In The Face of Death

When I was three years old, my parents became infamous in our social circle as a mutually destructive couple for a misunderstanding that led them to cheat on each other. To get revenge on each other, they didn’t hesitate to hurt me just to hurt one another.

Over the next five years, my mother beat me until my bones broke three times. My father “lost” me on purpose five times. And once, during one of their arguments, they threw me straight into the ocean.

Eventually, they grew tired of that life, but instead of stopping, they changed the game. They got divorced, and each of them adopted a new child, showering them with affection as if it were some kind of competition

As for me? I became the unwanted piece of trash. The only time I mattered was when they thought of each other, and they needed someone to take their anger out on.

The only thing that kept me going was a small locket pendant they gave me when I was born. Engraved on it were the words: peace and joy. It was the only source of comfort I had.

That was until I turned ten and someone tried to take this last piece of something that felt like it belonged to me away from me. I fought back with everything I had, and for that, I was beaten until my spleen ruptured.

By the time my parents arrived, the ground was soaked in blood. However, their faces twisted with disgust.

“Daisy, how did you end up like this? You’re just as disgusting as your father.”

“What did you say? Say that again! Just look at her, dressed like that. If anything, she’s just as shameless as you!”

My cries for help were drowned out by their argument. My body grew heavier and heavier, and before I realized it, the world went quiet. They finally stopped arguing, too.

My whole body trembled from the pain. Blood kept spilling from the corner of my mouth, but my parents were still arguing. Not one of them looked at me.

I lay on the ground, struggling to lift my head as I looked toward Mom. My voice came out broken, uneven.

“Mom… It hurts so much. Can you take me to the hospital?”

She frowned in disgust and kicked me farther away.

“Stay away from me! You’re filthy and disgusting! It’s just a tiny injury, and you’re asking to go to the hospital? You’re just as dramatic as those women your dad messes around with!”

Beside us, Dad’s face darkened with anger. He strode straight toward her, as if I didn’t even exist, his leather shoe crushing down on my hand as he passed.

“Claire, just look at yourself, acting like a shrew. Every woman out there is gentler than you. I bet you’re just jealous! If you weren’t rotten to the core, why would Daisy lie through her teeth at such a young age?”

Mom let out a cold laugh. She was clearly mocking him, but her gaze swept over me, inch by inch.

“Oh, please. What does her lying have to do with me? Look at her, short and ugly. She got all of that from you.”

Dad snapped. In the next second, he grabbed my hair and yanked my head up, forcing me to meet his eyes.

“From me? Take a good look at her. Doesn’t she look like you, too? You’re her mother!”

Mom trembled with rage and hurled her handbag straight at him.

“Shut up! Who’s her mother? That little b*st*rd has nothing to do with me! She has your last name, doesn’t she? Then she’s your problem. From now on, whether she lives or dies, don’t come bothering me about it!”

She then turned to leave, but Dad grabbed her wrist.

“Stop right there! Why should I clean up the mess you don’t even want? You’re the one who gave birth to her!”

They went back and forth, tossing me between them like a ball. Slowly, the light in my eyes began to fade. Enduring the pain, I pushed myself up from the ground and forced a smile, trying to please them.

“Mom, Dad, look, I’m being good. I won’t go to the hospital anymore. Don’t abandon me.”

For a brief moment, something flickered in Dad’s eyes. He seemed a little softer as he reached out and patted my head.

“Daisy, be good. Your sister Yvonne is sick. I need to go to the hospital to take care of her. You go home first, okay? I’ll come see you when I have time.”

Mom immediately sneered, exposing his lie. “When you have time? I doubt you’ll ever have time in this lifetime.”