- 5 hours ago
She Called Me a Liar Until I Died [Dubbed] - FULL DRAMA
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Short filmTranscript
00:04I was born a liar, that's the label my mom put on me, all because she believed in scientific
00:08parenting. From the day my twin and I were born, she strapped honesty band sound to us.
00:12If you lie, the band flashes red. Mom presses the remote, stab, punishment delivered. My sister's
00:18band stays green, even when she cut up mom's dress and blamed the cat, it only blamed soft
00:21green. Me, I just say, mom, I'm hungry. Boom, instant red alert. Then comes the hearing
00:27electric shock. At first I argued, mom said, machines don't lie, pain makes you remember,
00:32this is for your own good. After thousands of shocks, I started believing it, maybe I really
00:36was born a liar. Then New Year's Eve came, mom took my sister to watch fireworks. Suddenly,
00:40my stomach twisted in pain, I curled up on the floor. Mom, it hurts, please help me. The band
00:45went crazy flashing red. Mom looked down at me, cold sweat all over. She cramped the power
00:49to Max. Just to come watch fireworks with us, you fake being sick, you never change. She
00:53grabbed my sister, slammed the door, and I thought, she's right, right? It's red, so
00:58I must not be hurting, I'm just lying again for attention. Sorry mom, Max's life I'll learn
01:02to be an honest child. It hurts so much, my whole body convulsed, my nails squipped white
01:07marks on the floor. The doorknob turned, a spark of hope lit up. Mom's back, she's a doctor,
01:12she'll know something's wrong, she'll save me. You done yet? The fireworks are starting,
01:16Chloe's getting impatient. Mom, I called weakly. I reached toward the door. Mom, it really hurts,
01:21it was like my gut snapped. She glanced at the red light, then crouched down, grabbed
01:25my chin, her voice sharp. Stella Bennett, how long will you keep acting? You lie like
01:29it's a habit. Stay home and reflect on it. Dad called from the door. Honey, hurry up,
01:33the show's about to start. If Stella's not going, fine. Should we leave her some food?
01:36Mom stood up, brushed her hands off like I was dirty. Leave food? Her closet's packed
01:40with snacks. She bought them with stolen money. She won't starve. Lock the door. When the band
01:45turns green, then she can come out. Dad hesitated. What now? Soft father's ruined kids.
01:50Look at Chloe. Her band's always green. Stella's rotten at the root. She must be corrected.
01:55But my closet was empty. My sister took the money. She ate the snacks. She just stood there,
02:00her band glowing soft green. She said it wasn't her. Mom believed her. When I said I didn't take
02:04it, the red light flashed, and I got shocked. When I said I didn't take it, the red light flashed,
02:08and I got shocked. I watched Mom turn away. My sister peeked through the crack. She made a face at
02:13me.
02:13Bye sis, we're going to see fireworks. Her bracelet glowed green, so pretty and smug. Bam,
02:18the door slammed shut. The lock clicked. The house went silent. Just me and the pain in my stomach.
02:23It hurt. Mom was right. Machines don't lie. The bracelet was red. So I had to be the liar.
02:28I wasn't hurting. I was totally fine. But my tears said otherwise. I kept telling myself that. I don't
02:32know how long passed. It really seemed to ease up. With my last bit of strength, I dragged myself to
02:36the desk. I had to write a reflection. That was the rule. Red light means I had to fill 1
02:39,000 words with
02:39I am a liar. Maybe when I finished, Mom would forgive me. Maybe she'd take me to the hospital. My
02:43hands
02:44were shaking. I opened that wrinkled diary. It was packed with old reflections. Sorry, Mom. I was
02:49wrong. I won't lie again. But this time, I wanted to write the truth. My vision thought blurrier and
02:54blurrier. Tears kept falling. With my last bit of strength, I wrote. Mom, I really love you. It
02:58really hurts so much. Why won't you believe me? Mom, please, trust me just once. I finished the last
03:02word. Then the pain in my stomach vanished. In its place came a lightness I'd never felt before. My body
03:07grew lighter. I floated up. I looked down. I saw myself slumped over the desk. My arm hung in midair,
03:12motionless. The bracelet was still flashing red like crazy. So I was dead. And I still hadn't
03:16learned to be an honest child. Sorry, Mom. Used to laughter caught my attention. It was Dad, Mom,
03:21and my sister. The fireworks are beautiful tonight, especially that smiley face one,
03:25just like our Chloe. Mom's voice held a gentleness I'd never heard before. I floated in midair. The
03:29front door opened. Now that I was a soul, I still drifted over by instinct. I wanted to greet them
03:34like I used to. That need to please was carved into my bones. Mom, I thread my arms, trying to
03:39hug
03:39that cold woman. It doesn't hurt anymore. I'll behave from now on. Please don't be mad. And my
03:44hands passed right through her, like grasping empty air. Mom shivered and frowned. Why is it so cold
03:49in here? Wasn't the heat on? I stood frozen there, staring at my transparent hands. Right,
03:53I was dead. Dead people can't hug the living. Go check on Stella. She didn't come out to eat.
03:58Hope she didn't really starve herself. Dad said it casually. Dad was still kinder. I looked at Mom
04:01hopefully. If she found out I was dead, would she be sad? Would she regret it? Mom let out a
04:05cold snort.
04:06She changed into her slippers and walked to my room. She changed into her slippers and walked
04:09to my room. Serves a right if she starves. That habit of faking sick just to get attention is spoiled
04:12into her. She shut my door open. She didn't turn on the light. Just used the hall light. And there
04:16I
04:16was, faced out at the desk, not moving, like I was asleep. Oh, still lying there? Her voice dripped
04:21with sarcasm, arm crossed and said, You think acting pity at your desk will make me carry you to bed?
04:25Stella Bennett, you're 10, not 5. Grow up. I floated beside my body, shouting at the top of my lungs.
04:29Mom, I'm not pretending to sleep. I'm dead. Look at me. Touch me. My body is cold. But Mom couldn't
04:34hear me.
04:35She only believed what she saw. My sister squeezed in past her, showing off her wrist like a trophy.
04:38This is a lazy pig. See? Mine's green. Hers is still red. She's always lying. She even lies in
04:44her dreams. Mom patted her on the head. That's my good girl, Chloe. Ignore that little liar. Let her
04:48stay there. She can act forever for all I care. That peeked in from behind. Should we carry her to
04:52bed?
