All Chapters of Drowned in a Box for Saving My Brother: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

8 Chapters

Chapter 1

When the lid of the steel box closed, I was still calling out for Mom.I cried, "It wasn't me. Mom, please, just listen to me. They took Ezra away. I went after him."The sound of a key turning came from outside the iron lid. Mom stood at the entrance to the basement, still clutching Ezra Clement's blue comfort blanket in her hand.Her eyes were badly swollen, and her lips were pale. But when she looked at me, there was nothing left in her eyes but hatred.She said, "Evelyn, you've known how to put on an act since you were little. Ezra can't talk. He can't tell on you. So, you bully him."I shook my head. The wounds on my back stung from the sweat soaking into them."No, I didn't. They gave Ezra candy, and he followed them. I couldn't hold on to him," I explained."Then, why did you let go?" Mom suddenly screamed. "You're his older sister! How could you let go?"I opened my mouth, and the taste of blood filled my throat.Before I could say anything, Mom had opened the lid and

Chapter 2

On the second day, I started running a fever. The box was too narrow for me to lie down flat, so I could only sit and hug my knees to my chest.Whenever my back touched the metal wall, the friction would cause my wound to reopen. The pain left me covered in cold sweat. I held down the button on the walkie-talkie and called out, "Mom, I really can't take it anymore. Please let me out so I can see a doctor. I'll come back. I promise I'll come back."The clinking of plates and utensils came from the other end of the walkie-talkie. Mom was feeding Ezra.She used to feed me like that, too. She would chop vegetables into tiny pieces and mix them into my soup, telling me they were green stars.I heard Ezra slapping the table.Mom said gently, "You don't want this? I'll make you an omelet instead."I endured the pain and called out, "Mom."The other end went quiet for a few seconds.Finally, she spoke, asking, "Are you ready to admit what you did?"I bit my lip and replied, "I didn'

Chapter 3

On the third day, the basement light stopped working. I couldn't tell day from night and could only judge the time by how often food was brought to me.Mom didn't bring me bread anymore. She pushed in a bowl of cold oatmeal porridge. Half of it spilled, and what remained tasted of rust. I lifted the bowl and took a few sips, but my stomach churned violently.The walkie-talkie grew hot in my hand from how tightly I held it.I pressed the button over and over again."Mom, I have a fever.""Mom, please.""Dad, are you there?"No one answered.Later, I heard a stranger's voice outside the lid. It was someone from property management.Jared Mosby said, "Mrs. Clement, the basement drainage pump is scheduled for maintenance over the next couple of days. There's a heavy rain warning, so it's best not to keep any valuables down here."Mom's voice was indifferent as she replied, "Got it."Jared spoke again, "What's that steel box at the very back of your basement for? Make sure it isn

Chapter 4

On the fourth day, the sound of rain seeped in through the walls. At first, it was only a steady dripping. Later, it became the continuous sound of running water.The bottom of the box started to feel cold. I reached down and felt muddy water.The basement was flooding!I immediately pressed the button on the walkie-talkie. "Mom, water's getting in. There's water coming into the box!"The walkie-talkie crackled with static. It was noisy on Mom's end. Ezra was screaming.Mom was busy soothing him. "Be good, Ezra. Don't be scared of the rain. Mommy's here. I'll hold you."I raised my voice. "Mom, please check the basement! The water's already coming in!"She finally answered me, "Evelyn, can you stop making trouble at a time like this? Ezra is scared of the thunder."I looked down at the water rising over the soles of my shoes. "I'm not making trouble. Mom, it's really flooding."She laughed coldly. "Yesterday, you said you had a fever. The day before that, you said you were ble

Chapter 5

Mom rushed downstairs, while Dad followed close behind.I followed them, watching as Mom stepped into the freezing water. Panic finally appeared on her face.She felt around for the steel box's lid, her voice trembling as she called out, "Evelyn?"There was no response.She knocked on it again. "Stop pretending. I know you can hear me."Dad tried to insert the key, but his hands were shaking so badly that he missed the keyhole several times.The moment the lid opened, water gushed out. My body was swept out and stopped at Dad's feet.Mom froze and looked down at me. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out.Dad dropped to his knees in the water and picked me up. "Evie! Evie, wake up!"His hand touched my back, and his whole body suddenly jerked.Bloody water ran between his fingers. He peeled back the clothes stuck to my skin and saw the knife wound that had already turned black."Hannah… She really was hurt," he rasped.Mom backed away step by step until her back hit the st

Chapter 6

Ezra became the only eyewitness, but he refused to cooperate with anyone.When the police asked him what had happened that day, he clutched his blue comfort blanket and curled up in the corner. When Mom tried to approach him, he immediately screamed. When Dad tried to hold him, he banged his head against the wall.In the end, Ashley Hammond from the therapy center came. She crouched down in front of Ezra without touching him. She simply spread out a box of colorful cards and said, "Ezra, find Evelyn."Ezra reached out with a trembling hand and picked up a red card.Ashley asked softly, "What happened to Evelyn?"Ezra picked up the card with a knife on it and then the card with a car. Finally, he picked up a card that said "block" and placed it in front of the red card.Mom sat nearby, her entire body trembling violently. "What does that mean?"Ashley looked at her, and she could barely suppress the anger in her eyes. "It means your daughter stood in front of him to protect him."

Chapter 7

Mom could no longer remain standing. She gripped the edge of the table, her knuckles turning white.She mumbled, "She didn't let go."The police pulled up another piece of surveillance footage. It was from outside the mall's medical room.I sat in a chair, my face frighteningly pale. Mom rushed in with Ezra in her arms. Without even taking a look at me, she raised her hand and slapped me across the face.On the screen, my face snapped to the side from the blow, and my lips moved.I remembered what I had said. "Mom, it hurts."Mom had replied, "If anything happens to Ezra, you deserve to die in pain."No one in the surveillance room spoke.Dad suddenly stood up and punched the wall. Blood ran from his knuckles.He asked, "Where was I at the time?"The police checked their records and said, "You were out of town for a meeting."Dad turned to Mom. "Why didn't you tell me she was hurt this badly?"Mom said blankly, "I thought she was pretending."Dad screamed at her, completel

Chapter 8

Mom suddenly walked over to my coffin and picked up a pair of scissors.Dad was startled. "Hannah!"She didn't hurt herself. All she did was cut off her long hair. Lock by lock, it fell in front of my coffin. "Evie, I don't deserve your forgiveness. I won't ask you to come find me in your next life either," she said.She rested her forehead against the coffin and added, "Go. Don't look back."I stood behind her, and the place in my heart that had been empty for so long stirred faintly.It wasn't forgiveness. It was just that I had finally heard her tell me to go.…The day the verdict was handed down, Mom didn't defend herself, and neither did Dad.The human traffickers received heavy sentences. Meanwhile, Mom and Dad were sentenced to prison for unlawful confinement, abuse, and negligent homicide.Grandma served a short prison term for failing to provide assistance. She later moved away from the city.After the sentencing, Mom turned and glanced at the public gallery.Ezr

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