurse pushed open the door.
33:27Rachel, time for your meds. No response. She walked closer. Rachel's hand clutched the torn journal.
33:34A single tear crystallized at the corner of her eye. On the heart monitor, the wavy line had gone flat.
33:41Passing through the light wasn't violent. No spinning. No chaos. Just warmth. Like sinking
33:48into a spring stream. Even the lingering ache in my soul, the phantom pains, started to fade.
33:54Buddy pressed into my palm. His fur wasn't translucent anymore. It was soft, warm, real. This
34:02was the living, breathing connection I'd craved as a kid. Come on, boy. I held his paw and walked
34:08toward the brightness. Behind me, the old life faded like a worn photograph. Mom's final tear. The red glow
34:15of the band. Blood on the diary pages. All of it blurred. Dissolved. I didn't look back. That 10-year
34:23nightmare was finally, truly, over. Passing when I opened my eyes again, I was tiny. Wrapped in soft
34:32blankets. Someone was humming. A woman's voice. Gentle, off-key, but full of love. Her fingers brushed my cheek.
34:42The scent of gardenias. Not the sterile hospital smell of my old mom. Not the cold, clinical distance.
34:49I blinked up at her. She had kind eyes. A soft smile. She cradled me like I was made of
34:57glass.
34:58Grace is awake. She murmured. Honey, come quick. Our daughter just blinked. A man appeared. Tall, a little
35:06awkward, but his face lit up when he saw me. He touched my tiny hand with one finger. His voice
35:13was deep. Warm. Hey, Grace. I'm your dad. Grace. Not Stella. No weight. No chains. No lies. Just Grace
35:24sterling. A name that meant something light. Something cherished. When I opened my house,
35:31this house was small. But clean. Cozy. Cartoon stickers on the walls. Plants on the balcony.
35:40Sunlight pouring through the windows. Warm on the floor. I realized fast. This family was nothing like
35:47the last one. They never forced me to do anything. There were no Verity bands. I grew. Learned to crawl.
35:57To talk. And when I was three, Mom made sauteed celery. The green stalks on the plate triggered me.
36:04I flashed back to choking. Throat swelling. Vomiting blood. I stumbled backward. Shaking. Tears came without
36:14permission. Mom immediately put down the spatula. Crouched. Pulled me into a hug. Grace, what's wrong?
36:22You don't like celery? I couldn't speak. Just shook my head, sobbing. Dad knelt too. Rubbed my back.
36:31Hey, it's okay. You don't have to eat it. Can you tell us why? Their eyes were patient. Gentle.
36:40Finally, I choked out. It hurts my throat. Makes me bleed. They didn't say, the machine doesn't lie.
36:49They didn't accuse me of faking. They took me to the doctor immediately. Turns out, I really do have a
36:56celery allergy. Mild, but it can flare up with stress. After that, celery never appeared in the
37:03house again. Mom even added it to her phone notes. Grace's allergies. Celery. Mango. She checked every
37:11time she shopped. I lay in her arms that night, smelling gardenias, and realized, this is what it
37:18feels like to be believed. Love isn't measured by a machine. It's listening, even when the story
37:25sounds impossible. This house was small. When I was four, preschool had a health screening. Blood draw.
37:32I saw the needle and lost it. Flashes of the band burning my wrist. Flashes of starvation. I screamed,
37:40clung to dad's leg. The teacher sighed. Grace, it's just a little poke. All the other kids were brave.
37:48I couldn't stop shaking. Don't punish me. I'm not lying. Dad immediately scooped me up,
37:56shielding me from the nurse. Sorry, he said firmly. She's got trauma. We'll skip this for now and take
38:04her to a pediatric psychologist. On the drive home, dad didn't scold me for being weak. He just asked
38:11gently. Grace, did someone hurt you before? I buried my face in his shoulder, tears soaking his shirt.
38:21Mom! Band! Red light! I couldn't explain it clearly, but he listened, nodded. You've been through hell,
38:31haven't you? It's okay. Dad's here now. No one's ever hurting you again. From then on,
38:40they took me to a child therapist regularly. Severe PTSD, the doctor said. My parents never complained,
38:48never made me feel like a burden. They played honesty games with me, where I could say anything,
38:55true or false, and they'd just listen, guide me gently toward the truth.
