Shut Up Or Die

28 September 2004

I am Elise, dreaming of a place that can make me happy. Like a bed made of soft feathers that feels incredibly comfortable, like a fish pond filled with fish, a spacious three-story house, a large swimming pool, and a good school. But it's all just a dream that will never come true because I was born into a poor family, and I have a two-year-old sibling. Both of my parents are busy working, and my mother says I have a grandmother who is an indigo and looks like a sorceress, but I've never met my grandmother because my mother says she often travels to another world.

"Elise, your father has some good news for you!"

It's unusual for my father to come home so early, he usually returns late at night with a pile of work. It's still midday, why not today?

I descended the stairs and approached my father, who was smiling happily, holding a small piece of paper in his hand.

"What does dad have there?"

"Dad won the lottery, and look, I got the grand prize!"

"What's the grand prize?" I asked.

"Dad won a luxurious mansion with many luxurious amenities inside."

I jumped with joy, I didn't ask how my father could win this lottery because it wasn't important. What mattered to me right now was that I could fulfill my dream by having a luxurious mansion with luxurious facilities.

"This is amazing!"

I jumped with joy and went to cook dinner, afterward, I would wait for my mother to come home from work.

"Mom, dad won the lottery!"

Mom smiled, but she didn't seem excited. She just responded with a smile and joined us at the dinner table to eat.

"We'll move tomorrow."

I was surprised to see my mother looking shocked when my father said that we would move to the mansion tomorrow.

"Do we have to move so quickly?"

"Mom, aren't you happy that dad won the lottery?"

Mom just smiled. "I'm happy, but isn't it too rushed to move tomorrow?" She continued to come up with excuses.

"But sooner is better."

Mom fell silent for a moment and then continued her dinner. I went back to feeding my little sibling dinner.

"Are they keeping something from me?" I could only wonder silently because I was too afraid they would hear me and blame me.

"What's wrong, Elise?"

I just smiled and shook my head when my father asked me. He seemed to be more aware of my strangeness, looking at both of my parents.

"Is there something that confuses you, Elise?"

I just smiled and nodded, even though it was quite clear I felt something odd about my parents.

"Okay, if you don't want to say, Elise."

"I have to continue my work in my room, thank you for dinner."

I didn't understand. Since my mother started working, she seemed more distant to me and my father, not like the mother she used to be.

"Elise, you have to finish your dinner."

I smiled and nodded, then finished my dinner.

"Does Mom actually not like us moving from this house?"

I walked to my mother's room, and I could hear the voices of what sounded like an adult man talking. They sounded like they were having a conversation.

"Does she have to work in her room? Why not in the living room, where it's more comfortable?"

I went into my room and lay down, closing my eyes.

Last night, I had a very restful sleep, which left me feeling refreshed in the morning. It was the most enjoyable sleep because I had a beautiful dream. I lived in the luxurious mansion that could grant all my wishes, and anything I desired was easily obtained because of the mansion.

"Elise, let's go."

I saw my mother already in the car, from her expression, it was clear she didn't want to leave our house.

"Mom, are you tired from working overnight?"

"No."

My mother answered my question briefly, making me sit silently in my father's old car, staring out at the beautiful mountain view. Our old house was far from the city center, but the mansion we were moving to now was in the heart of the city.

"We've arrived, Elise. Let's go."

Dad carried all our belongings from the car. I looked at my mother, who was still sitting in the car, staring straight ahead as if she didn't want to leave the vehicle.

"Are they keeping something from me?" I could only wonder silently because I was too afraid they would hear me and blame me.

"What's wrong, Elise?"

I just smiled and shook my head when my father asked me. He seemed to be more aware of my strangeness, looking at both of my parents.

"Is there something that confuses you, Elise?"

I just smiled and nodded, even though it was quite clear I felt something odd about my parents.

"Okay, if you don't want to say, Elise."

"I have to continue my work in my room, thank you for dinner."

I didn't understand. Since my mother started working, she seemed more distant to me and my father, not like the mother she used to be.

"Elise, you have to finish your dinner."

I smiled and nodded, then finished my dinner.

"Does Mom actually not like us moving from this house?"

I walked to my mother's room, and I could hear the voices of what sounded like an adult man talking. They sounded like they were having a conversation.

"Does she have to work in her room? Why not in the living room, where it's more comfortable?"

I went into my room and lay down, closing my eyes.

Last night, I had a very restful sleep, which left me feeling refreshed in the morning. It was the most enjoyable sleep because I had a beautiful dream. I lived in the luxurious mansion that could grant all my wishes, and anything I desired was easily obtained because of the mansion.

"Elise, let's go."

I saw my mother already in the car, from her expression, it was clear she didn't want to leave our house.

"Mom, are you tired from working overnight?"

"No."

My mother answered my question briefly, making me sit silently in my father's old car, staring out at the beautiful mountain view. Our old house was far from the city center, but the mansion we were moving to now was in the heart of the city.

"We've arrived, Elise. Let's go."

