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00:01not because I actually lied but because of this thing on my wrist the Verity
00:06band mom was obsessed with science-based parenting so when my twin sister Emma and
00:13I were born she strapped these bands on us green light means truth red light
00:18means you're manipulating reality Emma's band always green she could literally
00:24cut up mom's designer dress and blame the cat and that little device would
00:28glow like a Christmas tree she'd say green light believe me I'd say mom I'm
00:37hungry 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
00:52say the machine doesn't lie Stella starve now learn later I'm doing this for your
00:58own good after 10 years of this I started believing it too maybe I really was born
01:04wrong New Year's Eve everything changed my mom New Year's Eve everything changed mom
01:14was getting ready to take Emma to see the ball drop in Times Square and that's when
01:18the pain hit like a knife twisting in my gut I collapsed on the floor my skeletal frame curling
01:26into itself mom please it hurts the band flashed red she looked down at me disgust in her eyes nice
01:35try Stella faking sick to crash our night pathological she grabbed Emma's hand and headed for the door I wanted
01:43to scream
01:44but part of me thought maybe she's right the band is red so I must be lying I must not
01:52actually be in pain
01:53sorry mom I won't lie anymore but the pain got worse way worse New Year's the door handle turned for
02:07one second I thought she's coming back she's a doctor she'll know something's wrong
02:11hurry up the fireworks are starting Emma's waiting please something's really wrong I feel like I'm dying she glanced at
02:22my wrist red light flashing like crazy she crouched down grabbed my chin forced me Stella how long are you
02:30going to keep
02:30this up can't you just be honest stay here and think about what you've done honey should we at
02:37least leave her some food mom stood up food she has a stash of snacks she bought with stolen money
02:44she won't
02:44starve brushing off her hands like I was dirt lock the door when that band turns green we'll talk but
02:51but
02:52what soft parenting is why she's like this look at Emma her band is always green Stella's just a
03:00compulsive liar she needs discipline but my closet was empty Emma stole that money Emma ate those snacks
03:09I tried to defend myself once I didn't take it either red light three days locked up with nothing but
03:17bread and
03:18water the Emma peeked through the door made a face at me that's us we're gonna see the pretty fireworks
03:26the
03:27door locked the house went silent just me alone the pain was unbearable but I kept thinking mom's right
03:38the machine doesn't lie the band is red so I must be lying I'm not in pain I'm not in
03:47pain
03:51I crawled to my desk I had to write that was the rule if the band glowed red I had
03:58to pen a thousand
03:59word apology essay or mom would never let me out I am a liar I opened my journal pages and
04:07pages of
04:08apologies I'd written over the years but this time I wanted to write the truth my vision blurred I could
04:16barely see my hands shook as I wrote mom I really love you it really hurts why won't you believe
04:26me please
04:27believe me just once the moment I finished the last word the pain vanished just gone I felt light weightless
04:38I
04:39looked down I was floating and there slumped over the desk was my body motionless the Verity band still
04:49flashing red on a dead girl's wrist oh I'm dead Emma I heard laughter mom dad Emma coming through the
05:00front door
05:01tonight's fireworks were amazing especially that smiley face one just like our Emma mom's voice was so
05:09warm I'd never heard her sound like that when she talked about me I wanted to help them take off
05:15their
05:15coats that's what I always did mom I reached out to hug her my arms passed right through her body
05:24like wind
05:25she shivered why is it so cold in here is the heat off I stood there staring at my transparent
05:32hands
05:33right dead people can't hug the living should we check on Stella dad said casually she hasn't eaten
05:41if she finds me dead will she be sad will she regret it
05:56still putting on an act think I'll carry you to bed Stella you're 10 years old not five I screamed
06:04at her only two feet away mom I'm not playing I'm dead look at me touch me I'm freezing
06:14Emma squeezed past her held up her wrist with that smug little grin look my band's green Stella's is
06:22still red she's lying even in her dreams mom patted Emma's head that's my good girl ignore the liar
06:30let her stay there maybe she'll learn how to be honest dad peeked in should we at least put her
06:37in
06:37bed it's freezing put her in bed the parenting expert says cold treatment is the answer look at
06:43that red light she's still in full defiance mode come on we have to visit grandma tomorrow the door
