A Man To Marry

In our village, there was a peculiar custom. Kids who were engaged to each other while still in the womb had to tie the knot, regardless of whether they were alive or deceased later.

I never imagined my mother would use her own life to force me into submission to this outdated custom and marry a dead person.

...

My mother and I argued daily about the engagement. The fights were so intense that her cancer cells spread, leaving her critically ill.

When I returned home, I found the courtyard filled with funeral items.

My father stood at the door, his face dark and grim. "Go inside and take a look, " he said.

My heart sank as I stepped into the house, each step heavier than the last.

The bed was empty. The small room, barely big enough to turn around in, was bare.

I had a feeling something wasn't right.

Suddenly, the door behind me slammed shut.

I rushed to pull it open, but it was already locked.

"Dad! Allen! What's going on? Where's Mom?"

My brother Allen Jordan's voice came from the other side of the door. "Mom's fine. If we didn't use this method, we couldn't have tricked you into coming back."

I was stunned. "Tricked me? What for?"

My mother's voice rang out clearly, full of energy. "Of course, to get you married. Everything's ready. We've just been waiting for you."

She was perfectly fine. Her voice was strong and steady, with no trace of someone on the brink of death.

Married…

My head buzzed.

In our village, pre-arranged marriages were common. I wasn't spared either.

The engagement was decided before I was even born. Maxwell Barnes from the east side of the village had saved my grandfather's life, so the two families agreed to marry me to their family.

The groom? Maxwell's only grandson, Sebastian Barnes. But Sebastian was a chubby boy and wasn't handsome at all, even a bit ugly.

He was also a poor student with an unpleasant personality.

I despised him. As a child, whenever someone teased us about being engaged, I would storm off in anger.

When I grew older, I studied hard and got into a university in Briarwood. After graduation, I refused to return home, determined to break off the engagement.

But no matter how many times I screamed and pleaded to cancel the engagement, my mother would look at me and say, "Even if you die, you're supposed to die in the Barnes family. Nancy, this is your fate."

My face turned pale, and I nearly collapsed to the floor.

Outside the door, my brother coughed. "Nancy, the chosen time for the ceremony is set for eleven tonight. Get ready. Don't worry. We won't harm you."

...

Time ticked by. At nine o'clock, I heard the sound of the lock turning.

In the dim candlelight, a group of middle-aged women entered the room, two of whom were from the village.

They carried trays and boxes, their faces beaming with joy.

The two leading women, both strong and sturdy, pressed me down onto a stool in front of the dressing table.

"Nancy, tonight's your wedding. You must look your best."

They layered thick cream on my face, followed by powder, heavy black eyeliner, and bright red lipstick... I kept my lips tightly shut, letting them smear the makeup on me like I was a lifeless doll.

In the mirror, I looked like I was wearing a grotesque mask.

I stayed silent and compliant, which made those women lower their guard. When it came time to change clothes, I asked them to step outside.

The two leading women nodded, and the group filed out, leaving only the two villagers behind.

I pulled out a prepared stash of cash and a bank card and said to the two village, "Please, let me go. There's over six thousand dollars here. It's all yours."

They stared at me, expressionless.

I begged, "If it's not enough, I'll write a written promise to pay. The moment I'm back in Briarwood, I'll transfer the money to you."

Still, they didn't react.

"Ms. Kinsman, Ms. Greer, you both watched me grow up. I'm begging you…"

Patricia Kinsman looked down at me coldly. "We've lived here for decades. If we let you go, do you think others will let us off? Just accept your fate."

"Exactly, Nancy," Jessica Greer added. "Besides, it's just a ceremony. Just grin and bear it for a couple of days, okay?"

Just a ceremony… Just grin and bear it for a couple of days...

Those were Jessica's words, and also my brother's.

I broke down in tears.

In the end, I couldn't escape. They forced me into a white wedding dress. Inside and outside the house, people kept a close watch on me until eleven o'clock. When the time reached, they finally open the door and stepped in.

