- 2 days ago
Mom, Please Love Me Again - Hot
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Short filmTranscript
00:00My mom called me a liar from the day I was born, not because I actually lied, but because of
00:04this
00:04thing on my wrist, the Verity band. Mom was obsessed with science-based parenting, so when
00:09my twin sister Emma and I were born, she strapped these bands on us. Green light means truth, red
00:14light means you're manipulating reality. Emma's band? Always green. She could literally cut up
00:19mom's designer dress and blame the cat, and that little device would glow like a Christmas tree.
00:24Not me. She'd say. Green light. Believe me? Mom, I'm hungry. Flash. Red light.
00:29Instant punishment. And mom's punishment wasn't gentle. No food. Locked in my room. Digital blackout.
00:35No phone. No wifi. Nothing. The machine doesn't lie, Stella. Starve now. Learn later. I'm doing
00:42this for your own good. After 10 years of this, I started believing it too. Maybe I really was born
00:48wrong. New Year's Eve, everything changed. Mom was getting ready to take Emma to see the ball drop in
00:53Times Square. And that's when the pain hit, like a knife twisting in my gut. I collapsed on the floor,
00:58my skeletal frame curling into itself. Mom. Please. It hurts. Nice try, Stella. Faking sick to crash our
01:08night? Pathological. She grabbed Emma's hand and headed for the door. I wanted to scream. But part
01:14of me thought, maybe she's right. The band is red. So I must be lying. I must not actually be
01:19in pain.
01:20Sorry mom. I won't lie anymore. But the pain got worse. Way worse. The door handle turned. For one
01:26second. I thought, she's coming back. She's a doctor. She'll know something's wrong. Hurry up! The
01:31fireworks are starting! Emma's waiting! Mom's voice was ice cold. Mom. Please. Something's really wrong.
01:42I feel like I'm dying. She glanced at my wrist. Red light, flashing like crazy. She crouched down,
01:48grabbed my chin, forced me to look at her. Stella, how long are you going to keep this up?
01:52Can't you just be honest? Stay here and think about what you've done. Dad appeared in the doorway.
01:59Honey, should we at least leave her some food? Mom stood up, brushing off her hands like I was dirt.
02:03Food? She has a stash of snacks she bought with stolen money. She won't starve. Lock the door.
02:09When that band turns green, we'll talk. Dad hesitated. But what? Soft parenting is why she's
02:16like this. Look at Emma. Her band is always green. Stella's just a compulsive liar. She needs
02:22discipline. But my closet was empty. Emma stole that money. Emma ate those snacks. Emma just stood
02:28there with her glowing green band saying, Not me. And mom believed her. I didn't take it either.
02:33Red light. Three days locked up with nothing but bread and water. Mom turned to leave. Mom turned to
02:38leave. Emma peeked through the door, made a face at me. Bye sis. We're gonna see the pretty fireworks.
02:44Her band glowed soft green. So pretty. The door locked. The house went silent. Just me alone.
02:49The pain was unbearable. But I kept thinking, Mom's right. The machine doesn't lie. The band
02:54is red. So I must be lying. I kept repeating it like a prayer. Eventually, I almost believed it.
03:03The pain, dulled. Or maybe I was just going numb. I crawled to my desk. I had to write. That
03:08was the
03:08rule. If the band glowed red, I had to pen a thousand word apology essay. Or mom would never
03:13let me out. I am a liar. Write it down. And maybe mom would forgive me. Maybe she'd even take
03:18me to
03:18the hospital. I opened my journal. Pages and pages of apologies I'd written over the years. Sorry I
03:23lied. I won't do it again. But this time, I wanted to write the truth. My vision blurred. I could
03:28barely see. My hand shook as I wrote. Mom, I really love you. It really hurts. Why won't
03:34you believe me? Please believe me, just once. The moment I finished the last word, the pain
03:41vanished. Just, gone. I felt light. Weightless. I looked down. I was floating. And there, slumped
03:47over the desk, was my body. Motionless. The Verity band still flashing red on a dead girl's
03:52wrist. Oh, I'm dead. But I never learned how to be honest. Sorry, Mom. I heard laughter.
