- 4 hours ago
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00Born. Not because I actually lied, but because of this thing on my wrist, the Verity band.
00:07Mom 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.
00:34Me? I'd say. Mom, I'm hungry. And flash. Red light. Instant punishment. And mom's punishment wasn't
00:43gentle. 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
01:14ready 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.
01:27Mom, 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,
01:46maybe she's right. The band is red. So I must be lying. I must not actually be in pain.
01:54Sorry, Mom. I won't lie anymore. But the pain got worse. Way worse.
02:03New 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.
02:12Hurry 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.
02:29Stella, how long are you going to keep this up? Can't you just be honest? Stay here and think about
02:34what you've done. Honey, should we at least leave her some food? Mom stood up. Food? She has a stash
02:42of snacks she bought with stolen money. She won't starve. Brushing off her hands like I was dirt.
02:47Lock the door. When that band turns green, we'll talk. But. But what? Soft parenting is why she's like
02:55this. Look at Emma. Her band is always green. Stella's just a compulsive liar. She needs discipline.
03:02But my closet was empty. Emma stole that money. Emma ate those snacks. I tried to defend myself once.
03:11I didn't take it either. Red light. Three days locked up with nothing but bread and water.
03:19The door. Emma peeked through the door, made a face at me. Best sis, 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.
03:48I'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 truth.
04:13My vision blurred. I could barely see. My hand shook as I wrote. Mom, I really love you. It really
04:23hurts.
04:24Why won't you believe me? Please believe me just once. The moment I finished the last word, the pain
04:32vanished. Just... gone. I felt light. Weightless. I looked down. I was floating. And there,
04:42slumped over the desk, was my body. Motionless. The Verity band still flashing red on a dead girl's wrist.
04:51Oh. I'm dead. Emma pe- I heard laughter. Mom, Dad, Emma coming through the front door.
05:01Tonight'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. I wanted to
05:14help
05:14them take off their coats. That's what I always did. Mom!
05:19Mom! 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? I stood there, staring at my transparent hands.
05:33Right. Dead people can't hug the living. Should we check on Stella? Dad said casually.
05:40She hasn't eaten. If 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.
06:03I screamed at her, only two feet away. Mom! I'm not playing! I'm dead! Look at me! Touch me! I'm
06:13freezing!
06:14Emma squeezed past her, held up her wrist with that smug little grin.
06:19Look! My band's green! Stella's is still red. She's lying even in her dreams.
06:26Mom 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.
06:38Put her in bed? The parenting expert says cold treatment is the answer. Look at that red light.
06:44She's still in full defiance mode. Come on, we have to visit grandma tomorrow. The door locked again.
06:50I floated next to my corpse, staring at that single point of red light in the darkness.
06:56Mom, if you'd just stepped closer, if you'd just touched my hand, you'd know I was ice cold. But you
07:04didn't.
07:05Still.
07:06That night, a rat crawled out of my empty closet. I used to scream whenever I saw rats. But now,
07:13I just floated by the ceiling,
07:14watching it scurry across my dead body. It bit into my toe. It's okay. You can't feel it anymore. It'll
07:22be over soon.
07:23The next morning, sunlight streamed through the window. No warmth reached my body. In the kitchen, I could hear
07:31mom making breakfast. The smell of bacon and eggs crept under my door. My favorite. But mom always said liars
07:39don'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?
08:02That night, a-
08:04Stella still hasn't come out?
08:05Dad asked, reading his paper.
08:08She is so stubborn. She can eat or not. I don't care.
08:13Emma 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?
08:24Mom stormed over, pounding on the door.
08:27Stella! Are you an animal? The bathroom is right there. Did you seriously go on the floor just to spite
08:33me?
08:34I remembered being six. I had food poisoning. Couldn't make it to the bathroom in time. Soiled my pants.
08:41Mom 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.
08:59Let 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.
09:09Dad, 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.
09:31Wait, what about Stella? He was already out the door. If that call had come one second later,
09:37I would have been found. Maybe then, I wouldn't have rotted alone.
