Justice gripped my hand and comforted her, saying, "We'll have plenty of chances to make it up to Ella. But Zoey ... she only has one month left to live. The only way for Zoey to win the Golden Award and fulfill her dying wish is to eliminate Ella, the biggest competitor. Don't worry, Mom. Even if Ella loses her legs, I'll take care of her for the rest of my life. She'll forgive us eventually."
Even though I was numb, a dense, prickling pain still spread through my heart. I also wanted to know how they would compensate me, but I no longer had the chance. Because the one who was sick wasn't her, it was me. As their days revolved around Zoey, I silently counted down the days to my death.
***
When I woke up, Justice excitedly grabbed my hand. My mother stood by, her eyes red and brimming with tears. I wanted to turn around, but I couldn't move. As I struggled, the blanket covering me slipped off.
Zoey looked at me, let out a loud scream, then fainted right there on the couch. Justice and my mother rushed over anxiously to catch her. Only then did I see that my legs had been amputated from the thigh down, leaving only two empty pant legs tied in a knot.