03:57I heard laughter. Mom, Dad, Emma coming through the front door. Mom's voice was so warm. Tonight's
04:03fireworks were amazing. Especially that smiley face one. Just like our Emma. I'd never heard
04:09her sound like that when she talked about me. I floated toward them, my ghost self moving
04:13on instinct. I wanted to help them take off their coats. That's what I always did. Mom,
04:17I reached out to hug her. My arms passed right through her body, like wind. She shivered.
04:22Why is it so cold in here? Is the heat off? I stood there, staring at my transparent hands.
04:27Right. Dead people can't hug the living. Dad said casually. Should we check on Stella? She
04:32hasn't eaten. Still the good cop. I looked at Mom hopefully. If she finds me dead, will she
04:36be sad? Will she regret it? Starved for all I care. This whole fake sick for attention thing
04:41is out of control. She pushed open my door. Didn't even turn on the light. In the dim glow
04:46from the hallway, she saw me slumped over my desk. I looked like a skeleton. Hadn't
04:50moved. Mom's voice dripped with sarcasm. Still putting on an act? Think I'll carry
04:54you to bed? Stella, you're 10 years old, not 5. Emma squeezed past her, held up her wrist
05:00with that smug little grin. Look, my band's green. Stella's is still red. She's lying even
05:05in her dreams. Mom patted Emma's head. That's my good girl. Ignore the liar. Let her stay
05:11there. Maybe she'll learn how to be honest. Should we at least put her in bed? It's freezing.
05:17Put her in bed? The parenting expert says cold treatment is the answer. Look at that red light.
05:24She's still in full defiance mode. No reflection at all. Come on, we have to visit grandma tomorrow.
05:29The door locked again. I floated next to my corpse, staring at that single point of red light in the
05:34darkness. Mom, if you just stepped closer, if you just touched my hand, you'd know I was ice cold.
05:39But you didn't. You believed the machine, not the daughter you carried for 9 months.
05:44That night, a rat crawled out of my empty closet. I used to scream whenever I saw rats. But now
05:49I
05:49just floated by the ceiling, watching it scurry across my dead body. It bit into my toe, but no
05:54blood came out at all. I didn't feel anything. Finally, no more pain. It's okay. You can't feel
06:00it anymore. It'll be over soon. The next morning, sunlight streamed through the window. No warmth
06:06reached my body. In the kitchen, I could hear mom making breakfast. The smell of bacon and eggs
06:11crept under my door. My favorite. But mom always said liars don't deserve meat. So I only ever got
06:16steamed broccoli. She was clanging the pans extra loud on purpose, trying to tempt me out. Trying to
06:21make me give in and apologize for things I never did. In the old days, I might have caved. I
06:26might
06:26have confessed to anything for one bite of scrambled eggs. But I don't need food anymore. Dad asked,
06:31reading his paper. Stella still hasn't come out? She is so stubborn. She can eat or not. I don't
06:36care. Emma walked to my door and made a big show of sniffing the air. Then she screamed dramatically.
06:42Mom! Stella's room smells gross! Did she poop in there? I floated by the door, watching my sister
06:48with bitter amusement. The heat was on full blast. After just one night, my body had started to rot.
06:53Now mom would hate me even more. Mom stormed over.
06:57Stella! Are you an animal? The bathroom is right there! Did you seriously go on the floor just to
07:03spite me? I remembered being six. I had food poisoning. Couldn't make it to the bathroom in
07:08time. Soiled my pants. Mom didn't help me clean up. She made me stand in the yard, pointed at me
07:13and told the neighbors. Look at this. She's such a mess. She can't even use the toilet by herself.
07:19Now she thought I was dirty again. Leave her. Let her sit in her own stink. But dad stood up,
07:25frowning. That smells really bad. I should check. Could be a dead mouse or something.
07:32My heart, if I still had one, leapt. Dad, please open the door. I'm right here.
07:39Just turn the handle and you'll see I'm not moving. You'll see my face is black.
07:44I waved my transparent arms frantically. Dad's hand touched the doorknob. His phone was ringing.
07:49Dad's face went pale. What? The server crashed? Okay, okay. I'm on my way.
07:54He grabbed his coat. Honey, there's an emergency at work. I'll be gone for a few days.
07:59Wait, what about Stella? He was already out the door. I froze. So close. One second away. If that
08:05call had come one second later, I would have been found. Maybe then I wouldn't have brought it alone.