06:50locked again I floated next to my corpse staring at that single point of red light in the darkness
06:57mom if you just stepped closer if you just touched my hand you'd know I was ice cold but you
07:04didn't
07:05still that night a rat crawled out of my empty closet I used to scream whenever I saw rats but
07:13now I just floated by the ceiling watching it scurry across my dead body it bit into my toe it's
07:20okay you
07:20can't feel it anymore it'll be over soon the next morning sunlight streamed through the window no warmth
07:28reached my body in the kitchen I could hear mom making breakfast the smell of bacon and eggs crept
07:35under my door my favorite but mom always said liars don't deserve meat so I only ever got steamed
07:43broccoli she was claying the pans extra loud on purpose trying to tempt me out trying to make me give
07:50in and apologize for things I never did in the old days I might have caved but I don't need
07:58food
07:58anymore Stella still hasn't come out that night Stella still hasn't come out dad asked reading his paper
08:08she is so stubborn she can eat or not I don't care Emma walked to my door and made a
08:15big show of sniffing
08:16the air then she screamed dramatically mom Stella's room smells gross did she poop in it mom stormed over
08:25pounding on the door Stella are you an animal the bathroom is right there did you seriously go on
08:32the floor just to spite me I remembered being six I had food poisoning couldn't make it to the bathroom
08:39in
08:39time soiled my pants mom didn't help me clean up she made me stand in the yard pointed at me
08:46and told the neighbors look at this she's such a mess she can't even use the toilet by herself now
08:52she thought I was dirty again leave her mom said waving her hand like she was swatting a fly let
08:59her
08:59sit in her own stink but dad stood up frowning that smells really bad I should check could be a
09:07dead mouse
09:08or something dad please open the door I'm right here I waved my transparent arms frantically dad's
09:16hand touched the doorknob still his phone was ringing dad's face went pale what the server crashed okay okay
09:26I'm on my way honey there's an emergency at work I'll be gone for a few days wait what about
09:32Stella he was
09:33already out the door if that call had come one second later I would have been found maybe then I
09:41wouldn't have rotted alone that 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 the smell had gotten worse
09:54mom gagged the second she walked in Stella are you trying to turn this place into a dump she didn't
10:00even
10:01open my door she grabbed duct tape and sealed the gap at the bottom you want to be disgusting fine
10:07spew in it don't stink up my house she patted her hands together satisfied then went to steam the
10:14lobster I stared at that sealed door my last shred of hope suffocated under that tape his phone was
10:22ringing by day three even the duct tape couldn't contain the smell mom was arranging fresh flowers trying
10:30to cover it up but the stench of death is unmistakable sweet rotten oily she cut a rose stem too
10:39hard a
10:40thorn pierced her hand she snapped Stella she grabbed a rolling pin from the kitchen storm toward my room I'm
10:49done with you you disgusting little brat time you learned what real pain feels like don't come in mom
10:57please I'm decomposed you'll be scared even though she never loved me I didn't want her to see me like
11:05that but she ripped the tape off jammed the spare key in the lock bang the door flew open the
11:15smell hit her
11:16like a wall she stumbled back dry heaving Stella what are you doing by day three she saw me still
11:26slumped over the
11:26desk back turned not moving to her this was the ultimate rebellion I'm talking to you she marched over
11:36raised the rolling pin but stopped she wanted to see my face first wanted to see my defiant expression get
11:47up the moment she touched me she froze through the thin fabric her hand didn't feel warm flesh
11:55what but momentum carried her forward she yanked my body stiff as a board toppled backward taking the chair with
12:05it
12:05and there was my face on my blackened wrist the Verity band hung lifeless my journal slid off the desk
12:14fell open at mom's feet the last page stared up at her mom my stomach really hurts the band is
12:23broken
12:23i'm not lying please don't punish me she saw mom murmurers
12:31She saw me mom screamed not human
12:32A raw guttural shriek that tore through her throat
12:36She stumbled backward slammed into the bookshelfWest
12:40vez shattered but she didn't seem to feel the pain she just stared at me eyes wide
12:46unblinking. No, no, no, no. This is makeup, special effects. Stella, get up. I'm not mad
12:53anymore. Stop scaring me. Her hand reached out, trembling to touch my arm. The second her skin
13:00made contact with my corpse, she recoiled like she'd been burned. That cold was too real.