09:42That afternoon, Mom took Emma shopping. The house was empty except for my corpse.
09:47When they came back that night, loaded down with fancy lobster and gifts,
09:52the smell had gotten worse. 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.
10:10She 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.
10:30But the stench of death is unmistakable. Sweet, rotten, oily.
10:37She 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.
11:01Even though she never loved me, I didn't want her to see me like that.
11:05But she ripped the tape off, jammed the spare key in the lock. Bang! The door flew open.
11:14The smell hit her like a wall. She stumbled back, dry heaving.
11:20Stella! What are you doing?
11:22By day three, she saw me, still slumped over the desk, back turned, not moving.
11:30To her, this was the ultimate rebellion.
11:33I'm talking to you.
11:35She marched over, raised the rolling pin, but stopped.
11:40She wanted to see my face first. Wanted to see my defiant expression.
11:46Get up!
11:47The moment she touched me, she froze. Through the thin fabric, her hand didn't feel warm flesh.
11:55What?
11:56But momentum carried her forward. She yanked. My body, stiff as a board, toppled backward,
12:03taking the chair with it. And there was my face. On my blackened wrist, the Verity Band hung lifeless.
12:12My journal slid off the desk, fell open at Mom's feet. The last page stared up at her.
12:19Mom, my stomach really hurts. The band is broken. I'm not lying. Please don't punish me.
12:28She saw me, Mom screamed. Not a human sound. A raw, guttural shriek that tore through her throat.
12:36She stumbled backward, slammed into the bookshelf. A vase shattered. But she didn't seem to feel the pain.
12:43She 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. Within minutes, sirens. Police. A medical examiner. They pulled up the crime scene tape.
13:22Cameras flashed over my body. Mom sat on the couch, a female officer's hand on her shoulder.
13:28She was babbling. She was faking. She always lies. The band was red. Machines don't lie.
13:35I was just teaching her. I was doing it for her own good. No one responded. They all looked at
13:41her
13:41like she was a monster. The 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 tried to
13:55remove the Verity band, but it had fused. Damn. He cursed. He had to use tools to pry it off.
14:04Even dead, my soul flinched.
14:13Mom. 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.
14:35That's when Dad got home. He saw the black body bag being wheeled out on a stretcher.
14:40Saw the long zipper that sealed away my entire life. His legs gave out. He collapsed. Wet himself.
14:49Emma stood nearby, sobbing in confusion. She pointed at the blood-stained Verity band on the evidence table.
14:57Why 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,
15:14like it was a life raft. Test it. That band proved she was lying. Red light means lie. I never
15:21abused her.
15:22The machine told me. I was just educating her. The officer looked at her like she'd lost her mind.
15:29Ma'am, the victim shows signs of extreme malnutrition. That's discipline. That's teaching
15:35her to be honest. Mom 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.
15:48She 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. Needed to prove
16:10her parenting was right. She held up her wrist, eyes wild. Watch. I'm Rachel. I'm Stella's mother.
16:19That's a fact. Absolute truth. The red light exploded. Bright. Violent. Like a fresh wound tearing open.
16:30Mom's confident expression shattered. She slapped the band like it was a broken TV.
16:36What? No. I said the truth. I am Rachel. She started talking faster. Panic rising in her voice.
16:44It's broken. The examiner broke it. Let me try again. I never abused her. I did it for her own
16:51good.
16:51I love her. The red light flashed faster. And suddenly, she remembered. Me. Ten years old.
17:00Getting the maximum punishment. Curled on the floor. Biting my lip so I wouldn't scream.
17:06Is this what it felt like? Mom 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.
17:32Dad couldn't take it anymore. This man who'd been invisible for ten years, who always stayed out of it,
17:39He snapped. He lunged at Mom and slapped her across the face. You monster. What did you do?
17:47That was your daughter. You treated her like an animal. Mom fell to the floor. Blood at the corner of
17:54her mouth. But she didn't fight back. Didn't cry. She just stared into space, muttering,
18:01Not my fault. Not my fault. Then her eyes landed on Emma, cowering in the corner. It's her.
