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Chapter 20
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The Pretend Darkness Chapter 1
"Mom, nothing excites me anymore. Every time I'm at school, I just want to jump off the roof."Hearing those words sent a chill through me. I watched my crying little brother grab our mom's pants as he sat on the floor. That was when it hit me—I was living my life over again.In my previous life, this was the day when everything started to fall apart.In my previous life, I had just finished cooking dinner when I heard my brother sobbing as he confessed to the crushing pressure of high school and his thoughts of ending it all.I had battled depression myself, so without thinking, I shared my own struggle with him.I told him about my journey to healing, hoping to inspire him to get the help he needed to get better.However, my mother got it all wrong. She accused me of giving my brother the illness on purpose."The Jones family has never had this cursed disease. It must be you, you little troublemaker, envious of your brother, infecting him on purpose!" she screamed, hurling the
Last Updated : 2024-12-25The Pretend Darkness Chapter 2
"Brianna, you're a college student. What do you think should be done about this?"Mom gently pulled my brother up from the floor, wrapping her arms around his bulky body to soothe him.He was just a high school freshman, 15 years old, not even 1.68 meters tall, but already tipping the scales at 77 kilograms. Huddled there, he looked like a mound of squished meatloaf.I bit back the bitterness rising in my throat and put on a show of concern."Mom, do you think this could be a case of depression? That's serious stuff. Remember, last year a kid at our school with depression... Well, it didn't end well. We should get him to a doctor, pronto. School's not as important as staying alive, right?"My brother, realizing I had caught on to his act, dropped the waterworks and nodded like his life depended on it. "Yeah, Mom, I'm really freaked out. I can't seem to get a grip on myself. Can we go see a doctor, please?"Little did they know, they both thought a couple of quizzes could nail dow
Last Updated : 2024-12-25The Pretend Darkness Chapter 3
My younger brother must have been plotting his little act for a while because he barely touched his bread at dinner, claiming he was not hungry. Mom was so freaked out she did not even finish her food before dragging him off to the clinic.If he had not kept eyeing the meatloaf like it was the last one on earth, maybe I would have bought his act.Just as I figured, the doctor at the clinic handed him a quiz to check how he was feeling. Of course, my brother started checking off all the worst answers.[Lost my appetite lately.][Don't care about anything anymore.]If it had not been for my soul having been able to see in my previous life—seeing him munching on chips and gaming under his blanket at night until his phone practically caught fire—I might have fallen for it."This looks bad," said the doctor, scribbling out a prescription. "Take these meds daily and come back in a month for a check-up."Brother left the clinic grinning like he had won the lottery, while Mom looked lik
Last Updated : 2024-12-25The Pretend Darkness Chapter 4
When it was time to pick colleges, I had my sights set on some outstanding out-of-state schools. However, Mom had other plans and kept me local.She used to teach at the elementary school back home but quit to move near my college, all so my brother could go to a fancy high school.They made me come home every weekend to clean and cook because he was boarding there.Then, with him on a break, she had me coming back every day to cook.On the weekends, my roommate was always buzzing with excitement, either hitting the town for some fun or catching extra sleep in our dorm. Whenever they were itching for a shopping spree, a little charm went a long way with their parents.Me? I was juggling part-time gigs to scrape together cash for tuition and living expenses, and then I was back home playing nanny to my kid brother.People who did not know any better thought I was the child my parents had been hoping for.In reality, I know better—I was born Brian.Mom, even the teacher, worried
Last Updated : 2024-12-25The Pretend Darkness Chapter 5
Since my brother Zane bailed on school, he had been holed up at home, glued to video games.Every day when I walked through the door, his gaming would blast through the house, peppered with shouts and curses that I would not believe could come from a 15-year-old.I crank up the language lessons in my earbuds to block out the noise, pretending to be nothing more than a clock-punching worker bee.Once the cooking and cleaning were done, it was a mad dash back to campus.My roommates got the picture. They felt for me, but there was not much they could do. Still, my desk mysteriously collected little snacks and essentials, courtesy of their quiet support.I made a mental note of every act of kindness, promising myself that when I finally broke free, I would pay it back double.Mom, however, totally bought into the idea that her son was battling some heavy-duty depression.She could not fathom that he might have been blinding her with lies. After all, why would her precious baby boy
Last Updated : 2024-12-25The Pretend Darkness Chapter 6
"Brianna, the doctor says it's bad, like really bad. Your brother needs this fancy imported medicine that's gonna set us back a hundred bucks a month. You have to pick up more shifts. From now on, his medicine is on you."I had heard this spiel more times than I could count, in this life and the previous life.Months of summer gigs and the college fund I hustled for got hijacked by Zane for his shiny new computer.I had been busting my hump day and night, living on free white bread, just to scrape by with tuition. Meanwhile, Zane was relaxing with the air conditioner, gaming and guzzling Cola, while I was out there roasting in a mascot suit, handing out flyers, dreaming of a meal with more than two vegetables.The sting of it all faded in seconds, and I steadied myself. That was the break I had been waiting for."Look, Mom, I've got classes all day and dinner's on me at night. I can't be working all the time. I'll clean on the weekends, but I'm going to snag a night job, try to ra