04:53It's freezing. Carry her? Please. Mom, cut him off. Kids these days are spoiled. Experts say this is when
04:58you go cold on them. She has to face her own mistake. See that red light? It means she's still
05:02in an
05:03extremely defiant state. No reflection at all. All right, go to bed. We've got New Year's at
05:07Grandma's tomorrow. Mom turned away and pulled the door shut again. Click. The lock dropped. I floated
05:11beside my body, staring at that tiny red glow. The sorrow hit harder than death. Mom, just one step
05:17closer. Just touch my hand. You'd feel how cold I am. But you didn't. You trusted that cold machine more
05:22than the daughter you carried for 10 months. Late at night, a rat crawled out of the empty cabinet.
05:27I used to be terrified rats. I would scream every time. But now, I just floated near the ceiling,
05:32watching it roam over my body. Hey! I tried to shout. No sound came out. It bit into my toe.
05:38Dark blood seeped out. I couldn't feel any pain. Actually, it felt good. No pain, finally. I looked
05:43at that pitiful shell below. It's okay. You can't feel it anymore. It'll be over soon. Warning came.
05:48Sunlight fell on my body, but it brought no warmth. Clattering came from the kitchen. Mom was making
05:53breakfast. The smell of fried eggs drifted in. Wet used to be my favorite, but I could only eat
05:58boiled vegetables, since Mom said liars don't get meat. My day she banged the pans extra loud. I knew
06:03she was trying to tempt me, trying to make me crawl out and confess. If it were before, I might
06:08really
06:08have given in for one egg, admitting the steaks I never made. But now I don't need to eat anymore.
06:13Stella's still not out? Ed sits at the table, reading the paper. Nope. Stubborn as a mule.
06:17Mom slands the plate onto the table. Boiled habits. Eat or don't eat. I don't care.
06:21My sister sips her milk. Her eyes spin as she plots. She walks to my door on purpose. Sniffs
06:25hard. Then screams dramatically. Mom! Stella's room smells awful. Did she seriously poop in
06:31there? I float by the door, looking at her bitterly. The heater is blasting. Just one
06:34night, and my body already smells. Mom will hate me even more. Mom walks over from me.
06:38Stella Bennett! She pounce on the door. Are you a pig? The bathroom is right there. Are
06:42your legs broken? You actually pooped in your room? Unbelievable. Just to spite me? No dignity
06:47at all. I remember when I was little. Once I had severe stomach flu, I couldn't reach the
06:51bathroom. I saw my pants. She didn't help me clean up. She made me stand outside, like
06:55some disgusting display. She told the neighbors. Look at her. Feels like a pig. And now I'm
07:00filthy again. Ignore her. Mom waves her hand. Like shooing away a fly. Let her stay in the
07:04stink. Maybe she'll learn. Dad lowers the paper. His brow tightly furrowed. It really does smell
07:08bad. I'll go check. Maybe a rat died in there. Dad stands up and walks to my door. My heart
07:14jumps. Dad, open it. Look at me. I'm right here. Just turn the handle. You'll see I'm not
07:19moving. You'll see my face turning dark. I float in front of him, waving frantically.
07:23His hand rests on the doorknob. The phone suddenly ran, sharp and non-stop. It was his
07:27false. Dad answered. His face changed. What? The server crashed? Okay, okay, I'm coming.
07:33Pong up. You grabbed his coat in a panic. Honey. There's an emergency at work. I have
07:37to go. I might not be back for a few days. Wait, but Stella. Mom said. The door slammed.
07:42He was gone. I just stared. It was that close. Just one more second. If that call had come
07:46later, he would've found me. Maybe then, I wouldn't still be rotting here. That afternoon,
07:51mom took away shopping. Only my body was left in the house. I'm mad. They came back loaded.
07:55Fancy seafood. Deep boxes. The smell was even worse now. Mom covered her nose. Almost scared.
08:01Stella, are you trying to turn this house into a dump? She wouldn't even open the door to
08:04scold me. It was like you were one glance at that wound hurt her eyes. She grabbed the raw
08:07tape, squatted down, and started sealing the crack under my dart head. If you love the stink
08:12so much, stay in it. Don't stink up the house. She smoothed the last strip, clapped her hands,
08:16satisfied. They're finally quiet. Then she went to steam the seafood. I stared at that sealed door.
08:21My last tiny hope was suffocated with the tape. Guess in mom's world whether I lived or died meant
08:26less than a seafood feast. She'd rather seal me in than check if I was dead. Congratulations, mom.
08:32You win. I won't bother you again. Day three. Winter sunlight filled the living room. Still
08:36couldn't clear the gloom. The heating was cranked up. 26 degrees. The tape couldn't hold the smell
08:41anymore. It's a thick, greasy stench of rot. Mom was trimming her new flowers. No matter how strong
08:46the roses smelled, they couldn't cover the stench. Snap. She cut the rose hard. A thorn pricked her
08:51finger. That was the last straw in her mind. I skipped showers, pooped in my room. Even he dead
08:56rests there. All just to disgust her. Challenge her authority. Stella Bennett, how dare you? She stormed
09:02into the kitchen. Grabbed a rolling pin. Then marched to my door. I'll beat that filthiness out of you.
09:07Guess the shocks didn't fix you. Time for some real pain. Floated in front of her. Her face twisted
09:12with rage. I waved my hands wildly. Don't go in, mom. Please don't. I look terrible. I'm already
09:17rotting. You'll be scared. Even if she doesn't love me. I still didn't want her to see me like
09:21this. But she walked through my ghost. Ripped off the tape. The tearing sound was harsh. The spare key
09:27slid into the lock. Bang. The door flew open. The stench burst out. Like Pandora's box had opened.
09:33Mom staggered back. She bent over. Tagging. Oh my god, Stella. What did you do? She looked up.
09:40I was still there. In the same pose as three days ago. Face down. Not moving. To her, it looked
09:45like
09:45silent defense. Pure arrogance. I'm talking to you. Can't you hear me? Still playing dead?
09:49Mom was furious. She rushed over. Rolling pin wrist high. But she didn't swim. She wanted to yank me up.
