Wait for Me, Sister

Summary

To pay for my college, my sister married a rough widower from the next town. She smiled, saying he had a trade and we’d never go hungry. But that night, I heard her crying through the wall.

For three years, she hid bruises under thick makeup, telling me to just study so her misery would end. One day, seeing fresh marks on her, I reached out and suddenly heard her thoughts: 83 more days. Once Wanda gets accepted, I’ll turn on the gas and take him to hell.

I froze, then forced a smile. I pulled out my top-of-the-district report card, tore it up, and said coldly, "This is useless. I'm getting a job at the factory."