13:07Mrs. Lisa from next door called 911. She'd heard the screaming. When she saw what was in my room,
13:13she collapsed in the hallway. Within minutes, sirens, police, a medical examiner. They pulled
13:20up the crime scene tape. Cameras flashed over my body. Mom sat on the couch, a female officer's
13:27hand on her shoulder. She was babbling. She was faking. She always lies. The band was red.
13:34Machines don't lie. I was just teaching her. I was doing it for her own good. No one responded.
13:40They all looked at her like she was a monster. The medical examiner crouched next to my body.
13:46He muttered under his breath. Severe malnutrition. Organ failure. This kid was starved for at least
13:53a month. He carefully tried to remove the Verity band, but it had fused. Damn. He cursed. He had
14:02to use tools to pry it off. Even dead, my soul flinched.
14:14Mom's. A cop picked up my journal. Put on gloves. Started reading. Mom's eyes locked onto that book.
14:22Suddenly, she lunged for it. That's her confession. She admits she lied. Look,
14:27she wrote it herself. The officer pushed her back. Slid the journal into an evidence bag.
14:33We'll determine what's true. That's when Dad got home. He saw the black body bag being wheeled out
14:39on a stretcher. Saw the long zipper that sealed away my entire life. His legs gave out. He collapsed.
14:47Wet himself. Emma stood nearby, sobbing in confusion. She pointed at the blood-stained Verity band on the
14:56evidence table. Why is Stella's band black? Mine's still green, see? She held up her wrist. The green
15:04light blinked cheerfully. It was grotesque. The cops started questioning Mom in the living room.
15:12She grabbed the Verity band off the table like it was a life raft. Test it. That band proved she
15:18was
15:18lying. Red light means lie. I never abused her. The machine told me. I was just educating her.
15:26The officer looked at her like she'd lost her mind. Ma'am, the victim shows signs of extreme
15:32malnutrition. That's discipline. That's teaching her to be honest. Mom was shrieking now. Then she did
15:40something insane. You 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.
15:56Click. Locked. The rubber pressed against her skin. Sticky. Cold. She took a deep breath and tried to calm
16:06herself. She needed to prove she was innocent. Needed to prove her parenting was right. She held up her
16:14wrist. Eyes wild. Watch. I'm Rachel. I'm Stella's mother. That's a fact. Absolute truth.
16:23The red light exploded. Bright. Violent. Like a fresh wound tearing open. Mom's confident expression
16:32shattered. She slapped the band like it was a broken TV. What? No. I said the truth. I am Rachel.
16:40She started talking faster. Panic rising in her voice. It's broken. The examiner broke it. Let me try
16:48again. I never abused her. I did it for her own good. I love her. The red light flashed faster.
16:55And suddenly, she remembered. Me. Ten years old. Getting the maximum punishment. Curled on the floor.
17:04Biting my lip so I wouldn't scream. Is this what it felt like? Mom lost it completely.
17:11She started screaming at the band. Spit flying. Why is it red? I'm telling the truth. Turn green,
17:19you piece of junk. You're framing me. But the red light kept flashing. Like it was mocking her.
17:26You're a liar. You're a liar. You're a liar. Dad couldn't take it anymore. This man who'd been
17:35invisible for ten years, who always stayed out of it, he snapped. He lunged at mom and slapped her
17:43across the face. You monster. What did you do? That was your daughter. You treated her like an animal.
