But Dad, I'm Already Dead

After Mom passes away, Dad brings home a stepmother. Dad says he doesn't want me growing up in a broken home and wants to make sure I never miss out on anyone's love. Even after they have a daughter, Bella Fraser, I remain the spoiled little prince of the family. One day, I accidentally put Bella's clothes on backward, and she starts crying, struggling to breathe. Dad snaps, completely losing his usual gentle demeanor. "I knew it! No matter how good I am to you, you're always going to resent Bella! Are you trying to destroy this family?" He shoves me out onto the balcony, telling me to stay there and think about what I've done. But he pushes me too hard, and the tiled floor is slick with winter ice. I lose my footing instantly. I slip right through the wide gaps in the railing and end up hanging from the colorful bunting from Bella's birthday party yesterday. The string wraps tightly around my neck. My breath cuts short, and I can't even squeeze out a scream. After a few desperate kicks, my strength completely fades. I watch as Dad and Mom carry Bella out for a trip while my soul weeps tears of blood. Mom, Dad, it hurts so bad. Please, just turn around and look at me. Chapter 1 The pain in my neck was gone. I realized I could fly. My body floated through the air as light as a cloud. Drifting upward, I looked down. Below the balcony, a boy in a blue winter coat hung from a strand of bunting. His body was swaying gently in the freezing wind. His face was a bruised purple, and his wide eyes were staring blankly into the distance. Why did he look exactly like me? That was when it hit me. I was dead. The pain was gone, but a wave of profound sadness and loneliness washed over me. I missed Mom and Dad. I missed their warm hugs and the way they used to pat my head and call me their little prince. I wanted to play with my half-sister, Bella Fraser, too. I wanted to tell her that I didn't mean to do it. My soul drifted alone through the empty house. I sat in my room, clutching my action figure. I waited and waited, through the days and nights. The sun rose and set for three whole days. They never came home. During those three days, I sneaked over to look at my body. It was getting scarier. My skin had turned from purple to a ghostly pale, mottled with dark red spots, and my limbs were completely stiff. The freezing weather kept me from rotting quickly, but it made me look even more terrifying. A few times, I gathered the courage to float closer for a better look. But each time, the horrific sight sent me into sobbing fits. I would cry and drift back to the corner of my room, curling myself into a ball. I felt so pathetic. Why weren't Mom and Dad back yet? Where did they go? Did they forget about me? Finally, on the evening of the third day, I heard the familiar hum of an engine from downstairs. It was Dad's car! I rushed to the window and saw Mom and Dad carrying Bella, laughing and talking as they got out of the car. They were back! They were finally back! My heart leaped into my throat. I thought my long wait was finally over. They were going to find me. They were going to see me hanging there. They would be devastated. They would hold me and cry, deeply regretting that they had ever left me alone. I drifted to the front door, ready to wrap them in a huge hug the moment it opened, just like I used to. The door swung open, letting in a draft of cold air. They walked in. I rushed forward to greet them but felt nothing but a freezing chill pass right through me. Chapter 2 "Ewan? Ewan? Where are you?" My stepmother called out my name from habit the moment she walked in. There was a hint of confusion in her voice. "Is he not home?" Dad took off his coat, looking annoyed. "He's getting bolder. We left him here to reflect on his behavior, and instead, he runs off to play. Leave him be. Let's see how long it takes before he decides to crawl back." His words sent a sharp, needle-like sting through my heart, leaving a dull soreness. I didn't run off to play. I was right here! Panicked, I drifted behind Dad and circled around him. I tried to explain over and over, "Dad, I didn't go out to play. The balcony was too slippery, and I accidentally fell. I'm hanging right outside. Dad, look at me! I'm right next to you!" But he couldn't hear me. My voice was like a faint breeze brushing past his ear, leaving no trace behind. My body passed straight through his shoulder without making a single ripple. They couldn't see or hear me at all. All of their attention was on Bella. Mom took Bella from Dad's arms and kissed her cheek tenderly, making her giggle. Dad watched them with a blissful smile before heading into the kitchen to fix Bella's dinner. Soon, the sweet scent of rice cereal drifted out. The house was filled with laughter and warmth, as picture-perfect as a painting. Only, there was no longer a place for me in it. They walked through the living room and into my bedroom. Mom even opened the closet to check. She muttered, "Where could he have gone?" Dad snorted. "I don't care where he went. We've completely spoiled him. Now he's acting out and throwing tantrums." Watching the three of them so happy together, I felt like an unwanted object. I could only curl up in the corner, quietly crying. My body—my tiny, frozen body—was hanging right outside the balcony, just several feet away from them. If they would just pull back the curtains and look up from the window, they would find me. But they didn't. They didn't. The warm living