39:00They bought me colorful bracelets, but never forced me to wear them.
39:05These are just accessories, Grace. Wear them if you want. Take them off if you don't. We'll love you
39:10either way. Slowly, I started to heal. I could say, I don't like this, without fear. I could say, I'm
39:19scared.
39:20Am I staying scared? I could say, I want that. I want that. I didn't have to worry about my
39:26heart racing
39:26being evidence of a lie. I started sharing my preschool stories with them. I cried when I
39:33didn't get a toy. I laughed when I got praise. I was finally just a kid. A normal, loved kid.
39:41When I was four, when I turned seven, I started elementary school. There was a girl in my class,
39:49Annie Sullivan. She looked exactly like Emma, same eyes, but her hair was shorter. And she was timid,
39:58scared. The first time I saw her, my heart clenched. Flashbacks. Emma's smug grin, the green light
40:07mocking me. I stepped back instinctively. Annie noticed. She looked down, voice barely a whisper.
40:16I'm Annie. Do you want to be friends? Her tone was so careful, so desperate to please,
40:24just like I used to be. I glanced at her wrist. She wore a cheap green cartoon bracelet. My stomach
40:31turned. Later, I found out Annie's mom was strict too, demanded honesty, locked her in her room without
40:40food when she made mistakes. One day, Annie accidentally broke the teacher's mug. She was
40:46trembling, too scared to admit it. I saw her face, red-rimmed eyes, barely holding back tears.
40:53I remembered myself at that desk, writing, I'm a liar, a thousand times. I walked over, took her hand.
41:03Annie, it's okay. Accidents happen. Let's tell the teacher together. She won't be mad.
41:09Annie looked at me, shocked. But mom says liars are bad kids.
41:15Being honest isn't about never making mistakes. It's about owning up when you do. And even if you
41:21tell the truth, you shouldn't be punished for it. If the teacher yells, I'll protect you. If your mom
41:27yells, come to my house. My parents will help. I gave her the courage I never had. She confessed.
41:35The teacher forgave her, told her to be more careful next time. From that day on, we were best friends.
41:42When I told her, I brought Annie home to meet my parents. She saw how warm they were, how they
41:49didn't
41:49yell. Didn't punish over little things. I told her, you don't have to make everyone happy.
41:57You're allowed to feel things, say things.
42:02One day, Annie's mom came to pick her up from school. She saw us together and her face twisted.
42:10She grabbed Annie's hand.
42:12Did you mess up again? Is Grace covering for you? Annie immediately looked down. I stepped in front of her.
42:20Ma'am, Annie didn't do anything wrong. She's a good kid. You shouldn't always assume the worst.
42:28She's scared of you. The mom froze. Looked at me. Then at Annie's tear-filled eyes.
42:38Her expression softened. That night, she called my mom. Thanked her. You're welcome. Said I'd opened her eyes.
42:48Over time, Annie's mom got gentler. Started listening instead of yelling. And Annie, she blossomed.
42:57Had a great day at school. Confident. We learned about the chain.
43:00Happy. I watched her laugh freely one day and felt this warmth in my chest.
43:07I didn't get saved in my last life. I suffered alone in the dark. But this time, I could save
43:15someone
43:16else. I could stop another Stella from happening. Maybe that's the gift my past life gave me.
43:24The ability to see pain. And to heal it.
43:31When I was ten, my parents took me to visit grandma in the countryside. There was an old tree in
43:36her yard.
43:37Just like the one at my old grandma's house. I sat under it, watching sunlight filter through the leaves.
43:43Buddy dozed next to me. Then I saw her. An old woman. White hair. Hunched over a cane. Wearing a
43:53faded blue shirt.
43:55The second I saw her face, I froze. She looked exactly like Rachel. My old mom. Grandma noticed me too.
44:04Walked over slowly. Her eyes were hazy. But there was something familiar in them.
44:11What's your name, child?
44:12Grace Sterling.
44:14She repeated it softly.
44:16Grace. That's a beautiful name.
44:19She reached out like she wanted to touch my hair. Then hesitated. Pulled back.
