On New Year’s Eve, right after our compensation money hit the bank, my parents hatched a plan to play broke, just to stop relatives from asking for loans. As the only “good kid” in the family, I was pushed into it. When Uncle George came begging for emergency money, Dad smashed our kitchenware. When Aunt Susan cried about tuition, Mom threatened to make me drop out of school and collect cans. To make their sympathy scam more convincing, On New Year’s Eve, they even hired fake creditors to come to our house, demanding payment and threatening to chop off hands. My parents didn’t hesitate, pushing me forward as collateral. “Take her as collateral, but you won’t get a dime!” They watched me being dragged into the car, even secretly chuckling. I cried and screamed, begging my parents to save me. But to play the part, they slammed the front door shut. What my parents didn’t know was… The “fake creditors” they hired were real hardened criminals. The car door slammed shut, cutting off the light and my parents’ rigid smiles. A dagger pressed against my neck. I instinctively flinched back. “Hey, easy, dude, that really hurts. The prop feels too real.” A hook punched me in the gut. “Thump!” I instantly doubled over, dry-heaving, bile burning in my throat. “Shut the hell up, you talk too much.” The man cursed, his voice rough, with a real gangster edge. Under the streetlights outside the window, I saw the dagger against my neck reflecting the light. There were dark, dried bloodstains in the blade’s fuller. That wasn’t paint. My stomach churned, but my mind went blank with a buzz. “Dude… hitting wasn’t in the script…” The driver glanced at me in the rearview mirror, sneering: “Scar, this kid really thinks she’s on a movie set.” “These people are ruthless. They’d even send their own daughter off to avoid paying.” Scar spat out a glob of phlegm. “Rich people are all heartless. But hey, it saves us the trouble of kidnapping her.” “A hostage delivered right to our doorstep, why say no?” Hostage? My mind went completely blank. This wasn’t acting; this was a gang of dangerous criminals! I lunged for the window, pounding on the glass. The car hadn’t gone far. I could still see my house. Uncle George was sprawled on the ground, scrambling away, not even bothering with his IOU. My parents stood at the front door. Mom gave an “OK” sign to the departing car, her face beaming. Dad pretended to wipe away tears, but he couldn’t hide the upward curve of his lips. “Dad! Mom! Help me! This is real! They’re real kidnappers!” My throat instantly tasted like blood. Through the soundproof glass, my voice was drowned out by the fireworks. The car suddenly accelerated, turned the corner, and the house disappeared completely. “Hold still!” Scar grabbed my hair, slamming my head hard against the window frame. “Thump!” My vision went black, and warm liquid trickled down my forehead. Blood. It was real blood. Scar pulled out his phone, put it on speaker, and dialed Robert’s number. The call connected, and Robert’s voice came through. “Hello? How’d it go? Did those poor relatives get scared off?” “I’m telling you, the effect just now was incredible!” “Uncle George’s family, those cowards, almost pissed their pants!” Scar sneered, cutting him off. “Boss, the show’s over. Let’s talk about the final payment.” “And your daughter is with us now. The ransom… how much are you paying?” I screamed into the phone. “Dad! Save me! They have knives! Real knives! They’re not actors!” There was a second of silence on the other end. Then, a burst of even more unrestrained laughter. “Hahahaha! Oh, I can’t take it, Brenda, you have to hear this!” “Our daughter’s acting skills, she gets it from me! So realistic!” “I gotta say, guys, your team is professional. The atmosphere is spot-on!” “But our contract was clear, that’s the agreed amount.” “Trying to raise the price for ransom? No chance!” Scar spoke. “Boss, I’m not kidding.” “This kid is bleeding now.” “If you don’t come up with three hundred thousand, next year’s this day will be her death anniversary.” “Three hundred thousand?” “Why don’t you just rob a bank? You guys must be crazy for money!” “Don’t pull that stunt with me. Take this kid as collateral, but you won’t get a dime!” “She’s just a girl anyway, good riddance. Saves us food.” “Go ahead, kill her or sell her, I don’t care.” “Don’t think you’ll get a single penny of my compensation money!” “Beep—beep—beep—” The call was disconnected. The car fell silent. Scar’s hand, holding the phone, hung in the air. He slowly turned his head. He looked at me, his eyes cold and devoid of emotion. “Since your dad doesn’t want you,” He pulled out the bloody dagger and lightly tapped it on my face. “Don’t blame us for being ruthless.” Despair washed over me. The pain of being abandoned by my own parents far surpassed the wound on my forehead.
