They locked me in the storage room for the night.

By the next morning, hunger had me dizzy, but finally, the door swung open.

Dad carried me out.

Mom spoon-fed me seafood soup.

She even prepared a bath, claiming I was too weak to wash myself, and helped scrub me down.

"I was too harsh yesterday. Let's get you cleaned up and rested," she said, her forced smile tight.

Despite everything, her care touched a long-neglected part of my heart, and I started crying.

"I'll be good, Mom. I'll study hard and take care of you both."

She nodded absently, clearly distracted, and rushed me to bed after cleaning up.

Late at night, drifting in and out of sleep, I heard soft chanting, like a prayer or incantation.

Then, someone lifted me into a confined space filled with a strange aroma of sandalwood.

The fear of the unknown paralyzed me; I wanted to move, to shout for my parents, but felt bound.

After struggling with all my might, I managed to open my eyes— only to meet the cold, indifferent gazes of my parents.

And above me, a plank halfway closed.

Shocked, I realized I was actually in a coffin.

The plank that was about to seal me in was indeed the coffin's lid.

Shaking, I tried to sit up, but Dad forcefully pushed me back.

With tears brimming in his eyes, he explained in a fanatical tone, "The guru said Emily carried a grudge against you when she was drowned, and it's on you. We have to keep you here, without food or water, to clear her spirit. If we do, maybe she'll come back one last time after a solid week."

I stared at him, disbelief etching my face. How could they even fall for that crap?

I tried to talk him out of it. "Dad, there are no ghosts or spirits. If Emily's gone, she's really gone."

Mom wiped away a tear, her voice softening, "Just do as we say, Sarah. Emily hasn't even visited our dreams. She's mad at you. Stay here for one week, and if she returns, all will be forgiven. I'll make it up for you later."

"Mom!" I yelled, tears streaming. "I won't survive seven days without food or water."

"You will. The guru cast a spell, it's just to cleanse your spirit and disperse Emily's grudge. You will be good by then, and once we've seen her one last time, which is our last wish, we will get you out of it. I'll cook all your favorite dishes and spare Emily's room for you."

"Don't bother explaining. After the seventh day, she'll be the only daughter left, everything will be hers. We just ask her to lie there quietly, and she acts as if we were gonna soak her in boiling oil. Her selfish nature makes her never be as good as Emily." Dad chimed in.

He started to close the lid without waiting for my response.

Desperate, I clung to the coffin's edge, crying uncontrollably. I was too weak to fight back the desperate situation.

They'd drugged me to keep me still, and even if they had gotten me out of the storage room, they were showing me the last vestige of their care—all for Emily.

Heartbreaking sobs escaped me. "Please, Dad, I don't want to die!"

As the coffin lid closed, suffocating despair overwhelmed me.

"Mom, please, I'll do anything. Just help me..."

Mom turned away, a flicker of remorse crossing her face. "Just stay put. Once it's over, I'll make everything right."

"A curse that echoes through the ages. If your death could bring her back, that would be your blessing."

As the coffin sealed completely, Dad's final words robbed me of any remaining strength.

The air in the coffin grew thin, making the sleeping pills kick in harder and leaving me groggy.

I weakly pushed against the lid, but the solid oak didn't give.

Mom looked worried. "Did you double-check with the guru? Are you sure this is safe?"

Dad dismissed her concerns with a wave. "I've covered everything. This guy's top-tier, almost impossible to book. It cost 200,000 dollars to get his advice. He guaranteed that if Sarah stays in there for a week, all of Emily's negative vibes will be cleansed. He'll guide Emily's spirit back to us on the seventh day. And Sarah? She won't just survive; she'll be better than ever."

Relieved, Mom clasped her hands as if praying. "Lord, please, my poor Emily must come back."

Dad reassured her with a pat on the back. "She will. Emily was too good-hearted. If it weren't for Sarah pushing her too far, she'd still be here. It's all Sarah's fault, that harbinger of doom."

Mom's frown deepened, her sigh heavy. "Sarah's always been self-centered. A week in that coffin might teach her a lesson."

I could hear their voices fade, leaving a numbness in my heart.

The crushing lack of air sparked a fierce survival instinct in me.

Desperately, I thrashed against the lid, blood smearing as I struck my head.

"She's still so strong even after those pills; I better get some nails to make sure it's shut tight."

Mom hurried over to hold down the lid. "Yes, quickly, before she breaks free. If she does, the guru's spell might fail, and we can't let that delay Emily's spirit."

Despite the thick wood between us, their cold words felt like knives stabbing into my heart.

My screams were heart-wrenching. "Mom, it hurts—I can't breathe. Please, save me..."

"Quit your drama, Sarah. Wasn't killing your sister enough? Now you want to disrupt her spirit too? We're asking for such a small thing, and you can't comply. How did I end up with such a cold-hearted daughter?"

Dad came back with nails, each hammer strike echoing like it was hitting my soul. "Sarah, you owe this to your sister. Just stay put, and in seven days, you'll have everything. No more Emily to compete with for our love."

My voice was barely a whisper amidst the despair.

Love? Did I ever really feel what it was like to be loved?

After securing the coffin with nails, they tapped it firmly, satisfied only when it felt solid.

My face was wet with tears mixed with blood.

Trapped in the pitch darkness, I couldn't tell if it was day or night. Time blurred as I lay there, my fingernails broken, scraping helplessly at the lid.

I had no energy left to scream. My fingers traced the wood one last time, then fell limply.

I died on the third day, my eyes wide open, the dried streaks of tears mingling with blood, creating a ghastly visage.

That night, my parents returned.

Noticing the silence, Dad grunted, "So, she gave up on her antics, thought playing dead would soften us? Four more days and Emily's spirit will return. Just keep quiet."

Mom added with a scowl, "Sarah, you made an unforgivable mistake. Spending seven days in that coffin is the least we can do. Think about Emily; she's gone for good while you just lie there comfortably. You should be thankful for that."

My spirit hovered, a bitter smile on my lips.

They called this a privilege, dying in a coffin.

They visited more frequently and were relieved by my silence.

Mom's demeanor softened. "Good you've seen sense, saves us all some trouble. We spoiled Emily because we were compensating for you. You bullied her, destroyed her things, and sabotaged her exams. She despaired because of you. Don't blame anyone but your own spiteful heart, always too cruel, even to your own sister."

Their words left me speechless.

Wasn't it Emily who had tormented me? She had turned the tables so skillfully, casting herself as the victim and me the villain.

I lowered my gaze, tears salty on my tongue, filling my mouth with bitterness.

They never believed me. In their eyes, it was always Emily.

Even when she plotted filthy rumors against me at school, rallied bullies against me, tried to sabotage my exams— I told my parents the truth, but Emily just had to shed a few tears, play the victim, and they turned on me.

They would lash out, scold me, beat me, and throw me out into the rain for the entire night.

They believed every word she said and dismissed mine as mere excuses.

I endured and kept pulling back, trying to fit into a family where I was perpetually the outsider.

Now, dead, I was finally free from the desperate hope for a shred of the affection that never came.