Chapter 1

There's an old superstition in our town.

When a family has twins, one child is punished so the other learns from their mistakes. That is how you keep them in line and make sure they grow up safe.

I am born four minutes before my sister, Jewel Skinner, so I become the one who pays for her wrongdoings.

When Jewel sneaks off to swim in the river, Mom doesn't yell at her once. Instead, she holds my head down and forces it underwater repeatedly.

Mom doesn't let go until Jewel is crying and screaming, "I'll never go swimming there again!"

Once, Jewel forgets to cook the pasta. When Mom gets home from work, the package is still sitting on the counter.

So Mom puts two bowls of uncooked pasta in front of me and says, "Eat it all. Don't leave a single piece."

The dry pasta cut the inside of my mouth until it bleeds. Mom watches Jewel's reaction the whole time.

She doesn't take the bowls away until Jewel starts crying.

For 16 years, I am the one who pays for Jewel's mistakes.

Then, that year, a hurricane heads straight for us. The evacuation orders come that night, and the whole town is told to leave.

Jewel stays out with her friends until the middle of the night. When she finally comes home, she is soaked through and still laughing.

Mom shoves her into one of the evacuation vehicles.

Then she turns to me and says calmly, "You stay here. Once the hurricane passes, Jewel will know better than to come home late again."

Everyone in town is gone, and roof tiles begin flying off one after another.

Mom, you always make me suffer so Jewel learns her lesson. This time, I really am going to die.

Are you satisfied now?

Chapter 1

"Where did Jewel run off to now? We're getting hit by a major hurricane tonight!" my mom, Lucinda Parker, said.

She paced back and forth through the living room.

It was already pitch-black outside. The wind sent a metal basin rolling across the yard, clanging against the base of the wall.

The town's emergency broadcast had already sounded three times.

"Red alert! Evacuate the entire town! Evacuation vehicles will arrive at the town entrance in 20 minutes!"

Mom whipped around to face me. She looked furious as she snapped, "You! Get out there and find Jewel!"

I looked out the window. The rain wasn't just falling—it was coming down in sheets.

The palm trees were nearly bent to the ground. The chicken coop by the wall had blown over, and several chickens flapped widely as they scrambled under the eaves.

"Mom, Jewel said she went to a friend's house. With the weather outside—"

Mom cut me off. "Like I care whose house she went to! Go get her now! If you can't find her, don't come home."

I instinctively looked at Dad sitting in the corner, who started to speak up. "The wind really is too strong. Maybe we should wait a little."

"Shut the hell up!" Mom barked, not even turning around. "If something happens to Jewel, can you take responsibility?"

Dad fell silent.

I slipped on my shoes, the soles already coming apart. The moment I opened the door, the wind nearly knocked me off my feet.

I felt my way along the wall, stumbling through water that was already ankle-deep.

I was about to head to the west side of town, where Jewel's friend lived, when a giggle came from behind me.

"Wow! The wind feels so good!"

I turned around. My sister, Jewel Skinner, came running out of the alley. Her wet hair was plastered to her face, and she looked thrilled.

At some point, Mom had already rushed to the door. She pulled Jewel into her arms and checked her from head to toe.

Mom's voice was full of relief and worry. "You're finally home! Are you soaked? Are you cold? Get inside and change before you catch a cold."

I stood in the pouring rain, soaked through and shivering in the wind, but Mom didn't even spare me a glance.

Just then, the evacuation vehicle arrived. Its headlights cut through the rain as the loudspeaker blared again and again.

"Everyone, get in now! Evacuate immediately!"

Mom wrapped Jewel in a blanket and put her in the back seat. I followed behind them and moved to step onto the running board.

"What are you doing?" Mom stopped me. "You know the rules. Jewel stayed out having fun and nearly didn't make it home tonight.

"Stay here. That'll teach her what it means to be afraid."

I froze.

Jewel panicked inside the vehicle. She pressed against the window and screamed, "Mom, no! Don't leave Alice here. Something bad will happen to her! The hurricane—"

"So now you're scared? Why didn't you think of that when you went out?" Mom cut her off sharply. "Alice is being punished because of you!"

