My Sister Had a Death Countdown, But Mine Hit Zero First Chapter 06

My Sister Had a Death Countdown, But Mine Hit Zero First Chapter 06

When Stella woke up, it was already noon. Helen 

sat by the bed. Her eyes were red and swollen. 

She held Stella’s hand and kept saying, “It’s okay, 

Stella. It’s okay.” 

“You’re okay. That’s all that matters, right?” 

Stella opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling 

for a long time. 

“Where is Ava?” she asked softly. 

Helen’s tears fell again. They landed on the back 

of Stella’s hand. 

“Ava, she…” 

Helen choked and couldn’t finish. Stella suddenly 

sat up. She threw off the blanket and tried to get 

out of bed. 

“Stella!” Helen held her down. 

“You just fainted. You need to rest.” 

“Where is Ava?” 

Stella’s voice suddenly rose. It shook with fear. 

“Where is my sister?” 

Helen looked at her pale face and finally broke 

down. 

“In the sitting room…” 

She cried. 

“Your father is holding her…” 

Stella shook off Helen’s hand and ran out of the 

room barefoot. In the West Wing sitting room, Marcus was still sitting on the floor. He held my body in his arms. He was no longer crying. He just sat there blankly. 

He stared straight ahead, his eyes empty and unfocused. He held my body so stiffly, as if I would break again if he breathed too hard. 

As if the last piece of his world had already gone. cold in his arms. 

Stella rushed in. When she saw the scene, she stopped dead. 

She stood in the middle of the sitting room. She looked at me. She looked at our father. She looked at this absurd scene before her. 

at this absurd scene betore her. 

“Dad…” 

She spoke softly. Marcus didn’t react. 

“Dad!” 

Stella raised her voice. Marcus slowly turned his 

head and looked at her. His eyes were hollow, as if 

he couldn’t recognize who she was. 

“Ava has a fever.” 

Marcus suddenly spoke. His voice was calm in a 

terrifying way. 

“She has a fever. Her head hurts. I’m trying to 

bring the fever down.” 

As he spoke, he touched my forehead. 

“See? She isn’t hot anymore.” 

A twisted smile tugged at his mouth. 

“The fever’s gone. She’ll be okay now…” 

Stella’s tears finally fell. She walked over and 

crouched in front of Marcus. She reached out and 

held his hand. 

“Dad, look at me.” 

“I’m Stella.” 

Marcus looked at her for a long time. Then he 

shook his head. 

“No. You’re Ava.” 

He said it with broken, stubborn denial. 

“Ava’s fever is gone. She’ll wake up soon.” 

“Dad!” 

Stella cried out. 

“Ava is dead! My sister is dead. Do you hear me? 

She’s dead!” 

Marcus suddenly shook off her hand. 

“That’s not true!” 

He shouted, his voice harsh. His arms tightened 

around me. 

“Ava isn’t dead. She’s only asleep.” 

“The fever just wore her out. She just fell asleep!” 

“Dad…” 

“Get out!” 

Marcus pointed at the door. His eyes were red. 

“Get out. Don’t wake Ava. She needs rest!” 

Stella collapsed to the floor. She covered her face 

and cried until she could barely breathe. Nora 

came out of the kitchen with a cup of warm water. 

She walked to Marcus and crouched down, 

offering him the cup. 

“Drink some water.” 

Nora’s voice was calm. Marcus looked at her and 

didn’t take it. Nora placed the cup on the floor. 

Then she reached out and gently tried to pry 

Marcus’s arms from around my body. 

“Let go, Marcus.” 

Nora said. 

“Let Ava lie down.” 

Marcus’s hands trembled. But he didn’t let go. 

“Mom…” 

He choked. 

“Ava isn’t dead. She just…” 

“She is dead.” 

Nora cut him off. 

“Marcus, your daughter is dead.” 

“You locked her in all night. She died in that 

storage room with a high fever.” 

Marcus trembled violently, as if those words had 

stabbed him. 

“No… no…” 

He shook his head. Tears fell in huge drops. 

“That can’t be true… I only wanted her to be quiet 

for a while.” 

“I only wanted her not to upset Stella.” 

“I didn’t know she really had a fever.” 

“I really didn’t know…” 

“You knew.” 

Nora’s voice went cold with disappointment. 

“She cried out. She said her head hurt. She said 

she had a fever.” 

“You heard her. Helen heard her too.” 

“You just chose not to believe her.” 

Helen rushed out from the hallway and fell at 

Nora’s feet. 

“I was wrong!” 

She cried, grabbing Nora’s pant leg. 

“Hit me. Yell at me. I killed Ava. I…” 

Nora lowered her head and looked at her sobbing 

daughter–in–law. 

She looked at her broken son. 

She looked at her granddaughter slumped on the floor. Then she suddenly looked up at me, floating. 

in midair. I froze. 

Could Grandma see me? But Nora quickly looked 

away. She bent down. With her old hands, she 

pried Marcus’s arms open little by little. 

My body slipped into Nora’s arms. Nora held me tightly. So tight. She pressed her face against my forehead and closed her eyes. A burning tear fell 

onto my face.