My mother was dressed impeccably, her hair neatly pinned.

She walked over and gently stroked my head. "Don't blame your father and me. Our Jordan family must keep our promises, right?"

I turned my face away, refusing to look at her, my heart filled with resentment.

Outside, an old woman's sharp, excited voice called out, "Time to fetch the bride!"

My mother's hand trembled. She lowered her voice and said, "Nancy, don't be afraid. Just endure for seven days, and I'll send you back to Briarwood."

...

The car swayed as it set off.

The music playing in the car wasn't festive at all. Instead, it had a desolate and mournful tone, with faint sobs mixed in. Sitting inside, I felt a chill deep in my bones. The white flowers tied to the front of the car were way beyond my understanding.

Half an hour later, they dragged me out of the car, forced me into the Maxwell family's main hall. There, my father was waiting for me. He then led me into the center of the hall.

I'd met Sebastian's parents before when they visited our home. His dad Ambrose Barnes was a man of few words, and his mom Laurel Barnes had a gloomy demeanor and spoke harshly. Coupled with the engagement, I had no fondness for them whatsoever.

I struggled fiercely, but my father held me tightly. In the end, Patricia and Jessica came to help, forcing me arrive at the center of the hall.

Sebastian's mother Laurel sat in the audience's area, looking at me with a wicked smile, as if saying, "From today on, you're part of the Barnes family."

They dragged me to the center of the hall and forced me to face my future husband.

That was when I saw Sebastian.

He was clad in a black suit and was being supported by two burly men as they prepared to slip the wedding ring on my finger.

Sebastian's head lolled to one side, his limbs limp, his feet hovering slightly above the floor.

His eyes were shut, and a foul odor emanated from him.

Sebastian was a dead man now.

After the ceremony, they sent me into the bridal chamber, where Sebastian's corpse lay on the wedding bed.

I had barely spoken ten sentences to him in my life. He was a sinister man who always lurked in the shadows, watching me.

He used to tell others I was his wife.

But now, his corpse was rotting. The stench was nauseating.

I noticed the gray-green patches of decay on his arms and neck, resembling moss.

Two days ago, I was working in an office in Briarwood. But now, I was trapped here with this horrifying corpse.

I couldn't stop trembling. My stomach churned, and I dry-heaved against the wall, vomiting only yellow bile.

When I looked up, the shadow of his corpse on the wall suddenly moved.

Sebastian had come back to life?

I stumbled back, staring at him in terror, only to realize it was the wind flickering the ceiling light.

My mind was wandering, and the seconds ticked by like that. Suddenly, the lights in the room went out.

...

In the darkness, my fear multiplied. Then, I heard faint rustling near the corpse.

It sounded like a cat scratching at a door or fabric brushing against the door. Soon, I saw a shadow outside the window.

I guessed it was someone from the Barnes family watching me, so I pretended to be asleep, slumping over the table without moving.

The shadow stood at the window, peering in for a long time.

After about ten minutes, a familiar female voice spoke. "Ambrose, it looks like Sebastian's bride has fallen asleep."

"Really?" Ambrose asked.

"Yes, she hasn't moved for a long time. It's time to act."

Ambrose hesitated. "Do we really have to kill her?"

"Of course. Only in death can she fulfill her duty as Sebastian's wife in the afterlife. Otherwise, wouldn't the three hundred thousand you spent on this wedding just go down the drain?"

Hearing this, my heart pounded wildly, faster than ever before.

Outside, the trees swayed in the wind, their shadows trembling.

I knew they would come to kill me any moment.

In just a few minutes, my bloodied corpse would lie beside Sebastian's.

I heard the footsteps approached, slow and deliberate, like a death knell.

Soon, the door creaked open, and two dark figures stepped inside.

Ambrose called out, "Nancy?"

I clenched my jaw, staying silent.

He called again, then walked to the table and threw a rope over me.

I sprang to my feet and bolted out of the open door as fast as I could.