18:08It's Emma. Emma's band was always green. Emma was the good one. If it wasn't for that green light
18:15making me trust her, I wouldn't have believed the red light so much. This is Emma's fault.
18:21All eyes turned to Emma. That little princess we'd all protected. The cop walked over. Gently removed the
18:28green Verity band from her wrist. Took out a screwdriver. Pried it open right there. Crack. The plastic
18:36shell split. Inside? No sensors. No chips. No heart rate monitor. Just two cheap LED lights and a watch
18:45battery. The circuit was hardwired. Power on. Green light. That's it. This is a two dollar toy. Your
18:54younger daughter'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 off.
19:18It's red. I'm not a liar. I'm not. But the clasp was jammed from her violent struggle. Wouldn't budge.
19:24I can't get it off. Stella, take it back. I'm sorry. It's all my fault. This little bit of pain,
19:32and she
19:32was breaking. Mom, I suffered for 10 years. The cops needed evidence for charges, so they opened my journal
19:41in front of my parents. February 14th. Sunny. Mom put celery on my plate. I'm allergic. My throat swells. I
19:50can't
19:50breathe. I said I can't eat it. But because I was scared of making her angry, my heart raced. Red
19:57light.
19:58Mom said I was picky. Lying. Made me eat the whole plate. That night, I threw up blood. My throat
20:06felt
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.
20:36Red light. Dad couldn't take it anymore. This man who'd been invisible for 10 years, who always stayed out of
20:44it. He snapped. He lunged at mom and slapped her across the face. You monster. What did you do?
21:02That was your daughter. You treated her like an animal. Mom fell to the floor. Blood at the corner of
21:09her mouth. But she didn't fight back. Didn't cry. She just stared into space, muttering,
21:15Not my fault. Not my fault. Then her eyes landed on Emma, cowering in the corner.
21:22It's her. It's Emma. Emma's band was always green. Emma was the good one. If it wasn't for that green
21:30light making me trust her, I wouldn't have believed the red light so much. This is Emma's fault.
21:35All eyes turned to Emma. That little princess we'd all protected. The cop walked over. Gently removed
21:43the green Verity band from her wrist. Took out a screwdriver. Pried it open right there. Crack.
21:50The plastic shell split. Inside? No sensors. No chips. No heart rate monitor. Just two cheap LED
21:59lights 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. No matter what
22:13she said, did, or lied about, it would glow green. Your so-called science-based parenting was a joke.
22:22A sick, biased joke. Dad couldn't. I laughed. Laughed until I cried. Turns out, ghosts can cry too.
22:34The officer turned to the last page of the journal. Her voice broke. The handwriting was a mess,
22:40clearly written while dying. Mom, if I die, will the band stop glowing red? Or if it turns green,
22:50will you hug me then? I'm not lying. My stomach hurts so much. Like knives. Next life, please don't make
23:00me
23:01wear the band. Please. Mom stared at the shattered pieces of plastic on the table.
23:07That green light she trusted without question? A cheap piece of junk. Mom started laughing,
23:15her voice cracking with every sound. But it was the laugh of someone breaking, worse than crying.
23:23Fake. All fake. I killed my honest daughter. And I worshipped a liar. She'd lost her mind, for real this
23:32time.
23:34I left. My death became front page news. Mrs. Lisa, the neighborhood gossip, posted everything online.
23:44Title. Girls Starved to Death by Fake Science Band. She described my corpse in detail. The band fused to
23:53rotting flesh. The internet exploded. Monster. Murderer. She doesn't deserve to be a mother.
24:02Comments 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
24:20there when 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
24:51green
24:51band. Dad stomped on it. Why the hell would you want that piece of trash? Emma cried as he dragged
24:57her
24:57away. My dad. Mom got out on bail. The psych eval said she had severe PTSD and psychosis. They left
25:07her
25:07alone in that rental apartment. The one that still smelled like death. Her mental state deteriorated
25:14fast. She started talking to me like I was still there, and she refused to take off the red light
25:20band.