08:09That afternoon, mom took Emma shopping. The house was empty except for my corpse. When they came back
08:14that night, loaded down with fancy lobster and geth, the smell had gotten worse. Mom gagged the second
08:19she walked in. Stella, are you trying to turn this place into a dump? She didn't even open my door.
08:25Just grabbed duct tape and sealed the gap at the bottom. You want to be disgusting? Fine. Stew in it.
08:30Don't stink up my house. She patted her hands together, satisfied. Then went to steam the lobster.
08:35I stared at that sealed door. My last shred of hope suffocated under that tape. So that's it.
08:40I'm worth less than a lobster dinner. By day three, even the duct tape couldn't contain the smell.
08:45Mom was arranging fresh flowers, trying to cover it up. But the stench of death is unmistakable.
08:50Sweet. Rotten. Lately. She cut a rose stem too hard. A thorn pierced her hand. She snapped.
08:55She grabbed a rolling pin from the kitchen. Stella, I'm done with you. You disgusting little brat.
09:03Time you learned what real pain feels like. I floated in front of her, waving my arms desperately.
09:09Don't come in mom, please. I'm decomposed. You'll be scared.
09:14Even though she never loved me, I didn't want her to see me like that.
09:18But she walked right through me. Ripped the tape off. Jammed the spare key in the lock.
09:22Bang. The door flew open. The smell hit her like a wall.
09:27She stumbled back. Dry heating.
09:30Stella. What are you doing?
09:32She saw me. Still slumped over the desk. Back turned. Not moving. To her, this was the ultimate rebellion.
09:38I'm talking to you. She marched over. Raised the rolling pin. But stopped.
09:42She wanted to see my face first. Wanted to see my defiant expression.
09:46She grabbed the back of my shirt. Grabbed my skin. The moment she touched me.
09:49She froze. Through the thin fabric. Her hand didn't feel warm flesh.
09:53She felt cold. Hard. Dead meat. But momentum carried her forward.
09:57She yanked. Crash. My body. Stiff as a board.
10:00Toppled backward. Taking the chair with it. And there was my face.
10:04Blue black. Eyes bulging. Features twisted in agony.
10:06On my blackened wrist. The Verity band hung lifeless. No red light. No green light.
10:11Just silence. Thud. My journal slid off the desk.
10:14Fell open at mom's feet. The last page stared up at her.
10:17Mom. My stomach really hurts. The band is broken. I'm not lying. Please don't punish me.
10:23Mom screamed. Not a human sound. A raw, guttural shriek that tore through her throat.
10:28She stumbled backward. Slammed into the bookshelf. A vase shattered.
10:31But she didn't seem to feel the pain. She just stared at me. Eyes wide. I'm blinking.
10:36No. No no no. This is makeup. Special effects. Stella get up. I'm not. I'm not mad anymore.
10:42Stop scaring me.
10:43The second her skin made contact with my corpse. She recoiled like she'd been burned.
10:47That cold was too real.
10:48Mrs. Lisa from next door called 911.
10:51She'd heard the screaming.
10:52When she saw what was in my room. She collapsed in the hallway.
10:55Within minutes.
10:56Sirens.
10:57Police.
10:57A medical examiner.
10:58They pulled up the crime scene tape.
11:00Cameras flashed over my body.
11:02Mom sat on the couch.
11:03A female officer's hand on her shoulder.
11:05She was faking.
11:06She always lies.
11:08The band was red.
11:10Machines.
11:11Don't lie.
11:12I was just teaching her.
11:14I was doing it for her own good.
11:16No one responded.
11:17They all looked at her like she was a monster.
11:19The medical examiner crouched next to my body.
11:21He muttered under his breath.
11:29He carefully tried to remove the Verity band.
11:31But it had.
11:32Fused.
11:33He cursed.
11:34He had to use tools to pry it off.
11:36Rip.
11:36Even dead.
11:37My soul flinched.
11:38A cop picked up my journal.
11:39Put on gloves.
11:40Started reading.
11:41His face went from neutral to horrified.
11:43Mom's eyes locked onto that book.
11:45Suddenly she lunged for it.
11:46That's her confession.
11:48She admits she lied.
11:50Look.
11:50She wrote it herself.
11:52Back off.
11:53We'll determine what's true.
11:55That's when dad got home.