Jewel shrank back, tears streaming down her face.

One of the other residents, unable to take it anymore, said, "Mrs. Skinner, this is a Category 5 hurricane. People could die! That old house of yours won't stand a chance."

Mom didn't budge as she turned and ran back inside. When she came out, she was carrying our dog, Goldie.

She put Goldie in the last empty seat, as if she had every right to. "Goldie's an animal. He doesn't know how to find shelter, so I have to take him too."

Then she looked at me and said, "Alice, you're a person. You know how to find somewhere to hide."

Dad sat in the front seat, looking as if he had something to say. But when Mom gave him a sideways look, he turned toward the window.

The doors to the vehicle closed.

Through the rain-streaked window, I saw Jewel pounding desperately on the glass, her mouth moving as she screamed something.

But the wind was too loud, and I couldn't hear her.

Mom held Jewel's head down so she couldn't look at me.

The engine started. The taillights left two red streaks through the downpour, growing farther and farther away.

Soon, they were out of sight.

As the lights of Larkton slowly went out, I was left standing alone in the storm.

Suddenly, someone shouted from the darkness.

"I've got a seat!"

Chapter 2

The voice came from the last vehicle. I squinted through the rain, but I could barely see anything.

A hunched figure leaned out from behind the door and waved at me. It was Logan Zane from next door.

Logan had no children. His wife died a long time ago, and he had lived at the edge of town his whole life.

For as far back as I could remember, he had always treated me like his own granddaughter.

Whenever Mom punished me by not letting me eat, he would wait until she wasn't looking and slip a bowl of hot oatmeal through the back door.

Every year on our birthday, he gave Jewel and me some spending money. He always slipped an extra ten dollars into mine when no one was looking.

Logan squeezed out of his seat to make room for me and called out, "Come on, Alice! There's enough room. Just squeeze in!"

I ran toward the vehicle, where Logan was already reaching out to pull me in.

Just as my fingers were about to touch his, I heard someone yell, "Logan is a kidnapper!"

Mom's voice suddenly came from the vehicle in front. At some point, she had rolled down the window and leaned halfway out.

She pointed at Logan and screamed, "He's trying to kidnap my daughter! Don't let her get in his car!"

My hand froze in midair.

Logan was at a complete loss for words. He was 72 years old and had lived in this town his entire life. No one had ever called him that before.

"Lucinda, what are you saying?" Logan's voice trembled. "I'm Logan Zane! I've lived next to your family for years. When your father was alive, he used to treat me like family!"

"I don't care who you are!" Mom yelled. "You're an old man living alone, and you're way too interested in Alice. Who knows what you're really after!"

Everyone in the vehicle erupted in protest.

"Mrs. Skinner, have you lost your mind? Mr. Zane has known you your whole life!"

"Exactly! How can you say something like that?"

An older woman stood up and shouted, "This is a Category 5 hurricane! Your roof will blow off in one gust. Are you trying to get Alice killed?"

Logan's lips turned pale with anger. He pointed at Mom, his hand shaking badly. "I'm kind to Alice because I feel sorry for her. Everyone in this town knows how you treat her!"

"Alice is my daughter. How I raise her is none of your business!" Mom didn't even flinch as she said that. "She's safest in her own home."

I stood in the pouring rain and looked at the vehicle Mom was in.

In the passenger seat, I saw Dad's hand rest on the door handle.

Mom slowly turned to look at him. "If you dare open that door, I'm taking Alice and Jewel to my parents' house tomorrow. You'll never see them again."

Dad slowly let go of the handle, one finger at a time. He turned away and didn't look at me again.

I stood there as rain poured over me, running into my eyes. I couldn't tell if it was rainwater or something else.

The evacuation team captain jumped out of the first vehicle. He looked at the sky and went pale. "The hurricane eye will hit in an hour. If we don't leave now, no one gets out!"