09:56To see that stubborn face. Get up. She grabbed the back of my collar. Her fingers digging into my skin.
10:02Then she froze. The moment she touched me. Can't seem to stop. Through my thin pajamas.
10:07She didn't feel wungs. Not soft skin. Only cold. Rigid flesh. That cold sank straight into her
10:14shoulder. There was no body heat. Bomb froze for a second. The momentum kept her pulling. My body
10:20jerked backward. The chair flipped with me. Crash. Who slammed the floor. I dropped like a rigid statue.
10:26Flat on my back. My face was finally exposed. Not her shy little girl anymore.
10:32My skin was purple black. Eyes bulging out. My features twisted in agony. Dry foam cloned
10:37to my lips. Dark red blood crusted there. On that blackened wrist. The honesty bracelet
10:42she loved hung there lifeless. The skin burned by shocks had melted into the rubber strap.
10:48Charred and ugly. No red light. No green light. Only silence.
10:52A soft thought. The diary under my arm slid free. It fell by her feet. The notebook lay
10:59open. Facing her. The crooked handwriting stabbed her eyes like knives.
11:03Um. My stomach really hurts. The bracelet's broken. I'm not lying. Please don't shock me.
11:08There she screamed. High and ragged. Like her throat was tearing open. She stared back.
11:13Hit the bookshelf. A vase shattered everywhere. She didn't feel it. Her eyes were wide open and
11:19laughed onto me. No. No way. She shook her head hard. Her hair fell loose. Like she'd gone mad.
11:24You're acting. This is makeup. Special effects. Stella get up. I'm not mad anymore. Stop scaring
11:29me. Her hand trembled forward. Trying to grab my stiff arm. Her fingers touched cold skin.
11:33She jerked back fast. It felt too real. That was the code of death. Mrs. Smith called the cops. She
11:40came
11:40downstairs after hearing mom scream. She saw this and collapsed right at the door. Soon. Sirens filled the
11:45complex. The police came. So did forensics. The police tape went up. I watched them coming and
11:49going. Flash bulbs kept popping over my body. Mom was led to the couch by a policewoman. She was
11:54still rambling. Officer. She was faking it. She'd lied since she was little. The bracelet was red.
11:59Machines don't lie. I was just disciplining her. It was for her own good.
12:02So I answered her. Everyone looked at her like she was a monster. Forensics ran into trouble moving the
12:07body. That bracelet had been blasting high voltage current for too long. The heat had fused the
12:12rubber to my skin. It was like it had grown into me. Damn it. The coroner cursed softly. He had
12:16to
12:16get tools and force the bracelet off. Weep. That was the sound of flesh tearing. Even dead. My soul
12:22still seemed to ache. The bracelet was ripped off. A chunk of my skin and flesh came with it. A
12:26cop
12:26picked up the diary from the floor. Gloved hands flipped the pages. Her face turned grim. Mom stared
12:31at it. Wide-eyed. Suddenly she lunged like a madwoman trying to grab it. That's her apology notebook.
12:35It must say that she admitted lying. See? She admitted it herself. The officer shoved her aside then sealed the
12:41diary in an evidence bag. Her eyes were cold like she was looking at trash. Whether she lied or not,
12:45we'll find out. Just then, dad rushed in. He saw the body bag being carried out. That long zipper
12:50sealed up my entire life. Dad's knees buckled. He collapsed on the floor. He even wet himself.
12:54My sister burst into tears. She had no idea what happened. She just pointed at the blood-stained
12:58bracelet on the desk. Why is her bracelet black? Mine is still green. She raised her wrist. The green light
13:03kept blinking like a huge cruel joke. The police started questioning people in the living room. Mom clung to it
13:08like her last lifeline. She pointed at the bloody bracelet. Her voice was shrill. Officer, check that
13:13bracelet. That bracelet can prove she was lying. A red light means lying. Only when it turned red did
13:17I shock her. I never abused her. The machine showed it all. I was doing it to teach her. The
13:21police
13:21frowned at her like they were looking at a madwoman. Ma'am, the deceased had multiple old electrical burn
13:26marks. That was punishment. Education. Mom cut the officer off with a scream to prove she wasn't wrong.
13:31To prove she wasn't the killer. She actually made a crazy request. You don't believe me? That machine is
13:37accurate. I'll put it on myself. I'm not lying. If I wear it, it'll turn green. She struggled toward
13:41the desk. She grabbed the bracelet still smeared with my blood, flesh, and melted rubber. Ignoring
13:46the gore, she forced it onto her wrist with trembling hands. I'll prove it to you. I'm innocent. If it
13:49turns green, then everything I said is true. Her hands trembled as she strapped the bloody bracelet
13:53onto her wrist. Click. It locked tight. Cold rubber pressed against her skin. Sticky. That was my blood.
13:59Mom took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She was desperate to prove I had it coming.
14:03Desperate to prove her way of raising me wasn't wrong. She raised her wrist toward the police.
14:07Her eyes even held a hint of mad certainty. Watch carefully. I'm Margaret Bennett. I'm
14:11Stella's mother. This is the truth. The absolute truth. Then the first sharp beep rang out in an
14:15instant. That long silent red light suddenly flared on. A blinding red, a lurid red. In the dim
14:21living room, it was like a blood red eye suddenly opening. Mom froze on the spot. Her once-confident
14:26face stiffened in shock. She smacked the bracelet like a glitch in TV. What the hell? It's broken.
14:30I'm telling the truth. I'm Margaret Bennett. She started to panic. Her words came faster. It had to be
14:35broken. That coroner damaged it earlier. She tried again. She swallowed hard. Her voice rose.
14:40Didn't abuse my child. I only did it for her own good. I love her. B-b-b. The red
14:44light flashed
14:45hard so fast it blurred into one solid glow. It even detected her heart going haywire. And
14:50the bracelet released a weak shock. Mom's whole body jolted. Her hand twitched hard. It hurt so
14:55much. Even that weak current raised goosebumps. She suddenly remembered when I was 10. With the current
15:01at maximum. I curled up on the floor. I bit my lip and didn't dare cry out. So that was
15:06how much it
15:06hurt. Mom completely lost it. She screamed at the bracelet. Spit flew everywhere. Why is it red?
15:11Why? I'm telling the truth. Turn green for God's sake. You stupid machine. You're framing me.
