I was the sacrifice. My brother was the prize. All because the village elders said: "A daughter's fate is too strong; she'll crush the son's life force. You must use a 'Keystone' to suppress her!" My mother believed every word of this superstitious nonsense. If my brother coughed, I starved for a day. If he had a fever, I knelt until dawn. My mother always said, "You're the older sister; it's your duty to take the bad luck for him." When I was eight, my brother's illness worsened. The local witch, Granny Zhao, handed my mother a grey brick carved with runes: "Let her hold this brick and stay in the cellar behind the mountain for two days." "Borrow the earth's energy to suppress her fire, and your son will live." My mother didn't even blink. She pushed me down and sealed the cellar door with a stone slab herself. She thought she was locking me away for two days. She didn't know— I became the "Keystone," buried in the earth, never to leave. 1 "This child's horoscope is too strong; it clashes with your son." In the dim living room, Granny Zhao fingered my birth chart without lifting her eyelids. My mother's hand clenched tight. "Granny Zhao, then... what can we do?" Granny Zhao finally opened her eyes, her cloudy gaze sweeping over my face. "There is a way." She pulled a grey brick from her bundle, covered in crooked runes. "Let her hold this 'Keystone' and stay in the cellar for two days. Borrow the earth's energy to suppress her fire, and your son's illness will be cured." My mother froze. "The cellar?" "Yes. A place heavy with Yin energy." The witch pushed the brick forward. "But during this time, you cannot see her, cannot be soft-hearted. Once you see her, the spell breaks, and your son..." She didn't finish, but the implication was clear. My mother stared at the brick, her breathing heavy. She took out a cloth bundle from her chest, unfolding it layer by layer to reveal the last of the family's cash. She stuffed it all into the witch's hands. "Hope." She squatted down, speaking to me with a gentleness I'd never heard before. "Your brother is sick. Only you can save him." She gently arranged the hair on my forehead. "Go with Granny Zhao to a place for two days. Just two days." Her eyes were red, filled with a longing and pleading I had never seen. "In two days, Mom will come pick you up and make you fried chicken, okay?" I looked at her. For eight years, she had never looked at me so gently. I thought of my brother, Leo, coughing last night until his face turned red. I thought of Mom holding him and crying. If I went, Leo would get better. Would Mom smile then? I nodded. "Good girl." She smiled, a smile of immense relief. She pushed me towards Granny Zhao. "Granny, I leave the child to you. Two days... just two days, I'll definitely come pick her up." Granny Zhao took my hand and led me out. Before leaving, I looked back. Leo was clinging to the doorframe, looking at me timidly, coughing softly. Mom held him, patting his back gently. Her face wore a relaxed smile I had never seen before. She seemed... to be truly looking forward to something. 2 I was taken to a deserted village, to an abandoned root cellar. The entrance was covered by a heavy stone slab, surrounded by overgrown weeds. Granny Zhao moved the slab, revealing a pitch-black hole. A smell of damp earth rushed up. "Go down." I climbed down the wooden ladder. It was dark below, only a faint light coming from the hole above. The cellar was small, the walls damp earth, rotting straw scattered in the corner. Granny Zhao handed down a cold bun and a flask of water. And that rune-carved grey brick. "Girl, for these two days, sleep next to this brick." She pointed to the corner. "Remember, this is to 'suppress your fate.' Don't move it." "Be good and stay put. Your mom will come for you in two days." Thud. The stone slab above was slid into place. I heard the sound of a lock clicking, and the muffled thud of dirt and rocks being piled onto the slab. Footsteps faded away. The cellar went completely dark. Only a few weak rays of light seeped through the cracks at the edge of the slab. I waited and waited. I don't know how long passed. Maybe an hour, maybe a day. I took a bite of the cold bun; it hurt my teeth. I missed Leo. Was he better now? Was Mom making him medicine? I wanted to go home. This thought was like water weeds, tangling around me until I couldn't breathe. I wanted out. The cellar walls were slippery; I couldn't reach the top. I tried pushing the grey brick. It was heavy, unmoving. But the urge to leave grew stronger. Maybe... move it, and there's a way out underneath? Or I could use it to step up? I pushed with all my might. The brick was heavy. My arms ached, sweat poured down, and it only moved a tiny bit. There was no path underneath, only damper earth. Wind howled outside. I was scared. I wanted out now. I wanted to go home, to see Mom, to tell her I was afraid. I lay down and dug the dirt under the brick with my hands. My nails quickly filled with mud, fingertips raw. Digging and digging, I suddenly felt dirt trickling down from above. Fine sand fell into my hair, my collar. Before I could react— BOOM! The stone slab overhead, along with the heavy earth pressed upon it, collapsed! I didn't even have time to scream. A sharp pain in the back of my head, like being hit by a heavy hammer. Then, endless darkness. 