Blamed, Framed, and Frozen

Pain shot through my body, and I trembled all over.

Mom hissed, "Are you going or not?!"

Eventually, I dragged my bruised arm, tears still streaming down my face, and found that boy.

On the screen, every hesitant word and every pained expression on my face was magnified. There was no smugness of someone spreading rumors, only the fear and struggle of a seven-year-old being forced to do something wrong.

At the end, Mom stood outside the window. She watched Grace's lonely figure walking alone and smiled with satisfaction.

"Good, now no boys will dare get close to her, and she can finally focus on her studies."

The video ended completely, and the entire hall fell deathly silent.

Every gaze turned toward Mom was filled with shock and disbelief.

Someone exclaimed, "Oh my goodness, the mother was the one who told her to do it?"

"Is she crazy? She's making Joy slander Grace's reputation! They're both her daughters!"

Another whispered, "What did Joy do wrong? She's only seven! She was just a tool used by her own mother!"

"This family is terrifying."

Mom's face flushed red, then pale, and under those stares, she looked like she was sitting on pins and needles.

She whipped around toward Grace, who was still sobbing. "I did it for your own good!"

Then she panicked and shouted to everyone around, "Even if that one doesn't count, she still stole money, right?! And she conspired with traffickers to sell her siblings! Those two alone are enough to send her to Hell!"

The second charge began its judgment.

The screen appeared, showing how our neighbor, Alfred Grant, had a sudden stroke and was taken away by ambulance. His wife, Margaret Jensen, grabbed their bankbook and all the cash in the house, rushing to get to the hospital.

I followed her down the stairs. As she went, I suddenly rushed forward, snatched the ragged pouch with the money, and ran.

Margaret stumbled and fell, screaming hoarsely, "Hey! Those are our emergency money!"

I ran as fast as I could with my head down. Just as I burst out of the alley, I was caught on the spot by two police officers who seemed to have been waiting there.

The stolen money was still on me, leaving no room for denial.

The audience buzzed with discussion.

"Look at that! How can anyone defend this? She was caught red-handed!"

"She still grabbed it even after hearing it was their emergency money. Her heart is pitch black!"

"She's this bold at such a young age. Imagine what she'll be like when she grows up. Good thing the police got there fast!"

The light from the screen enveloped me once again.

[Accusation Failed.]

Seeing that it failed again, Mom shrieked, "How is that possible?! The police caught her!"

The footage continued playing, showing our home.

Tommy was caught stealing money from a classmate, so our parents were called in. As a result, he was suspended for three days.

Mom dragged him back home, shut the door, and then turned toward me, where I was standing in the corner as punishment.

"Joy, go snatch that pouch with Mrs. Grant's money! Let Tommy understand the consequences of theft!"

I shrank back in fear. "No! Mom, that's Mr. Grant's emergency money."

"You're not going?" Mom growled as she crouched down and grabbed my shoulders. "If you don't go, I'll throw you in the graveyard on the back hill! I'll let the ghosts haunt you! You're useless anyway, just a burden!"

Mom shoved me out the door, and with the last dollar I had, I called 911.

Next, following Mom's orders, I followed Margaret and snatched the money. Then, I ran toward the alley entrance where the police officer told me to go.

In the shadows at the alley entrance, Mom tightly held Tommy while whispering in his ear.

"Look quick! Joy got arrested! If you steal, you get arrested! Will you dare do it again?!"