During the category 4 hurricane evacuation, my mother completely ignored my broken leg. She pushed me off the rescue boat with her own hands, forcing me to give up my spot for my sister. "Mom, my leg is broken. I want to go with you..." "Stop being so dramatic!" "You’re the older one. You should let Chloe go first!" "You're a grown girl, why are you being so selfish? Do you really have to fight with Chloe at a time like this?" I never showed up at the shelter. When others urged her to call me, she just sneered. "She's just throwing a tantrum to make me worry!" "I always knew Hazel was an ungrateful brat! She's doing this on purpose, ignoring my Snapchat messages and calls!" "If you're so brave, don't you dare ever call me again!" But, Mom, I wasn't throwing a tantrum. I just didn't have the chance to answer anymore. The hurricane howled, carrying a torrential downpour that quickly flooded the first floor of our house. The crowd of evacuees huddled on the second-floor balcony, everyone desperately trying to get onto the rescue boat. My jeans were soaked in blood. Just minutes ago, when we were running downstairs, my half-sister Chloe had shoved me from behind, sending me tumbling down the steps. I grit my teeth, trying to stand by putting all my weight on my uninjured leg. But the moment I managed to crawl onto the boat, a cold, firm hand gripped my shoulder. I looked up. It was my mother, Eleanor. Without a single word, she violently shoved me off the deck. "Hazel, get off! Get off right now! Give your spot to Chloe!" Her voice was frantic, but there wasn't a shred of warmth in it. I crashed onto the wet ground. A sharp, blinding pain shot up my spine. My injured leg went completely numb. Our neighbor, Mrs. Gable, gasped in horror and tried to stop her. "Eleanor, Hazel's leg is badly hurt! Let her stay on the boat! Let her go!" But Eleanor didn't hesitate. "She's fine. Hazel is tough. Besides, she's practically an adult. She can wait for the next boat." She said it so casually, her voice dripping with impatience. My heart sank into a cold abyss. My vision blurred. After pushing me away, Eleanor turned around and pulled Chloe into a tight embrace on the boat. Chloe wrapped her arms around Eleanor’s waist, tears streaming down her face, refusing to let go. "Mom, please, I want to go with you too..." my voice cracked, muffled by the rain. Eleanor looked down at me, her eyes freezing cold. "You are the older sister, Hazel. You should let Chloe have this. Why are you still trying to compete with her at a time like this?" "But my leg is broken! Mom..." "Enough! Stop being so dramatic. Be responsible for once. Your leg isn't going to fall off. Can't you just wait for the next trip?" She gently patted Chloe’s back, soothing her like a precious baby. It was a gentle touch she had never, not once, given to me. The rescue boat's engine roared to life. As I watched their silhouettes fade into the grey sheet of rain, my chest felt completely hollow. Mrs. Gable’s voice cut through the wind. "Ever since you divorced her father, Hazel lived with Grandma Martha. She barely comes visit you. How can you be so cruel to her?" Eleanor sighed, her voice laced with irritation. "Just looking at her face makes my stomach turn. She ruins my mood." I stood there alone. Rain mixed with tears flowed down my cheeks. The entire world suddenly felt incredibly distant and freezing cold.
After they were evacuated, they were taken to the local high school gymnasium, which was serving as a temporary red cross shelter. The voice from the emergency radio broadcast drew everyone's attention: "Latest update—water levels in the southeast district are rising rapidly. Debris has blocked the main roads, making it extremely difficult for rescue teams to enter..." An anxious chatter broke out in the gym. Hearing this, Mrs. Gable immediately rushed to Eleanor’s side. She lowered her voice, her eyes wide with panic. "Eleanor, did you hear that? The water is rising too fast in the southeast! Our neighborhood is right in that zone. You need to contact Hazel right now to see if she made it out!" Eleanor merely frowned. There was no panic on her face. She just waved her hand dismissively. "She’ll be fine. Hazel knows how to swim. Nothing will happen to her." Her tone was so indifferent, as if she were talking about a complete stranger rather than her own daughter. Mrs. Gable snapped, grabbing Eleanor’s arm. "Her leg was ruined! Aren't you worried at all? It looked broken! How is she supposed to swim like that? What if something terrible happens to her?" Eleanor let out a soft, mocking laugh. "Broken? She probably just bruised it. Kids these days are so fragile." She rolled her eyes. "Back in my day, we went through much worse and still went to work the next day. Kids today can't handle a single scratch." Right at that moment, Chloe let out a tiny sneeze. Eleanor’s face instantly changed, as if an emergency button had been pressed. She immediately bent down, frantically feeling Chloe’s forehead. "Oh my god, sweetheart, did you sneeze? Are you catching a cold? Are you cold? Does your head hurt?" Her voice was trembling with anxiety, her face pale. She became a completely different person. She stood up abruptly, pulling Chloe toward the medical corner. "Come on, we can't wait. We need to see the shelter doctor right now. A cold could turn into pneumonia!" She held Chloe’s hand tightly, walking slowly to match her pace, terrified that her precious daughter might experience the slightest discomfort. All her anxiety, care, and love were poured onto Chloe. And that was a kind of warmth I had never experienced in my entire life.
