The Fridge That Rot, The Promise That Rotted Too Chapter 01

The Fridge That Rot, The Promise That Rotted Too Chapter 01

That year, a gas leak struck our house. Mom instinctively grabbed my crying sister Serena first and carried her out.

By the time the rescue team pulled me from the kitchen, the gas had already done its damage—my mind would stay stuck at five years old forever.

For the next thirteen years, Mom held me in her arms every night as we slept, crying and swearing she’d never leave me again. Dad called me on video during business trips, making me count the little stars on the wall.

Then Serena got into Stanford. Mom asked what reward she wanted.

She looked at them with red-rimmed eyes. “One graduation trip. Just the three of us normal people. Just this once. Please?”

Mom and Dad softened at the sight of her tears. Before they left, Mom sat me down on the little stool behind the door.

“Be good, Pearl. When we come back, we’ll bring you your favorite strawberry cake.”

I nodded and sat by the door, waiting.

But that day, the neighborhood had electrical maintenance. The power went out.

Within three days, the fridge started to stink. All the food spoiled. I was so thirsty, so hungry. I wanted to go out and find them. But Mom said if I left, she wouldn’t want me anymore.

I curled up next to the reeking fridge, clutching Mom’s coat. I never saw them come home.

***

The day Serena’s Stanford acceptance arrived, tears splashed onto the back of her hand.

“Dad, Mom… I want one graduation trip. Just the three of us normal people. Please?”

The room went quiet.

I sat on the carpet, looked up at her, confused. “What are ‘three normal people,’ Serena? Is Pearl normal? Pearl wants to go on a trip too!”

I dropped my blocks and reached for her hand. She stepped back and pulled away.

“You’re not normal! You’ll never be normal!” Her eyes were bloodshot. “Do you have any idea what these thirteen years have been like for me? I could come in first, and all they’d care about was whether you’d eaten!”

I flinched. “Don’t cry. You can have my blocks.”

“I don’t want your stupid blocks!”

She knocked them out of my hand. Plastic pieces hit the wall and cracked.

Dad frowned and pulled her behind him. “Serena, how dare you talk to your sister that way? If she hadn’t saved you first, she wouldn’t have gotten hurt. How can you be so cruel?”

Mom hugged me protectively. “It’s okay, Pearl. Mom’s here.”

When she turned to Serena, her eyes were sharp. “Serena, your sister can’t be left alone. What would she do if we all left?”

Serena cried harder. “Just a few days! One time! All your love has gone to her my whole life. What about me? Am I not your daughter too? Don’t I deserve to feel like I have parents, just once?”

Her shoulders shook. “I’m leaving for college. I won’t be coming back much. All I want is one trip where I don’t have to watch people stare and take care of someone every second. Is that too much to ask?”

Dad was quiet. He looked at his crying daughter, torn.

“Honey, maybe we have been too focused on Pearl. We’ve neglected Serena. Pearl’s a big girl now. If we stock the fridge and set up a camera, three or five days should be fine.”

Mom’s resolve wavered. Serena crouched at her feet. “Mom, I’ll teach her how to use the microwave. Please. Just this once.”

Mom sighed and looked at me, her voice tentative. “Pearl, Mom, Dad, and your sister are going away for a few days. You’ll stay home and be good, okay?”

“Where’s Mom going? Without Pearl?”

She forced a smile. “Mom’s going to buy you something good. Pearl’s a big girl—she can be home alone, right?”

I nodded hard. “Pearl is a big girl! Pearl can be home alone!”