17:51Mom fell to the floor. Blood at the corner of her mouth. But she didn't fight back. Didn't cry.
17:58She just stared into space, muttering, not my fault. Not my fault. Then her eyes landed on Emma,
18:07cowering in the corner. It's her. It's Emma. Emma's band was always green. Emma was the good one. If it
18:14wasn't for that green light making me trust her, I wouldn't have believed the red light so much.
18:19This is Emma's fault. All eyes turned to Emma. That little princess we'd all protected.
18:26The cop walked over. Gently removed the green Verity band from her wrist. Took out a screwdriver.
18:33Pried it open right there. Crack. The plastic shell split. Inside, no sensors. No chips. No heart rate
18:42monitor. Just two cheap LED lights and a watch battery. The circuit was hardwired. Power on. Green
18:50light. That's it. This is a two dollar toy. Your younger daughter's band was factory set to always
18:57be green. No matter what she said, did, or lied about, it would glow green. Your so-called science-based
19:06parenting was a joke. A sick, biased joke. Dad couldn't take it anymore. No! Mom suddenly screamed.
19:15She clawed at the band. Get it off. Get it off. It's red. I'm not a liar. I'm not. But
19:21the
19:21clasp was jammed from her violent struggle. Wouldn't budge. I can't get it off. Stella,
19:27take it back. I'm sorry. It's all my fault. This little bit of pain, and she was breaking.
19:34Mom, I suffered for 10 years. The cops needed evidence for charges. I know you're watching
19:40this, and you better stop. So they opened my journal in front of my parents.
19:44February 14th. Sunny. Mom put celery on my plate. I'm allergic. My throat swells. I can't breathe.
19:52I said I can't eat it. But because I was scared of making her angry, my heart raced.
19:56Red light. Mom said I was picky. Lying. Made me eat the whole plate. That night,
20:04I threw up blood. My throat felt like it was on fire. Mom saw it and said I'd snuck tomato
20:10juice. That I was faking. She punished me for 10 more minutes. Mom's hand flew to her mouth.
20:17She was shaking violently. She remembered that night. The officer turned the page.
20:22June 1st. Children's Day. Emma cut up mom's dress. Emma's heart rate is always slow. Green light.
20:31I tried to explain, but I was scared of getting beaten. So my heart raced. Red light.
20:37Dad couldn't take it anymore. This man who'd been invisible for 10 years, who always stayed out of it,
20:44he snapped. He lunged at mom and slapped her across the face.
20:59You monster. What did you do? That was your daughter. You treated her like an animal.
21:06Mom fell to the floor. Blood at the corner of her mouth. But she didn't fight back. Didn't cry.
21:13She just stared into space, muttering, not my fault. Not my fault. Then her eyes landed on Emma,
21:21cowering in the corner. It's her. It's Emma. Emma's band was always green. Emma was the good one. If it
21:29wasn't for that green light making me trust her, I wouldn't have believed the red light so much.
21:34This is Emma's fault. All eyes turned to Emma. That little princess we'd all protected.
21:41The cop walked over. Gently removed the green Verity band from her wrist. Took out a screwdriver.
21:48Pried it open right there. Crack. The plastic shell split. Inside, no sensors. No chips. No heart rate
21:57monitor. Just two cheap LED lights and a watch battery. The circuit was hardwired.
22:03Power on. Green light. That's it. This is a $2 toy. Your younger daughter's band was factory set to
22:12always be green. No matter what she said, did, or lied about, it would glow green. Your so-called
22:19science-based parenting was a joke. A sick, biased joke.
22:25Dad 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,
22:41clearly 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
23:01me
23:01wear the band. Please. Mom stared at the shattered pieces of plastic on the table. That green light
23:08she trusted without question? A cheap piece of junk. Mom started laughing, her voice cracking with
23:17every sound. But it was the laugh of someone breaking. Worse than crying. Fake. All fake. I killed my honest
23:27daughter. And I worshipped a liar. She'd lost her mind. For real this time.
