Brain Transplant? 8 Godmothers Strike!

At the entrance to the black market, I spotted my youngest godmother, Joyce Smith, from a distance.

Excitement surged through me.

I rushed toward her, ready to call out her name.

Before I could, my father, Austin Long, grabbed me from behind and held my arms tight, tying me up so I could not move.

My mother, Daniela Cobb, pried my mouth open.

A bottle of medicine was forced down my throat, and searing pain ripped through me.

I coughed up a mouthful of blood, only to realize I could no longer speak.

Daniela wiped the blood that had splattered onto the hem of her skirt, her face full of disgust.

"Trying to get someone to call the police? Don't blame us. This is what happens when you refuse to behave."

Before I had a chance to catch my breath, an icy iron mask was clamped tightly over my face.

Austin, Daniela and Braxton Long each put on a mask as well.

I had almost forgotten.

Joyce had once told me that wealthy people loved doing terrible things, but they hated letting anyone find out.

This was why the black market had one strict rule: every customer had to wear a mask before entering.

So, Austin and Daniela knew what they were doing was wrong after all, I thought.

"Enough. Let's get moving. The sooner the surgery's over, the sooner you'll stop suffering."

Joyce walked over to greet us.

She was tall and slender, always wearing a gentle smile that made her seem completely out of place in a place like the black market.

"Guest Number Nine? This way, please."

As we followed her, rows of rooms made from corrugated metal lined both sides of the passage.

Screams echoed endlessly from inside. Thin streams of blood slowly seeped out from beneath the doors.

Austin shoved me forward and deliberately lowered his voice.

"Hear that? If you keep refusing to listen, you'll end up locked in one of those rooms too.

"The woman up ahead runs this place. She's famous for smiling while she destroys people. She’s as ruthless as they come. Every person here was brought in by her. You'd better behave."

I almost laughed.

A smiling tiger?

Was he talking about Joyce?

The same Joyce who had chased human traffickers across thousands of miles to rescue an entire truckload of kidnapped children?

The same Joyce who had personally taken every rescued child back home after the traffickers were arrested?

The only people who got beaten in the black market were the truly evil ones.

I stared calmly at my father, my mother, and Braxton.

'If you ask me, it won't be long before the three of you are the ones getting beaten', I thought to myself.

The moment Austin looked away, I jerked free and slammed myself into the wall beside me.

If I could scrape off this iron mask, Joyce would recognize me!

Austin charged after me in two long strides. He grabbed my head and shoved my face straight into a nearby fire pit.

"Ahhh!"

The flames heated the iron mask almost instantly.

Blinding pain burned across my face. The sickening smell of scorched flesh filled the air.

The mask fused directly to my skin.

"Who gave you permission to take off your mask? If you break the black market's rules, you won't even know how you died!"

"Oh, my goodness! What are you doing? You're scaring the child!" Daniela hurried over, yanking Austin away while scolding him. Then she turned and covered Braxton's eyes.

"It's okay, Braxton. He's only being punished because he wouldn't behave.

"You're the best boy in our family. We'd never treat you like this."

A sharp ache spread through my chest.

Growing up, I had only ever had my eight godmothers. They loved me more than anything. However, there were always kids who teased me and laughed at me.

"They're not your real moms! My mom says kids without their real mother's love are just unwanted little losers. Sebastian, that's you! You're the unwanted one! Hahaha!"

I had always wondered what it would feel like to have a dad like Austin and a mom like Daniela.

When the Long family came looking for me, I was so excited.

I carefully combed my hair and put on my favorite shirt, hoping Austin and Daniela would like me.

I never imagined that this was what they would be like.

My face hurt and my throat burned, and even my eyes felt like they were on fire.

I looked at Joyce, tears streaming down my face as I whimpered silently.

Joyce... I do not want to be reunited with them anymore.

I just wanted to go home.