11:56He saw the black body bag being wheeled out on a stretcher.
11:59Saw the long zipper that sealed away my entire life.
12:01His legs gave out.
12:02He collapsed.
12:03Wet himself.
12:04Emma stood nearby.
12:05Sobbing in confusion.
12:06She pointed at the blood-stained Verity band on the evidence table.
12:10Why is Stella's band black?
12:12Mine's still green.
12:13See?
12:14She held up her wrist.
12:15The green light blinked cheerfully.
12:17It was grotesque.
12:18The cop started questioning mom in the living room.
12:20She grabbed the Verity band off the table like it was a life raft.
12:24That band proves she was lying.
12:27Red light means lie.
12:29I never abused her.
12:31The machine told me.
12:32I was just educating her.
12:35The officer looked at her like she'd lost her mind.
12:37Ma'am calm down.
12:38The victim shows signs of extreme malnutrition.
12:41Mom was shrieking now.
12:42That's discipline.
12:43That's teaching her to be honest.
12:46Then she did something insane.
12:47You don't believe me?
12:48Fine.
12:49I'll wear it.
12:50I'm not lying.
12:51Watch.
12:51It'll be green.
12:52She snatched the band.
12:53Still stained with my blood and bits of skin.
12:56And jammed it onto her own wrist.
12:57Click.
12:58Lock.
12:58The rubber pressed against her skin.
13:00Sticky.
13:00Cold.
13:01She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself.
13:03She needed to prove she was innocent.
13:05Needed to prove her parenting was right.
13:06She held up her wrist.
13:08Watch.
13:09I'm Rachel.
13:10I'm Stella's mother.
13:11That's a fact.
13:13Absolute truth.
13:14The red light exploded.
13:15Bright.
13:15Violent.
13:16Like a fresh wound tearing open.
13:18Mom's confident expression shattered.
13:19She slapped the band like it was a broken TV.
13:22What?
13:23No!
13:24I said the truth!
13:25I am Rachel!
13:27It's broken!
13:28The examiner broke it!
13:29Let me try again!
13:30She started talking faster.
13:32Panic rising in her voice.
13:34I never abused her!
13:36I did it for her own good!
13:39I love her!
13:41The red light flashed faster.
13:42And suddenly, she remembered me.
13:4410 years old.
13:45Getting the maximum punishment.
13:47Curled on the floor.
13:48Biting my lip so I wouldn't scream.
13:49Is this what it felt like?
13:51Mom lost it completely.
13:52She started screaming at the band.
13:54Spit flying.
13:54Why is it red?
13:56I'm telling the truth!
13:57Turn green, you piece of junk!
13:59You're framing me!
14:00But the red light kept flashing.
14:02Like it was mocking her.
14:03You're a liar.
14:04You're a liar.
14:05You're a liar.
14:06Enough!
14:07A tech officer stepped forward.
14:08He'd had enough of this circus.
14:10Stop.
14:10That device isn't a lie detector.
14:12He picked up the user manual they'd found during the search.
14:15Slammed it on the coffee table.
14:16He walked toward mom.
14:17And his voice turned cold.
14:19This is a basic biometric monitor.
14:21It measures skin conductivity and heart rate.
14:24When you're nervous, scared, in pain.
14:27Your heart rate spikes.
14:29The light turns red.
14:30That's it.
14:31Think about your daughter.
14:33Ruptured andix.
14:34Organ failure.
14:35The pain must have been unbearable.
14:37Her heart was racing.
14:39She was terrified.
14:40And what did you see?
14:41A red light.
14:42So you punished her more.
14:44Which made her more scared.
14:46Which made her heart beat faster.
14:48Which made the light redder.
14:49You turned her cries for help into a torture device.
14:54You starved your daughter to death.
14:56Boom.
14:57Mom's world collapsed.
14:58She sat there.
14:59Staring at the flashing red band on her wrist.
15:01And finally understood.
15:02For 10 years.
15:03Every red light wasn't because I was lying.
15:05It was because I was scared.
15:07Scared of her anger.
15:08Scared of being misunderstood.
15:09Scared of eating food I was allergic to.
15:11I was in pain.
15:12Pain that made my heart race.
15:14And sweat poured down my face.
15:15I was desperate.
15:16Desperate for a hug.
15:17For her to hold me the way she held Emma.