23:35I 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.
23:51The band fused to rotting flesh. The internet exploded. Monster. Murderer. She doesn't deserve
24:00to be a mother. Comments poured in like an avalanche. Someone doxed mom. Our address got leaked. People
24:10threw red paint on our door. Wrote death in huge letters. Dad got arrested too. Neglect. Failure to protect.
24:19He wasn't there when I died. So he got off light. But his company fired him immediately to avoid the
24:26PR
24:27nightmare. Our 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.
24:44Emma was a bad seed, sure. But she was still his blood. Before they left, Emma tried to take her
24:51green band. Dad stomped on it. Why the hell would you want that piece of trash? Emma cried as he
24:57dragged
24:57her away. My dad... Mom got out on bail. The psych eval said she had severe PTSD and psychosis. They
25:07left her
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. To punish herself, she'd added a shock device to it. One that delivered a jolt the second the light
25:28flashed 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
25:42band
25:42flashed red. She was anxious. She smiled, but her eyes were empty. Mom's heart is racing. Mom's lying.
25:52Liars don't deserve food. Picked up a remote. One she'd rewired to trigger the shock on her wristband.
25:59It hurts. It hurts. And shocked herself. It hurts. It hurts. Is this what Stella felt? I'm sorry.
26:08Mom got out. Mom started reenacting my diary entries. I couldn't eat celery because of my allergy.
26:15So she forced herself to eat spoiled food until she vomited blood, then swallowed it back down.
26:22I was locked in isolation. So she locked herself in my old room, lights off, and bowed to my photo
26:29until
26:29her forehead bled. Over and over. Blood on the floor. Late at night, she'd see the red glow of the
26:38band reflected on the wall. To her, it looked like my bloody eyes watching. She scribbled in red pen on
26:46the back of my journal. I'm sorry. I was wrong. Red light means pain. Red light means love. Please
26:55come back and say it hurts one more time. I'll save you. I promise. Too bad I'm dead. Dead people
27:03can't
27:03cry for help. Eventually, the state intervened. Mom's self-harm got so extreme, she nearly killed
27:11herself that they committed her. She ended up in a psychiatric facility. She was the strangest patient
27:19there. She'd found a red plastic ring somewhere and wore it around her neck like a collar. Her
27:26homemade band. If anyone tried to remove it, she'd bite them like a rabid dog. Don't touch my light.
27:34Stella's watching. She'll be mad if you take it. She developed a Pavlovian response.
27:41Rachel, time to eat. Mom would touch her neck, then start convulsing, screaming.
27:47Red light. Red light. Don't punish me. I'll eat. I'll eat. Even if the food was scalding hot,
27:53she'd gulp it down, burning her esophagus. Wouldn't spit it out. She was reenacting my final moments,
28:01living my hell on repeat. Mom started reenacting my diet. Years later, Emma grew up. Without proper
28:09guidance and with a trail of infamy behind her, she ended up at the bottom of society. When she
28:15ran out of money, she remembered. Mom's still in that facility. She showed up one day. Not for love.
28:22For cash.
28:31Hey, crazy lady. Dad's dead. Give me your hidden stash. Disgusting. Just like your dead daughter.
28:40If you don't give me money, I'll pull your tubes and send you to join her.
28:44For a moment, Mom's cloudy eyes cleared. She looked at Emma and suddenly remembered. That band.
28:53That 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
29:06Stella. Give her back. Give her back. The last shred of maternal love twisted into vengeance. Mom
29:15lunged. Grabbed Emma by the throat. Die. You should have died. Not her. You.
29:22Help! Emma thrashed, but couldn't break free from a mad woman's grip. Orderlies rushed in,
29:29sedated Mom. Pulled 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
29:47repair. Wheelchair 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! She reached for me, crying with joy. Stella! But her hands sparked with electricity. The second she
30:16touched me, I burst into flames. Turned to ash. No! She woke up screaming. Heart rate through the roof.
