I was locked in the trunk, the scorching air burning my throat.
Every breath felt like swallowing a ball of fire, stifling and painful.
I regretted it. I shouldn’t have put that blanket on Leo.
I pounded on the trunk lid, my palms hitting the burning metal, producing dull thuds and searing pain.
“Dad! Mom! I’m sorry! Let me out!”
“I’m so hot… Mia knows she was wrong… I’ll never do it again…”
But my voice was completely muffled.
I remembered when Dad bought the car, he’d proudly shown me:
“Look, Mia, the soundproofing on this trunk is amazing. When I drive, your music back here won’t bother me at all!”
Back then, I clapped my hands and laughed, thinking Dad was so clever.
Now, that proud feature had become my living hell.
I screamed and pounded until my palms were raw and my throat hoarse, but I got no response.
The car was moving. I could feel the bumps as the tires rolled over gravel,
Each jolt sending my head slamming against the cold, hard inner wall.
I don’t know how much time passed before the car suddenly stopped.
A flicker of hope ignited in my heart. Had Dad finally cooled down? Was he going to let me out?
I strained my ears, trying to catch any sound from outside.
“Wow, the scenery here is beautiful. Arthur, quick, take some pictures of Leo!”
It was Mom’s voice, full of excitement and joy.
“Alright, come on, Leo, look at me, smile!”
“That’s it, my good boy, you’re so photogenic!”
Dad’s voice followed, dripping with affection.
I heard the camera’s “click-clack” shutter, and Leo’s happy giggles as they played with him.
They hadn’t stopped for me.
Only because the roadside scenery was nice.
My heart sank, bit by bit.
No, they wouldn’t abandon me.
They’re just still angry.
I pounded harder on the trunk, my nails scratching against the inner wall with an awful screech.
In the chaos, my hand brushed against a teddy bear tucked into a corner.
It was a birthday gift from Mom, and if you pressed its belly, it would play a recording of my voice.
“Mommy, I love you, Mommy is the best mommy in the world!”
My clear child’s voice echoed in the cramped space.
They must hear it outside! Mom would surely soften if she heard it!
Clutching this last hope, I pressed the bear’s belly again and again.
Sure enough, Dad’s impatient roar came from outside.
“What’s all that noise?! Can’t you even behave in there?!”
“Keep it up, and I’ll throw you into these mountains for the wolves to eat! That’ll teach you!”
Dad’s voice was like ice water, drenching me from head to toe, extinguishing all my hope.
Fear and the heat wave engulfed me, making me dizzy.
The car was like a giant oven. My skin was searing, and sweat soaked my dress.
My consciousness faded, and hallucinations flickered before my eyes.
I saw myself as a tiny girl, Dad lifting me high above his head, through a crowded street.
Brilliant fireworks exploded in the night sky, and he pointed to the brightest one, telling me:
“Mia, you are my brightest star in the night sky, my most precious treasure.”
Dad, your treasure is about to be cooked alive.
When will you finally turn around and look at me?
When I “opened” my eyes again, I found myself floating outside the trunk.
The afternoon sun was dazzling. I looked down at myself; my body was semi-transparent.
Am I dead?
Not far away, Dad and Mom were walking back from a mountain path with Leo.
They looked like they’d had a wonderful time. Dad fanned Mom with his hand, and Mom blew a small fan at Leo.
Both were sweating profusely, but their faces were beaming with contented smiles.
“Mom!”
I rushed towards Mom, wanting to hug her like I used to.
But my body passed right through her arm. I couldn’t touch anything.
They couldn’t see me, couldn’t hear me.
Mom walked to the car, opened the door to get some water, and gulped it down.
She wiped her mouth, her gaze briefly sweeping over the trunk, and hesitated before speaking:
“Arthur, Mia has been in the trunk for so long. What if something happens? It’s so hot…”
My heart leaped with joy. Mom remembered me! She still cared about me!
I floated beside Mom, looking at her eagerly, silently screaming:
Open the trunk! Save me!
Dad was wiping sweat from Leo, and at Mom’s words, his face instantly darkened. He snapped:
“You feel sorry for her? Have you forgotten Leo almost died because of her?! I think she deserves this lesson!”
He glanced at the trunk with disgust:
“Let her stew in there! It’ll teach her a lesson! She’ll live. It’s a lesson she needs.”
“It’ll stop her from getting any more twisted ideas about harming my son!
So young and already trying to hurt my son. I’m being merciful by not breaking her legs!”
“Say one more word, and you can join her in there!”
Dad’s tone was full of disgust and icy coldness, as if I weren’t his daughter, but some sworn enemy.
Mom trembled with fright, immediately shutting her mouth, not daring to utter another word.
She just cast another worried glance at the trunk, then turned her head to continue doting on Leo in her arms.
They got back in the car, started the engine, and drove towards the mountain villa.
Soon, the car stopped at the villa’s entrance.
Brenda Evans, my aunt, was already waiting there. As soon as they got out, she greeted them with a wide smile.
“Oh, my sweet big nephew,Brenda has missed you so much!”
