All I Ask—To Be Bathed in Sunlight

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My dad suddenly wanted to go on a trip to Blackwood National Forest. He also bought me a life insurance policy.

The payout amount was terrifyingly high.

He said I was the backbone of the family and deserved to be prioritized.

He even made a point of telling my brother to take extra good care of me that day.

I was overwhelmed. I didn't just scout the route and plan the trip in advance; I secretly bought massive policies for him and the rest of the family, too.

One accident, a ten-million-dollar payout.

After all, this was my second time around.

I already knew what it was like to go hiking with them.

I knew exactly how horribly I would die.

"See, honey? Who's Dad's favorite?!"

"The whole family got insurance, but yours has the biggest payout by far."

The moment the insurance agent left, my dad started trying to take credit. After all, everyone else's premium was a few hundred dollars. Mine was ten thousand.

Getting him to part with ten grand was like pulling teeth.

I kept my head down, scrolling through my phone without a word.

"What, you're not happy?"

"Come on, have a beer with your old man. Let's talk."

He patted my head, grabbing a couple of beers and a bowl of peanuts, waving me over. Whenever I was troubled, he'd always been a good listener.

This would be our last heart-to-heart.

"Dad, I don't want to go hiking," I said, looking him straight in the eye. "I want to go to the coast."

"We're surrounded by mountains here. There's no need to travel so far just to hike somewhere else."

"I'd rather see the ocean."

"Wouldn't wading in the water and collecting seashells be more relaxing than climbing a mountain?"

My dad's hand paused, the beer glass halfway to his lips. He glanced at me, then looked down and took a long drink.

"What's there to see at the ocean? A rogue wave could sweep you away and no one would ever find you."

"But the mountains... it's a contained space. No matter what happens, they'll always find you."

Find my body, you mean?

A cold laugh echoed in my mind.

In my last life, not only did they fail to find me, they complained that I was useless even in death.

"That's final," my dad said, his guilt giving way to irritation. He stood and walked out of the room.

My heart plunged into an icy abyss, all warmth extinguished.

His plan was just as ruthless as before.

My brother, Kyle, looked at me, exasperated. "Sis, you really don't appreciate anything, do you?"

"Dad spent ten thousand dollars on you, and you can't even say thank you? Now you want to go to the beach?"

"Do you have any idea how much that would cost? You should be grateful we're going hiking at all."

I laughed, a tremor running through my entire body. "You're right. Dad is the best. I should be on my knees, thanking my lucky stars for all of you."

Kyle was speechless, just staring at me.

My mom came out and slapped me hard on the back. "What's that supposed to mean, you ungrateful brat? Everyone knows your father loves you the most."

"Just because you didn't get your way, you're going to throw a tantrum?"

"Have you ever seen him spend money on anyone the way he does on you? That was ten thousand dollars!"

Yes. Ten thousand dollars.

Ten thousand dollars would be a nice contribution to my brother's wedding fund, but it was a drop in the bucket for a house and a car.

So, they decided to make a bigger bet.

They were leveraging ten thousand dollars at a thousand-to-one return, and my life was the price.

With the payout, they'd have a house, a car, a daughter-in-law, even enough for retirement.

What a profitable business. The happiness of an entire family, all for the low cost of one daughter.

He really was so good to me.

I stood up, brushing off non-existent dust, and walked toward the door.

"Where are you going?" my mom yelled after me. "What? Can't handle a little criticism?"

"I'm going to buy Dad some BBQ ribs."

"Can't let that ten thousand go to waste."

I didn't look back.

"That's more like it! And get me some beef brisket, and a couple pounds of chili dogs for my son."

"That's his favorite!"

I agreed to it all.

After all, this would be the last time they'd ever eat anything I bought for them.

Consider it my final offering to the dead.

2

I ducked into an alley and pulled out my phone, opening the hidden camera app.

The moment I was out the door, my dad had come right back in.

"She didn't suspect anything, did she?" my brother asked nervously. "I'm scared she'll hit me."

My dad's face darkened. "You're pathetic."

My mom scurried to the door, peered out both ways, and shut it tight.

"She's gone, right?"

"My heart is pounding."

My dad sat back down, unconcerned. "Long gone. You're as useless as your son."

"She's an adopted girl. She costs more than anyone else in this family. She should be grateful."

"If she weren't so stubborn, this wouldn't be necessary. She wouldn't sleep with our boy, and she wouldn't agree to marry that old creep Thompson. If we could have gotten the money from that, would I have to go to all this trouble?"

He punctuated his rant with a kick to my brother's shin.

"You coward. Can't even get a girl into bed."

My brother clutched his leg, whining. "Her pants were too tight, I couldn't get them off."

"And she's strong! She hits hard."

My mom pulled Kyle into her arms, glaring at my dad. "Why are you kicking my son? Go kick that ungrateful wolf."

"After all these years we've raised her! She won't marry our son, fine. But she won't even let us use her to get some money for him! It's infuriating!"

"I say we should have just tied her up and let him have his way. Once she had the baby, what could she do?"

Kyle trembled in my mother's embrace. "Mom, I'm scared of her! I don't want to do it!"

My mom soothed him while her voice turned venomous. "Just thinking about her makes me furious. Last time she kicked my son in the family jewels, almost made him a eunuch."

"Just wait until we get into those mountains. I'll show her."

She turned back to Kyle. "Don't worry, sweetie. After we get the insurance money, Mom will find you a beautiful influencer to marry."

My dad shot them a look, but a smirk played on his lips.