15:19Every single signal from my frightened heart.
15:21She interpreted as proof of my lies.
15:23Mom suddenly screamed.
15:24She clawed at the band.
15:25Get it off.
15:26Get it off.
15:27It's red.
15:28I'm not a liar.
15:29I'm not.
15:30Stella can't take it back.
15:32I'm sorry.
15:33It's all my fault.
15:35This little bit of pain.
15:36And she was breaking.
15:37Mom.
15:38I suffered for 10 years.
15:39The cops needed evidence for charges.
15:41So they opened my journal in front of my parents.
15:43The female officer's voice was soft.
15:45But each word cut like a knife.
15:47February 14th.
15:48Sunny.
15:49Mom put celery on my plate.
15:50I'm allergic.
15:51I said I can't eat it.
15:52Mom.
15:53I can't eat celery.
15:55Otherwise my throat will swell up.
15:57But because I was scared of making her angry.
15:59My heart raced.
16:00Red light.
16:01Mom said I was picky.
16:02Lying.
16:02Made me eat the whole plate.
16:04That night I threw up blood.
16:05My throat felt like it was on fire.
16:07Mom saw it and said I'd snuck tomato juice.
16:09That I was faking.
16:10She punished me for 10 more minutes.
16:12Mom's hand flew to her mouth.
16:14She was shaking violently.
16:15She remembered that night.
16:16She really did think it was tomato juice.
16:18She didn't even look closely.
16:19Just turned away to read Emma a bedtime story.
16:22That was blood.
16:23From a swollen, torn throat.
16:25Dad couldn't take it anymore.
16:26This man who'd been invisible for 10 years.
16:29Who always stayed out of it.
16:30He snapped.
16:31He lunged at mom and slapped her across the face.
16:33You monster!
16:34What did you do?
16:36That was your daughter!
16:37You treated her like an animal!
16:39Mom fell to the floor.
16:40Blood at the corner of her mouth.
16:42But she didn't fight back.
16:43Didn't cry.
16:44She just stared into space.
16:45Muttering.
16:46Then her eyes landed on Emma.
16:48Cowering in the corner.
16:49It's her.
16:50It's Emma.
16:51Emma's band was always green.
16:53Emma was the good one.
16:55If it wasn't for that green light making me trust her.
16:57I wouldn't have believed the red light so much.
17:00This is Emma's fault!
17:02All eyes turned to Emma.
17:03That little princess we'd all protected.
17:05The cop walked over.
17:06Gently removed the green Verity band from her wrist.
17:09Took out a screwdriver.
17:10Pried it open right there.
17:11Crack.
17:12The plastic shell split.
17:13Inside?
17:14No sensors.
17:15No chips.
17:15No heart rate monitor.
17:17Just two cheap LED lights and a watch battery.
17:19The circuit was hardwired.
17:20Power on.
17:21Green light.
17:22That's it.
17:22This is a $2 toy.
17:25The circuit is hardwired.
17:27Power on.
17:27Green light.
17:28No matter what she said, did, or lied about,
17:30it would glow green forever.
17:32Your so-called science-based parenting was a joke.
17:36A sick, biased joke.
17:38Mom stared at the broken plastic.
17:39That was her truth for 10 years.
17:41That was the evidence she used to convict me.
17:43A toy.
17:44One that put me in hell while Emma lived in heaven.
17:46So I wasn't a liar.
17:47I wasn't a bad kid.
17:49Then what was all that suffering for?
17:50I laughed.
17:51Laughed until I cried.
17:52Turns out ghosts can cry too.
17:54The officer turned to the last page of the journal.
17:56Her voice broke.
17:57Mom, if I die, will the band stop glowing red?
18:00Or if it turns green, will you hug me then?
18:03I'm not lying.
18:04My stomach hurts so much.
18:06Like knives.
18:07Next life, please don't make me wear the band.
18:10Please.
18:11I just want to be a normal kid.
18:14I want to eat your steak burgers.
18:15Mom stared at the shattered pieces of plastic on the table.
18:18That green light she trusted without question?
18:21A cheap piece of junk.
18:22Because of that toy, she spoiled Emma for 10 years.
18:25Because of that cursed red light, she tortured me for 10 years.
18:29Mom started laughing, her voice cracking with every sound.
