The Explosion Took the Wrong Child

On New Year's Eve, my sister-in-law Rachel's son threw a firecracker into the manhole cover behind my son.

After a deafening explosion, my son collapsed on the ground, not breathing.

I rushed forward, demanding her son pay with his life.

Rachel said it was just an accident.

She tossed me fifty thousand dollars and told me not to ruin everyone's holiday mood.

The whole family urged me to be magnanimous, forcing me to sign a settlement agreement.

In the end, I was completely exhausted and committed suicide on my son's death anniversary.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back one second before the firecracker was lit.

I immediately yanked my son into my arms.

A loud explosion rang out, followed by a scream behind me.

I turned around and saw a child lying beside the manhole cover.

Rachel screamed and rushed over.

Her son was gone.

The air reeked of sulfur as a lighter clicked.

My nephew Logan crouched by the manhole cover, holding a lit firecracker that was sparking.

My son Daniel faced away from the manhole, crouched a meter away playing with firecrackers.

This scene overlapped with the image from my past life when my son was blown to death.

"Daniel!"

I yelled and lunged forward.

I grabbed my son's collar and yanked him into my arms, simultaneously kicking out with my right leg.

Logan was just about to throw the firecracker when my foot connected with his rear.

"Ow!"

He screamed, lost his balance, and fell forward onto the manhole cover.

The firecracker that had burned down to the end slipped through the hole.

BOOM---!!!

The earth shook.

The shockwave mixed with sewer gas and sludge shot into the sky.

I pressed Daniel firmly beneath me. My back was struck painfully by flying debris, my ears ringing.

"Mom... scared..."

Daniel in my arms trembled all over, his little hands clutching my clothes.

Still alive.

The smoke cleared.

Rachel, holding a bag of snacks, rushed into the yard.

A large crater had been blown in the concrete, the cast iron manhole cover was gone.

A figure lay at the crater's edge.

The child was covered in sludge, his clothes indistinguishable, his head and face smeared with blood and mud, motionless.

Rachel froze for a moment.

Then she saw me hiding behind the flower bed.

My back was toward her, my coat covering Daniel, only showing a pair of dust-covered shoes.

Rachel spat out some shells.

"Oh my God! I told you to watch your Daniel, but you wouldn't listen!"

She scurried in front of the child and began lecturing, pointing at the body on the ground.

"I said it during dinner---manhole covers are dangerous. My Logan is so well-behaved, he never goes near those places! Your Daniel is the wild one. Now he's gotten what he deserves, hasn't he?"

She turned and shouted toward the house.

"Mom! Derek! Come out and see! Nina's gotten her son killed!"

I straightened up, holding Daniel against me, not letting him look.

I just watched Rachel.

In my past life, when Daniel was blown up, she wore this exact same expression.

Back then she said: "Kids fooling around, who knew the manhole would explode? It's fate!"

Now, watching her gesticulate over that body, even kicking the rubble on the ground with her foot, I said nothing.

Since you think this is karma, then let it be karma.

The people inside ran out.

My mother-in-law Martha, wrapped in a cotton coat, leaning on her cane.

"What happened? Are you trying to tear down the house?"

Rachel pointed at the child on the ground and shouted.

"Mom, look! I told you Nina was bad luck! On New Year's Eve she just had to play with fireworks, and now she's blown herself into this state. Isn't it unlucky?"

My mother-in-law squinted through her reading glasses and frowned.

"Oh my heavens! Is... is this Daniel?"

"Really a cursed short-lived child! Seeing blood on New Year's---how unlucky!"

My mother-in-law poked at the child's leg with her cane.

"Why aren't you getting up? What are you pretending to be dead for? Don't embarrass the Miller family here!"

Logan on the ground made gurgling sounds in his throat, his body curling up.

Rachel jumped back a step, covering her nose.

"Pretending! Still pretending! That noise was so loud just now, I bet he's just trying to scare us! Covered in this stinking mud---hurry up and drag him away, don't dirty the ground in front of my house!"

Neighbors gathered around.

Someone spoke up: "Rachel, this child doesn't look right. So much blood---I'm afraid his internal organs are injured. Call 911 quickly!"

