On the eve of the photography competition, Aiden, the impoverished student I’d sponsored for ten years, sent me the best-configured camera lens. He messaged me, wishing me good luck. Touched, I accepted, already planning to buy him a gift with my prize money. But then, on the day of the competition, the lens burst into flames, exploding. I was burnt beyond recognition, my body charred, and rushed to the ICU. My saintly wife cried her eyes out, almost blind with grief, promising to use her entire medical expertise to save me. “Caleb, I only developed feelings for you. If something happens to you, I wouldn’t want to live!” I clung to life, but became a vegetable, with only my hearing and sense of pain remaining. Even then, I was incredibly grateful to my wife. Until one day, I overheard her conversation with a nurse— “Caleb’s on his way out anyway. Once he dies, using his kidney to extend Aiden’s life wouldn’t be murder.” Each cut was a fresh, agonizing stab, the pain searing deep into my bones. But after I was cremated, my wife went mad.
Hearing the voices outside the door, my pupils constricted. What? Serena wants to take my kidney and give it to Aiden?! That backstabbing snake! I couldn’t believe it; I suspected I was losing my mind. But the voices outside continued. Reminding me, this wasn’t a dream! “Dr. Serena, isn’t this too cruel? After all, it was your surgical error that caused him to become a vegetable in the first place.” The nurse’s voice was a little muffled. Serena was silent for a moment, then sighed: “Yes, karma is real, and what goes around comes around. I caused Caleb’s condition, so I should have taken care of him all these years.” “Now, using his kidney to save Aiden… ultimately, I owe him. When my time comes, I’ll apologize to him then.” It felt like a giant hand had squeezed my heart. I was suffocating. I truly believed Serena had fought with every ounce of her being to save me, then dedicated years to my meticulous care. I saw her as my savior, thinking I’d owe her my very soul in the next life to repay her. But all of it was a lie. She was the one who ruined my life! What was even more despairing was that if I had died during that surgery, or fallen into a complete coma, I wouldn’t be suffering this much. But no, I could still hear, and I could still feel pain. The door creaked open, and Serena walked in. “All the readings are getting weaker.” She stared at the tubes sticking out of my body, her voice tinged with a sigh. “I’m sorry, Caleb, but Aiden can’t wait any longer. We need to prepare for the kidney removal surgery tomorrow.” Her usually calm voice was now laced with a complicated mix of emotions. There was guilt, reluctance, but more than anything, grim determination. My blood ran cold. A powerful panic seized me; I wanted to open my eyes, to look at her. Serena, if you found out I was still conscious, would you still go through with it? But my body was paralyzed, I couldn’t do anything. The door chimed again, and someone else entered. “Sister, I’m in so much pain. It’s been getting worse lately.” It was Aiden. What I couldn’t see was him intimately wrapping his arms around Serena, resting his chin on her shoulder. “But don’t be too hasty. I’m afraid Caleb might still be conscious and feel the pain.” What a considerate tone he used. Listening to him, my teeth ached with suppressed rage. Aiden came from an impoverished mountain village. Serena had saved him during an accident. It was *I* who saw how strong and unfortunate he was, and I paid all his expenses from middle school through college. I gave him the chance to escape his village and soar. He once cried, promising he would repay me. I believed he was a good, grateful kid, and I trusted him like a younger brother. I never imagined he would stab me in the back. Now, I wished I could tear that backstabbing snake limb from limb. “No, your illness can’t wait. His vital signs are fading fast. The surgery can proceed tomorrow.” She wrapped her arms around him, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. Aiden’s lips curved into a smile, and he kissed her back with passion. I couldn’t see their movements. But I heard the sickening wet sounds of skin slapping against skin.
A wave of nausea churned in my stomach. It felt like my heart was being ripped apart. Once, Serena and I had good times too. Whenever she came home from her night shifts, I’d leave out snacks with a note: ‘To my guardian angel, my heart’s healer.’ When I was exhausted from work, listening to her gentle recitations and the soft click of her meditation beads would calm my spirit, making the hardship disappear. Until one time, during a relief trip to a mountainous area. She saved Aiden, who was buried in the mud. The young man looked up, seeing her as his salvation. “Sister, are you an angel sent from heaven to save me?” Serena’s deeply hidden savior complex was ignited. After returning, she told me Aiden was a good kid worth nurturing, subtly guiding me to sponsor him. I, too, had started from the bottom and worked my way up. From that moment, her heart had probably strayed. One wrong step led to another. So much so that even when Aiden betrayed me, she turned a blind eye. And now, she was willing to stain her hands with blood, taking my life for him. I cursed myself for being so foolish, so blind to the truth. I should have seen their conspiracy earlier. The two were swept up in passion, gradually unsatisfied with just kissing. The rustle of clothes falling to the floor echoed in my ears. There were only two beds in the room, but they didn’t care. Soon, sickening wet sounds of skin slapping against skin filled the air. Listening to their movements, I felt utterly disgusted, my skin crawling with revulsion. I wanted to block it out, but I couldn’t stop the sounds from entering my ears. “Sister, do you think… Caleb might get angry if we do this here?” Aiden panted, his voice broken. Serena closed her eyes, sweat beading on her brow. Her face, usually serene and angelic, was now flushed with raw desire. Like a pure moon dragged into the earthly mire, defiled and no longer an unattainable goddess. “I already owe him too much; I can never repay it. So, I might as well sink to the very bottom with you.” Her eyes darkened, and she pushed down harder. The gasps and moans in the room swelled. I felt like a pathetic joke. How blind had I been to fall for Serena, that sanctimonious hypocrite, and sponsor Aiden, that ungrateful snake? It cost me my heart, and it cost me my life. By the time they finished, I don’t know how long had passed. My consciousness desperately fought to stay afloat, wanting to make a sound, to cause a disturbance. If anyone discovered I still had vital signs, they could stop tomorrow’s surgery. But my body was like it was shackled with heavy stones. I couldn’t move an inch. Perhaps that surgical error was precisely designed by Serena. Precise enough to save my life, yet turn me into a vegetable, utterly devoid of bodily control. This precision was aimed straight at my death. Tears of regret streamed from the corners of my eyes. The sky was black, but I couldn’t find any sleep. Knowing tomorrow was my inevitable end, my heart was filled only with surging hatred and regret. I hated Serena. Why was she so heartless towards me? She was a vegetarian, a devout follower, soft-hearted, compassionate to all living beings. She spoke softly, wouldn’t even step on an ant. Yet, she showed me no mercy or compassion. I hated Aiden even more. He was a worm, living in the gutter. I gave him the chance to crawl out. Who knew, not only was he ungrateful, he stabbed me deeply. He took the person I loved and now wants my life. He won’t even spare my remains. Agonizing thoughts tormented me endlessly. Time stretched infinitely, I could even hear my own heartbeat. When I heard the door open again, I knew my fate had finally arrived.