room lights shone on their happy faces, while I was shut out in the endless dark and cold. I missed being with my family so much. Even though Dad's words hurt, I still couldn't stop myself from wanting to be near them. I wanted to see my sweet little sister. Bella was sitting on the living room rug, clutching a new colorful rattle Mom had bought her. Her chubby little hands shook it back and forth, making it jingle as she played happily. I slowly drifted over to her side and crouched down. I wanted to gently pat her head and make her laugh, just like I used to. I reached out, knowing my hand would pass right through her, but I still wanted to be a little closer to her. Just as my hand was about to touch the soft baby hair on her head, Bella suddenly froze. She looked up and stared straight at where I was with her innocent, wide eyes. She didn't laugh like she usually did when I played with her, nor did she reach out for a hug. Instead, the smile vanished from her face, and her mouth puckered. A loud, piercing wail shattered the warmth of the room. Her cry was filled with sheer terror, and her tiny body shook with fear, as if she had seen something absolutely horrifying. Chapter 3 "What's wrong, sweetie? Shh, don't cry. Are you hungry?" Dad and Mom immediately rushed to Bella's side. Dad scooped her into his arms, holding her tight and trying desperately to soothe her. As he rocked her, he looked around the room in frustration and muttered angrily under his breath, "That brother of yours is nowhere to be found when we actually need him! He can't even help watch you. All he does is play outside. He really has zero sense of responsibility!" I froze, feeling as if an invisible hand was squeezing my heart so hard I couldn't breathe. "Dad, I'm right here in the house, right in front of you! I'm not playing outside!" I reached out and tried to tug at Mom's sleeve, hoping she would look out the window and notice my body. But my hand passed through her body again and again, leaving behind nothing but a faint, unnoticeable chill. Bella kept wailing in Dad's arms. Her little finger pointed right at me as she babbled in sheer terror. Mom and Dad, however, just assumed she was frightened by something invisible or was simply throwing a tantrum. They paced back and forth across the room with her, humming a tuneless melody, without ever glancing in my direction again. As it turned out, only Bella could see me. But through her innocent eyes, I was no longer the brother who played with her and sang to her. I was a terrifying monster that scared her to tears. Realizing this brought a deeper despair than Dad's scoldings or the icy coldness of my body. I didn't dare go near Bella again. I was afraid she would cry more and Dad would berate me again. Like an exiled stray, I drifted helplessly out into the backyard. Night fell, and the freezing wind howled through the trees, sounding as if it were weeping for me. I looked up at my tiny corpse hanging between the branches and the balcony. Masked by the dark night and the silhouettes of the bare trees, it looked like a tattered rag swaying in the wind. Days had passed, and I seemed to look even worse now. The postmortem spots on my skin had darkened, resembling overripe mulberries. While I stared at myself in despair, the balcony door next door creaked open. Our neighbor, Mr. Gardner, walked out to bring in the laundry he had hung out earlier that evening. He was a very kind man who always smiled. Whenever he saw me, he'd call me "handsome" and give me candies and snacks. A tiny flicker of hope, like a candle in the dark, suddenly lit up inside me. "Mr. Gardner, please look at me. Please help me!" Floating in the air, I prayed over and over in my head. Maybe my prayers actually worked. As Mr. Gardner took down the last piece of clothing and turned to go back inside, his gaze happened to drift in the direction of my house. He froze. He squinted in confusion and leaned forward to get a better look at what was hanging in midair. It was dark, but the streetlights illuminated that small area just enough. When he finally realized it was a human figure—a little boy wearing the blue winter coat I always wore—the color drained completely from his face. His mouth fell wide open, as if he wanted to scream, but no sound came out. The next second, a bloodcurdling shriek pierced the quiet night, echoing through the entire neighborhood. "Ah!" I silently apologized to him in my head. "I'm sorry for scaring you, Mr. Gardner." But at the same time, a massive wave of hope swelled and erupted inside me. Mr. Gardner found me! He was going to tell Mom and Dad! This time, they would finally know that I was here! Sure enough, it wasn't long before our front door was pounded on violently, accompanied by Mr. Gardner's panicked shouts. "Open up! Open the door! Come on!" Shaking with excitement, I followed right behind Dad as he ran to open the door. "Dad, look! Please!" Dad opened the door, looking completely bewildered by Mr. Gardner's deathly pale face. "What's wrong, Mr. Gardner?" Mr. Gardner gripped the doorframe with one hand and pointed a trembling finger toward our backyard with the other. His voice shook uncontrollably as he said, "I-It's your son, Ewan! I-I think he hanged himself!" Dad went rigid. He followed the direction of Mr. Gardner's finger and pulled open the curtains. When he looked up and finally saw my motionless corpse hanging there, his pupils shrank instantly, and his face was filled with horror and disbelief.