My Sister Had a Death Countdown, But Mine Hit Zero First Chapter 07

My Sister Had a Death Countdown, But Mine Hit Zero First Chapter 07

The sobbing drew over the nearby pack members. 

Mrs. Carter, one of the nearby pack women, 

pushed the half–open door wider and peered in. 

“What happened here?” 

She saw Nora holding me. She saw Mom and Dad collapsed on the floor. She saw Stella sitting there 

too. Her eyes moved around uneasily. 

“Crying like this… don’t tell me…” 

Cruel curiosity slipped into her voice. Helen 

snapped her head up and glared at her. 

“Get out!” 

Helen screamed. 

“Get out right now!” 

Mrs. Carter jumped and shrank back. But soon, 

she couldn’t resist standing on tiptoe to look into 

Nora’s arms. 

“Oh dear. Is that Stella?” 

She clicked her tongue and shook her head. 

“Poor child. Only sixteen, right? Poor thing. She 

finally made it to her birthday, but still didn’t make 

it…” 

“It isn’t Stella.” 

Nora suddenly spoke. Her calm voice was frightening. Mrs. Carter froze. 

“Not Stella?” 

She blinked and leaned a little closer. Only then did 

she see my face clearly. 

“It’s… it’s Ava?” 

Her voice rose. 

“Ava died? How could it be Ava? Wasn’t Stella the 

one with the countdown?” 

Helen scrambled up from the floor and rushed 

over, as if she wanted to tear those words out of 

her mouth. 

“What did you say? Say it again!” 

Marcus stopped Helen. But his hands shook, and his eyes were so red they looked ready to bleed. 

Mrs. Carter took two frightened steps back. Yet 

she still muttered under her breath. 

“I didn’t say anything wrong… Stella was the 

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doomed one, wasn’t she?” 

“Your whole family always revolved around her, didn’t it? The best food for her. The best clothes for her.” 

“Now look. The one who died wasn’t the doomed one. It was the one who was supposed to live…” 

“Shut up!” 

Stella suddenly screamed. She climbed up from 

the floor and rushed in front of Mrs. Carter. Her 

eyes were bloodshot. 

“Shut up!” 

“Don’t you dare talk about my sister!” 

“Don’t you dare talk about Ava!” 

Mrs. Carter was finally frightened by Stella’s 

expression. She shut her mouth, grabbed her bag, 

and scurried away. 

The sitting room fell silent again. Only low, broken 

sobs remained. Nora held me and slowly stood 

1. up. 

“Start preparing her funeral.” 

There was no emotion in her voice. Helen 

suddenly looked up. 

“No… no…” 

She shook her head and rushed over, trying to 

snatch me back. 

“Ava isn’t dead. She isn’t dead. She’s just asleep.” 

“Nora, give her back to me. Give her back…” 

Nora turned aside and avoided her. 

“Helen.” 

Nora looked at her with eyes as cold as ice. 

“Ava is dead.” 

“You locked her up for an entire night.” 

“How much longer are you going to lie to 

yourself?” 

Helen collapsed onto the floor. She covered her 

face and cried as if her heart had been ripped 

open. 

“I was wrong… I was really wrong.” 

“Ava, I was wrong. Come back. Please come 

back…” 

Marcus knelt on the floor. Again and again, he 

bowed before Nora and me. His forehead hit the 

wooden floor with dull thuds. 

“Dad, don’t do this…” 

Stella cried and tried to pull him up. But he shoved 

her away. 

“It was my fault,” Marcus said hoarsely. 

“It was all my fault…” 

Nora looked at this family. She looked at this 

ruined family in front of her. Then she closed her 

eyes. When she opened them again, her gaze was 

calm. 

“I’m going to find a funeral director.” 

Then she said, “I’ll buy Ava a clean, beautiful 

dress.” 

She held me and walked toward the door. 

“Nora!” 

Marcus suddenly lunged over and hugged her leg. 

“Don’t take Ava away… please, don’t take her 

away…” 

Nora lowered her head and looked at her son’s 

tear–streaked face. 

“Let go.” 

“Mom…” 

“I said let go!”