4.
Г
The leader laughed.
Then he turned to Ethan and said
sarcastically:
“Hey, buddy, see that?
If you can’t rest in peace, go find your
parents.
If that doesn’t work, haunt them and drag
them down with you!”
I had to bite my tongue to stop myself from
bursting out laughing.
I was impressed that Ethan could keep it
together under the circumstances.
Seeing that it wasn’t working, Mom and Dad
turned around, looked around, and turned to
me.
“Ashley, are you even part of this family?
Are you just standing there watching us like
it’s a show?”
“Come here now!”
They each grabbed one of my arms and told
me to put Ethan into the truck out front.
I knew they were about to start acting sick.
I obediently nodded.
“What’s the point of saying so much now?
Just pay the money!”
The leader shoved Dad.
Perfect timing.
Dad seized the opportunity to collapse.
He pretended to faint.
L
The leader jumped back.
“Hey, I barely touched you!
Don’t you try to scam me!”
Mom wailed.
“I can’t live like this!
My son killed himself, my husband is sick!
What’s the point of living?”
Mom collapsed.
The crowd of onlookers went wild.
I just stared at the leader of the thugs.
“You scared my parents to death.
How much do they owe you?
Are two lives enough to pay it off?!”
I deliberately yelled at him, hoping to buy
more time.
The leader ran off to avoid responsibility.
I still needed to put on a show, so I called an
ambulance.
But I kicked the guys they’d hired to pick up
Ethan right out the door.
“Are the living more important, or the dead?!
I need to go to the hospital first!
Get out of here!”
The family members helping out said, one
after another, helping me chase the men
away.
“I didn’t expect their little daughter to be the
<
one holding things together in the end.
Ashley’s right, we can barely take care of the
living, how can we worry about the dead?”
As soon as they left, I locked the door behind.
them.
Stay inside and pay your debts!
No one’s getting away!