Last Updated : 2024-12-25The Pretend Darkness Chapter 7
After we switched up Zane's meds, he got the picture. His health was tanking, just like the doctor said, and he started acting out even more.He used to be glued to his video games at home, but he began to hanker for the full set of fancy game skins. He did not bother asking Mom, though. He came straight to me."Yo, Brianna! Lend me ninety-seven bucks, I need those new game skins!" he ordered, acting like he was the king of the castle.I glanced at the plant on his windowsill, practically on its last legs from all the spilled medicine, and had to stifle a laugh. However, I kept my face all twisted up in worry."Little bro, you know the drill. Every penny I earn is already going to Mom, to keep you stocked up on meds. I'm pulling in two hundred twenty-five a month, and a hundred fifty of that's for your pills. That leaves me with just seventy-five for grub," I told him.He looked at my worn-out clothes and let out a snide chuckle. "Loser!" he jeered.I put on my best 'I feel your
Last Updated : 2024-12-25The Pretend Darkness Chapter 8
Halfway through class, when my phone buzzed with a call from home, I just knew my dear little brother had not disappointed me.My roommates looked concerned, asking if I needed company on the way home. I just shook my head with a grin and waved them off."Oh, my Zane! You're just like my Gene! What's got you down? Just a little trouble with a game? You should've told me—I would've gotten it for you. Oh, it hurts, my treasure. My heart aches for you!"Mom's cries were echoing through the house before I even stepped inside.I gulped down a few breaths, pretending I had sprinted the whole way. "Mom, how's the little guy?""You heartless thing, you finally show up, jealous of your brother's happiness! You might as well quit your job and just stay home to babysit him."I caught a glimpse of the overkill gauze job on my brother's wrist and could not help but cringe."Mom, that's way too much gauze, the wound needs room to breathe." I peeled off the layers around his wrist, and yep, it
Last Updated : 2024-12-25
Latest chapter
The Pretend Darkness Chapter 20
The evidence I gave to the police was solid, so after they checked it out, they cuffed the so-called spiritual healer.The cop who took my statement said the witch was in deep trouble for abusing kids and had a rap sheet that included someone dying. She was looking at 10 years or more behind bars.Zane took his last breath one night in the hospital, just a few weeks after he was admitted. The beeping machines flatlined, and that was it for him.Mom threw a fit in the hospital, but this time, she walked away with nothing but her son's body.She tracked me down just as I was wrapping up a big project at work, getting ready to hit a celebration dinner with my team."I'm telling you, you little brat, as long as I have your papers, you'll never shake me off! Your address will snap back here once you're done with school, and you better believe you'll be handing over every paycheck!" she snarled, clutching my ID.I just gave her a half-smile. "I never switched my address to the school,
The Pretend Darkness Chapter 19
"Internal bleeding, viral infection, heavy metal poisoning—the patient is in critical condition. Brace yourselves…""In a world where science reigns supreme, I can't believe there are still people who put their faith in witch, to the point where they'd hurt their own kids."I knew Mom heard the whispers; her face went ghostly white for a split second."Should I not have gone to that witch? But Zane was sick, and I just wanted him to get better...""He was covered in bruises, his blood almost drained, forced to drink that vile water until he puked blood..."I could not tell if I was talking about my brother, who was fighting for his life in that hospital bed, or about myself, from a previous life, when I could not take the torment anymore and chose to end it all."It's all because of you. If you hadn't shown me that news piece, I never would've gone to that witch, and your brother wouldn't be in this mess..." She trailed off, a memory seemingly catching in her throat.Mom's voice
The Pretend Darkness Chapter 18
"Hehe—"The room was silent for what seemed like forever until my little brother's throat suddenly let out a wheezing sound, like a broken accordion gasping for air.Mom frantically dabbed at his forehead when, out of nowhere, he coughed up blood.A spray of dark red, mixed with the gray of shredded paper and the vivid scarlet of fresh blood, splattered everywhere.His face turned a sickly pale in a heartbeat."Ambulance! Brianna, call an ambulance, now!"See, she knew exactly what could save a life. At the life-or-death moment for her baby boy, she did not hesitate to choose what would really work.So why, in my previous life, when I was the one spitting up blood from that vile water, did she just unemotionally question the witch?"The evil has been driven out, right? My son's going to be okay now, isn't he?"The ambulance came anyway, not because I had any soft spot for Zane, my brother. It was because the last piece of Mom's punishment needed to come from him.I watched as
The Pretend Darkness Chapter 17