3 Strangely, it didn't hurt anymore. I floated up lightly, like a feather. Looking down, my small body was buried under earth, rocks, and that grey brick, only a hand tightly gripping the dirt exposed. On the wrist was the red string bracelet Mom braided for me. She said red wards off evil and keeps you safe. Now, the red string was piercingly bright against the grey-black mud. I floated in mid-air, looking at the small mound below, feeling suffocated. I wanted to dig the dirt away, but my hand passed through it emptily. Was this... a superpower?! Then I could go home quickly. As soon as the thought rose, wind rushed in my ears. In the next instant, I was standing at the kitchen door. Mom was busy at the stove, chicken soup simmering in the pot. Leo sat on a small stool, holding a bowl of soup, sipping it slowly. His face... really seemed a bit better than yesterday. "Mom, this soup smells so good." "Drink more if it's good." Mom smiled. "Mom will make it for you every day." She turned to look at the calendar on the wall and crossed off a day. "One more day, and Hope can come back." She whispered, as if to herself. "And Leo will be completely cured." I floated to her, wanting to grab her hand. "Mom, I'm back." But her hand passed through my transparent body, picking up the salt jar to sprinkle some into the soup. "Mom, the cellar is so dark, I'm scared." I spoke again, louder. She tasted the soup, nodded in satisfaction, hearing nothing. Night fell. Leo lay in bed, tossing and turning. I floated by his bed, wanting to tuck him in, but couldn't touch the blanket. "Mom..." He suddenly cried out softly, voice trembling. "I dreamed Sister fell into a black hole. She was calling for help, but I couldn't reach her..." Mom pushed the door open and sat on the bed. "That was a dream, not real." "When is Sister coming back?" Leo sat up, grabbing Mom's hand. "Mom, go bring her back, okay? Go now." Mom patted his back gently. "Didn't we agree? We'll pick her up in two days." "I don't want two days! I want now!" Leo's tears fell. "I miss Sister... I want her to tell me stories..." "Leo, be good." Mom's voice grew stern. "It's late. After tomorrow, I promise I'll take you to pick up Sister." Leo slowly lay down and closed his eyes. Mom tucked him in, sitting by the bed, humming a lullaby. It was the tune she used to hum for me when I was little. I floated beside her, humming along. No sound. I felt this night was exceptionally long. 4 Dad came back late at night. He heard Leo was critically ill and rushed back from the city where he worked. "Where's Leo?" he asked, putting down his luggage. "Sleeping," Mom came out of the room, lowering her voice. Dad sighed in relief, then looked around. "Where's Hope? Sleeping too?" The air went quiet for a second. "She went to her aunt's house." Mom turned and walked to the kitchen. "I'll make you noodles." "Which aunt?" Dad followed her. "I don't know about this." "A distant one, you don't know her." Dad stood at the kitchen door. "Linda, tell me the truth." "What truth?" "The talk in the village." Dad's voice deepened. "I heard it all." "What did you hear?" Mom turned abruptly, spatula in hand. "They say you sent Hope away! Said her fate clashes with her brother!" Dad raised his voice. "That's nonsense!" Mom's voice became shrill. "Hope is my daughter! Why would I send her away!" "Then where is she?!" Dad stepped into the kitchen. "Tell me, which aunt's house? I'll go get her now!" "No!" Mom blocked him, voice shaking. "David, you can't go!" "Why?!" "Because..." Mom's eyes turned red. "Because Leo just got better!" "Granny Zhao said Hope has to stay away for two full days to suppress the fate, so Leo's illness can be rooted out!" "If you go now, all is lost!" Dad froze. He stared at Mom like he didn't know her. "You... you really believe that witch's nonsense?" "It's not nonsense!" Mom cried. "Look at Leo yourself! We spent so much money on doctors before, did it help? No!" "But as soon as Hope left, he got better! That's a fact!" "That's a coincidence!" "There are no such coincidences!" Mom grabbed Dad's arm, nails digging into his flesh. "David, we only have one son... if he dies, I won't live either..." Dad looked at her, his expression changing from anger to confusion, finally to deep exhaustion. He slowly pried Mom's hands off. "Linda, Hope is our child too. She's only eight." "I know..." Mom sobbed. "I know... just two days... just two days..." "What if something happens?" Dad's voice was very soft. "Have you thought about that?" Mom stopped talking, just crying. Dad turned and walked out of the kitchen, standing in the yard for a long time. I floated to him, wanting to