Behind me, a woman's shrill scream pierced the air, "Wrong! Wrong! That little wretch escaped! Quick, shut the courtyard gate!"

...

They had indeed grabbed the wrong person. Just moments ago, I had used every bit of strength I could muster, as if wrestling with wild beasts, to drag Sebastian's corpse to the table.

Ambrose, in a moment of distraction, began tying up his own deceased son without realizing it.

I sprinted all the way, weaving through the lush grass.

Just when I thought I was safe, a figure emerged from the gaps between the leaves ahead!

I nearly stumbled, clutching a blade of grass beside me tightly, and cold sweat broke out all over me.

It was Sebastian!

How could this be? How was it him?

In the moonlight, he stood stiffly, glaring at me with unblinking eyes.

The grass rustled as it blew, and I was frantically counting down in my mind.

Three.

Two.

One!

I turned and sprinted.

The frantic rustling behind me resumed. That man was chasing me again.

I didn't dare look back. I knew he was close, too close. If I hesitated for even a second, I'd be done for.

I had never been this terrified in my entire life.

Ahead of me was a slope. If I could make it down, I would reach the river at the edge of the village.

The sound behind me suddenly stopped. I hadn't heard footsteps for a while.

Summoning my courage, I glanced back. Nothing but silence. In the moonlight, the grass swayed gently, as if what had just happened was nothing more than a hallucination.

I let out a shaky breath, realizing for the first time how drenched I was in sweat. My clothes clung to me, sticky and uncomfortable.

The sound of the river ahead was soothing, almost inviting.

Step by step, I approached the water, crouched down, and splashed my face with the cool liquid.

As I washed, a sudden gust of wind blew strands of hair across my face, tickling me.

I reached up to brush them away, but my hand froze mid-air.

Because in the reflection of the water, there were two figures.

One was me. The other was Sebastian.

His blood-red eyes glared at me from the reflection.

...

A cold draft brushed the back of my neck, eerily resembling the breath of someone unseen.

I let out a scream, my entire body trembling.

In the reflection, his meaty face twisted with excitement as he stared at me.

Suddenly, his hand clamped down on my shoulder.

I turned around, my skin crawling.

"Hi… found you…"

When he was speaking, the mole at the corner of his mouth was very noticeable.

Oh! It wasn't Sebastian.

It was Rory Barnes, Sebastian's younger brother. The two of them looked so alike that it was hard to tell them apart at first glance.

Rory was slow-witted, born with cerebral palsy after a difficult birth.

Despite his mental state, Rory was incredibly strong. He'd do whatever you told him, no questions asked.

"My brother told me to bring you back… My brother told me to bring you back…" He stared at me blankly, repeating the same words twice.

I nodded. "Alright."

I didn't plan to resist. He was built like an ox, and I knew I couldn't overpower him.

We walked toward the Barnes family's home, one after the other. Every now and then, he would glance back at me, mumbling something under his breath.

When we passed the village's community center, I suddenly pointed at the entrance and shouted, "Hey, isn't that your brother?"

Rory flinched and turned to look. "Where?"

Seizing the moment, I took off running.

The farther I ran, the colder I felt, as if an invisible hand was tightening around my throat, making it hard to breathe.

By the time I was completely exhausted, I could see the faint lights of the neighboring village.

I thought of Lillian Mitchell.

Lillian had been my best friend growing up. We sat next to each other in class all through elementary and middle school.

Though we had lost touch as adults, I knew she would help me.

I had no idea how long I'd been walking. I'd trekked over mountains and across valleys for a long time on the mountain path, but finally, I arrived at Lillian's house.

Disheveled and battered, I stood beneath her window and called her name softly.

After a few calls, Lillian poked her head out. "What happened to you?"

Under the light, I saw how ragged I looked. My wedding dress was in tatters, my shoes were gone, and my body was covered in cuts and blood.

She quickly let me inside.

Once I stepped into Lillian's room, the tension I had been holding onto finally released.

I fainted.

...