18:32I killed my honest daughter.
18:36And I worshipped a liar.
18:38She'd lost her mind.
18:39For real this time.
18:41My death became front page news.
18:43Mrs. Lisa, the neighborhood gossip, posted everything online.
18:47Starved to death by fake science band.
18:50This is where that monster lived.
18:53The internet exploded.
18:54Monster.
18:54Murderer.
18:55She doesn't deserve to be a mother.
18:57Comments poured in like an avalanche.
18:58Someone doxxed mom.
18:59Our address got leaked.
19:01People threw red paint on our door.
19:02Wrote death in huge letters.
19:04Dad got arrested too.
19:05Neglect.
19:05Failure to protect.
19:06He wasn't there when I died, so he got off light.
19:09But his company fired him immediately to avoid the PR nightmare.
19:12Our family went bankrupt.
19:13Sold the house, the car, everything, to pay legal fees.
19:17Dad couldn't stand living with that psycho anymore.
19:19He took what little money was left and Emma, and disappeared.
19:22Emma was a bad seed, sure.
19:24But she was still his blood.
19:25Before they left, Emma tried to take her green band.
19:28Dad stomped on it.
19:30Why the hell would you want that piece of trash?
19:32Mom got out on bail.
19:33The psyche valve said she had severe PTSD and psychosis.
19:37They left her alone in that rental apartment.
19:39The one that still smelled like death.
19:41Her mental state deteriorated fast.
19:43She started talking to me like I was still there.
19:45And she refused to take off the red light band.
19:47To punish herself, she'd added a shock device to it.
19:50One that delivered a jolt the second the light flashed red.
19:53She said the pill shocks were the only thing that eased her guilt.
19:55It was her self-imposed punishment.
19:57I floated around the apartment.
19:59Watching her unravel day after day, she'd cook a whole table of food.
20:02Then talked to the empty air.
20:04Stella, dinner's ready.
20:06No celery today.
20:07It's all steak burgers.
20:09Your favorite.
20:10She'd pick up a piece of meat.
20:11Her hands shut.
20:12The band flashed red.
20:13She was anxious.
20:14She smiled.
20:15But her eyes were empty.
20:17Mom's heart is racing.
20:18Mom's lying.
20:20Liars don't deserve food.
20:22She put down her fork.
20:23Picked up a remote.
20:24One she'd rewired to trigger the shock on her wristband.
20:26And shocked herself.
20:27Her body convulsed.
20:29It hurts.
20:30Is this what Stella felt?
20:33I'm sorry.
20:35Mom started reenacting my diary entries.
20:37I couldn't eat celery because of my allergy.
20:39So she forced herself to eat spoiled food until she vomited blood.
20:43Then swallowed it back down.
20:44I was locked in isolation.
20:46So she locked herself in my old room.
20:48Lights off.
20:48And bowed to my photo until her forehead bled.
20:51Over and over.
20:51Blood on the floor.
20:52Late at night, she'd see the red glow of the band reflected on the wall.
20:56To her, it looked like my bloody eyes watching.
20:58She scribbled a red pen on the back of my journal.
21:01I'm sorry.
21:02I was wrong.
21:02Red light means pain.
21:04Red light means love.
21:05Please come back and say it hurts one more time.
21:07I'll save you.
21:08I promise.
21:09Too bad I'm dead.
21:10Dead people can't cry for help.
21:11Eventually, the state intervened.
21:13Mom's self-harm got so extreme, she nearly killed herself, that they committed her.
21:18She ended up in a psychiatric facility.
21:20She was the strangest patient there.
21:21She'd found a red plastic ring somewhere and wore it around her neck like a collar.
21:25Her homemade band.
21:26If anyone tried to remove it, she'd bite them like a rabid dog.
21:31Don't touch my light.
21:32Stella's watching.
21:34She'll be mad if you take it.
21:36She developed a Pavlovian response.
21:38Rachel, time to eat.
21:40Mom would touch her neck, then start convulsing, screaming.
21:43Red light.
21:44Red light.
21:45Don't punish me.
21:46I'll eat.
21:47I'll eat.
21:48Even if the food was scalding hot, she'd gulp it down, burning her esophagus.
21:52Wouldn't spit it out.
21:53She was reenacting my final moments, living my hell on repeat.
