Chapter 2The Fault Line: Buried in the Rubble with My Sister

My dad's frantic shouting snapped me out of my memories.

I grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "Dad, watch out for aftershocks! We need to get to the clearing. FEMA and the first responders will be here soon. Mom and Savannah will be okay."

He was trembling, completely shell-shocked.

I couldn't blame him. Anyone would lose their mind during their first catastrophic earthquake.

But I wasn't scared anymore. I had already died in this rubble.

Every breath I took now was on borrowed time.

The emergency crews arrived quickly. Dad sprinted over, begging them to dig.

But our apartment complex was an unrecognizable mountain of twisted steel and concrete. He had no idea where they were buried.

But I did.

I deliberately pointed the rescue dogs in the opposite direction, leading the crew right to Mrs. Higgins, the elderly woman from the second floor.

They dug her out. Two more hours passed.

It had been a full six hours since the collapse.

Finally, I pointed to a specific mound of rebar. "Dad! I think I hear Mom over here!"

Dad flagged down a firefighter. They carefully assessed the shifting mountain of debris.

Then, he delivered the tragic news. "The wreckage is heavily intertwined. If we pull one of them out, the cavern will likely collapse on the other."

Such familiar words.

Through the gaps in the wreckage, I could see Savannah's pale, tear-stained face, and Mom’s wide, terrified eyes.

Dad was paralyzed with indecision. They were both his world. Who would he choose?

Unlike my parents in my past life, he couldn't make a snap decision.

How pathetic. Then, Savannah’s voice pierced the silence. "Dad, save me! I don't want to die! Dad, I'm going to grow up and get a great job! I'll pay for your retirement!

"Mom is just a stay-at-home housewife! You can always just marry someone else! I’m worth more than her, Dad!"

I watched my mother’s face completely shatter.

I ducked my head, biting my lip to hide my smile.

Surprise, Mom. The precious daughter you worshipped views you as nothing more than a replaceable maid.

Dad finally broke. "Save my daughter."

Mom realized she had been abandoned. She shrieked, "William Bennett, don't you dare think about remarrying! If I die in here, I will haunt you for the rest of your miserable life!

"And you, Savannah! I sacrificed everything for you! I can't believe you're this selfish!"

Savannah’s legs were pinned beneath a beam, and the pain was making her hysterical.

"So what if I'm selfish?! I'm telling the truth! I have a future, you don't! Dad made the smart choice!"

The pure, venomous hatred on my mother’s face was an absolute joy to witness.

But I couldn't let Mom die like this.

I crawled close to the rubble and cried out, "Mom! Mom, don't be scared! I'll make sure they get you out! You have to hold on! Don't give up, I'm right here!"

Such touching, devoted words.

Compared to Savannah, I looked like an absolute angel.

But only I knew the truth: I just wanted to make sure she survived so her hatred for Savannah could fester.

The crew worked for an agonizing hour to cut Savannah free.

As they pulled her from the wreckage, my eyes locked onto her legs. They were crushed and turning a horrifying shade of dark purple.

I heard one of the paramedics mutter, "Crush syndrome. We're going to have to amputate."

Savannah was rushed to the ambulance. Miraculously, the cavern didn't completely cave in on Mom.

Maybe the debris settled differently this time, or maybe Savannah was in too much pain to violently kick around like she had in my past life.

Either way, Mom survived.

They were both transported to the Dallas medical center. Dad rode in Savannah’s ambulance, and I rode with Mom.

I was buzzing with anticipation.

When Mom woke up, would she despise her favorite child?

Or would she somehow forgive the daughter who had literally thrown her away to die?