15:16No matter how she screamed. That red light kept flashing wildly. As if it were silently mocking her.
15:20You're a liar. Enough. The tech officer spoke coldly from the side. He really couldn't watch anymore.
15:26Stop trying. This thing isn't a lie detector at all. The officer grabbed the manual they found in the
15:30search and flanned it onto the coffee table. It's just a simple skin conductance and heartbeat
15:34monitor. When a person is nervous, anxious, afraid, or in pain. Their heart rate rises. Their skin
15:39response spikes. And the light turns red. You're panicking and anxious right now. Your heart's
15:43racing. Of course it's red. The officer stepped closer to mom. On the floor. Every word struck like a
15:48hammer. Smashing down on her skull. Think about it. Your daughter's appendix ruptured. She was rolling on
15:53the floor in agony. That was the agony of a ruptured organ. How fast was her heart racing? How terrified
15:57was
15:57she? But in your eyes. The more she hurt. The faster her heartbeat. When the light flashes. You think
16:01she told a bigger lie. Then you turned out the shock. More shock means more pain. More pain means
16:05a faster heartbeat. That means a bigger light. You turned her cry for help into torture. You
16:09electrocuted your crying daughter to death. With a crash. Mom's world fell apart. She collapsed on the
16:14floor. Staring blankly at the red light on her wrist. And last. She understood. Every red light over
16:18those 10 years. Was because I was afraid. I was afraid of mom. Would be angry. Afraid of being
16:22misunderstood. I was in pain. My heart racing. Cold sweat pouring off me. All I wanted was her
16:27hug. The way she hugged Chloe. Every signal from my heartbeat was taken as proof that I was lying.
16:32Mom suddenly let out a wail. She caught the bracelet on her wrist. Get it off. It's red. I'm not
16:39lying.
16:40I'm not. The bracelet's clasped. Damaged by the forceful fitting in earlier wear. Had jammed completely.
16:46It wouldn't come off. It won't come off. Stella. Take it off. Mom was wrong. It hurt so
16:52much. You can't even bear this much pain. Mom. I endured it for 10 years. To confirm the abuse
16:57and support the charges. The police opened the diary. The key piece of evidence. Right in front
17:00of my parents. The one I have filled for 10 years with humiliation and blood. The policewoman read
17:05aloud. Her voice soft but cutting. February 14. Sunny. Mom put celery in my bowl. I'm allergic to celery.
17:10It makes my throat swell. I can't breathe. I said I couldn't eat it. Because I was scared mom would
17:14get
17:14angry. My heart was racing. The red light came on. Mom said I was picky. That I was lying. And
17:18forced me to eat
17:18everything. That night. I threw out blood. My throat felt like it was burning. Mom saw it and
17:22said I'd sneak tomato juice. That I was faking it. Then shocked me for 10 minutes. Mom covered
17:25her mouth. Her whole body trembling violently. That night. She really thought it was tomato
17:29juice. She didn't even look twice at what I'd thrown up. Just turned around and went to read
17:32Koya bedtime story. It was blood after all. From a burst in my swollen throat. The officer
17:35footed the page and kept reading. June 1st. Children's Day. Chloe cut up mom's skirt. Her heart rate
17:40was slow. Green light. Rushed to explain. Because I didn't want to be hit. All red lights. Mom shocked me
17:44for 10 full minutes. Cranked it all the way up to level 5. It hurt so much. But I didn't
17:47dare cry. Because my heart
17:48would be even faster. And mom would think I was being defiant. And shot me even harder. I held my
17:51breath. And acted like it's nothing. Mom said. See. She didn't even cry. But obviously it didn't
17:55hurt. She's been faking it. I finally couldn't take it anymore. This man who'd be invisible in
17:59this house for years. This man who looked the other way while I suffered. And just had to keep
18:02that peace. Suddenly lunged forward. He slapped her heart. You sick twisted woman. Look at what
18:07you've done. That's your own daughter. You treat her like she's nothing. Mom's mouth was bleeding
18:11from the head. She went down hard. But she didn't fight back. Didn't cry either. She just stared into
18:15nothing. Much into herself. It's not me. It's not my fault. Then she suddenly
18:18pointed at Chloe cowering in the corner. It's Chloe. It's her. Chloe's bracelet is always
18:22green. Chloe is the honest one. The good kid. I'm just misled by her. If it weren't for
18:26that green light making me doubt. I never would have trusted the red one so much. Every single
18:28eye in the room shifted to Chloe. That little princess who'd always been put on pedestal.
18:32The officer walked over and uncast that green bracelet right off her wrist. Pulled out the
18:36screwdriver and cracked it open. Snap. The plastic shell split apart. No fancy sensors inside.
18:41No heart rate monitor. Just two cheap little LEDs and a few button batteries. Circuit was
18:46hardwired. Once it had power. It only ever lit up green. This thing is a plastic toy. The
18:51officer dropped the pile of junk on the table. It clattered loud and clear. Your younger daughter's
18:54bracelet is said to grin straight out of the box. No matter what she says. What she does.
18:58Even if she burns the house down. It's still green. Her so-called scientific parenting is
19:01nothing but a joke built on favoritism. Mom stared at that pile of plastic pieces. This
19:05was the truth she believed in for 10 years. The evidence she used to sentence me. Turns out
19:08it's just a toy. But the end toy ran my life for 10 years. The game where I was stuck
19:12in
19:12hell while Chloe got to live in paradise. So I'm not a liar after all. So I'm not a bad
19:15kid after all. Then what is all that suffering even for? I laugh. And then I start crying.
19:20Turns out even the soul can run out of peers. The last page of the diary was turned. The
19:23officer's voice cracked. The handwriting is all over the place. Must have been written
19:26right before she died. Mom, if I die, will the bracelet stop lighting up? Will you hold me
19:29then? Really, I'm not lying. My stomach hurts so bad. Like something's twisting a knife inside.
19:33Mom, don't put a bracelet on the next life. Please. I just want to be a normal kid. Want to
19:37eat
19:37the braised pork you make? Mom stared at that pile of plastic scraps. That grin like she
19:40trusted with her whole heart. Turns out it's just a cheat toy all along. This spoiled Chloe
19:44for 10 years because of it. And tortured me for 10 years because of that stupid red light.
