My mom's the raider, and my dad says fuck her.

My mom said she was on a mission. If she couldn’t make my dad fall in love with her again, the system would wipe her out.

Completely erased from existence.

I secretly told Dad, but he just said, “Then let her die.”

Mom heard it too. She didn’t cry. She just held me gently.

Later, Mom really died.

But my cold, heartless dad, he went crazy.

1

Mom slept for a really, really long time. It was way past time to take me to preschool, but she still wasn’t awake.

I touched her body. It was cold, and stiff.

Not warm and soft like usual.

“Mommy, I’m hungry.” I shook her hard, but she still didn’t open her eyes.

She wasn’t like this before.

Before, if I just whined a little, she’d wake up instantly, pull me into her arms, and soothe me gently.

But now, she was sleeping so deeply.

I pulled the blanket over her to cover her properly, then climbed out of bed to call Dad.

Dad hadn’t been home for days. Our neighbor, Ms. Davis, said his first love, Celeste, had divorced and come back last month, and that he didn’t want Mom and me anymore.

Ms. Davis also said Mom looked a lot like Celeste, and Dad must have married Mom because he mistook her for Celeste.

I didn’t know what a “first love” was, so I went to ask Mom.

Mom was quiet for a long time before she said: “It’s about what you never truly had, what’s forever in the past.”

I didn’t get it.

I started to hate the moon.

Because it took my dad away.

2

Mom had set a password on her phone so I couldn’t watch videos. I couldn’t call Dad.

I held the phone up to Mom’s face, but it didn’t unlock automatically like it usually did.

I said to the phone, “Voice Assistant, I won’t secretly watch cartoons anymore. Please unlock, I need to call Dad.”

But the voice assistant didn’t respond.

I went to knock on Ms. Davis’s door, but no one was home either.

I had no choice but to climb back into bed and lie next to Mom, watching her.

Mom was beautiful. Even sleeping, she was beautiful, more beautiful than any fairy on TV.

Dad used to often watch Mom when she was asleep, and then he’d carry Mom from my side into their room.

He’d playfully nip at Mom like a puppy. Mom was most afraid of dogs, but she never pushed Dad away.

The next morning, Mom would always wake up late, rushing to make breakfast for Dad and me.

Adults always say kids don’t remember things, but I remember everything.

I remember that no matter how rushed Mom was back then, her eyes were always full of laughter.

But Dad didn’t smile. He just sat there looking at his phone, then went to work after breakfast, dropping me off at preschool on the way.

The teachers at preschool all loved it when Dad brought me. I heard them say my dad was the most handsome of all the dads, tall and good-looking and rich, like a movie star.

They also said my dad was cold and aloof, and if only he were a little gentler, he’d be perfect.

I thought they were wrong. Leo’s dad was clearly the best-looking.

Leo’s dad always carried him on his shoulders when ...