44:24Like she was afraid of disturbing something sacred. My mom came over. Studied her.
44:30Mom, this is our daughter. Grace. So she was my grandma in this life.
44:36Over the next few days, grandma watched me constantly. Her expression unreadable.
44:42One day, she brought me a bowl of steak burger.
44:45Grace, eat up. This used to be your favorite.
44:48I stared at the bowl. In my last life, I wrote in my dying breath.
44:53I want to eat mom's steak burger. And here was grandma, saying those exact words.
45:00Tears blurred my vision. This wasn't some distant wish anymore. It was real. Right in front of me.
45:08I picked up a piece. Bit into it. Tender. Sweet. Perfect.
45:15Grandma smiled. A tired, guilty smile.
45:19That night, lying in bed with Buddy curled at my feet, I thought about Rachel's last words.
45:25Next life, let me be the one punished. Just don't leave me.
45:30I thought about her final tear. The torn journal. Honestly, I didn't hate her anymore.
45:38Hating someone is like locking yourself in the past. Chewing on pain forever.
45:44This life's happiness had already washed away the bitterness. I just felt... sad.
45:50When I... Grandma stayed for a month, then went back home. Before she left, she held my hand.
45:56Grace, live well. Be happy.
46:00Her voice was soft, but heavy with meaning. I nodded.
46:05You too, grandma.
46:07I watched her walk away, and I felt... nothing. No anger. No grief.
46:14The grudges of my past life were like fallen leaves, blown away by the wind.
46:19I wasn't Stella anymore. The girl trapped by a red light.
46:24I was Grace Sterling. Surrounded by love. Free.
46:29Grandma. At 13, I graduated elementary school. Got into the best middle school in the city.
46:36My parents took me to the beach to celebrate. I stood at the edge of the ocean, wind in my
46:41hair,
46:41salt on my lips. I stretched out my arms, feeling the freedom. For a moment, I saw her.
46:48My ghost self. Floating. Desperate to hug someone, but passing right through.
46:56Grace, what are you thinking?
46:58Dad handed me a soda. I smiled. Just... I'm grateful. To be alive. To be with you guys.
47:07Mom hugged me. Silly girl. We're the lucky ones.
47:12Buddy chased the waves, barking joyfully. I looked at my parents. My dog.
47:18My future. I finally understood. The suffering of my past life taught me to treasure this one.
47:26The pain taught me what love really means. I didn't need to prove I wasn't a liar anymore.
47:32I didn't need to fear red lights. I could laugh. Cry. Speak freely.
47:39I had parents who loved me. A best friend. A healthy body. A bright future.
47:45My future. This was the life I died wishing for.
47:49At 13. That night, I wrote in my journal. Not the bloodstained confessions of my old life.
47:55This one was full of happiness. Growth. Love. I wrote,
48:02Today I saw the ocean. It's huge. Blue. Free.
48:10I thought about my past self. That little girl locked in a room. Desperate to be loved.
48:17She'd never believe that I could be this happy. Mom and Dad love me. They taught me honesty and bravery.
48:26Annie is my best friend now. She's confident and bright. Grandma's healthy. She calls me often.
48:33But he's still a goofball. Always nudging my hand. I don't hate anyone anymore. I don't cling to the past.
48:43Those painful memories are like footprints in the sand. Washed away by waves. But they taught me to cherish
48:51every step forward. I know my old mom, sister, and dad got what they deserved. And I finally broke free.
49:00I found real freedom. I don't want to see them again. I don't want to relive that life.
49:07I just want to be Grace Sterling. Simple. Happy. Loved.
49:14That night, the ocean was beautiful. Life was beautiful. I closed my journal. Looked out the hotel window.
49:25Moonlight shimmered on the water like a thousand stars. Buddy's breathing was soft and steady beside me.
49:33I smiled. This life, I finally became who I wanted to be. No red lights. No starvation. No lies.
49:44Just love. Freedom. Happiness. And those scars from my past? They became badges of survival.
49:55Reminders that no matter how much darkness you face, if you don't give up on the light,
50:00you'll find your way to warmth. To freedom. The road ahead is long. But I'll walk it with courage.
50:09I'll walk it with joy towards something even brighter.
50:14the ocean
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