19:48Ha ha ha ha ha. Mom suddenly burst out laughing. It was an awful sound. Sharp and hollow. Uglier
19:51than crying. It's all fake. Every last bit of it. I killed my most honest child and spoiled
19:55a little liar. The snap. This time for real. Completely and totally gone. My death became the hottest
19:59story in town. Mrs. Smith's next door was a sweetheart. Also a total blabbermouth. She posted
20:03everything she saw that day online. With a headline that hit like a truck. Very electrocuted
20:07to death by pseudoscience bracelet. The article described my body condition in detail. Including
20:10the bracelet fused into my flesh. Once I went live the internet exploded. People's rage lit
20:14up the whole network in seconds. Bomb got doxxed immediately. The electric shock monster.
20:18How the killer. This person has no right to be a mother. An avalanche of hate came pouring
20:21in. Someone threw red paint all over the front door. Howard ate in the words. Go to help.
20:25Dad got taken in for questioning too. For negligent homicide. Unfair to fulfill parental duty.
20:28He ended up not getting a heavy sentence thanks to an alibi. But he lost his job. His reputation
20:32was completely destroyed. The company dropped him immediately to save face. The family went broke. To cover the settlements
20:36and legal costs. The house and car were both sold off. Dad couldn't handle living with this woman
20:39anymore. He took what little money was left and left with Chloe. Even if Chloe was rotten to the core.
20:42She was still the only blood he had left. Before they left Chloe tried to take the green bracelet.
20:46Dad stomped on it. What do you even want with this piece of junk? Chloe got dragged away in tears.
20:50Mom was released on bail. Because the sack evaluation showed she had severe schizophrenia and PTSD.
20:55She was left behind in that rental full of dead girl memories. Completely cut off from everyone.
20:58Her mental state got worse by the day. She kept thinking I was still home. The red light bracelet.
21:02She refused to take it off no matter what. She even started to depend on it. Because she figured out
21:06that only when she wore it. Feeling that faint electric sting. Could she ease the guilt even a
21:10little. That was the punishment she gave herself. I floated around the apartment watching her lose it
21:14more and more each day. She cooked the whole table of food. Called out to thin air. Stella,
21:17dinner's ready. No celery today. All braised pork. Your favorite. Then she picked up a piece of meat.
21:21Her hands shaking like crazy. The anxiety spiked. The bracelet lit up red. B. She let out an unhinged
21:25little laugh. Mom's heart rate is up. I'm lying. Don't deserve to eat. Liars have to be punished.
21:30Put down her chopsticks. Picked up the remote. And pointed it at her own neck. The battery was
21:34almost dead. But she found new ones somewhere and swapped them in. The violent shock made her
21:38whole body convulse. Foam at the mouth. But she actually cracked a tiny smile of relief.
21:41It hurts. It hurts. Is this how much it hurt for Stella back then? I'm sorry. Now mom knows.
21:46You started reenacting my diary entries to punish herself. I get shocked for not eating celery. So she
21:49forced herself to eat spoiled rotten food. She swallowed it down even when she swallowed blood. I get locked
21:53in solitary. So she locked herself in my room. Lights off. Nearing in the dark before my memorial photo.
21:57Katoi over and over. Her forehead was covered in blood. Bloody prints all over the floor.
22:00Late at night. She saw the red glow of the bracelet on the wall. Like my bloodshot eyes staring back
22:04at
22:04her. She flipped the diary over. Squibbled wildly in red. Sorry. I messed up. Red light means pain.
22:09Red light means love. Please come back and yell it hurts again. Mom will save you. I promise.
22:13Too bad I was already dead. That case don't get to say it hurts. Mom ended up locked in the
22:17psych ward.
22:18Full self-harm meltdown. Almost fried herself at home. Authority stepped in. She was sent to a psychiatric
22:22hospital. She was the oddest one in there. Somehow snagged a red plastic ring. Wore it around her neck.
22:27Her DIY bracelet. Anyone who tried to take it. She would bite. Like a mad dog. Don't touch my light.
22:32Stella's watching. She'll lose it if you take it. Her brain hardwired the trauma. Whenever a nurse asked
22:37if Margaret ate. She grabbed her neck first. Then started shaking. Screaming red light. Red light
22:42don't zap me. I'll eat. I'll freaking eat. Even if the porridge is lava. She gulped it down. It scorched
22:47her throat
22:48raw. Still won't spit it out. She was copying my last moments. Replaying my hell like it was a sick
22:52ritual. Years later my sister grew up. And yeah. She turned out twitched it. No discipline. Plus
22:57that family drama. She was scraping by rock bottom. Ran out of cash. Remember mom was still in the ward.
23:02Showed up to visit. Not for love. For money. Dad's dead you crazy old hag. Hand over the stash. She
23:08had
23:08heavy makeup on. Face full of attitude. Looked at mom like she was trash instead. Disgusting. Just like your
23:13dead freak daughter. No cash. I'll pour your tubes. Send you to join her. Mom had been zoned out for
23:18years. But that line landed. She jerked her head out. Her eyes locked in. And sudden clarity hit in.
23:22For a split second. She remembered that toy bracelet. 10 years of green lights. You. Her voice
23:29squeaked like sandpaper. It was you who lied to me. You were the fake green light. You killed Stella.
23:33Give Stella back. That last shred of love turned into straight up fence. Mom just snapped. Launched at
23:38my sister. Hands locked on her throat. Die. Just die. You're the one who should have died. Help. My sister
23:43was
23:43freaking out. But she couldn't break psycho strength. Docs rushed in with the sedative.
23:47That was the only way to pry her off. My sister was scared as each other to us.
23:50Bolted out of there. They're all crazy. Every single one. They sprinted out the hospital doors.
23:54The truck came flying in. Bricks reached too late. She got sent airborne. Didn't die though. But both legs
23:59were crushed beyond saving. Wheelchair for life. Left completely disabled. And mom strapped to a
24:04restrained bed. Tears sliding. Staring at the ceiling. In her dream. She finally saw me. I was 10 again.
24:09No bracelet. White dress. Smiling as I ran to her. Her arms flew open.
24:13She tried to hug me. Stella. But her hands sparked with electricity. The second it touched me.
