Chapter 23. Deado

Aria’s POV

"I... I'm dead?" I whispered, as if afraid that speaking too loudly would confirm my fears. I turned to face my mom in shock. "So you're dead too?"

My mom just smiled at me and shook her head slightly, indicating that she was not. Does that mean I'm the only one who's dead? I felt relieved that my mom was still alive, but at the same time, a twinge of indignation tickled my nose.

"I...," I whimpered, "I don't want to be dead alone, waah."

Suddenly, a soft tinkling of laughter caught me by surprise. I turned to my mom and saw her shoulders delicately shaking, her eyes curved like a crescent moon—she was beautiful. I let go of her hand.

My mom didn't have delicate laughter. She had a loud laugh, the kind you hear in a bar. Dad always said she sounded like a car engine. But the woman in front of me sounded nothing like a drunken man or a busted old vehicle.

"Who are