The Dream That Killed Me Chapter 06By Novel7s / August 17, 2026 The Dream That Killed Me Chapter 06The streets of the Cancún beach town were full of people.My parents were back to holding Claire’s hands, walking through shops, picking out gifts she liked.Taking pictures of every moment.I stood behind them, drifting through the crowd.No one saw me. No one could.I had never wanted to leave this badly.Perhaps I had longed for that moment of regret when my parents learned of my death.But what I didn’t expect to see was the disgust and revulsion etched on Claire’s beautiful face.I couldn’t escape it.They stayed in Cancún three more days.The whole time, I watched the academy call Dad over and over, urging them to hurry back.Every time my mother started to suggest going home, “I” would conveniently send another taunting message, telling the academy staff to leave.Finally, Dad couldn’t take it anymore.“That little curse. Let’s go home and drag her out ourselves!”“When the academy staff comes to take her, no one is to stop them!”He slammed his hand on the hotel table, snapping at my mother and grandmother.My mother said nothing. A flicker of irritation crossed her eyes.Claire was happily trying on her new dress.My heart had gone numb by then.[Fine. Mom. Dad. Come home and drag me out, then.]By the time they landed, the academy staff were still waiting at the house.I saw them holding rope and handcuffs.It didn’t look like they were coming to pick someone up. It looked like they were coming to catch an animal that wouldn’t behave.Dad barely glanced at them.“Are you going to come out on your own, or do you want me to open this door and drag you out?Mom pulled out the spare key and turned the lock.A wave of rot hit them-spoiled fruit mixed with raw meat.I looked past them.My own body lay on the floor, skin gone a dark, mottled blue-violet, fingers curled toward the doorlike they’d been reaching for something.Next to my arm lay the shattered pieces of Claire’s favorite glass.Blood from my head had dried long ago, soaking the whole bathroom floor.Even the cracks in the tile were stained with it.But my father just kicked me, furious.“You’re still using your sister’s glass to throw a tantrum!”I didn’t move.He grabbed whatever was nearby and threw it at me, opening another gash on my face.“Still faking it? Faking what?!”“You think you can fool anyone?”“I’m telling you-no matter how good your act is, you’re leaving today!”Mom stood off to the side, angry too.“Lily, I put up with your mischief before, but how could you joke about something like this?”“Your father was right. Some things you just can’t fix.”The more he listened, the angrier Dad got. He reached out and made a grab for my shoulder.His hand met something stiff and cold.He paused. Then quickly told himself it was another one of my tricks.He dragged me bodily out of the bathroom and threw me down in the hallway.He straightened up and turned to the academy staff.“Take her. Teach her some manners.”But not one of them moved.Instead, they pointed at the trail of blood I’d left, and screamed.“She’s dead!”My father scowled, impatient.“What dead? She’s faking it.”The staff member stared at him like he was looking at a madman.He called for an ambulance immediately.The paramedics arrived fast.They started resuscitation-then quickly realized it was too late.“Based on the lividity, this patient’s been dead five to seven days-”Before the medic could finish, my father cut him off.“That’s impossible. Are you actors she hired? She was texting us yesterday.”He grabbed at me again.“Get up! Stop faking it!”1 Crack.My elbow snapped.My index finger tore off in his hand.I thought, this time, he can’t say I’m faking it.He stared at my blank, expressionless face.Then slowly turned to look at Claire.Claire’s face had already gone bloodless. She’d collapsed to the floor.She began to mumble to herself:“It’s not possible. How is it possible? How could she actually be dead…”My mother dropped to her knees, wrapping her arms around me, letting out a sound that didn’tsound human.“Lily!”