By nightfall, the shelter was brightly lit. People began to settle down on their cots, trying to get some sleep. Yet, there was still no word from me. Mrs. Gable couldn't take it anymore. "Eleanor... maybe you should call Hazel again? It's so late. What if she's stranded?" Eleanor sighed in annoyance and pulled out her phone. Every movement she made showed her frustration, as if I were nothing but an annoying chore. "You guys just spoil Hazel too much. She’s definitely throwing a tantrum, hiding somewhere just to make me feel guilty," she muttered through gritted teeth, her eyes filled with resentment. She dialed my number. But all she got was a long, endless ringing. No one picked up. Her expression darkened instantly. "See? I told you! She's doing this on purpose. What an ungrateful brat. She has zero consideration for me! Always talking back, always trying to steal Chloe's spotlight. She's practically an adult and still behaves so selfishly. She is completely ruined." Mrs. Gable wanted to say something, but Eleanor had already lost her patience. She aggressively locked her phone and threw it into her bag, as if cutting off her very last connection to me. "I am not playing her games! You think I'm going to call her again? No way! If she wants to play dead, she can go ahead and never call me again!" Just then, Chloe gently tugged at her sleeve, looking terrified. "Mom, it's so dark here. I can't sleep." In an instant, the rage on Eleanor's face vanished, replaced by a soft, loving smile. She knelt down and whispered tenderly, "Don't worry, sweetie. Mommy is right here. I'll stay with you." She stroked Chloe's hair, hummed a soft lullaby, acting as if there was nothing more important in the world than putting her younger daughter to sleep. Meanwhile, her other daughter was left alone in the freezing storm, clinging to life. My safety, my life, meant absolutely nothing to her. Her eyes only saw Chloe. Her heart only held Chloe. My existence was nothing more than an inconvenient burden.
The next morning, Grandma Martha arrived at the shelter, her face pale with worry. The moment she saw Eleanor, she didn't even bother with a greeting. She went straight to the point. "Where is Hazel? Why is only Chloe here? Why didn't you bring Hazel with you?" Eleanor rolled her eyes, her voice dripping with annoyance. "Look at how you spoiled her! She is throwing the most ridiculous tantrum right now. Who knows where she ran off to? She won't even answer her phone. She's doing this just to spite me!" Grandma Martha's face fell, her voice shaking with repressed anger. "Hazel is not that kind of girl. She would never play games during a natural disaster. Think, Eleanor! Where could she be? Why aren't you out there looking for her?" "Look for her? I called her last night, and she ignored me! How is that my fault?" Eleanor sneered. "She’s old enough to walk. Was I supposed to carry her onto the boat? I had Chloe to protect! I couldn't just abandon Chloe for her. You've coddled her since she was a baby, and now she's turned into this selfish, stubborn brat!" Grandma Martha's hands trembled, her voice cracking. "I coddled her? That's because you never wanted her! You dumped her on my doorstep. When have you ever acted like a real mother to her? And now you're blaming me?" Eleanor looked defensive, her voice rising. "I let you raise her because you insisted! Besides, how can you say I don't love her? She's just difficult and always goes against me!" Just then, a police officer in a high-visibility jacket walked into the gym. He scanned the crowd, his face grave, and walked straight toward Eleanor. "Excuse me, are you Hazel Vance’s family?" Eleanor frowned, turning to Grandma Martha with a smug look. "See? I told you she was fine. She probably got herself brought here by the cops just to make a scene." She turned to the officer, her voice filled with condescension. "What did she do this time? She always loves making a scene to get attention. Did you find her? Was she fighting with someone? Or did she cause some trouble? Just tell me what kind of embarrassing stunt she pulled this time." She shook her head, sighing dramatically, ready to lecture me. However, the officer didn't smile. He looked down, silent for a painful moment, before speaking in a low, heavy voice. "Ma'am, I am so sorry for your loss... We recovered Hazel Vance's body."
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