As expected, when I got home, Mom went back to her old ways. She tied up my brother in his sleep, and this time, she did not even need my help to make sure he could not move an inch."Mom! Didn't I tell you I'm better now? Didn't the doctor tell you? I'm not sick! Let me go—"The witch we called in again narrowed her eyes, waving a stick around, drawing symbols in the air like she was casting a spell.She mumbled some incantation for what felt like forever, burned a pile of paper, and then mixed in half a bowl of animal blood."We've got no choice but to try this! The evil spirit's too strong. If we don't get rid of it, your son's life is at risk."I watched them force a bowl of that dark, blood-red potion down my brother's throat.He gagged a few times and then went still.His eyes shut tight, mouth half-open as he struggled to breathe.Suddenly, I felt like I was the one being choked, my breath caught in my throat. However, instead of discomfort, I felt a rush of exhilaration
The Pretend Darkness Chapter 16
"Doctor, I've been faking it! I'm not sick, you can see that, can't you? Tell them I'm all better, that I'm not sick!"Zane was not slow on the uptake; he knew convincing the doctor was his ticket out of the witch's clutches.Oh, dear brother, you have not lived through all the trials I have faced in my previous life—how could you possibly think this was over?"Okay, okay, calm down. Trust me, go take a break, and I'll talk to your mom."Once Zane was out of earshot, the doctor let out a weary sigh. "This kid of yours, he's in a bad way! I've seen it before—a kid kept saying he was just putting on an act, and his family bought it. Then, a few days later, he tried to end it all!"The doctor's story turned my mom's face ghostly pale.I had only given the doctor a heads-up a few days earlier that my brother kept insisting he was fine. However, deep down, I was scared for him, scared he had to do something drastic.The clinic's doctor was not about to take any chances, so he played
The Pretend Darkness Chapter 15
Ever since that so-called witch, Zane had been a shadow of himself. He stopped begging to play his video games and just sat there in his room, zoning out as he stared at his fingers.Come dinner, he did not dive for the meat anymore, just nibbled on the vegetables in his plate or whatever was within arm's reach.Mom had been watching him, getting more worried by the day.One time, catching her sighing over his slumped figure, I sidled up to her. "Mom, is he really all better? He's been acting off lately. Maybe we should get him checked out at the hospital?"For once, Mom looked drained, too tired to snap at me as she just nodded. "I've noticed it too. He won't even touch meat, and it just kills me. Let's take him to Anthony's clinic tomorrow, see what they say."As I sat in Anthony's clinic, it hit me—I was right. Even with her son, her pride and joy, sick before her eyes, my mom would not put her faith in a big hospital.Stubborn to the core, she always thought she knew best.L
The Pretend Darkness Chapter 14
After each day's 'exorcism,' I would make sure to feed Zane. He needed strength to endure.At first, he would spit the food at me while cursing up a storm. However, hunger got the best of him, and tied up as he was, he would nuzzle into the plate to eat.Watching him eat like an animal at a trough, I figured it was about time.A few days of beatings, and even my hefty brother was wearing thin. He was like a spooked bird, flinching at the slightest noise.When he saw us, his curses turned to begging. "Madam Witch, Mom, Sis, I admit it, I'm okay now, I'm totally fine! Please, just let me go!"The witch watched Zane's desperate plea with a smug grin, pulling a chipped bowl from her bag. "Looks like the nasty spirit is shaking in its boots. A little bloodletting and we'll kick it out for good."She whipped out some needles that looked more like mini javelins and plunged them into my brother's fingertips. Everyone knew how much finger pricks could hurt. Even Zane, toughened up from da
The Pretend Darkness Chapter 13
A snap so faint that it was almost silent pierced the air and detonated in my ears."Ah! Let me go, now!"I flinched instinctively, that sound was a nightmare carved into my very marrow.My fingers dug into my flesh, the sting bringing a moment of clarity.I did not run. Instead, I stared wide-eyed, burning the image of Zane's bed-bound struggle into my memory.I was not the one lying there anymore, and I was no longer the victim.Everything had changed.The crack of the willow branch and Zane's cries filled the air. I watched, my eyes nearly bursting, as tears streamed down my face.Beside me, my mother inconsolably wept for my brother.What was she like in my previous life when I was the one under the lash?It seemed she was always there, comforting him."It's all this jerk's fault. Once we get rid of the evil haunting her, Zane, you'll start to heal."The tears I shed were for the person I had been in my previous life.The witch, after about 100 lashes, was running out
The Pretend Darkness Chapter 12
I snagged some fine hemp rope. That night, we tied Zane while he was out like a light. I even pulled the knots a bit tighter, just in case Mom got soft.There he was, my bulky brother, bound tight to his bed, trussed up like a roast for the oven.Looking at him there, snoring away without a clue, I felt a rush of payback. In my previous life, when I was the one tied up and getting whipped, he just stood at the side and laughed at me. My clothes were in tatters, barely clinging to my bruised body. The only thing shielding me was a thin blanket, but he ripped it away without a shred of mercy.He snapped pictures of my exposed shame, trading them online for virtual game gear and skins.A seething rage nearly drove me to end his life as he slept.However, I kept telling myself that he had not paid for all his wrongs yet, and I would not let him destroy my bright future."What the—who the heck tied me up? Let me out now!" Zane, finally awake, was like a wild animal in a rage, howlin