25:21To punish herself, she'd added a shock device to it. One that delivered a jolt the second the light
25:27flashed red. She said the small shocks were the only thing that eased her guilt. She'd cook a whole
25:34table of food, then talk to the empty air. She'd pick up a piece of meat. Her hands shook. The
25:41band
25:42flashed red. She was anxious. She smiled, but her eyes were empty. Mom's heart is racing.
25:50Mom's lying. Liars don't deserve food. Picked up a remote. One she'd rewired to trigger the shock on
25:58her wristband. It hurts. And shocked herself. It hurts. It hurts. Is this what Stella felt?
26:05I'm sorry. Mom got out. Mom started reenacting my diary entries. I couldn't eat celery because of my
26:14allergy. So she forced herself to eat spoiled food until she vomited blood, then swallowed it back down.
26:21I was locked in isolation. So she locked herself in my old room, lights off, and bowed to my photo
26:29until her forehead bled. Over and over. Blood on the floor. Late at night, she'd see the red glow of
26:38the band reflected on the wall. To her, it looked like my bloody eyes watching.
26:44She scribbled in red pen on the back of my journal. I'm sorry. I was wrong. Red light means pain.
26:52Red light means love. Please come back and say it hurts one more time. I'll save you. I promise.
26:59Too bad I'm dead. Dead people can't cry for help. Eventually, the state intervened. Mom's self-harm got
27:09so extreme, she nearly killed herself, that they committed her. She ended up in a psychiatric facility.
27:16She was the strangest patient there. She'd found a red plastic ring somewhere and wore it around her
27:23neck like a collar. Her homemade band. If anyone tried to remove it, she'd bite them like a rabid dog.
27:32Don't touch my light. Stella's watching. She'll be mad if you take it. She developed a Pavlovian response.
27:40Rachel, time to eat. Mom would touch her neck, then start convulsing, screaming.
27:46Red light! Red light! Don't punish me! I'll eat! I'll eat!
27:50Even if the food was scalding hot, she'd gulp it down, burning her esophagus. Wouldn't spit it out.
27:58She was reenacting my final moments. Living my hell on repeat.
28:04Mom started reenacting my diet. Years later, Emma grew up. Without proper guidance and with a trail of
28:10infamy behind her, she ended up at the bottom of society. When she ran out of money, she remembered.
28:17Mom's still in that facility. She showed up one day. Not for love. For cash.
28:31Hey, 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.
28:51That band. That always green toy. That decade of deception.
28:57It was you. Mom's voice was gravel. You lied. You're the fake green light. You killed Stella. Give
29:07her back. Give her back. The last shred of maternal love twisted into vengeance. Mom lunged, grabbed
29:16Emma by the throat. Die. You should have died. Not her. You. Help!
29:22Emma thrashed, but couldn't break free from a madwoman's grip. Orderlies rushed in. Sedated Mom.
29:30Pulled her off. Emma stumbled out of the room, terrified. They're all insane.
29:37She bolted for the exit. A truck plowed into her. She survived. Barely. Both legs shattered beyond repair.
29:47Wheelchair for life. A total wreck. Meanwhile, Mom was strapped to a bed, staring at the ceiling.
29:55Tears streaming. In her dreams, she finally saw me. I was ten again. No band. White dress. Smiling.
30:06Mom!
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.
30:31Years 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.
30:49Just a flat, dead calm. Next to me was an old dog. Buddy, my childhood pet. Mom threw him out
30:58years 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 onto.
31:18I floated to Mom's hospital room one final time. She looked ancient. Hair completely white. Frail as paper.
31:28She 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
31:42believe in 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. I sighed.
31:59Reached out. My cold, ghostly finger touched her forehead. Sleep, Mom. In sleep, there's no pain.
32:07A breeze blew through the room. The old journal on her nightstand flipped open. The last page,
32:15my dying words, stared up at the ceiling. But below it, in shaky handwriting, were new lines,
32:22written by Mom during a lucid moment. Next life, let me wear the band. Let me be the liar.
