Chapter 4Ten Sticks of Cotton Candy

Early the next morning, Dad rushed to my room as soon as he woke up.

Seeing the bed still empty, Dad's shoulders sagged slightly.

Mom stood behind him with a cold laugh.

"What are you looking at? Still fantasizing she'll come back? Ridiculous!"

On TV, the news was reporting on the fire.

"Rescue operations for yesterday afternoon's major department store fire have entered their final stages. Most of the victims' bodies have been claimed by family members. However, one body of a young female remains unclaimed."

"The body was found near the children's play area on the mall's fourth floor, approximately four feet tall..."

I couldn't help shouting out loud.

That's Lily! Come get me and take me home!

Dad walked quickly toward the TV, wanting to see more clearly.

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

Mom and Dad both tensed.

"Is it Lily coming back?"

A flash of panic crossed my sister's face as she rushed to open the door.

Standing at the door was my good friend Mia.

Mia held a carefully wrapped gift box, her eyes bright and shining.

"Good morning, Emma! Is Lily up yet? Today's Christmas—we said we'd exchange gifts."

My sister blocked the doorway, her tone cold:

"Lily? She's not coming back. You don't need to look for her anymore."

Mia looked confused.

"Why? Where did she go?"

My sister scoffed:

"She wanted to eat cotton candy every day, so she recognized the cotton candy vendor lady as her mom. She'll never come back to this house again."

"That can't be true!" Mia's eyes immediately reddened.

"Lily would never just leave without saying anything! Even if she really had to go, she would definitely say goodbye to me first!"

I floated to Mia's side, my heart warm.

Mom sighed and walked into my room, dragging two large boxes out to Mia.

They were filled with my favorite toys and picture books.

"Take all of these. Don't cry. Be careful making friends in the future—don't play with heartless bad kids."

Mia stepped forward and carefully searched through the boxes.

Soon, she found the Christmas present I'd already prepared for her. The box had our special marking drawn on it.

"Found it! This is what Lily gave me!"

Mia placed her gift into the box and looked up seriously at Mom.

"These are Lily's. I don't want them. I only want the exchanged gift."

"I'll wait for Lily to come back, then come play with her again."

Mom didn't respond.

Mia walked a few steps, then came back.

"Sir, ma'am, my mom says the most important thing for a family is trust."

"Lily isn't a heartless bad kid. She'll definitely come back."

Mom slammed the door with a bang.

"Some stupid girl dares to lecture me!"

Probably getting angrier the more she thought about it, Mom dragged the boxes straight out the door.

"What are you doing!" Dad tried to stop her.

"Leave me alone!" Mom shook off Dad's hand. "Out of sight, out of mind! I'll just pretend she's already dead!"

But Mom, I really am dead.

My sister "helpfully" assisted Mom, throwing everything from my room into the public trash bins.

Several kids curiously gathered around, roughly rummaging through everything.

Mia's gift was torn open—it was a beautiful ceramic doll.

"What a piece of junk."

The doll was thrown on the ground and shattered.

I wanted to stop them, but I couldn't even create a breeze. I could only pass through their bodies back and forth.

Finally, they got bored and ran off with their respective spoils.

I silently floated back home.

Everything related to me had been thrown away.

Mom completely didn't want me anymore.

I floated in midair and discovered that even as a ghost, I couldn't cry tears.