The car rattled along, stopping in a desolate area. Blindfolded, I smelled pig manure and a sour stench. This was a deserted pig farm on the outskirts of town. On New Year’s Eve, where else would you find a corner where no fireworks were going off? I was dragged out of the car and pushed into a concrete room. My blindfold was removed, and wind and snow hit my face. There was no heating, just a few metal posts. “Tie her up.” Scar sat on a wooden table, lighting a cigarette, the flame flickering on his face. Twig brought some rope and tied me to a post covered in pig manure. The rope dug into my flesh, tearing the skin on my wounds, causing a sharp pain. “Please, brothers, let me go…” “My parents have money, they really do.” “The compensation money just hit their account this morning, a total of three hundred eighty thousand.” “It’s all in that bankbook…” Scar blew out a smoke ring and walked over, pinching my chin. “Scared now? Where was all that enthusiasm for acting just a moment ago?” “That wasn’t acting… I was really scared…” “Please, I’m not worth anything, but that money is my parents’ lifeblood.” “If you just scare them a little, they’ll definitely pay.” Scar narrowed his eyes. “Alright, one last chance.” He pulled my phone from his pocket and unlocked it. “FaceTime your mom. Remember, cry harder, scream louder.” “If we don’t get the money this time, I’ll chop off one of your fingers first.” He pointed the phone’s camera at me and then grabbed a scoop of water from a bucket. The water had ice chips floating on it. “Splash!” A scoop of icy water poured over my head. My wet clothes clung to me, and I shivered, unable to speak. The video call connected. On the screen, their house was brightly lit, a New Year’s Eve special playing on TV. The table was laden with a feast – steak and potatoes, roast chicken. Brenda was sprawled on the couch, munching on chips, and glanced at the video with annoyance. “Mom! Help me! Mom!” “They’re real kidnappers! They’re at a pig farm! It’s so cold…” “I’m going to freeze to death… Please, pay them! They want three hundred thousand!” Brenda didn’t stop munching her chips, yelling to Robert beside her. “Robert, looks like these actors aren’t giving up. They’ve changed tactics.” “Now they’re playing the victim.” Then, she slowly spoke into the screen. “Alright, Mia, that’s enough.” “Uncle George and the others got scared off ages ago, even Aunt Susan’s family blocked us.” “The act is getting boring.” “Mom! This isn’t acting!” I cried, struggling, showing the bloody marks on my wrists to the camera. “Look! This is blood! Real blood! They hit me!” Brenda frowned, leaning closer to the screen. But she just curled her lip. “Oh, so they’re using fake blood now?” “You guys are really pulling out all the stops for a few extra bucks.” “And I’m telling you, that’s your brother’s old hoodie, you know. If you get it dirty, I’ll have to wash it.” “I’m not reimbursing you for that fake blood prop fee!” Scar’s face darkened. He snatched the phone and brandished the dagger in front of the camera. “Listen up, bitch, look closely!” “This blade is razor-sharp!” “If you don’t transfer the money, do you believe I’ll slice off her finger right now?” Brenda was startled by the roar, then curled her lip again. “Alright, alright, threatening us now, are we?” “Honestly, these low-budget actors are so unprofessional. If you want more money, just say so, don’t pull these stunts.” “I’m telling you, forget cutting off a finger, even if you cut off her head,” “You won’t get a dime!” “That money is for my son!” “Beep.” The video call ended. Before it hung up, I saw a cold smile on Brenda’s lips. I looked at the black phone screen, all hope gone. Scar smashed the phone on the ground, the screen cracking. “Damn it! Playing me for a fool!” He yelled, turning around, and stomped on my left hand. “Ah—!” The sound of bone snapping echoed in the factory. My vision went black, and I almost passed out from the pain. “Cry! Keep crying!” Scar kicked me repeatedly. “Since your mom doesn’t want you, then you’re worthless!”