"Yeah, look at that leg, it's deformed."

Rachel immediately panicked, hands on her hips glaring at the neighbors.

"Call what 911! I'll see who dares call!"

"Today is New Year's Eve! If an ambulance comes into the village, how will our family show our faces afterward? What family calls an ambulance on New Year's?"

She turned and glared at me.

"Nina, stop playing dumb! Hurry up and get rid of your half-dead son!"

"Let me tell you, tonight my brother is bringing important guests home for dinner. If he sees a bloody person lying at the door, can you handle the consequences?"

I shielded Daniel, showing only my dust-covered face.

"Rachel, are you sure you don't want to call an ambulance?"

"I think this child is seriously injured. If it's too late, I'm afraid he won't survive."

Rachel rolled her eyes.

"Survive? What survival? A worthless life!"

She glanced at the child on the ground.

"The Miller family has virtue---how did we produce this thing? Playing with fire and burning himself, even dragging down the whole family. If he dies, it's because he's cursed! Just have another one!"

She pulled out her phone, preparing to call her husband to complain.

"Nina, I'm telling you right now---if you dare call an ambulance to come cry at our house, I'll make sure you can't stay in this family! Try me if you don't believe it!"

Logan on the ground convulsed again, spitting out a mouthful of black blood.

His eyes were swollen into slits, staring fixedly in Rachel's direction.

His mother was busy making phone calls.

I looked down at the foot on the ground.

Half the shoe had been blown off, revealing bloody flesh. The remaining part still showed that swoosh logo.

Limited edition AJ children's sneakers.

Last night, Rachel had specially shown them off, saying she spent three thousand dollars on them as Logan's New Year's gift.

I curved my lips.

Since you don't want to save him, I'll grant your wish.

...

"Oh my God, how sinful! Why is there so much blood?"

My husband Derek came back from the village entrance carrying two bottles of wine, his hands shaking in fright.

"Nina, what... what happened?"

Derek ran to my side and looked past me at the child on the ground.

"This... this is Daniel?"

I looked at him.

In my past life, when he saw Daniel lying in a pool of blood, his first reaction was also to check Rachel's expression first.

Rachel rushed to complain first.

"Derek, you're back just in time! Look at what your wife's son has done! On New Year's Eve, throwing firecrackers into the manhole---he blew up the manhole cover!"

"And now look---he not only killed himself, but he's made my doorway so bloody!"

She slapped her thigh.

"Mom was so scared her heart condition almost acted up! If word of this gets out, the Miller family will be completely disgraced!"

Derek whipped around to glare at me.

"Nina! Are you brain dead? What did I tell you before I left? I told you to watch the child! Is this how you watch him?"

He pointed at "Daniel" on the ground.

"Now it's come to this---how are Rachel and Mom supposed to celebrate New Year's? My brother is about to bring his boss home. Are you deliberately trying to ruin our family?"

"Derek, shouldn't your priority be checking if the child can still be saved?"

Derek hesitated, glanced at the blood-covered person on the ground, his eyes evasive.

"Save? How can we save him when he's blown up like this? Do you want to bankrupt me?"

He lowered his voice, speaking in my ear.

"Anyone can see he's beyond saving! Even if we save him, he'll be disabled! Do you want me to spend the rest of my life taking care of a cripple?"

"So, what you're saying is, you won't save him?"

Derek stuck out his neck.

"This was an accident! His own bad luck! Besides, Rachel already said we can't call an ambulance. If we offend my brother's important guest, can you bear that responsibility?"

Rachel walked forward.

"Enough, enough. Why the long face on New Year's? It's just a child."

She pulled a stack of banded cash from her bag.

Fifty thousand dollars.

The red envelope her brother had just given her.

With a smack.

She flung the stack of bills at me, hitting me in the face.

The bills scattered, fluttering to the ground, several landing in the black-red sludge.

"Take this fifty thousand."

Rachel lifted her chin.

"Don't say I'm heartless. This whole thing was your son's own fault. Take the money and do whatever you want with it. Just keep your mouth shut."

She waved her hand.

"Hurry up and get rid of this unlucky thing, and clean the ground! If you delay my brother's dinner later, I'll make sure your whole family regrets it!"

