Why should they get to enjoy the good life
while I suffered?
I started digging up their graves, full of rage.
But when I saw what was inside the coffins, I
screamed.
My scream got the villagers‘ attention.
When they saw the charred bodies, some of
the older women almost fainted.
The village leader, who had been walking
slowly, turned pale when he saw that I had
dug up my parents‘ graves.
I was shocked.
My parents had really thought this through.
“Ashley, how could you dig up your parents‘
<
graves? That’s disrespectful!”
“Your parents died trying to earn money for
your school! And now you’re disturbing their
peace!”
The village leader was laying it on thick. The
villagers started whispering and pointing at
- me.
I burst into tears.
“I didn’t want to do this, but my parents died
so suddenly. I didn’t even get to say
goodbye.”
“I don’t believe they’re dead! Brian is only
three! How are we going to live without
them?”
“Besides, you said they died in a construction
accident. But they look like they were burned
alive!”
The village leader looked annoyed, but he
tried to explain.
“You must have heard wrong. They died in a
1
L
fire at the construction site.”
“Really?”
I pretended to be unsure.
The village leader thought he had calmed me
down and told me to leave.
But I had an idea. I held out my hand to the
village leader.
“If my parents died in a fire at the
construction site, where’s the
compensation?”
He was dumbfounded. My parents didn’t tell
him what to do if this happened.
I knew they weren’t dead, but I didn’t care.
Why should they leave me with all the
problems and then show up later to enjoy a
perfect life?
I stared at the village leader, who obviously
knew something..
“Is the construction company refusing to
pay? That’s okay. Tomorrow, I’ll take Brian to
find reporters and hold up signs. As long as
I’m alive, I’ll bother them every day.”
The village leader was freaking out. He didn’t
expect me to be so calm and demand money.
He tried to calm me down while calling
someone.
I could hear the person on the other end
yelling.
I lowered my head and pretended to be sad,
but I was smiling inside.
They wouldn’t get away with this so easily.
Soon, the village leader came back.
He said the construction company would pay
five thousand dollars.
They probably wanted to get rid of Brian and
- me. They were going to live with the mayor’s
daughter.
They could get anything they wanted.
After getting the check with my name on it, I
took stock of everything we had.
く
A cow, a pig, some chickens, and land that
wasn’t worth much.
But I knew that land would be worth a lot
later.
Last time, I took Brian to the city, and the
villagers took the land.
I wouldn’t let that happen again.
I went to the office and changed the name on
the land to mine. I traded a chicken for it.
The money in my account grew, and our
possessions slowly disappeared.
Finally, one dark night, I took my brother and
left for the city.
I heard him breathing softly on my back and
smiled.
My parents trusted me to take care of my
brother.
I would give them a surprise.
Fifteen years passed.
I worked hard to raise my brother.
<
I spent a ton of money, and he became a top
student.
When the college results came out, he got the
best score.
The day the results came out, reporters were
everywhere.
I watched him on TV, full of hope.
I had worked so hard for this moment, waiting
for my parents to show up.
I knew they wouldn’t disappoint me.
Sure enough, on the day of his graduation
party, someone kicked down the door.
I heard a familiar voice.