The window couldn’t keep out the wind and snow. Snowflakes drifted in, landing on my frozen body, unmelting. My consciousness began to fade. The excruciating pain of my broken hand kept me barely awake, but I no longer had the strength to scream. I thought, I might really die here. Die on this New Year’s Eve. While on the other side of the city, the place I called “home” should be the warmest right now. At home. Robert and Brenda locked the doors and windows, and drew the curtains. They pulled out a red cloth bag from a secret spot in the back of the pantry. Unwrapping it layer by layer, they revealed a red bankbook. Robert dipped his finger in saliva, counting the zeros in the bankbook over and over. “Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands… three hundred eighty thousand!” “Never seen so much money in my life! Brenda, we’re rich!” Brenda hugged the bankbook and kissed it a few times. “With this money, no one will ever look down on us again!” “Next year, we’ll buy Kevin a house in a top school district, and a new car!” Kevin, who was playing video games, ran over. “Mom! I want the newest game console! It’s eight hundred bucks! And skins!” Normally, Brenda would have slapped him. Today, Brenda waved her hand. “Buy it! Son, you can have anything you want! We’re rolling in money now!” “Just as long as your poor Uncle George doesn’t find out.” Robert chuckled, pouring two glasses of whiskey. “Speaking of which, we really owe it to Mia, that kid, today.” “If we hadn’t pushed her out for this sympathy scam, Uncle George’s family would have never left.” “Yeah.” Brenda took a sip of whiskey, her lips curling into a smile. “Even if those actors charged a bit more, the effect was amazing.” “Uncle George’s pathetic face just now, I laugh every time I think about it.” “You know what they say, you have to make sacrifices to get what you want.” “But…” Robert hesitated. “In the video just now, that kid was screaming pretty badly. Nothing really happened, right?” “What could happen?” Brenda glared at him, picking up a piece of roast chicken with her forks. “It’s all part of the script! What won’t college students do for money these days?” “As long as we stick to our guns and don’t pay, they won’t have a choice.” “They’ll just drop her off somewhere, and Mia will walk herself home eventually.” They clinked their glasses. Inside the pig farm. Scar made a round of calls, his face growing darker and darker. The middleman had blocked him. “Damn it! We got played!” Scar smashed his phone against the wall. “This whole job was a scam from start to finish!” “That old geezer posted fake info online, he tricked us into doing his dirty work!” Twig asked: “Boss, what now? This kid…” He looked at me. “If we let her go, then our kidnapping will be confirmed, right? That’s a felony!” The hesitation in Scar’s eyes vanished, replaced by a murderous intent. “No loose ends.” “This family is so stingy, they won’t call the police for a dead person.” “And this place is remote; once the snow covers it, all traces will be gone.” He picked up the dagger from the ground and walked towards me. I watched the approaching blade, feeling no fear. My heart was already dead. “Brother…” I used my last ounce of strength, my voice weak. “I don’t hate you… I just hate… being their daughter…” Scar’s steps faltered for a second. He cursed. “Damn it, next life, may you have better parents, don’t meet parents like this again.” The blade touched my neck. In that moment, I remembered my childhood. I collected cans for a month, got a few bucks, and bought Kevin some candy bars. I handed them to him, wanting to see his happy face. But Kevin swatted them to the ground with disgust. “Gross! Don’t touch me with your dirty, trash-picking hands!” Mom saw it and scolded me for being inconsiderate and making Kevin cry. Turns out, in this family, I was always superfluous. “Dong—dong—dong—” The midnight chimes of New Year’s Eve rang in the distance. Fireworks exploded in the night sky, illuminating the darkness, and the pig farm. So beautiful. I closed my eyes. The blade sliced across, and warm liquid gushed out, carrying away my last warmth. I fell into a pool of blood, my eyes fixed on the direction of my home. I died in the snowy New Year’s Eve night.