32:30Punish me however you want. Just don't leave me. I stared at those words. Felt nothing. Too late.
32:40Repentance means nothing to the dead. Mom, I don't hate you anymore. But I don't love you either.
32:49Let's not meet again. I turned away. Buddy wagged his tail. In the distance,
32:56a door of light appeared. The gateway to the next cycle. I looked at my wrist. The Phantom
33:05Verity band. Still there, even in spirit form. I grabbed it. It shattered into stardust. I felt
33:14weightless. Free. No red light. No hunger. No lies. Just freedom. I flipped. Morning came.
33:25A nurse pushed open the door. Rachel, time for your meds. No response. She walked closer. Rachel's hand
33:32clutched the torn journal. A single tear crystallized at the corner of her eye. On the heart monitor,
33:38the wavy line had gone flat. Morning came. Passing through the light wasn't violent. No spinning. No
33:45chaos. Just warmth. Like sinking into a spring stream. Even the lingering ache in my soul,
33:52the phantom pains, started to fade. Buddy pressed into my palm. His fur wasn't translucent anymore.
33:59It was soft. Warm. Real. This was the living, breathing connection I'd craved as a kid. Come on,
34:06boy. I held his paw and walked toward the brightness. Behind me, the old life faded like a worn photograph.
34:13Mom's final tear. The red glow of the band. Blood on the diary pages. All of it blurred. Dissolved.
34:21I didn't look back. That 10-year nightmare was finally, truly, over. Passing. When I opened my eyes again,
34:29I was tiny. Wrapped in soft blankets. Someone was humming. A woman's voice. Gentle, off-key, but full of love.
34:40Her fingers brushed my cheek. The scent of gardenias. Not the sterile hospital smell of my old mom.
34:47Not the cold, clinical distance. I blinked up at her. She had kind eyes. A soft smile.
34:55She cradled me like I was made of glass. Grace is awake. She murmured. Honey, come quick. Our daughter
35:03just blinked. A man appeared. Tall, a little awkward, but his face lit up when he saw me.
35:10He touched my tiny hand with one finger. His voice was deep. Warm. Hey, Grace. I'm your dad.
35:18Grace. Not Stella. No weight. No chains. No lies. Just Grace Sterling. A name that meant something
35:27light. Something cherished. When I opened my eyes again, this house was small, but clean. Cozy.
35:36Cartoon stickers on the walls. Plants on the balcony. Sunlight pouring through the windows,
35:42warm on the floor. I realized fast. This family was nothing like the last one. They never forced me to
35:50do
35:50anything. There were no Verity bands. I grew. Learned to crawl. To talk. And when I was three,
36:00Mom made sauteed celery. The green stalks on the plate triggered me. I flashed back to choking. Throat
36:07swelling. Vomiting blood. I stumbled backward. Shaking. Tears came without permission. Mom
36:16immediately put down the spatula. Crouched. Pulled me into a hug. Grace, what's wrong? You don't like
36:23celery? I couldn't speak. Just shook my head, sobbing. Dad knelt too. Rubbed my back. Hey, it's okay.
36:34You don't have to eat it. Can you tell us why? Their eyes were patient. Gentle. Finally, I choked out.
36:43It hurts my throat. Makes me bleed. They didn't say, the machine doesn't lie. They didn't accuse me of
36:51faking. They took me to the doctor immediately. Turns out, I really do have a celery allergy. Mild,
36:59but it can flare up with stress. After that, celery never appeared in the house again. Mom even added it
37:06to her phone notes. Grace's allergies. Celery. Mango. She checked every time she shopped. I lay in her arms
37:15that night, smelling gardenias, and realized, this is what it feels like to be believed. Love isn't
37:22measured by a machine. It's listening, even when the story sounds impossible. This house was small.
37:28When I was four, preschool had a health screening. Blood draw. I saw the needle and lost it. Flashes
37:36of the band burning my wrist. Flashes of starvation. I screamed, clung to dad's leg. The teacher sighed.