I woke with a start.

It took me a moment to realize I wasn't at home.

Lillian was sitting at her vanity, her back to me, brushing her hair.

In my memory, Lillian had thin, yellowish hair. But right now, it was jet-black and shiny.

Hearing that I had woken up, her hand froze. "You can't stand staying at home either, can you?"

"You know what happened to me?"

Lillian sighed. "You should leave. If you wait any longer, it'll be too late."

I felt a pang of frustration. I had come all this way to seek her help, and now she was telling me to leave?

I stood up, ready to argue, but after taking two steps, I caught sight of her face in the mirror.

Her complexion was ghostly pale, her face sunken and skeletal, and her eyes were locked onto mine in the reflection.

Then, without moving her body, she twisted her head to face me, her gaze chilling.

"Go… now…"

Panic surged through me. As I stumbled backward, my hand accidentally caught her hair. I barely tugged, but with a sickening thud, her head fell off!

I froze, my eyes wide with horror. Her severed head grinned at me, blood dripping from the corners of her mouth.

Her hand pointed toward the bed.

That was when I noticed she was wearing the white wedding dress that I had taken off earlier.

I let out a scream and jolted awake, finding myself still in bed.

The room was pitch black, and I was alone.

What was going on?

My heart pounded in my chest.

I hadn't gotten married yet?

It was just a dream…

But why had it felt so real?

The white wedding dress… A sudden thought struck me, and I turned on the bedside lamp, rummaging through the room.

Moments later, my face went pale. The dress I had thrown into the trash before bed was gone.

I searched the entire room, from the wardrobe to the vanity.

Finally, under the bed, I found something.

It was a gray diary, tightly glued to the underside of the bed frame.

I yanked it free and opened it to the first page.

...

January 20, 2020, Cloudy

Today, my mom confiscated my phone. She said it was because I stared at it all day long that I'd end up getting lung cancer. I was furious. I knew she just didn't want me to contact anyone.

She had been so angry lately, especially after my arranged marriage fell through, and she called me a loser.

February 24, 2020, Sunny

The pain was unbearable. I begged them again to take me to the hospital today. My dad said all the money had gone into building the house and saving for my brother's wedding. How could they afford my treatment?

I cried and asked if I could borrow money from a friend. My dad still refused.

Was I even their real daughter? I just wanted to go to the hospital. Whether it was to get some painkillers or do whatever else, I simply didn't want to die like this, without any dignity.

March 9, 2020, Sunny

It turned out that what the doctor had said about being in the advanced stage and having a life expectancy of no more than three months was true.

The pain was getting worse. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep. The pain was so intense that I banged my head against the wall hard. I really wanted to end it all, but I didn't even have the strength for that.

March 27, 2020, Cloudy

Tonight, as I lay in bed half-conscious, I heard a visitor arrive. It was a fashionable middle-aged woman. She even glanced at me through the window.

I had a bad feeling about this woman. Forcing myself up, I crept downstairs.

In the stairwell, I overheard her conversation with my parents. She said a young woman's corpse could fetch a good price, and with that money, my brother's wedding expenses would be covered.

I was stunned. I wasn't even dead yet, and they were already planning to sell my corpse?

My dad stayed silent, and my mom hung her head.

Just when I thought they might refuse, my dad looked up and nodded. "Alright, Hattie, you handle it."

My mom wiped her tears. "I can't bear to part with Lillian, but the doctor said there was no chance of survival since it was in the late stage. If she marries, she won't have to be alone in the afterlife, don't you think?"

I collapsed onto the stairs, my legs giving out.

I wasn't even dead yet, and they were already making these plans?

So this was why they wouldn't take me to the hospital or let me contact anyone.

Overcome with rage and despair, I dragged myself into the living room and shouted, "I won't agree to this! Get this woman out of my house!"

I thought I had used every ounce of strength I had, but the result was barely a whisper, as if my breath were hanging by a thread. After saying just a few words, my vision went black, and I fainted.