The neighbors whispered among themselves.

"Fifty thousand isn't a small amount. This child looks like he won't make it."

"Rachel is ruthless enough."

My mother-in-law picked up a bill, wiped off the dust, and stuffed it in her pocket.

"Nina, what are you standing there for? Why aren't you thanking Rachel? Only Rachel is kind-hearted. In any other family, they wouldn't give you a penny and would make you pay for road repairs!"

"Take the money and get lost! Don't be an eyesore here!"

Derek crouched down to pick up the money.

"Nina, are you stupid? Quick, take it! With this fifty thousand, we can renovate the house next year. As for Daniel... we can just have another one."

Looking at this family, I said nothing.

Logan on the ground began convulsing.

Those blood-covered hands scratched at the ground, fingernails digging into the dirt.

"Mom... Mom..."

The voice was faint.

Rachel frowned and stepped back.

"What are you calling for? Still not being quiet in this condition! Really a debt collector!"

I bent down and snatched the money from Derek's hands.

"Fine."

"Since Rachel is so generous, I won't refuse."

Derek grinned.

"Now that's more like it! Nina, you're finally being sensible!"

Rachel also smiled contemptuously.

"Smart of you. Alright, hurry up and get rid of him. Just looking at him makes me sick."

I clutched that stack of bills.

"Rachel, I'll take the money. But we need proof of this, right?"

I glanced at Logan on the ground---his convulsions were getting weaker.

"What if you go back on your word later and say I extorted money from you? Or what if the child really dies and you turn it around, saying I caused it?"

Rachel laughed.

"Oh, quite the legal awareness? Fine, you want proof? Then let's write an agreement!"

Rachel pulled out a small notebook and pen, quickly writing a "liability waiver."

She shoved the notebook in front of me.

"Sign it. Once you sign, the money is yours, and we're square from now on."

Derek urged.

"Sign quickly! What are you dawdling for? If my brother comes back and sees this mess, what will it look like?"

My mother-in-law also tapped the ground.

"Sign! Hurry up and sign! The sooner this mess is over, the better!"

I took the pen and glanced at the dying Logan on the ground.

I signed my name on the paper: Nina Carter.

Then I added a line: "Rachel personally confirms waiving any rescue obligation for said injured party and demands family members immediately clear the scene. Consequences borne by her."

Rachel barely looked before snatching the notebook back and putting it away.

"There, smart of you."

"Derek, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and help your wife get rid of this... this thing!"

Derek rolled up his sleeves, about to drag the body.

"Nina, give me a hand. Let's move him to the back yard---don't let him be an eyesore here."

There was only an abandoned pigsty in the back yard.

I stepped back.

"Wait."

Derek frowned.

"What now? Having second thoughts?"

"Since we signed the agreement and took the money, I'll handle the body myself."

I looked at him.

"No need to dirty your hands."

Derek breathed a sigh of relief.

"Fine, fine, you handle it yourself. I'll go help Rachel rinse the doorway. All this blood is so unlucky."

He ran to get the hose.

Rachel nodded with satisfaction.

"My brother-in-law is sensible after all. Nina, don't blame me for being heartless. Don't be too sad either. That child was always a bit slow anyway. Better to die early and be reborn early."

She took out a wet wipe to clean her hands.

In the distance, an engine roared.

Two headlight beams shone directly over.

A Mercedes G-Wagon pulled into the village road.

Rachel's eyes lit up.

"Oh! My brother's here! My brother's here!"

She fixed her hair.

"Mom! Derek! Quick, quick, quick! Don't let this unlucky scene disturb my brother!"

My mother-in-law threw down her cane to move debris blocking the road.

Derek dropped the hose and ran to greet him.

"Nina! What are you still standing there for? Hurry up and drag away the dead body! If my brother sees this and gets upset, you can forget about keeping that fifty thousand!"

The car stopped five meters from the blast crater.

The door opened, and Raymond stepped out in a fur coat with gold chains, a cigar in his hand.

"Hey, Rachel, why is it so messy here?"

Raymond glanced at the crater and me, frowning.

Rachel smiled and rushed over.