30:25If 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.
31:00He'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
31:43believe in it anymore. Come back, please. I'll cook for you. No celery. I'll buy you new dresses,
31:49not Emma. Tears rolled down her face. I looked at the red marks on her neck from the homemade band.
31:57I sighed. Reached out. My cold, ghostly finger touched her forehead. Sleep, Mom. In sleep,
32:07there's no pain. A breeze blew through the room. The old journal on her nightstand flipped open.
32:14The last page, my dying words, stared up at the ceiling. But below it, in shaky handwriting,
32:22were new lines, written by Mom during a lucid moment. Next life, let me wear the band. Let me be
32:30the
32:30liar. Punish me however you want. Just don't leave me. I stared at those words. Felt nothing. Too late.
32:41Repentance means nothing to the dead. Mom, I don't hate you anymore. But I don't love you either.
32:50Let's not meet again. I turned away. Buddy wagged his tail. In the distance, a door of light appeared.
32:58The gateway to the next cycle. I looked at my wrist. The phantom Verity band. Still there. Even in spirit
33:09form. I grabbed it. It shattered into stardust. I felt weightless. Free. No red light. No hunger.
33:19No lies. Just freedom. I flew. Morning came. A nurse pushed open the door. Rachel, time for your meds.
33:30No response. She walked closer. Rachel's hand clutched the torn journal. A single tear
33:35crystallized at the corner of her eye. On the heart monitor, the wavy line had gone flat.
33:41More. Passing through the light wasn't violent. No spinning. No chaos. Just warmth. Like sinking into
33:49a spring stream. Even the lingering ache in my soul, the phantom pains, started to fade. Buddy pressed into
33:56my palm. His fur wasn't translucent anymore. It was soft. Warm. Real. This was the living, breathing
34:04connection I'd craved as a kid. Come on, boy. I held his paw and walked toward the brightness. Behind me,
34:11the old life faded like a worn photograph. Mom's final tear. The red glow of the band. Blood on the
34:18diary pages. All of it blurred. Dissolved. I didn't look back. That 10-year nightmare was finally, truly over.
34:28When I opened my eyes again, I was tiny. Wrapped in soft blankets.
34:34Someone was humming. A woman's voice. Gentle, off-key, but full of love. Her fingers brushed my cheek.
34:43The scent of gardenias. Not the sterile hospital smell of my old mom. Not the cold, clinical distance.
34:50I blinked up at her. She had kind eyes. A soft smile. She cradled me like I was made of
34:58glass.
34:59Grace is awake. She murmured. Honey, come quick. Our daughter just blinked. A man appeared. Tall, a little
35:07awkward, but his face lit up when he saw me. He touched my tiny hand with one finger. His voice
35:14was
35:14deep. Warm. Hey, Grace. I'm your dad. Grace. Not Stella. No weight. No chains. No lies.
35:24Just Grace Sterling. A name that meant something light. Something cherished.
35:30When I opened my eyes again, this house was small. But clean. Cozy. Cartoon stickers on the walls.
35:38Plants on the balcony. Sunlight pouring through the windows. Warm on the floor.
35:44I realized fast. This family was nothing like the last one. They never forced me to do anything.
35:52There were no Verity bands. I grew. Learned to crawl. To talk.
35:59And when I was three, Mom made sautéed celery. The green stalks on the plate triggered me.
36:05I flashed back to choking. Throat swelling. Vomiting blood. I stumbled backward. Shaking.
36:13Tears came without permission. Mom immediately put down the spatula. Crouched. Pulled me into a hug.
36:21Grace, what's wrong? You don't like celery? I couldn't speak. Just shook my head, sobbing.
36:29Dad knelt too. Rubbed my back. Hey, it's okay. You don't have to eat it. Can you tell us why?
36:37Their eyes were patient. Gentle. Finally, I choked out. It hurts my throat. Makes me bleed.