37:44Grace, it's just a little poke. All the other kids were brave. I couldn't stop shaking.
37:51Don't punish me. I'm not lying. Dad immediately scooped me up, shielding me from the nurse.
37:58Sorry. He said firmly. She's got trauma. We'll skip this for now and take her to a pediatric psychologist.
38:06On the drive home, dad didn't scold me for being weak. He just asked gently.
38:13Grace, did someone hurt you before?
38:16I buried my face in his shoulder, tears soaking his shirt.
38:21Mom! Band! Red light!
38:25I couldn't explain it clearly, but he listened, nodded.
38:30You've been through hell, haven't you? It's okay. Dad's here now. No one's ever hurting you again.
38:39From then on, they took me to a child therapist regularly.
38:43Severe PTSD, the doctor said. My parents never complained, never made me feel like a burden.
38:51They played honesty games with me, where I could say anything, true or false, and they'd just listen,
38:58guide me gently toward the truth. They 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 either
39:11way.
39:12Slowly, I started to heal. I could say, I don't like this, without fear.
39:18I could say, I'm scared. I could say, I want that. I didn't have to worry about my heart racing
39:27being evidence of a lie.
39:29I started sharing my preschool stories with them. I cried when I didn't get a toy. I laughed when I
39:36got praise.
39:36I was finally just a kid. A normal, loved kid.
39:42When I was four, when I turned seven, I started elementary school. There was a girl in my class, Annie
39:49Sullivan.
39:50She looked exactly like Emma, same eyes, but her hair was shorter, and she was timid, scared.
39:59The first time I saw her, my heart clenched. Flashbacks. Emma's smug grin, the green light mocking me.
40:09I 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, just like I
40:25used to be.
40:26I glanced at her wrist. She wore a cheap green cartoon bracelet. My stomach turned.
40:33Later, I found out Annie's mom was strict too. Demanded honesty. Locked her in her room without food
40:40when she made mistakes. One day, Annie accidentally broke the teacher's mug. She was trembling, too scared
40:47to admit it. I saw her face, red-rimmed eyes, barely holding back tears. I remembered myself at that desk,
40:56writing, I'm a liar, a thousand times. I walked over, took her hand. Annie, it's okay. Accidents happen.
41:05Let's tell the teacher together. She won't be mad. Annie looked at me, shocked. But mom says liars are bad
41:14kids.
41:15Being honest isn't about never making mistakes. It's about owning up when you do. And even if you tell
41:22the truth, you shouldn't be punished for it. If the teacher yells, I'll protect you. If your mom yells,
41:28come to my house. My parents will help. I gave her the courage I never had. She confessed. The teacher
41:36forgave her. Told her to be more careful next time. From that day on, we were best friends. When I
41:44brought Annie home to meet my parents. She saw how warm they were. How they didn't yell. Didn't punish over
41:52little things. I told her. You don't have to make everyone happy. You're allowed to feel things.
42:00Say things. One day, Annie's mom came to pick her up from school. She saw us together and her face
42:08twisted. She grabbed Annie's hand. Did you mess up again? Is Grace covering for you? Annie
42:16immediately looked down. I stepped in front of her. Ma'am, Annie didn't do anything wrong.
42:24She's a good kid. You shouldn't always assume the worst. She's scared of you. The mom froze,
42:33looked at me, then at Annie's tear-filled eyes. Her expression softened. That night,
42:42she called my mom. Thanked her. You're welcome. Said I'd opened her eyes. Over time, Annie's mom got
42:51gentler. Started listening instead of yelling. And Annie? She blossomed. Confident. Happy. I watched her
43:03laugh freely one day and felt this warmth in my chest. I didn't get saved in my last life.
43:10I suffered alone in the dark. But this time, I could save someone else. I could stop another
43:19Stella from happening. Maybe that's the gift my past life gave me. The ability to see pain.
43:27And to heal it.
43:31When I was 10, my parents took me to visit grandma in the countryside.
