My Sister Had a Death Countdown, But Mine Hit Zero First Chapter 05

My Sister Had a Death Countdown, But Mine Hit Zero First Chapter 05

“What’s wrong?” 

Helen didn’t understand. She let go of Stella’s hand and stepped forward, about to step inside. But Marcus suddenly reached out and stopped 

her. 

“Wait.” 

His voice was soft, as if he were afraid of waking the small body in the corner. His back faced the morning light. I couldn’t see his expression. I could only see his shoulders trembling slightly. He stood at the doorway without moving. 

He stared at the small body in the corner. Stella peeked out from behind Helen. Her face was even 

paler in the morning light. 

“Ava?” 

She called me softly. Her voice carried a fragile 

hope. 

“Ava, can you hear me?” 

“I’m okay, Ava. I’m not going to die.” 

In the corner, my body didn’t move. There wasn’t even the faint rise and fall of breathing. The smile 

on Helen’s face froze. She took another step 

forward. This time, Marcus didn’t stop her. She 

stepped inside, walked to my side, and crouched 

down. 

“Ava?” 

She reached out and gently pushed my shoulder. My body swayed limply. My face turned upward. My eyes were closed. My lips were blue around 

the edges. 

“Ava?” 

Helen’s voice rose. Her hand slid from my 

shoulder to my cheek. 

Cold. 

Stiff. 

Helen jerked her fingers back as if my skin had 

scorched her. She reeled back and fell to the floor. 

Her eyes went wide with terror in the morning 

light. 

“No…” 

She shook her head and murmured. 

“No… no…” 

Marcus rushed in. He dropped beside me and 

reached out to check my breathing. His hand froze 

in midair. Then it began to shake violently. 

“Helen.” 

His voice was so hoarse it barely sounded like 

him. 

“Helen… come feel her…” 

Helen sat frozen on the floor and didn’t move. 

Marcus reached out by himself. With trembling 

fingers, he checked beneath my nose. One 

second. Two seconds. Three seconds. 

“Impossible…” 

He let out a choked sob. 

“Impossible… Ava was still saying her head hurt 

yesterday.” 

“She only had a fever… only a fever…” 

Stella stood at the doorway, one hand still gripping 

the doorframe. She looked at the scene inside the 

room. The blood drained from her face bit by bit. 

At last, she was as pale as paper. 

She opened her mouth, but no words came out. 

Nora’s body swayed. She held the doorframe to 

steady herself. 

“Ava?” 

Her voice was soft. Barely louder than a breath. 

No one answered her. Marcus finally raised his 

head. His face was covered in tears. He looked so 

broken that he no longer resembled the silent, 

stern father I’d known. 

He looked at Helen, his voice breaking apart. 

“Helen, come look.” 

“Maybe she only fainted?” 

Those words seemed to wake Helen. She scrambled up from the floor and rushed to my 

side. She grabbed my hand and rubbed it hard. She wrapped her warm palms around my cold fingers. 

“Ava, Ava, wake up. I’m here.” 

Her words came out in a panic. Her voice grew higher and higher. 

“Open your eyes and look at me. I’ll make your beef stew. I’ll buy you a new dress. I’ll take you to the amusement park.” 

“Didn’t you always want to go?” 

“I’ll take you. We’ll go right now.” 

She pressed my hand against her face, trying to warm it with her own body. But it was useless. My fingers stayed cold and stiff. They were like icicles hanging from the roof in winter. 

“Ava, don’t scare Mom.” 

“I was wrong. I shouldn’t have locked you in. I was 

so wrong…” 

Helen began to cry. She cried so hard it sounded 

as if something had ripped open inside her chest. 

Her whole body’shook with sobs. 

“Open your eyes. Hit me. Yell at me. Anything you 

want.” 

“Just open your eyes and look at Mom…” 

Marcus knelt beside her and reached out to touch 

the side of my neck. His hand stayed there for a 

long, long time. Then he collapsed to the floor and 

cried like a child. 

“She’s dead…” 

He cried, his voice so hoarse it was almost 

impossible to hear. 

“Ava is dead.” 

“Our Ava is dead…” 

Stella still stood at the doorway. Her hand shook against the doorframe. Her entire body shook. She looked at our parents, who were crying together. She looked at the small, cold body in the corner. 

Her lips moved. 

“Ava…” 

Then her vision went black. Her body went limp 

and fell. 

“Stella!” 

Helen screamed and rushed toward her. She 

caught Stella before she hit the floor. The West 

Wing sitting room fell into chaos.