21:56Years later, Emma grew up.
21:58Without proper guidance and with a trail of infamy behind her, she ended up at the bottom
22:02of society.
22:03When she ran out of money, she remembered, Mom's still in that facility.
22:06She showed up one day.
22:07Hey, crazy lady.
22:09Dad's dead.
22:10Give me your hidden stash.
22:12Emma stood there in heavy makeup, face full of contempt.
22:15She looked at Mom's hollow, broken form and spat on the floor.
22:23For a moment, Mom's cloudy eyes cleared.
22:26She looked at Emma, and suddenly remembered.
22:29That band.
22:29That always green toy.
22:30That decade of deception.
22:32It was you.
22:33You lied.
22:34You're the fake green light.
22:36You killed Stella.
22:37Give her back.
22:38Give her back.
22:39Give her back.
22:39Die.
22:40You should have died.
22:41Not her.
22:42You.
22:43Give her back.
22:45Emma thrashed, but couldn't break free from a madwoman's grip.
22:48Borderlies rushed in.
22:49Sedated Mom.
22:50Pulled her off.
22:51Emma stumbled out of the room, terrified.
22:53They're all insane.
22:54She bolted for the exit.
22:55Wham.
22:56A truck plowed into her.
22:57She smiled.
22:58Barely.
22:58Both legs shattered beyond repair.
23:00Wheelchair for life.
23:01A total wreck.
23:02Meanwhile, Mom was strapped to a bed, staring at the ceiling.
23:05Tears streaming.
23:06In her dreams, she finally saw me.
23:08I was 10 again.
23:09No band.
23:10White dress.
23:11Mom.
23:11Smiling.
23:11She reached for me, crying with joy.
23:14Stella.
23:15But her hand sparked with electricity.
23:16The second she touched me, I burst into flames.
23:19Turned to ash.
23:20She woke up screaming.
23:22Heart rate through the roof.
23:23If she'd been wearing that band, it would have been blood red.
23:26Eternal torment.
23:27I stood in the void, watching it all.
23:29Mom in the facility.
23:30Emma in a wheelchair, baking on the streets.
23:32Dad.
23:33Drunk and dead in some gutter.
23:34I felt.
23:35Nothing.
23:35No satisfaction.
23:36Just a flat, dead calm.
23:38Next to me was an old dog.
23:39Buddy.
23:40My childhood pet.
23:41Mom threw him out years ago.
23:42He'd been waiting for me at the boundary.
23:44Buddy nuzzled my leg.
23:45Barked twice.
23:46As if to say, let's go.
23:48Don't look back.
23:49Yeah.
23:49Time to leave.
23:50This life was too bitter.
23:51Nothing worth holding onto.
23:52I floated to Mom's hospital room one final time.
23:55She looked ancient.
23:56Hair completely white.
23:57Frail as paper.
23:58She sensed something.
23:59Her cloudy eyes focused on a point in the air, right where I stood.
24:03Stella.
24:04Is that you?
24:05Her trembling hand reached into the emptiness.
24:07Mom destroyed the band.
24:09I don't believe in it anymore.
24:11Come back, please.
24:13I'll cook for you.
24:14No celery.
24:15I'll buy you new dresses.
24:17Not Emma.
24:18Only you.
24:19Tears rolled down her face.
24:21I looked at the red marks on her neck from the homemade band.
24:24I sighed.
24:24Reached out.
24:25My cold, ghostly finger touched her forehead.
24:27This was my final mercy.
24:29Sleep, Mom.
24:30In sleep there's no pain.
24:32Her eyes fluttered shut.
24:34She slumped into a deep, dreamless rest.
24:36A breeze blew through the room.
24:37The old journal on her nightstand flipped open.
24:39The last page, my dying words, stared up at the ceiling.
24:43But below it, in shaky handwriting, were new lines.
24:46Next life.
24:47Let me wear the band.
24:48Let me be the liar.
24:50Punish me however you want.
24:52Just don't leave me.
24:53I stared at those words.
24:55It's too late.
24:56Repentance means nothing to the dead.
24:57Mom, I don't hate you anymore.
24:59But I don't love you either.
25:01Let's not meet again.
25:03I turned away.
25:04Buddy wagged his tail.
25:05In the distance, a door of light appeared.
25:07The gateway to the next cycle.
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