Two townspeople dragged Logan back into the vehicle. He clung to the doorframe and shouted at me, "Alice, run! Get to the old church at the edge of town. It's built of brick. It can hold up!

"Do you hear me? Run to the church!"

Someone pulled the door shut from inside, and one engine after another roared to life.

I stood frozen to the spot, watching the taillights disappear one by one. In the end, the last one disappeared too.

The entire town of Larkton went dark.

I turned and ran toward the edge of town. The church Logan mentioned was at the very end, past a long old street.

The wind was too strong for me to run, so I had to brace myself against the walls with every step.

Roof tiles were ripped off one by one and shattered on the ground. The wind tore a huge old tree out by the roots and sent it crashing into the middle of the street, completely blocking the road.

I had no choice but to go back home.

Half the roof was already gone. Rain poured straight inside, flooding the living room.

I curled up in the corner under the kitchen counter. The three sides were made of brick, and the concrete slab above gave me just enough cover.

Water poured in through the gaps in the door and walls. It rose past my ankles, then up to my calves.

I hugged my knees and curled into a ball, shivering so hard my teeth chattered.

Just then, my phone rang in my pocket.

Chapter 3

It was Jewel calling. Her voice was shaky with tears as she said, "Alice! Are you okay? Where are you?"

"I'm okay." I gritted my teeth to keep my voice from trembling. "Did you make it?"

"Yeah! We're at the emergency shelter hotel in the city. There's hot water and blankets. The staff even made us some tea," she replied.

Jewel started sobbing again. "Alice, I'm so scared. What are you going to do all alone at home?"

A deafening crash came from above me. The other half of the roof had been torn away. Wind and rain rushed inside, soaking me from head to toe.

I screamed and nearly dropped my phone.

"Alice, what happened? What was that?" Jewel yelled.

"It's… It's nothing. The wind just blew off bits of the roof," I replied.

The signal started cutting in and out, and Jewel's voice kept breaking up. "Alice… Can you… hear—"

The signal came back, but there was only one bar.

I could hear Jewel crying out on the other end of the line. "Mom! The house around Alice is collapsing. You have to do something!"

Then I heard Mom say, "If she can still make a phone call, she's fine. You're always making a big deal out of nothing."

The water rose past my knees.

"Mom, this isn't nothing! Didn't you hear that? Alice is—"

Mom cut Jewel off. "What could happen to Alice at home? Your dad rebuilt that kitchen counter two years ago. It's sturdy!

"If she can't handle a little wind and rain, how is she ever going to make it on her own?"

Dad's voice came quietly from the other end. "Maybe we should have someone go back and check."

"What do you even know?" Mom shut him down.

Then she said to Jewel, "That's enough. Tell Alice to hang up. She's wasting money on the call."

I crouched in the water without saying a word. It had already reached my thighs.

The one bar of signal kept flickering on the top of the screen.

Jewel was still crying as she told me between sobs, "Alice, try to get somewhere higher."

Just then, an unfamiliar man's voice came through. He sounded urgent and alarmed.

"Miss, who are you talking to?"

Jewel sobbed, "It's my sister. She's still at home. She didn't evacuate."

"What?" The man's voice rose sharply. "There's still someone back there? Where are your parents? There's already a flash flood warning for that area. People could die!"

Chaos broke out on the other end, and I heard several people talking at once.

Someone shouted, "Get the rescue team!"

Another asked, "How many more are still back there?"

That man's voice cut through the chaos. "Are her parents here? I need this kid's parents over here! How could you leave a child behind?"

Mom's voice came through at that moment. "Alice will be fine. She's tough."

The call ended after that.

At the same time, the signal was completely gone. The light from my phone went out too.

Mom's last words kept echoing in my head.

Soon, the water reached my waist, then my chest.

There was less and less room beneath the kitchen counter. I clung to the brick pillar beneath it, digging my nails into the cracks.

It was so cold. The water was freezing, and the wind was icy. I was chilled to the bone.

I remembered one time when Jewel refused to wear a jacket because she wanted to play outside. In the end, she caught a cold.