hold his hand. My fingers passed helplessly through his rough palm. "Hope..." he whispered suddenly. "Dad will come get you first thing tomorrow morning..." I wanted to tell Dad I was right here, but he couldn't hear. 5 In the second half of the night, Mom didn't sleep. I floated into their room and saw her sitting at the vanity, holding my plastic hair clip. Red, with a small plum blossom. She stroked the flower over and over, gently. Then she pressed the clip to her chest and closed her eyes. After a long time, she put the clip away under her pillow. She rolled up her sleeve, revealing her wrist. There was a red string bracelet, identical to the one on my hand. Last winter, she braided two from the same ball of yarn. One for me, one for herself. She said, "Red wards off evil, keeps us safe." Now, the string on her wrist was a bit worn. She rubbed it gently with her finger, round and round, murmuring: "Hope... just wait one more day, Mom... will come get you..." An urge surged in my heart. I wanted her to know I was here. I floated in front of her, staring at the red string on her wrist. If... if I could make it move? I focused all my spirit, imagining the red string was my finger. "Move... Mom, I'm here..." I chanted in my mind. The red string hung still, no reaction. I tried again. The third time, using every ounce of will, almost screaming: "Mom—!" The end of the red string trembled... ever so slightly. Mom looked down at her wrist. She froze, raised her hand, felt the air, touched nothing. Her eyes were confused. "Strange..." She shook her head, forcing a bitter smile. "My eyes are playing tricks..." She rolled down her sleeve, covering the red string. Lay down, closed her eyes. I floated above her, watching her face. In the moonlight, her brow was slightly furrowed, like she was having a bad dream. I wanted to try again. But suddenly I felt exhausted, too tired to even float. It took so much strength to move the string just once. And even if it moved, she would only think her eyes were playing tricks. 6 Early the next morning, Leo woke up. Instead of sleeping in, he ran barefoot to Mom and Dad's door, banging on it. "Mom! Mom! Let's go get Sister! You said we'd go!" Mom opened the door, eyes swollen. She squatted down, patting Leo's head. "Leo, it's only the second day. We'll go tomorrow." "No tomorrow! Today!" Leo's tears gushed out. "I dreamed of Sister! She was crying! She said the cellar was dark, rats were biting her feet!" Mom's expression froze. Leo grabbed Mom's hand. "Mom, let's go get her now, please..." Dad walked out of the room, face dark. "Linda, did you hear? Hope is crying cold, hungry, wanting home." "That was a dream... kids dream randomly..." Mom's voice was weak. "Dream or not, we'll know when we look." Dad turned to the gate. "I'm going now." "No!" Mom rushed to block him. "You can't! Granny Zhao said it must be two full days!" "Move." "David! If you dare go today, I... I'll leave with Leo!" Mom's voice turned sharp. Dad stopped, turning to look at her. That look was like seeing a stranger. He spoke word by word: "Linda, if something really happened to Hope, do you think you can still stay in this home?" Mom froze. Leo tugged Dad's pants, looking up. "Dad, I'm going with you to get Sister!" Dad bent down and picked Leo up. "Okay, we'll go together." "No!" Mom lunged, trying to grab Leo. "Leo can't go! He just got better, can't be agitated!" "Speak! Where is the cellar?!" Dad stared at her. "Exact location." Mom looked at Dad, then at Leo, lips trembling, tears flowing non-stop. Finally, she collapsed on the ground, covering her face: "West of the village... deep in the abandoned village... old locust tree... under the tree..." Dad didn't wait for her to finish, carrying Leo out. "Wait!" Mom scrambled up, stumbling after them. "I'm coming too... coming too..." The abandoned village was more desolate than imagined. Half-human-high weeds grew among ruins. Wind blew through, making woo-woo sounds, like crying. Leo hugged Dad's neck tight. "Dad... I'm scared..." "Don't be scared. We get Sister and go home." Dad's voice was gentle, but his arms holding Leo were tense. Mom followed behind, stumbling. Finally, they saw the old locust tree. "Where?" Dad asked. Mom pointed to a raised patch of ground behind the tree, voice barely audible: "There... the stone slab..." Dad put Leo down and walked over. "Hope?" Dad knelt, slapping the stone. "Hope! Are you in there? Dad's here!" No response. Dad started moving stones, digging dirt. Mom stood nearby, watching blankly. Leo ran over, squatting by Dad, digging with his small hands. "Sister! Sister! Dad and I are here to get you!" The slab was finally pushed away. The cellar opening appeared, pitch black, like a giant mouth. Dad turned on the flashlight, beam shining in— Illuminating collapsed earth and bricks. Illuminating scattered straw. Illuminating... a small hand sticking out of the dirt. On the hand, a red string bracelet...
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