43:35There was an old tree in her yard. Just like the one at my old grandma's house. I sat under
43:41it,
43:42watching sunlight filter through the leaves. Buddy dozed next to me. Then I saw her. An old woman.
43:50White hair. Hunched over a cane. Wearing a faded blue shirt. The second I saw her face,
43:57I froze. She looked exactly like Rachel. My old mom. Grandma noticed me too. Walked over slowly.
44:07Her eyes were hazy, but there was something familiar in them. What's your name, child?
44:13Grace Sterling. She repeated it softly. Grace. That's a beautiful name.
44:19Grace Sterling. She reached out like she wanted to touch my hair. Then hesitated. Pulled back. Like she
44:25was afraid of disturbing something sacred. My mom came over. Studied her. Mom, this is our daughter. Grace.
44:33So she was my grandma in this life. Over the next few days, grandma watched me constantly. Her expression
44:41unreadable. One day, she brought me a bowl of steak burger. Grace, eat up. This used to be your favorite.
44:48I stared at the bowl. In my last life, I wrote in my dying breath. I want to eat mom's
44:55steak burger.
44:56And here was grandma saying those exact words. Tears blurred my vision. This wasn't some distant wish
45:05anymore. It was real. Right in front of me. I picked up a piece. Bit into it. Tender. Sweet. Perfect.
45:15Grandma smiled. A tired, guilty smile. That night, lying in bed with Buddy curled at my feet,
45:23I thought about Rachel's last words. Next 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. Hating someone
45:39is like locking yourself in the past. Chewing on pain forever. This life's happiness had already washed
45:46away the bitterness. I just felt sad. Grandma stayed for a month, then went back home. Before she left,
45:56she held my hand. Grace, live well.
46:00Be happy. Her voice was soft, but heavy with meaning. I nodded. You too, grandma. I watched her walk away,
46:09and I felt... nothing. No anger. No grief. The grudges of my past life were like fallen leaves,
46:18blown away by the wind. I wasn't Stella anymore, the girl trapped by a red light.
46:24I was Grace Sterling, surrounded by love, free. At 13, I graduated elementary school. Got into the
46:34best middle school in the city. My parents took me to the beach to celebrate. I stood at the edge
46:40of
46:40the ocean, wind in my hair, salt on my lips. I stretched out my arms, feeling the freedom. For a
46:47moment, I saw her. My ghost self. Floating. Desperate to hug someone, but passing right through.
46:56Grace, what are you thinking? Dad handed me a soda. I smiled. Just... I'm grateful. To be alive. To be
47:06with you guys. Mom hugged me. Silly girl. We're the lucky ones. Buddy chased the waves, barking joyfully.
47:15I looked at my parents. My dog. My future. I finally understood. The suffering of my past life taught me
47:24to treasure this one. The pain taught me what love really means. I didn't need to prove I wasn't a
47:31liar anymore. I didn't need to fear red lights. I could laugh, cry, speak freely. I had parents who
47:40loved me. A best friend. A healthy body. A bright future. This was the life I died wishing for.
47:50That night, I wrote in my journal. Not the blood-stained confessions of my old life.
47:56This one was full of happiness. Growth. Love. I wrote,
48:03Today 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. She'd never
48:18believe that I could be this happy. Mom and Dad love me. They taught me honesty and bravery.
48:26Annie's my best friend now. She's confident and bright. Grandma's healthy. She calls me often.
48:34Buddy'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
48:51cherish every step forward. I know my old mom, sister, and dad got what they deserved.
48:57And I finally broke free. I found real freedom. I don't want to see them again. I don't want to
49:06relive that life. I just want to be Grace Sterling. Simple. Happy. Loved.
49:15That night, the ocean was beautiful. Life was beautiful. I closed my journal. Looked out the hotel
49:24window. Moonlight shimmered on the water like a thousand stars. Buddy's breathing was soft and
49:31steady beside me. I smiled. This life, I finally became who I wanted to be. No red lights. No starvation.
49:42No lies. Just 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.
50:15The ocean.
50:16The ocean.
50:17The ocean.
50:17You
Comments