"Raymond! It's nothing, nothing! Just Nina's little brat who didn't know any better, playing with fireworks and blowing up the manhole. And now, he's blown himself to death. I already gave her money and told them to clean up!"

Raymond exhaled smoke, scanning me with contempt.

"Oh, dead? If he's dead, hurry up and get rid of him. Why leave him lying here on New Year's to disgust everyone?"

He turned to get gifts from the trunk.

"Rachel, quick, come see what I brought you. This is authentic Australian lobster..."

The whole family gathered around.

Logan on the ground had completely stopped moving.

"Rachel."

I suddenly spoke, my voice cutting through their laughter.

"You just said this child died because he was cursed, better to die early and be reborn early, right?"

Rachel, holding a large lobster, turned back impatiently.

"Yeah! What about it? You want to back out? The agreement is signed!"

I shook my head and walked toward the child on the ground.

"I don't want to back out. I just think that since you gave so much money, as a family member, I should let you take one last look."

I crouched down beside Logan.

Rachel wrinkled her nose.

"Look at what? A pile of rotten flesh? Am I sick?"

I pulled out Rachel's remaining wet wipes, placed them on the blood-covered face, and began wiping.

The sludge and blood were wiped away, the features gradually becoming clear.

Though swollen and deformed, these eyes, this nose, this mouth...

The black mole on the left eyebrow was revealed.

I stood up and stepped back.

"Rachel, now, can you see clearly?"

Raymond's cigar dropped to the ground.

My mother-in-law's mouth hung open.

Derek froze in place.

Rachel's hands, holding the lobster, trembled violently. The large lobster fell to the ground with a splat.

Her eyeballs bulged as she stared at the face on the ground.

That face, she recognized.

"Lo... Logan?"

Rachel's voice trembled and shrilled.

She swayed forward two steps, her legs gave out, and she fell to her knees.

"Impossible... this is impossible..."

She shook her head frantically.

"Logan was inside... Logan was inside watching TV! He was eating jelly! He was still wearing the new shoes I just bought him..."

Her gaze fell on that foot.

That foot with half a destroyed AJ sneaker.

"AHHHH!!!!!!"

Rachel crawled over and grabbed the corpse.

"Logan! Logan, what's wrong? Say something! I'm your mother!"

She shook Logan's body desperately, frantically wiping the blood from his face.

The more she wiped, the more blood there was.

"How could it be you? How could it be you?! Weren't you inside?"

My mother-in-law let out a wail and fainted. Derek caught her.

"Mom! Mom, don't scare me!"

Derek roared.

"Nina! It was you! You did this, didn't you?!"

"You knew it was Logan all along! You deliberately didn't say anything, right? You deliberately watched us make fools of ourselves, right? You venomous woman!"

Wind blew through my hair.

I unbuttoned my coat and turned slightly.

Daniel, whom I'd been protecting behind me all along, carefully poked out his little head.

His face was clean and unharmed.

He blinked his big eyes.

"Mom, why is big brother sleeping on the ground? Why is auntie throwing money on him?"

Rachel jerked her head up, staring at Daniel, her eyes frighteningly red.

"Daniel... Daniel isn't dead?"

She froze.

If Daniel wasn't dead... then all those words I just said, those kicks, that spitting... were all directed at my own son?!

"NO!!!"

"I'll kill you! Nina, I'll kill you! You killed my son!"

She tried to lunge at me but couldn't lift the child or stand up.

Raymond snapped back to reality.

"Quick! Call an ambulance! What are you all standing there for!"

"No need to call."

I pulled out that stack of bills.

With a flick of my wrist.

The bills scattered, falling on Rachel and the corpse.

"Rachel, this is the price you set yourself."

I looked at this woman with her twisted face.

"Fifty thousand dollars to buy out your son's life."

"Just now, you were the one who said not to call an ambulance, and you were the one who said to just have another one if he dies."

I pointed at the ground.

"Don't ruin everyone's holiday mood, right?"

Rachel looked at the money, looked at that "consequences borne by her" agreement.

She opened her mouth wide, making gurgling sounds in her throat.

A mouthful of fresh blood sprayed out, splashing on the money.

"Karma... this is all karma..."

Her eyes rolled back, and holding the corpse, she fell backward.