24:17I lit up like paper. Falling in ashes. She woke up sobbing. Heart ripped through the roof. If she
24:23had that bracelet on. It'd be flashing blood red. That's a forever kind of pain. I was standing in
24:28a void. Watching all of it. Mom losing it in that ward. My sister begging with broken legs. Dad washed
24:33up.
24:33Drunk. Dead early. And weirdly. No revenge high. Just quiet. Bled. Still quiet. Next to me was an old dog.
24:40Milo. My childhood dog. Mom dumped him years ago. He waited for me at the edge. Milo nudged my leg.
24:45Gave a soft woof. As if he were saying. Let's go. Don't look back. Don't look at it. Yeah. Time
24:49to go.
24:49This life was brutal. Nothing left worth staying for. I drifted to the front of mom's hospital room.
24:53This was the last goodbye. Mom lay in bed. Completely worn out. Hair gone all white. She seemed to
24:58sense something. Her cloudy eyes drifted toward a spot in the air. Right where I was standing.
25:02Stella? Is that you? She reached out with a trembling hand. Grabbing at nothing. Mom smashed
25:06the bracelet. Mom doesn't believe in it anymore. Will you come back? Mom will cook for you. No
25:10celery. Mom will buy you a new dress and not get Chloe one. Tears slid down the corners of her
25:14eyes.
25:14Dropping onto the pillow. I glanced at the marks the card left on her neck. And let out a quiet
25:18sigh.
25:18I reached out. My cold fingers tapped her forehead once. This was the last kindness I had for her.
25:22Let her sleep. Sleep makes the pain go away. She went still instantly. Eyelids heavy. Closing.
25:27Pulling her under. A breeze drifted through the room. Blowing open the worn old diary on her nightstand.
25:31But when the police returned to her as my belongings. Last page. Below my dying words
25:35from back then. There were a few crooked lines added underneath. Written by Mom during while
25:38her lucid moments. Next life. Mom wears the bracelet. Mom gets to be the liar. You'll punish me.
25:43Just don't leave Mom behind. Mom will do anything. I looked at those few lines. And felt nothing. Too late.
25:48Every bit of this guilt. In the face of death. Means absolutely nothing. Mom. I don't hate you anymore.
25:52I said quietly. But I don't love you anymore either. Mom. Let's not meet again next life.
25:56I turned and took Milo with me. A gate of light appeared in the distance. The entrance to the next
26:00life.
26:00I lifted my wrist. That bracelet that existed as it goes even in my soul. The nightmare that
26:05changed me my whole life. I squeezed hard. Snap. It shattered. Bursting into little sparks of light.
26:09Fading into the air. I felt lighter than I ever had. No red lights. No shocks. No lies. Just freedom.
26:14I walked toward the light. And I didn't look back. Morning light filtered through the window.
26:18The nurse pushed the door open for rounds. Margaret. Time for your mess. No response.
26:21The person in the bed hadn't moved. The first step closer. Barbara's hands were locked
26:24tight around that broken diary. And at the corner of her eye. One last tear. Still clinging there.
26:28From the monitor beside her. The line on the cardiac monitor flattened into a straight line.
26:33Beep. The moment I stepped through the light. There was no spinning. No dramatic faded black.
26:36Just the gentle worms wrapping around me. Like sinking into a creek thawing out in early spring.
26:40When the phantom sting of the shocks. Slowly started to let go. Milo nuzzled into my palm.
26:44His fur wasn't that barely there ghostly fuzz anymore. It was warm. Soft. Solid. With that
26:47real wet dog smell and everything. This is what I wanted so bad as a kid. Something actually alive.
26:51Come on little guy. I said softly. I took his lead and walked toward the light at the end.
26:55Everything from my past life trailing behind me like old photos gone faded. Mom's last tear stints.
26:59The bracelet's red glow. The blood stints on the diary. All of it blurred out as the distance grew.
27:03I didn't look back. I didn't feel the pull too. Just the sense that 10 years of darkness finally got
27:07cut off by this life for good. When I came back to my senses. I was a baby wrapped up
27:10in a blanket.
27:10There was a soft humming next to my ear. A gentle woman's voice singing some soft,
27:14tuneless lullaby. Fingertips brushed across my cheek. Carrying a faint smell of gardenias.
27:17Nothing like the antiseptic on my other mom's hands. Will trace of that bone deep cold.
27:20I struggled to open my eyes and saw a face smiling down at me. Eyes all crinkled up.
27:23Absolutely full of warmth. She held me like I was something precious. Careful. Like she was afraid
27:27I might shatter. Lena's awake. She said softly. Her voice like a feather drifting across my heart.
27:31Honey, come quick. Our daughter's blinking at me. A tall man came over. A little clumsy with
27:35nerves on his face. He reached out a finger and gently tapped my tiny hand. His voice was low and
27:40warm. Lena, it's dad. Lena, that was my name now. Lena Harper. Full heavyweight of the name Stella
27:44Bennett. Just a simple name. But they carried this warm feeling of being cherished. The house wasn't big,
27:49but it was clean and cozy. Cartoon stickers on the living room wall. Plants covering every inch of the balcony.
27:53So I poured through the glass windows and landed on the floor. All warm and golden. I figured it
27:57out pretty fast. This family was nothing like the last life. They never forced me to do anything.
28:01No honesty bracelets. None of that. I slowly grew up. Learned to roll over. Crawl. Talk. When I was
28:05three. Mom made stir fried celery with pork. Bright green celery pieces on the plate. Just like that
28:09dish from my last life. The one that made me throw up blood. I took a step back without thinking.
28:12My whole body went stiff. Tears just came. Totally out of nowhere. Mom immediately put down the spatula.
28:16Crouched down and wrapped her arms around me. Softly asked. Lena, what's wrong? You don't like celery? I shook my
28:20head,
28:20sobbing. Couldn't get any words out. Being forced to swallow celery in my last life. My throat swelling
28:23up. Bleeding. The memory of the shock suddenly flooded back and I was shaking all over. Dad came
28:27over too. Gently patting my back. No blame. Just patience. Lena, don't be scared. If you don't
28:31want to eat it, you don't have to. Can you tell mom and dad why? After their gentle steady eyes,
28:35I finally got it out. Between socks, celery hurts my throat. It bleeds. They didn't do what my last mom
28:39did. Didn't say the machine never lies. They got worried immediately. Mom helped me and took me to the
28:43hospital. The doctor said I did have a mouth celery allergy. Nothing severe, but strong emotions could make the
28:48reaction worse. After that, celery never appeared in the house again. Mom even made a note on her
28:52phone. Lena's allergies, celery, mango, and chatted every single time she shopped. That moment, lying in
28:57mom's arms, breathing in the faint smell of gardenia on her. I suddenly got it. So this is what it
29:01feels
29:02like to be believed. So this is what real love actually is. Not measuring honesty with a machine.
