All Chapters of Five Years Too Late: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1

The room was filled with the rotten stink of decay, and spiders crawled over the walls.Grandpa lay curled on a heap of torn bedding, half asleep. A strip of light shone in from the doorway, making him narrow his eyes to slits.Mom—Helen—frowned and covered her nose. She waved at the rancid air and complained, "Why does this place look like a landfill? Doesn't anyone clean up?"What a filthy little slob. Miles? Miles..."She looked around, calling my name louder and louder.I happily threw myself at her, only to pass straight through her body like air.I forgot again.I died five years ago.After waiting and hoping for so long, Mom had finally come back.She was holding candy and cookies. I stared so hard my mouth watered.My heart filled with joy. So Mom did care about me. She'd just been too busy. She'd only found time to come back now.I bounced around beside her and shouted, "Mom, I'm here! I'm right here!"But she couldn't see me at all.Just then, her phone rang. Una

Chapter 2

She always used the same sentence."You're the older brother."With that one line, I had to shoulder so many things no child my age should ever have carried.From then on, I never again knew what Mom's quilt smelled like, or what Mom's arms felt like."Miles... Miles catches mice... lots of mice... bad child..."Grandpa was confused. He didn't recognize Mom. He only mumbled slowly to himself.Mom stopped looking for me. Instead, she stared at the ruined house with disgust and muttered, "Still as naughty as when he was little. Not quiet and refined like Mason at all."All day long, he only knows how to catch mice. He makes the room dirtier than a dog kennel."Such a big child, and he still has no sense of hygiene."Always wanting to go to the city with me. Looking like this? Ugh..."She let out a heavy sigh.It was filled with disappointment in me.My heart felt like it had a hole punched through it. The pain made even my soul tremble.But Mom, I caught mice because there w

Chapter 3

"I saw Dad. I didn't see Miles. Dad said Miles went to catch mice again. He's still so naughty at his age."Helen's tone was full of disdain as she summarized what she'd seen.I leaned in and looked at Dad on the video call.His hair was combed back until it shone. He wore an expensive suit, and his skin looked good.Everything about him carried the air of wealth that money brings.Behind him was a bright, finely decorated home.A pang of bitterness went through me.So they had been living well in the city all along.Like a fool, I'd always thought life in the city must have been hard for them.That was why I never dared to call.The only time I called was three days before I starved to death.Maybe after pain has piled up long enough, it no longer makes waves.I just stood numbly beside Helen."Honey," Dad said after thinking for a moment, "why don't we bring Dad and Miles to the city?"No one is left in the village. It's inconvenient for Miles to go to school there. Dad

Chapter 4

After the video call ended, Mom took a pen and paper from her bag.She wrote a few lines on it."Miles, Mom is going back for now."You've made the house far too dirty and messy. Mom will give you one month. Clean the house and yourself properly."One month from now, Mom will come check. If your hygiene is acceptable, Mom will bring you and Grandpa to the city."If you fail, you'll stay here and keep reforming yourself."After she finished writing, she looked hesitantly toward the house. In the end, she stuffed the note into Grandpa's leaky pocket."Dad, this note is for Miles. Make sure he sees it."I'm going back for now. Tell Miles I'll come again in a month."With that, she hurried away without looking back.I watched her back and cried while laughing.Grandpa stared blankly after her for a long time."Grandpa, let's go back inside. Don't stand in the sun."The blazing sun drew sweat from his hair, but he just stood there blankly, not even knowing to wipe it away.May

Chapter 5

Daniel and Helen both froze as if struck by lightning."No."They answered in unison.Panic and worry appeared on both their faces.I stood before them, angrily talking to myself."Are you happy now that I'm dead? Or are you worried no one will take care of Grandpa?"In your hearts, I was just a tool to use. If you don't love me, stop pretending!"Mr. Harper was stunned. "I heard you'd taken him away. Every time I came by and didn't see Miles, I thought you'd brought him to the city.""We took the younger one," Helen said, her voice growing anxious. "Our ability was limited. We couldn't bring both sons at once. Now that our finances are better, we wanted to bring the older one over."Daniel looked uneasy. He hurried to Grandpa, who was too confused to understand anything."Dad, where's Miles?"Where did Miles go?"Grandpa's dark, dirty hand clutched a piece of bread as he wolfed it down.He didn't understand human speech anymore. He only sank into his own world.Daniel sh

