Siblings Care
Hearts Gone Rotten
Mom brought home the dead crabs our neighbor had thrown away and cooked them with the live ones.
“One for your big sister, one for your little brother, and one for your little sister.
See how fair Mommy is?”
But my little sister spat out her first mouthful of crab roe.
“Mom, I think this crab smells bad…”
Mom slammed down her bowl in a rage.
“Why would yours be the only bad one?
Don’t waste food.
Finish it!”
That night, my sister got food poisoning.
But Mom insisted on making our neighbor pay the medical bills, delaying treatment until my sister died.
When I opened my eyes again, I was back on that same evening.
I immediately switched my sister’s crab with Mom’s.
“Hers is much too big.
We should give it to Mom!”
Then I shelled the dead crab in my own bowl and handed it to my brother.
“You’re still growing, Xingxing.
Have mine!”