“Caleb, I’m sorry. I have no choice. If Aiden doesn’t get a kidney, he won’t survive.” Serena took out a toolkit. The cold light from the operating lamp hit my eyelids. Her voice was soft, but to me, she sounded like an executioner wielding a scalpel, sending shivers down my spine. “Don’t worry, I’ll give you the strongest dose of anesthetic. Your soul won’t feel any pain.” Serena said, pulling out a vial of liquid. A sharp sting, and something entered my body. All I felt was mockery. Should I thank her for this? She’s the one doing this, and she’s trying to earn good karma from it. It’s too late for me to turn back now. Ever since that photography competition accident years ago, I’ve been utterly destroyed by Serena and Aiden. The sensation of my skin being cut open was incredibly clear. Intense pain engulfed me like fire. Wait, didn’t she say she’d give me anesthetic? Why was the pain *more* intense? I wanted to struggle, but my disabled body couldn’t move. Like a fish on a chopping block, helpless, subjected to torture. Every second stretched into an eternity. Dimly, I heard footsteps. “Sister, you’ve been operating for so long, you must be tired. Take a break.” “No, this is a critical kidney transplant for you. I’m afraid of something going wrong.” “Sister, actually, I found a suitable kidney a few days ago. I just forgot to tell you.” Aiden’s voice was light and cheerful. But those words struck me like a bolt of lightning. What? He already found a kidney source? Then why was she operating on me?! The bone-deep pain I’d endured felt like a cruel joke. I couldn’t stop myself from convulsing. “Oh, is that so? Caleb truly suffered.” The woman’s voice held a touch of pity. A glimmer of hope flickered in my heart. Since there was already a suitable kidney. Would Serena, out of consideration for our past, spare me? But the very next second, she shattered my illusion. “Having an extra backup kidney source will make you safer. Caleb has already passed away, so what I’m doing isn’t murder.” Saying that, Serena cut another incision into my body. But I couldn’t feel it anymore. The excruciating, soul-crushing pain in my heart was a hundred times worse than the physical pain. So, the beautiful illusion I had built my life upon was nothing but deceit! My entire life was worthless. The last thread of my sanity snapped with a sharp *crack*. My past flashed before my eyes like a dizzying carousel. Dimly, I saw Serena caring for me in the past. All these years I’d been paralyzed in bed, she would boil water daily, wait for it to cool, then carefully use a towel to wipe my body. It was troublesome, but she persisted for seven years. Feeding me food and medicine was also a challenge. Serena would bring spoonfuls to my lips, patiently waiting for my subtle swallowing reactions. Her arms would ache so much she couldn’t lift them, her muscles throbbing, but she’d only gasp softly, afraid I might hear. At night, afraid I wouldn’t sleep well, she would stay by my bedside all night, reading my favorite poetry collections. At that time, I was so moved I wished I could die for her. But now, all of it had become sharp knives stabbing into me. My flesh was peeled back layer by layer. Cold instruments pulverized my blood vessels and tissues. The pain grew more and more intense. My consciousness became increasingly blurry. I was in a daze, barely able to tell if I was suffering torture in the human world or in hell itself. A sickening *rip* – One of my organs detached. My consciousness suddenly grew faint. Even Serena’s voice wasn’t very clear. I only vaguely heard her say something about “it’s done.” After some more time, I felt myself being lifted and placed into something. My vision suddenly darkened, and I knew something was wrong. “Caleb, followers believe that when a person dies, they return to dust, and then their soul doesn’t wander aimlessly.” Serena’s voice remained gentle. “Early cremation is also good for you.” But I wasn’t dead yet! The feeling of blood loss made my entire body cold. Hearing her words, I felt like I’d been plunged into an icy abyss. I desperately tried to muster every last ounce of strength in my body, wanting to make some noise. But no matter how hard I tried, it was useless. I heard Serena close the cremation oven door. Her hand pressed the cremation button. No, don’t!!! Every cell in my body screamed in silent agony. Why did my life have to end at the hands of the person I once loved?!
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