36:47They didn't say, the machine doesn't lie. They didn't accuse me of faking. They took me to the doctor
36:54immediately. Turns out, I really do have a celery allergy. Mild, but it can flare up with stress.
37:02After that, celery never appeared in the house again. Mom even added it to her phone notes.
37:08Grace's allergies. Celery. Mango. She checked every time she shopped. I lay in her arms that night,
37:16smelling gardenias, and realized, this is what it feels like to be believed.
37:21Love isn't measured 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.
37:35Flashes of the band burning my wrist. Flashes of starvation. I screamed. Clung to dad's leg. The teacher sighed.
37:45Grace, 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? I buried my face in his shoulder, tears soaking his shirt.
38:20Mom. Band. Red light.
38:25I couldn't explain it clearly. But he listened. Nodded.
38:31You'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.
38:44Severe 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.
39:06These 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. I could say, I'm scared.
39:21I could say, I want that. I didn't have to worry about my heart racing being 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.
39:37I was finally just a kid. A normal, loved kid.
39:42When I was 14, when I turned 7, 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.
40:00The 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.
40:27I glanced at her wrist. She wore a cheap green cartoon bracelet. My stomach turned. Later, I found out,
40:34Annie's mom was strict too. Demanded honesty. Locked her in her room without food when she made mistakes.
40:43One day, Annie accidentally broke the teacher's mug. She was trembling. Too scared to admit it.
40:49I saw her face. Red rimmed eyes. Barely holding back tears. I remembered myself at that desk, writing,
40:57I'm a liar. A thousand times. I walked over. Took her hand. Annie, it's okay. Accidents happen.
41:06Let's tell the teacher together. She won't be mad. Annie looked at me, shocked.
41:12But mom says liars are bad kids. Being honest isn't about never making mistakes. It's about owning up
41:20when you do. And even if you tell the truth, you shouldn't be punished for it. If the teacher yells,
41:26I'll protect you. If your mom yells, come to my house. My parents will help.
41:32I gave her the courage I never had. She confessed. The teacher forgave her. Told her to be more careful
41:38next time. From that day on, we were best friends. When I told her, I brought Annie home to meet
41:45my
41:46parents. She saw how warm they were. How they didn't yell. Didn't punish over little things.
41:53I told her,
41:54You don't have to make everyone happy. You're allowed to feel things. Say things.
42:02One day, Annie's mom came to pick her up from school. She saw us together and her face twisted.
42:10She grabbed Annie's hand. Did you mess up again? Is Grace covering for you? Annie immediately looked
42:17down. I stepped in front of her. Ma'am, Annie didn't do anything wrong. She's a good kid.
42:27You shouldn't always assume the worst. She's scared of you. The mom froze. Looked at me. Then at Annie's
42:36tear-filled eyes. Her expression softened. That night, she called my mom. Thanked her.
42:45You're welcome. Said I'd opened her eyes. Over time, Annie's mom got gentler. Started listening
42:53instead of yelling. And Annie? She blossomed. Confident. Happy. I watched her laugh freely one day
43:05and felt this warmth in my chest. I didn't get saved in my last life. I suffered alone in the
43:13dark.
43:14But this time, I could save someone else. I could stop another Stella from happening. Maybe that's the
43:22gift my past life gave me. The ability to see pain. And to heal it.
43:31When I was 10, my parents took me to visit grandma in the countryside. There was an old tree in
43:37her yard,
43:38just like the one at my old grandma's house. I sat under it, watching sunlight filter through the leaves.
43:44Buddy dozed next to me. Then I saw her. An old woman. White hair. Hunched over a cane.
43:53Wearing a faded blue shirt. The second I saw her face, I froze. She looked exactly like Rachel,
44:02my old mom. Grandma noticed me too. Walked over slowly.
44:06Her 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.
44:19She reached out like she wanted to touch my hair. Then hesitated. Pulled back. Like she was afraid of
44:26disturbing something sacred. My mom came over. Studied her. Mom, this is our daughter. Grace.