The pain lasted only a moment, then my body felt light. I floated up. All sensations disappeared. I looked down and saw my own body. It hung on the post, twisted. The wound on my neck was still bleeding, forming a puddle at my feet. That was my blood. I was dead. A sense of relief washed over me. Finally, I wouldn’t have to please them anymore. “Damn it, this is bad luck.” Scar cursed, wiping his knife on my clothes. He pulled out another phone, finding an angle to photograph my body. “Boss, what are you doing?” Twig asked, his face pale. “I lost money on this deal, but I won’t let them off easy either.” “I’ll send them a ‘big present’.” “I don’t believe those bastards will still be smiling when they see their own daughter’s corpse.” He opened the camera and turned on the flash. “Click.” A flash of white light, capturing my final appearance: eyes wide open, face covered in blood. “Send.” Scar pressed the button, then snapped the SIM card and tossed it into the manure pit. “Let’s go! The snow’s coming down heavy, perfect for covering our tracks.” They left in a hurry. In the factory, only dead silence remained. I floated for a while, and then a force pulled me, drifting towards my home. A few seconds later, I passed through the security door, through the curtains, and back into that living room. The house was warm, making even me, a freshly dead ghost, feel a bit hot. The table was covered with King crab, roast lamb, and whiskey. Things I never got a taste of when I was alive, not even a sip of soup. Whenever there was good food, Mom always said: “Why do girls need to eat so much? You’ll eat at your in-laws’ when you get married.” Now, they were gathered around the table, eating heartily, oil dripping from their mouths. Brenda held a crab leg in one hand and her phone in the other, sending a voice message to the family group chat. Her voice choked with fake tears. “Oh, sister-in-law, this New Year’s is just impossible.” “As you saw, those creditors were so vicious.” “Mia, that poor child, was taken as collateral, we can’t even afford food anymore…” After sending the message, she tossed her phone aside and smiled at Kevin. “Here, son, eat more crab meat, it’s good for your brain.” Kevin gnawed on a crab leg, asking indistinctly. “Mom, where’s Mia? Was she really sold? Is she coming back?” Brenda’s smile froze for a moment, then she shoved a piece of meat into Kevin’s mouth. “Why bring up that unlucky girl? It’s New Year’s.” “It’s good she’s gone, saves us a dowry payment when she gets married.” “Now that we have this compensation money, you just wait and enjoy your life.” Robert, his face flushed from drinking, clinked his glass with Kevin’s. “Son, this money is all for you.” “Your sister, she just repaid her karma. She had a tough fate, there’s nothing we could do.” I floated in mid-air, watching this scene. These were my family. This was the home I desperately tried to protect, only to be thrown away by them. Robert’s phone vibrated. The notification sound was jarring amidst the New Year’s music from the TV. It was from an unknown number. Robert picked up the phone, looked at it with blurry, drunken eyes, and smiled. “Oh, these actors are pretty dedicated, huh.” He turned the phone screen towards Brenda. “Look, they’re still sending videos on New Year’s.” “They’re probably hoping for a bonus, doing a follow-up survey.” Brenda curled her lip. “Bonus for what? They should be lucky we’re not asking them for compensation.” “Open it. Let’s see what other tricks they’ve got up their sleeves.” I floated above their heads, watching Robert’s finger hover over the play button. It was my death video. “Heh heh, let’s see how far our daughter can take this act.” Robert chuckled, and tapped it. The video buffered for a second, then began to play.
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