The three of them began to dream aloud about the wonderful life they'd have once they were rich.

I shut off my phone, my face a blank mask.

That evening, I returned with all their favorite foods.

My dad smiled, his eyes gleaming with the satisfaction of a hunter who has tamed his prey.

As he ate, he started his usual brainwashing. "Your mother and I have worked hard our whole lives to put you through college. You may only be a gym teacher, but at least it's a stable state job. Your brother isn't very bright. Your mother and I will have to rely on you in the future."

I ate my rice in silence.

My dad's eyes shifted. "Still mad about what happened?"

He stood up, went to the kitchen, and came back with a meat cleaver.

He held it out to me. "Here, honey. Take it."

"Your brother lost his mind and did something unforgivable. It's my fault. Today, if it'll make you feel better, you can cut him. Hell, you can chop him to pieces for all I care!"

My mom froze, trying to grab the knife, but my dad shoved her aside. "It's because of you, you useless shrew, that he turned out to be such a coward!"

"That's his sister! How could he do something so despicable?!"

"Go on, honey. Whatever you do, I'll support you."

I took the knife and looked at him, staring him straight in the eyes. "Really? You'll support me, no matter what I do?"

His gaze flickered for a moment, then he gritted his teeth. "That's right. Your old man's word is his bond!"

I held the knife and turned to my brother. I stared at him until his legs started to shake and a dark patch spread across the front of his pants.

The smell of urine filled the air as he collapsed to the floor, trembling.

"Don't don't kill me"

I suddenly felt bored. I tossed the cleaver onto the floor near his feet. He shrieked and passed out.

I looked back at my dad. I saw a flash of murderous intent in his eyes before it was replaced by his usual harmless, folksy expression.

"Dad, I forgive him."

"And I'll go with you to Blackwood National Forest."

3

We had just reached the foothills of Blackwood when, without warning, a light rain began to fall. The mountains in the distance were shrouded in a thick mist, like a veil separating them from the outside world, instilling a sense of dread for the unknown within.

It was exactly like my past life.

Last time, my dad led us into the protected nature reserve through a remote, unofficial entrance. He insisted on camping, on taking me and my brother deep into the forest to "explore." He said that if we were going to make the trip, we had to make it worth the ticket price.

I was afraid of bugs, and even more terrified of the leeches that would latch onto my legs and drink my blood, dozens of them, like tiny vampires. But I was afraid my family would be in danger, so I forced myself to follow. I never imagined that they were the real danger.

This time, I would seize the initiative.

As soon as we reached a flat clearing for our camp, I spoke up.

"Dad, I saw online that there are some ancient ruins over to the right. Let's go check them out."

My dad glanced to the left, a conflicted look on his face.

"Come on, let's go! Mom can stay here and rest. Maybe we can hunt a rabbit for dinner."

"It's not worth the bus fare if we don't have some fun."

With that, I grabbed my backpack and started walking to the right.

After a moment of silence, my dad gave in. "Alright. Your mom will rest here. Your brother and I will go exploring with you."

"Slow down, be careful not to slip."

He quickly caught up and walked ahead of me, while my brother followed about three paces behind.

They had me boxed in.

"Dad, the path is slippery. Be careful," I said calmly.

"Mmm."

We walked for about an hour, deep into the forest. Though it was midday, the canopy was so thick that it felt like dusk. As my dad scouted the path ahead, I slowed my pace until I was walking alongside my brother.

Kyle practically jumped out of his skin when I got close.

I reached out and steadied him, reminding him to watch his step, then started making casual conversation.

"So, Kyle, have Mom and Dad set you up on any dates lately?"

His voice trembled. "They tried. I didn't want to go."

"Sis, I won't go in your room again. I'm scared of you." He looked terrified, his hands protectively covering his crotch.

I gently moved his hands away, telling him with a kind expression that I had already forgiven him, and that I hoped he'd get married soon.

"When you have kids, I'll be an aunt. I'll have to give my nephew a big gift."

"Really?" The mention of money made Kyle's eyes light up, but his face fell just as quickly. He said the family didn't have any money, and no girl would want him.

"They say I'm stupid and poor. They'd rather sleep with a log."

I stifled a laugh and continued to soothe him. When the time was right, I told him the real reason his dad had brought him here.

"I saw that Dad bought himself a ten-million-dollar insurance policy. He said you'll get the money when he dies."

"You could marry five wives with that, let alone one!"

Kyle's face lit up with joy, then confusion. "Dad didn't tell me that. He said you were the one who"

He clamped his hand over his mouth. "Dad told me not to tell you. It's a secret."

"He said that if I died, you'd all get the payout, right?" I asked casually.

Kyle's jaw dropped. "Sis, how did you know?"

"How do you think?" I rolled my eyes. "Dad told me, of course. He also told me not to tell you."

Kyle's face flushed with anger. "He always thinks I'm stupid! He never tells me anything! All he ever does is hit me and kick me."

Seeing his resentment, I patted his shoulder. "Hey, Dad's going through a lot. He has a terminal illness, you know. He just doesn't want to worry us."

Kyle's eyes turned red. "Dad Dad's dying"

His emotions were at their peak. It was time for the final push.

"Dad said that if he can't bring himself to do it, he hopes you'll give him a little push."

"Kyle, you're the only man in the family now. You're the one who has to be strong."

"Don't let him down this time."

I looked at him with an expression full of hope.

Kyle's spirits lifted. He raised his hand as if taking an oath.

"Don't worry, sis. I'll complete the mission Dad gave me!"

"This time, I'll show him

I'm not a coward!"