Chapter 8
The air reeked of blood, thick crimson streaming down my cheeks in endless rivulets.
Severe blood loss left me dizzy and disoriented.
I stumbled through the pitch–black basement, desperately groping until my fingers finally found the cold iron chains.
I began frantically pounding against the metal door.
“Mom! Please let me out! I’ll give you money–whatever Madison wants, I’ll pay it!”
Only deathly silence answered me. Exhausted, I collapsed to the floor.
=
Suddenly, a sliver of light pierced the darkness.
In that dim glow, I saw Madison approaching.
Her once–proud face was now covered in hideous scars, her cold expression appearing especially terrifying in the shadowy basement.
“Emily, did you get reborn too?”
I asked in shock, “What?”
1/4
17:18
Madison said, “Why did Kevin get into Harvard this time while Victor lost everything! Even you managed to get into college! Why do you still have it better than me!”
I dropped all pretense and said calmly, “Madison, weren’t these all your own choices? In our past life, you sabotaged Kevin’s SAT eligibility, lived a mediocre existence, and ended up killing me. This time you chose Victor to become wealthy. If your life sucks, you only have yourself to blame!”
Madison froze for a moment, then burst into maniacal laughter as she pulled a hunting knife from behind her back.
“You really were reborn! You bitch, why didn’t you stop me? You knew Victor was a psycho! This is all your fault! You can die again! Next time I’ll definitely choose right!”
Madison flung open the door and raised the hunting knife to
strike me down. I rolled away just in time, the blade embedding deep into the floorboards.
مرارة
I couldn’t imagine what would have happened if that knife had hit me.
Seeing me/dodge, Madison flew into a rage: “Bitch, die!”
She actually had the strength to yank out the hunting knife and attack me again.
Just as the blade was about to fall, a powerful hand clamped
2/4
17:18
Lucky Draw
down on her wrist.
I looked up to see Kevin.
He no longer looked fresh and clean as usual, but utterly exhausted. I guessed he’d been frantically searching for me during all the days I’d been missing.
Police arrived quickly and subdued the crazed Madison.
“Honey! I’m sorry!” Madison screamed at Kevin. “Please give me another chance!”
Kevin frowned and asked the officers to take her away immediately.
During the investigation, police uncovered a horrifying truth.
Victor was dead–Madison had hacked him to death with the hunting knife in their bedroom.
To cover up her crime, she immediately turned to our parents for help. They dumped Victor’s body at a pig farm.
Police later found only a skull gnawed clean to the bone in a
corner.
With overwhelming evidence, Madison was sentenced to death.
My parents, who had aided in the crime, were sentenced to ten
3/4
17:19
years in prison.
Even up until her execution, Madison kept muttering about rebirth and choices.
But she would never understand that people who pin their hopes on others will never have a good ending.
On the day Madison was executed, Kevin and I had already boarded a plane to Boston, ready to report to Harvard.
In this life, I was determined to live a brilliant life that was truly
my own.
