Chapter 4

Time seemed to freeze. I lay there like a broken rag doll, my clothes torn, every inch of my body screaming in pain.

But the deepest agony was in my heart, already riddled with a thousand holes. Still, I couldn't give up.

I mustered every last ounce of strength, scrambling on my hands and knees towards Martha.

Her face was already turning purplish-blue, her breath so faint I could barely detect it.

"Mom... Mom..."

My trembling hand reached for hers; it was terrifyingly cold. No, Martha couldn't die.

She'd always treated me like her own daughter. I couldn't let anything happen to her.

I whipped my head around, glaring at Sera, who looked like a demon.

I fell to my knees, humiliatingly crawling towards her feet, and clutched at the hem of her pants.

"Please..." My voice was raw, like sandpaper. "Please... save my mom, she's really dying..."

Sera looked at my pathetic state, a triumphant smirk spreading across her face.

"You want me to save this old hag?" She crouched down, her finger lifting my chin. "

It's not impossible. But first, you have to agree to one condition."

A flicker of hope ignited in my eyes.

"What condition? Tell me! Anything! As long as you save my mom, I'll agree to anything!"

Sera pointed to the expired syringe resting on the counter.

"It's simple. You inject that expired medicine into yourself, and I'll *consider* calling an ambulance."

I froze. That was medicine expired by six months! God only knew what side effects it would have; it could easily kill me!

"I... I..."

I looked at the syringe, then at Martha, who was on the verge of dying. A fierce battle raged within me.

Seeing my hesitation, Sera sneered.

"How pathetic? Didn't you just say you'd agree to *any* condition? Changing your mind already? Let me tell you, this is your *only* chance. Miss it, and you can start preparing the funeral for this old woman!"

I looked at Martha's increasingly faint breathing, tears streaming down my face.

"Fine, I agree," I bit out. "But you have to promise that as soon as I'm injected, you'll call an ambulance immediately!"

Sera's smile widened even further.

"Of course, I always keep my word."

She motioned, and a woman dressed like a nurse approached, holding a syringe and the expired vial.

"Come on, arm out," Nurse Davis said, her face devoid of emotion.

My arm trembled as I extended it.

The needle pierced my skin, and I felt a sharp sting as the cold liquid was pushed into my vein.

I had no idea what effects these expired chemicals would have on my body, or if my life was even in danger.

But as long as it saved Martha, none of that mattered.

As soon as the injection was done, I looked at Sera.

"There, I've done what you asked. Now will you call an ambulance?"

But Sera just smiled and shook her head.

"I said I'd *consider* calling an ambulance, not that I definitely would. And now that I've considered it, I've decided not to."

I stared at her, utterly incredulous.

"You! You're breaking your word? You explicitly said that if I got the injection, you would call an ambulance!"

Sera crossed her arms, completely nonchalant.

"So what? This is my place, I make the rules. I call the shots. I told you that even if you two died here today, my husband would sort it out for me!"

I had believed I'd grasped the last straw of hope, only to find myself drowning in even deeper despair.