Chapter 6

"I still have company matters to handle. This child has wasted my whole day."I make three thousand a day. When he gets back, I'm going to beat him. Don't stop me!"Daniel egged Helen on."This child needs discipline. Go ahead and hit him. I won't stop you!"If this goes on, he'll be completely ruined. I'm full of anger right now."If only he were half as sensible and considerate as Mason, I'd be satisfied."So in their eyes, I was a useless failure.They were always comparing me with Mason.Even if Mason did nothing, he was the perfect son in their hearts.I sighed weakly. In fact, I felt relieved."Good thing I'm already dead. I don't have to be your son anymore."They complained about me until their mouths were dry. After finishing the bottled water in Helen's bag, they refused to drink Grandpa's water because they thought it was dirty.As the sun set and the sky gradually darkened, I still hadn't returned.Helen and Daniel became even more anxious."Miles! Miles!"Mi

Chapter 7

A dry human skeleton emerged from the grass.Helen's knees went weak. Her eyes rolled back, and she fainted.Daniel looked as if he'd been struck by thunder. Holding Helen, he stood there trembling."It can't be Miles. My Miles was naughty and clever. It can't be him."His eyes filled with tears, but he still forced himself to say comforting words.It was the first time I'd ever heard him praise me.Seeing their panic and deep hurt, I almost felt as if I had been loved.The police said they had to take the remains back for a DNA test.My soul followed their car.When Helen woke, she grabbed Daniel's hand anxiously and asked, "Did they find Miles?"Because the test results weren't out yet, Daniel was afraid she'd worry, so he coaxed her."They're still searching. We'll be notified if there's news."Helen cried angrily and slapped her thigh."When we find him, just watch how I'll beat him!"Both of them only know how to make me suffer!"The younger one just got better, and

Chapter 8

Mason was admitted to the hospital, but for the time being, he was safe.Helen and Daniel followed the police and kind volunteers up the mountain every day to search for me.Then the DNA results came out.The skeleton was mine.Helen fainted on the spot from heartache.Daniel knelt on the ground and sobbed, pounding his own chest again and again."Miles! My Miles!"How am I supposed to live? I worked myself to death for both of my children."God, why are you torturing our family like this? Why did you take my Miles?"A grown man, he cried until he nearly choked.My heart hurt.It hurt so much.For a moment, I forgot the five years when they ignored me.I gently hugged his shoulder."Dad, it's okay. I'm doing fine over here."Actually, I wasn't fine at all.I wandered everywhere like a lonely ghost.I had no home while I was alive, and no place to belong after I died.But he cried so sadly.It made my heart tremble with his, breaking along with him.I thought that if

Chapter 9

Grandpa couldn't take care of himself. After careful consideration, Daniel sent him to a nursing home.My soul followed them to their home in the city.The moment I entered, I was stunned by how huge the place was.My first impression was that it looked like the homes of rich people on television.The living room, dining room, and balcony were all decorated so beautifully that I didn't know where to look.Helen walked into a bedroom.The moment I went in, I froze.The layout and decor of that room were exactly the same as Mason's.If it hadn't been for the colorful banner on the wall that read "Welcome Home, Miles," I would have thought it was Mason's room.Helen touched the vial at her collar and choked out, "This was the room we prepared for you. I was afraid you wouldn't like it, and I was afraid you'd think we were biased."Your father and I discussed it for a long time before deciding to make it the same as Mason's room."I followed her into the walk-in closet.The tra

Chapter 10

She came home drunk in the middle of the night and lay alone on the cold floor of the empty house.I ran to the room to grab a blanket for her, but my hands passed through everything.Powerless, I could only lie quietly beside her and listen to her painful breathing and intermittent sleep-talking.My heart sank again and again.I couldn't figure out how Helen had ended up living like this.Daniel didn't come home until noon the next day.Helen acted as if nothing had happened and exchanged a few words with him, asking about Mason's condition.I looked at Daniel in his suit and thought his job must be pretty good. After all, they lived in such a nice house.Helen shouldn't have needed to do that kind of painful and undignified work anymore.When Mason came up, Daniel's face turned heavy, and he hesitated.Helen panicked and grabbed his arm. "Is Mason worse?"Daniel nodded, his voice dull."The doctors said he needs a second surgery. This time the cost is even higher, around

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