Brenda took Leo from Mom’s arms and gave him a big kiss on the cheek.
Then, she squinted at the car and said sarcastically:
“Where’s that little troublemaker? You didn’t bring her along, did you?”
“Arthur, I’m telling you, you should have gotten rid of that wasteful girl ages ago, she’s nothing but bad luck for our precious Leo!”
I knew she was talking about me.
From a young age, Aunt Brenda had never given me a kind look.
She’d always say, “Girls are just a temporary expense, a placeholder until they marry out. But a son? A son carries on the name, he’s the family’s future, its true legacy.”
Dad listened to Brenda and actually laughed, his voice full of agreement:
“Leo is so well-behaved. Unlike some ungrateful brats, who after all these years, only harbor jealousy and can’t stand their own brother.”
Mom also forced a smile, not daring to refute a single word.
“Arthur, Eleanor, come inside quickly, dinner’s ready.”
Dad nodded, about to walk towards the trunk, but Brenda grabbed his arm.
“Oh, Arthur, it’s so hot outside, you can get the stuff later!”
“I’ve made chicken soup, it’s getting cold. Hurry and bring my precious nephew in for soup!”
Mom also chimed in:
“Yes, Arthur, let’s eat first. We’re all hungry.”
Dad looked at Leo, who was giggling in Brenda’s arms and smiling at him, his face filled with doting affection.
“Alright, you’re right. Dinner first.”
Without looking back, he casually pressed the car key.
“Beep-beep,” the car lights flashed, and the doors locked.
Dad didn’t spare the car another glance. He, Mom, and Brenda, crowded around Leo, walking happily into the villa as a family.
They chatted about the day’s fun, planned tomorrow’s activities, their laughter echoing without end.
After dinner, they sat in the living room watching TV. Leo was cuddling with Mom, and Dad was peeling an apple nearby.
I floated by the cold car, watching the warm light stream from the door, feeling like a joke abandoned by the whole world.
It turned out, without me, they were still a complete family.
That night, I floated into their bedroom.
Dad was already fast asleep, even snoring softly.
Mom tucked Leo in, kissing his forehead.
As she stood up, her gaze instinctively drifted towards the window, towards where the car was parked.
My heart leaped into my throat.
Mom, did you remember me?
But she only stood for a second before reaching out to pull the curtains shut, blocking out all the darkness and cold from outside.
All night, I stood by their bed, watching their peaceful sleeping faces.
Dad and Mom slept so soundly, as if they had completely forgotten me.
The next day, the sun rose as usual.
Dad walked into the yard, stretched, and prepared for his morning exercise.
Passing by the car, he frowned, sniffing the air.
“What’s that smell? So awful. A dead rat?”
He muttered in disgust, walked around the car, showing no desire to investigate further.
To celebrate Leo’s “recovery,” Brenda and Mom had prepared a lavish lunch.
In the living room, Dad and Brenda were chatting on the sofa.
“Arthur, I swear, you’re too soft-hearted. For a girl like that, you need tough love!”
Brenda proudly shared her wisdom with Dad.
“You did the right thing this time. You need to discipline her severely, so she knows who’s in charge in this house. Otherwise, what will happen?”
“She’ll think she can run wild in this house!”
Dad’s face showed his agreement.
“If Leo hadn’t been so lucky this time, I would have broken her legs!”
Seeing this, Brenda became even more animated, bringing up things from my childhood.
“Exactly! Don’t you remember how she ‘accidentally’ pushed Leo’s bottle off the table when he was little?”
“How she ‘accidentally’ put salt in Leo’s porridge?”
“I always said, she’s rotten to the core, naturally jealous of our Leo!”
In her mouth, I became a malicious older sister, constantly plotting to harm my brother.
“I told you before, that girl is cunning, but you wouldn’t believe me.”
“See? Now her true colors are showing!”
“Thank goodness we found out early, otherwise my precious nephew would have suffered even more!”
Dad’s face grew darker and darker. He gripped his wine glass, gritting his teeth as he said:
“That ungrateful brat!”
“I should have listened to you back then and sent her away! Keeping her around is nothing but trouble!”
Mom was sweating profusely in the kitchen, bringing dishes to the table one by one.
Dad saw that all the dishes were ready and called out to the kitchen:
“Eleanor, stop working, come and eat with us.”
Mom came out with the last plate of braised pork, a hint of hesitation on her face.
She glanced at the dining table, then towards the door, and whispered:
“Arthur… Mia… she hasn’t eaten since yesterday, will she be…?”
My heart leaped. Mom, you still remember me, right?
“Clack!”
Brenda slammed her fork down on the table, cutting Mom off.
“Eleanor, what foolishness are you talking about?! She almost killed Leo, and you still feel sorry for her?!”
“If we don’t teach her a lesson now, make her feel the pain, she’ll never learn to protect her brother!”
“Skipping a few meals won’t kill her! Let her reflect properly!”
Brenda turned to Dad, her tone becoming earnest:
“Arthur, don’t go soft now. Leo is the only one that matters, the one who’ll carry on the Miller name, your legacy. Mia? She’s just a girl, she’ll marry off and be someone else’s problem. You need to show her who’s boss now, or she’ll ruin Leo, everything you’ve worked for!”