29:05But even when what you say sounds impossible, there's someone willing to hear you out. Willing to go find out
29:09the truth for you. When I was four, the kindergarten set up a health checkup. They needed to draw blood.
29:12I looked at the needle in the nurse's hand and suddenly remembered the burned skin on my wrist from the
29:15bracelet in my last life. Remembered the searing pain of electricity through my body. I screamed
29:18on the spot, grabbed onto dad's leg, and refused to let go. The teacher got a little impatient.
29:23Lena, don't be scared. It only hurts for a second. All the other case are being so brave. I cried
29:26so
29:26hard my whole body shook, saying over and over, no, don't shock me. I'm not lying. Dad immediately
29:30crouched down, pulled me tight into his arms, putting himself between me and the nurse's needle.
29:34I'm so sorry. She may have some trauma. Let's skip it for today. We'll take her to the children's
29:38hospital another time and have a therapist take a look. On the way home, dad didn't scold me for not
29:41being brave. He just gently asked, Lena, did someone hurt you with electricity before? I buried my face in
29:45his shoulder, my tears soaking into his shirt, yet managed to say, Mom, bracelet, red light.
29:49Those scattered fragments of memory, I still couldn't put them into words clearly.
29:52Dad listened anyway, genuinely, nodding along every now and then.
29:54Lena, you've been through so much. Dad's got you now. Nobody's ever going to mess with you again.
29:58After that, that took me to see a child therapist regularly. The doctor said I had severe PTSD and
30:02needed long-term support and care. Mom and dad didn't complain for a single second. They played
30:06pretend city games with me, and every single thing I said, whether it was true or not, they listened first,
30:10really listened. Then gently helped me find my way to the truths. They bought me bracelets in every color,
30:13but never once forced me to put one on. They just told me, Lena, these are just accessories.
30:17Wear them if you want, take them off if you don't. Whether what you say is true or not,
30:20Mom and Dad are here for it. With their patience holding me steady, I slowly started to climb out
30:24of the dark. I began to say what I thought out loud, there to say I don't like this, I'm
30:27scared,
30:27I want that. No longer terrified of being misread for a fast harpy, no longer scared of red lights
30:30and electric shocks. I started telling Mom and Dad funny stories from school. I cried over a toy I
30:34couldn't get. Jumped up squealing when someone said I did good. I was finally just a normal kid,
30:38but kid wrapped up in love. When I was seven, I started elementary school. There was a girl in class
30:42named Sophie Walker. She had the exact same eyes and brows as my little sister from my last life,
30:45just with shorter hair and a shy, timid personality. The first time I saw her, my heart seized up. A
30:49flash of my last life's sister making faces at me, her bracelet glowing green, hit me out of nowhere
30:52and I took a step back without thinking. Sophie seemed to catch that something was off with me.
30:56She looked down at the floor and said quietly, I'm Sophie Walker. Do you want to be friends?
31:00Her voice was tiny, with this little edge of please like me to it, exactly like the careful walking
31:03on eggshells me from before. I looked at her, a green cartoon bracelet on her wrist, and suddenly
31:06thought of that cheap plastic toy. Something complicated stirred in my chest. I found out later that Sophie's
31:11mom was really strict too, always pushing her to be an honest, good girl. When Sophie messed
31:14up, she got locked in her room without dinner. One day Sophie accidentally knocked over the
31:18teacher's mug. She froze up, shaking, couldn't bring herself to admit it because she was terrified
31:22her mom would break out on her. I saw her eyes going red and suddenly thought of my last life,
31:25hunched over a desk writing another apology letter, hearing myself say mom, I'm really hurting.
31:28I walked over and gently took her hand. Sophie, it's okay, it was an accident. Let's go tell the
31:34teacher together. She'll forgive you. Sophie looked at me, stunned. But my mom says,
31:38kids who lie aren't good kids. Being honest doesn't mean never messing up. It means only
31:41when you do. I thought of what mom and dad always told me and said it straight. Even if you
31:45tell the
31:45truth, you shouldn't get punished for it. If the teacher gets mad at you, I got your back. If your
31:49mom gets mad at you, come to my place. My parents will go to bed for you. With me pushing
31:52her on,
31:53Sophie worked out the nerve to apologize to the teacher. The teacher didn't scold her at all,
31:55just told her to be more careful next time. After that, we became best friends. I brought her over to
31:59my
31:59place all the time. Like her, Sophie, how warm mom and dad were. I told her she didn't have
32:02to people-please her way through life, didn't have to be scared to say how she really felt. One day
32:06Sophie's mom came to pick
32:07her up, saw her with me, and her face did something complicated. She grabbed Sophie's hand and snapped,
32:13did you mess up again? Is Lena covering for you? Sophie's head dropped instantly, too scared to say a
32:17word. I stepped right in front of her and said loudly, ma'am, Sophie didn't do anything wrong.
32:20She's a really good kid, you shouldn't keep yelling at her like that. She's scared of you.
32:24Sophie's mom froze. She looked at me, that Sophie's red-rimmed eyes, and something in her expression
32:28softened. That night, Sophie's mom called my mom, said a lot of really kind things. So that she stopped
32:33being so hard on Sophie, started actually listening to what her daughter said. Watching Sophie slowly
32:37open up and find her confidence, something warm quietly filled my chest. In my last life,
32:40I never got that kind of help, just me fighting through the dark alone. But in this life, I finally
32:44had the strength to help someone else, to stop another Stella Bennett story from happening.