44:33Grace. So she was my grandma in this life. Over the next few days, grandma watched me constantly.
44:40Her expression unreadable. One day, she brought me a bowl of steak burger. Grace, eat up. This used
44:48to be your favorite. I stared at the bowl. In my last life, I wrote in my dying breath. I
44:54want to eat
44:55mom's steak burger. And here was grandma, saying those exact words. Tears blurred my vision.
45:03This wasn't some distant wish anymore. It was real. Right in front of me.
45:09I picked up a piece. Bit into it. Tender. Sweet. Perfect. Grandma smiled. A tired, guilty smile.
45:20That night, lying in bed with Buddy curled at my feet, I thought about Rachel's last words.
45:26Next life, let me be the one punished. Just don't leave me.
45:31I thought about her final tear. The torn journal. Honestly, I didn't hate her anymore.
45:39Hating someone is like locking yourself in the past, chewing on pain forever.
45:44This life's happiness had already washed away the bitterness. I just felt... sad.
45:51When I... Grandma stayed for a month, then went back home. Before she left, she held my hand.
45:57Grace, live well. Be happy.
46:01Her voice was soft, but heavy with meaning. I nodded.
46:06You too, Grandma.
46:08I watched her walk away, and I felt... nothing. No anger. No grief. The grudges of my past life were
46:17like fallen leaves, blown away by the wind. I wasn't Stella anymore, the girl trapped by a red light.
46:25I was Grace Sterling, surrounded by love, free.
46:31At 13, I graduated elementary school. Got into the best middle school in the city. My parents took me to
46:38the beach to celebrate. I stood at the edge of the ocean, wind in my hair, salt on my lips.
46:43I stretched out
46:45my arms, feeling the freedom. For a moment, I saw her. My ghost self. Floating. Desperate to hug
46:54someone, but passing right through. Grace, what are you thinking?
46:59Dad handed me a soda. I smiled. Just... I'm grateful. To be alive. To be with you guys.
47:08Mom 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.
47:22The suffering of my past life taught me to treasure this one. The pain taught me what love really means.
47:30I didn't need to prove I wasn't a liar anymore. I didn't need to fear red lights. I could laugh,
47:37cry, speak freely. I had parents who loved me. A best friend, a healthy body, a bright future.
47:47This was the life I died wishing for. At 13. That night, I wrote in my journal. Not the blood
47:54-stained
47:54confessions of my old life. This one was full of happiness. Growth. Love. I wrote,
48:03Today, I saw the ocean. It's huge. Blue. Free. I thought about my past self. That little girl locked
48:15in a room, desperate to be loved. She'd never believe that I could be this happy. Mom and Dad love
48:22me.
48:23They taught me honesty and bravery. Annie is my best friend now. She's confident and bright.
48:31Grandma's healthy. She calls me often. Buddy's still a goofball, always nudging my hand.
48:38I don't hate anyone anymore. I don't cling to the past. Those painful memories are like footprints in
48:46the sand, washed away by waves. But they taught me to cherish every step forward. I know my old mom,
48:55sister, and dad got what they deserved. And I finally broke free. I found real freedom.
49:02I don't want to see them again. I don't want to relive that life. I just want to be Grace
49:10Sterling.
49:11Simple. Happy. Loved.
49:16That night, the ocean was beautiful. Life was beautiful. I closed my journal. Looked out the hotel window.
49:25Moonlight shimmered on the water like a thousand stars. Buddy's breathing was soft and steady beside me.
49:33I smiled. This life, I finally became who I wanted to be. No red lights. No starvation. No lies. Just
49:45love.
49:47Freedom. Happiness. And those scars from my past? They became badges of survival.
49:56Reminders that no matter how much darkness you face, if you don't give up on the light,
50:01you'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 courage. With joy. Towards something even brighter.
50:14I'll walk it with you later.
50:15I'll walk it with you later.
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