Dad glared fiercely at Mom, angrily scolding her:
“You’re always making trouble! Always too soft-hearted!”
“If you feel sorry for her, then get out there and stay with her now!”
“I’d like to see how long your mother-daughter bond lasts!”
“If you dare to say one more word for that ungrateful brat, you can leave this house too!”
Mom’s face turned ashen, and her hand, holding the bowl, began to tremble.
She immediately placed the dish on the table, forcing a smile that was worse than a cry, and dared not mention my name again.
Dad and Brenda were drinking and chatting jovially. Mom continuously served food to Leo.
They started planning their afternoon activity: a BBQ at a charming local spot.
Leo clapped his hands with delight. Dad and Brenda laughed, and Mom joined in their laughter.
No one mentioned me again, as if I had never existed.
As they prepared to leave for the BBQ, an indescribable, faint stench of decay wafted out the moment the car door opened.
Dad frowned deeply, cursing in disgust:
“That rotten girl, she must have peed in there! What a nuisance, so dirty and smelly!”
He said, opening all the car windows, hoping to air out the smell.
The wind rushed through the windows, blowing through my semi-transparent body.
How I wished this wind could also carry away my despair and pain.
Dad stood outside the car for a while. When he thought the smell had dissipated enough, he got into the driver’s seat.
He never opened the trunk again, never even glanced at it.
Soon, Mom, holding Leo, and Brenda, carrying snacks, got into the car, chatting and laughing.
“Oh, what’s that smell? Don’t let it stink up my precious little one!”
Brenda exaggeratedly pinched her nose.
“Arthur, whatever you do, don’t open the trunk! If that smell gets out, we won’t be able to enjoy dinner tonight!”
“Don’t worry,” Dad impatiently started the car, “I couldn’t care less about her.”
And so, the family drove off, taking my lifeless body wit
The third day was the day of my piano recital, which I had looked forward to for half a year.
For this recital, I practiced three hours every day after school, my fingertips developing thin calluses.
Dad had promised me that if I performed well, he would take the whole family to the mountain villa for a vacation after the recital.
Now, we were on vacation, but I had missed the stage forever.
At ten in the morning, the recital was about to begin, but I had still not appeared.
Ms. Carter, my teacher, called my mother’s phone again and again.
Finally, the call connected.
“Hello, Mia’s mom? This is Mia’s piano teacher.”
On the other end of the line, the background was noisy with the clatter of poker chips and Brenda’s laughter.
Mom’s voice carried an unnatural hesitation:
“Ms. Carter… is, is something wrong?”
Ms. Carter asked anxiously:
“Mia’s mom! The recital is about to start! Mia isn’t here yet! We’re waiting for her! Where is she?”
Mom paused, then her tone became impatient:
“Oh, her? She’s throwing a tantrum, locked herself in her room and won’t come out.”
“This child is getting more and more disobedient, we don’t know what to do!”
I floated in the living room, watching Mom deal poker chips while lying on the phone, my heart tearing.
Just then, Brenda snatched the phone from Mom and yelled into the receiver:
“What’s this about a recital? What’s the point of a girl learning all these fancy things? Can she eat it?”
“She’s just going to get married and have kids anyway! Our Mia isn’t coming! She won’t be coming anymore! You can just cancel the lessons!”
With that, Brenda abruptly hung up the phone.
On the other end, Ms. Carter stood frozen, clutching her phone.
She felt something was terribly wrong.
She knew how much I valued this recital.
I could practice a complex musical phrase all afternoon without eating or drinking. How could I possibly be “throwing a tantrum” at the last minute?
The more Ms. Carter thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. She immediately opened Mom’s social media.
She found the name of the villa community and its location.
She then clicked on Dad’s social media.
Two days ago, Dad had posted a series of scenic photos with the caption: “Mountain air is good, brought Leo out for some fresh air.”
Ms. Carter scrolled through the photos, and when she saw the last one, her heart plummeted.
Ms. Carter didn’t delay any further. She decisively called the police.
“Hello, 911? I need to report something. I suspect a child might be illegally detained in the trunk of a private car!”
Upon receiving the report, the police swiftly mobilized.
Following the location provided by Ms. Carter, they quickly found Dad’s family playing cards in the villa community’s game room.
Facing the sudden appearance of the police, Dad still looked arrogant and dismissive.
“Officers, have you made a mistake? Our family is just here playing cards, what law have we broken?”
A police officer sternly showed his ID:
“We received a report that you might be illegally detaining your daughter.
Please, where is your daughter, Mia?”
Dad scoffed, disdainfully throwing his poker chips onto the table.
“Is it a crime to discipline my own daughter?”
He pointed upstairs, saying indifferently:
“She’s in her room upstairs, reflecting on her actions!”
“Kids throw tantrums, they’re disobedient. You have to ground them for a couple of days, or they’ll get out of control!”
Mom sat beside him, her face ashen, clutching the hem of her clothes, not daring to say a single word.
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