32:48Maybe that was the gift my last life's pain left me, a deeper sense of how to hold on to
32:51the good,
32:52and a real hunger to be a light for people in the dark. When I was 10, mom and dad
32:55took me to grandma's
32:56place in the countryside. There was an old locust tree in her yard, a lot like the one at my
32:59last
33:00last grandma's house. I sat under it, watching sunlight filter down through the leaves, and land
33:04on the ground, making these scattered, shifting touches of light. Milo lay beside me, lazily
33:07soaking up the sun. The unfamiliar figure appeared at the yard gate. An old woman with silver white
33:12hair, beanie on the cane, as Caudi, wearing a faded blue cotton shirt, washed so many times.
33:16The moment I saw her my whole body locked up, like my blood just stopped moving. Her eyes,
33:20her brows, they were exactly Margaret Bennett's. Old woman seemed to notice me too. She slowly walked
33:24over, eyes landing on me, carrying this mix of confusion and something strangely familiar.
33:27She asked softly, Kiddo, what's your name? My name is Lina. I held down a storm inside
33:32me and answered quietly, Lina. The old woman murmured to herself, her eyes going even
33:35coldier. What a good name. She reached out her hand, almost like she wanted to touch my head,
33:40but hesitated and pulled back, like she was afraid of disturbing something. Mom came over
33:43and took the old woman's arm gently. She said softly, Mom, this is our daughter Lina. So she was my
33:46grandma in this life. Over the next few days, grandma kept quietly watching me, her eyes full of something
33:51complicated. One day she brought me a bowl of braised pork. She said, Lina, eat up. This was always your
33:56favorite when you were little. I went completely still. In my last life, right before I died,
33:59I wrote in my diary that I wanted to eat mom's braised pork. And now, in this life, grandma said
34:03exactly that. I stared at the bowl, rich and fragrant, and the tears just came. Isn't it some
34:07distant dream from a past life? It's one I can actually reach out and touch right now. I picked
34:11up my chopsticks, grabbed a piece of braised pork, and put it in my mouth. Soft, tender, sweet,
34:14every bite tasted like happiness. Grandma watched me, a long lost smile spreading across her face.
34:18There was relief in that smile, and a hint of guilt she tried hard to hide. That night I lay
34:22in bed,
34:22Milo curled up at my feet. I thought about the last worst mom wrote in her diary in my past
34:26life.
34:26Next life, mom wears the bracelet. Next life, mom gets to be the liar. You can punish me. I thought
34:30about that last tear at the corner of her eye, thought about that broken diary. Honestly,
34:33I stopped hating her a long time ago. Having someone is like locking yourself in a cage,
34:37and tree on the same pain over and over. The happiness of this life washed away the bitterness
34:40of the last. Just felt sad, sad that she didn't figure it out until the very end. That real love
34:44and
34:44honesty are never measured by gadgets and punishment. Grandma stayed in the village for months,
34:48the hiding hole. Right before she left, she took my hand. His soft face said,
34:51Lena, live well, be happy. Voice was quiet but it carried so much weight. I nodded,
34:56told her you too, grandma. Watching her figure disappear down the road, my heart was still,
35:01just peace. The grudges and heartbreak of my past life were like leaves falling from an old tree,
35:05gone with the wind. I was no longer Stella Bennett, trapped by a bracelet. I was Lena Harper,
35:09someone surrounded by love, free and happy. At 13, I graduated elementary school,
35:13got into the best middle school in the city. Mom and dad took me on a trip to the beach
35:16to celebrate.
35:17Standing at the shore, staring out at the endless ocean, the sea breeze brushed across my face,
35:21salty and cool. I stretched out my hand, feeling the freedom in the wind. It was like I could see
35:24my past self floating in mid-air, desperate to be held but never able to be touched.
35:28What's on your mind, Lena? Dad walked over, handed me a drink. I'm thinking,
35:31wow. I laughed and said, being alive, getting to be here with you guys, it's everything. Mom and dad
35:35exchanged a smile. Mom pulled me into a hug, softly said, silly girl, having you is the best thing that
35:38ever
35:39happens to us. Milo tore across the beach, chasing the waves, barking his head off with pure joy. I watched
35:43him,
35:43then looked at mom and dad beside me, and it suddenly hit me. The pain of my past life was
35:47what made me treasure this one so much more. The things I never got in my past life were what
35:50taught me what love really meant. I don't need to prove to anyone that I'm not a liar. I'm not
35:54scared of red lights or shocks anymore either. I can laugh freely, cry freely, say whatever I feel,
35:58freely. I have parents who adore me, a loyal best friend, a healthy body, and a future that actually
36:03looks bright. This is the life I dreamed about my whole past life. That night I lay in the hotel
36:06bed and
36:07wrote in my diary. This isn't like the last one. That diary full of confessions and tears and blood.
36:10This one is full of happiness and growing up. I wrote to today, I saw the ocean. It was huge,
36:15blue and free. I thought about who I used to be, that little girl trapped in a room,
36:19starving for love. She never could've imagined how much happiness I had then. Mom and dad loved me.
36:25It taught me to be honest and to be brave. Sophie became my best friend. She kept getting more and
36:29more like herself. Grandma was doing great, called me all the time. Ella was still as mischievous as ever,
36:33always nuzzled into my palm. Didn't hate anyone anymore, and I didn't miss the past either. Those painful
36:37memories were like footprints on the beach, washed over by the waves, leaving only the faintest trees,
36:41but making me treasure every step forward. I knew my mom, Chloe, and dad from before all got the
36:46ending they deserved. And I finally broke free from the chains of the past, and thought my real
36:50freedom. Next life, I didn't want to run into them again, and I didn't want to bring any of it
36:53up either.
36:54Just want to be Lina, a simple, happy Lina, who is surrounded by love. The ocean is beautiful,
36:58life is beautiful too. I live well, honoring this second chance I almost don't get. I finish writing,
37:03close the journal, and look out the window. Moonlight spills across the water, shimmery,
37:06like a thousand stars blinking at once. Milo curls up beside me, breathing slow and steady.
37:11Close my eyes, a smile on my face. This life, I finally become who I always want to be. No
37:15red
37:15lights, no electric shocks, no lies, just love, freedom and happiness, and those wounds from before.
37:20The pain turns into a badge of honor. A reminder that no matter how much darkness I walk through,
37:24as long as I don't give up on the light, I always find my own warmth and freedom.
37:27The road ahead is still long. I carry this new courage and joy with me. Keep walking,
37:31towards somewhere brighter and further.
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