Dad carried all our belongings from the car. I looked at my mother, who was still sitting in the car, staring straight ahead as if she didn't want to leave the vehicle.

"Mom?"

Mom turned to look at me with a confused and sad expression.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

She just shook her head and held my hand tightly. We both walked through the mansion's gate, and I saw four guards who had been standing in front of the gate since earlier, standing tall with broad smiles on their faces. It felt very strange.

"Why does it look so strange like this?" I asked.

I looked at my mother, who was gazing at the luxurious mansion with an anxious and fearful look. Shouldn't a wife be happy when given such a luxurious mansion as a gift?

"Mom, let's go inside."

Mom remained silent, and we entered the mansion. Seeing how vast it was and how it would be ours from today, a three-story mansion, a luxurious dining room, a spacious fish pond, a large swimming pool with crystal-clear water, and a huge garden with a play area, made me feel very happy.

"Welcome, Elise!" Dad smiled, carrying me and taking me on a tour of the mansion.

"Are you happy?" I smiled and nodded enthusiastically.

"Very happy. Thank you, Dad."

Seeing my father so cheerful and the happy smiles filling the spacious mansion, the strange feeling that had been inside the mansion disappeared.

"Tonight, would you like to eat something?"

I nodded eagerly and listed the foods I wanted.

"Okay, Dad will make it for you. We should celebrate our move to this mansion."

I looked at my father, who went enthusiastically to the kitchen wearing an apron to cook. Then my gaze shifted back to my mother, who sat quietly, gazing at the entire mansion from her seat.

"Mom, why are you just sitting there?"

"We should leave from here before the sun sets. Come on, dear. Come with me."

"Mom, what's wrong with you? Why do you look like you don't like it? Dad bought this for you, why don't you feel any happiness?"

"He's not your father, dear."

I burst into laughter upon hearing my mother's serious tone and her pale, fearful face.

"Come on, we need to leave this place, dear."

"Mom?"

Mom turned to look at me with a confused and sad expression.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

She just shook her head and held my hand tightly. We both walked through the mansion's gate, and I saw four guards who had been standing in front of the gate since earlier, standing tall with broad smiles on their faces. It felt very strange.

"Why does it look so strange like this?" I asked.

I looked at my mother, who was gazing at the luxurious mansion with an anxious and fearful look. Shouldn't a wife be happy when given such a luxurious mansion as a gift?

"Mom, let's go inside."

Mom remained silent, and we entered the mansion. Seeing how vast it was and how it would be ours from today, a three-story mansion, a luxurious dining room, a spacious fish pond, a large swimming pool with crystal-clear water, and a huge garden with a play area, made me feel very happy.

"Welcome, Elise!" Dad smiled, carrying me and taking me on a tour of the mansion.

"Are you happy?" I smiled and nodded enthusiastically.

"Very happy. Thank you, Dad."

Seeing my father so cheerful and the happy smiles filling the spacious mansion, the strange feeling that had been inside the mansion disappeared.

"Tonight, would you like to eat something?"

I nodded eagerly and listed the foods I wanted.

"Okay, Dad will make it for you. We should celebrate our move to this mansion."

I looked at my father, who went enthusiastically to the kitchen wearing an apron to cook. Then my gaze shifted back to my mother, who sat quietly, gazing at the entire mansion from her seat.

"Mom, why are you just sitting there?"

"We should leave from here before the sun sets. Come on, dear. Come with me."

"Mom, what's wrong with you? Why do you look like you don't like it? Dad bought this for you, why don't you feel any happiness?"

"He's not your father, dear."

I burst into laughter upon hearing my mother's serious tone and her pale, fearful face.

"Come on, we need to leave this place, dear."

Of course, I refused my mother's invitation to leave this place. This mansion and everything inside it are just as I've always dreamed. It's a miracle for me, and I can't just leave it because my mother is paranoid.

"Mom is too paranoid."

My mother was shocked by my harsh words, as I had never spoken rudely before. This was the first time I had been so harsh with her, but I didn't want to let go of my dream mansion.

"Elise, let's eat," my father invited.

"Let's go!"

I saw all my favorite foods already on the dining table, everything I desired. I eagerly devoured my favorite dishes.

"Thank you, Dad."

"Do you like it?"

"I love it." I smiled happily and continued to eat with enthusiasm.

I noticed that my mother didn't join us for dinner.

"Dad, where did you get all this delicious food?"

"Everything is available in this mansion, dear. Whatever you want is already here in this mansion."

"Really?! Can I ask for a room with soft feathers and twinkling lights?"

My father gently stroked my hair, smiling happily. "Of course, dear."

My mother held my hand tightly, looking at me with anxious and haunting eyes.

"What's wrong, Mom?"

"We have to leave this place, dear."

"I don't want to!"

I always refused my mother's invitation, making her look sad.

"Elise, go to your room. You need to sleep now," my father said, stroking my hair.

"Okay, goodnight, Dad."

I didn't say goodnight to my mother because I was still very angry with her for always trying to get me to come home.

I walked up the stairs and entered my room. I was surprised and delighted.

"Wow! This is so beautiful."