That night, Mom made me stand outside in my pajamas in the middle of winter. She only let me back in when my fever reached 104 degrees and Jewel broke down crying.

This cold was a hundred times worse than that winter night.

The water rose past my neck. I couldn't hold on to the brick pillar anymore, for my fingers had no strength left.

I gave up and stopped struggling.

Mom said I was tough. But I wasn't as tough as she thought.

I couldn't hear anything anymore, and my consciousness had started slipping away.

Just before I blacked out, someone shouted from nearby, "She's here!"

Chapter 4

The volunteers pulled me onto a rescue boat. After three rounds of CPR, I finally coughed up water and had a faint heartbeat.

When we got to the hospital in the city, the ER doctor took one look at me before his expression turned grim.

"Patient experienced drowning and prolonged oxygen deprivation. Her lungs are full of fluid! Prepare to intubate and notify the operating room!"

Then he shouted into the hallway, "Where's her family? We need a family member to sign!"

Footsteps came from down the hall.

Mom walked over without a hint of urgency. "Who told you to save her?"

Everyone was stunned.

"She's still alive, isn't she? I bet she's faking it. She's been pretending since she was little," Mom said.

A nurse was the first to react. She snapped, "What did you just say? If we'd gotten there 30 seconds later, she would've died! Sign the surgical consent form now. If you delay any longer, no one can save her!"

Mom ignored the nurse. She turned to Jewel, who was standing in the corner.

Jewel's face was ghostly white. Her lips trembled, but she couldn't get a word out.

Mom looked at her and spoke calmly. "Have you learned your lesson yet?"

Jewel nodded frantically. Her tears fell onto the floor.

"Nodding isn't enough," Mom said.

She pulled a pen from her purse, grabbed a sheet of paper from the nurses' station, and slapped it in front of Jewel.

"Write a 300-word apology. Once you're done and admit what you did wrong, I'll sign the consent form."

The nurse shouted, "Are you out of your mind? That child inside is waiting for surgery! Every minute you delay—"

Mom cut her off without even looking at her. "I'm disciplining my daughter. It's none of your business."

Then she pulled up a chair, sat down, and took out her phone to scroll through short clips.

The doctor rushed out of the ER again. "The patient's family! Have you signed the surgical consent form yet?"

No one answered him.

Jewel was bent over the hallway bench, her hand shaking so badly she could barely hold the pen. She wrote one word at a time, stopping whenever tears fell onto the paper and blurred the ink.

She stopped and looked up at Mom, saying, "Mom, please just sign it first. This whole thing wasn't Alice's fault."

"It wasn't her fault." Mom didn't even look up from her phone. "But she has to pay the price so you'll remember what you did wrong. If you have time to argue with me, you have time to finish writing."

Jewel bit her lip, then she lowered her head and kept writing.

Her trembling hand made her writing crooked, and every line was soaked with tears before she could finish it.

Dad glanced at the sign outside the ER, then at Mom, who was still sitting there scrolling through her phone. "Lucinda, that's enough. Just sign it. Alice is—"

"You always say 'that's enough'." Mom finally looked up. "That's why Jewel never learns. Stay out of it."

Dad fell silent.

Just then, Jewel stopped writing. She slid off the bench and collapsed onto the floor, holding up the tear-stained paper.

"Mom, I'm done! Please save Alice! Please!"

Mom took the paper from her and read it carefully. She said, "Your handwriting is still a little sloppy. That won't do for your exams, but I'll let it go this time."

Mom folded the paper, put it in her purse, and slowly stood up.

She looked toward the ER operating theater, almost sounding wistful. "This time, Alice really suffered. But if it taught you a lesson, then her punishment was worth it.

"Once this hurricane passes, I'll buy her a couple of new dresses to make it up to her. I'm just doing this for her own good."

Mom turned to the nurse and picked up a pen. "Bring me the surgical consent form."

Just then, the light above the ER went out.

The doctor walked out and removed his mask. "There's no longer any need to sign the surgical consent form. We couldn't save the patient. She's gone."