A Race Against Time
On the morning of my medical college entrance exam, I woke up late to find that all my alarms were mysteriously turned off. As I hurried to get ready, my 8-year-old brother stepped in with a plan that would save the day.
Since I was young, I dreamed of becoming a doctor. After my mom died of cancer, that dream became even stronger. I wanted to help people like her, learn more about the disease that took her away, and support others in their battles against it.
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I worked for this moment for years, going through late nights, countless books, and more exams than I could count. Today, all that hard work was about to pay off: it was finally the day of my medical entrance exam.
Last night, I did everything to make sure I wouldn’t oversleep. I set three alarms on my phone—6:00 a.m., 6:15 a.m., and 6:30 a.m. I even left my curtains open so that the sunlight would wake me up. As I lay in bed, I thought of my mom and promised myself that I’d make her proud.
When I opened my eyes the next morning, something felt wrong. It was dark, too dark. I reached for my phone, and my heart sank—9:55 a.m. My exam started at 10:00.
“No, no, no! This can’t be happening!” I threw off my blankets and grabbed my phone. All three alarms were turned off.
“I know I set these!” I muttered, my hands shaking as I got dressed quickly. My mind raced with questions. How did this happen?
I bolted down the stairs, half-dressed, with my hair everywhere. “Linda!” I called out, desperately looking for my stepmom. “Linda, please! I need a ride to the college. My exam is in five minutes!”
She was in the kitchen, sipping her coffee calmly, watching me with a look I couldn’t quite understand. She raised an eyebrow, giving me a look that was as cold as her coffee cup was hot.
“You’re late already,” she said flatly. “Maybe next time, you should learn to set an alarm properly.”
“I did set them!” I almost shouted, feeling frustrated and panicked. “I triple-checked. They were on, all three of them.”
She shrugged, a slight smirk on her lips. “Clearly, you didn’t. Maybe this is a sign that you’re not cut out for med school. If you can’t even wake up on time, how will you handle something serious, like a patient?”
I stood there, feeling my face grow hot, my mind swirling with disbelief and desperation. This couldn’t be real. My stepmom wouldn’t do this to me, would she?
I turned toward the door, knowing I’d never make it on foot but feeling I had to try. Just as I reached for the handle, I heard a small voice behind me.
“I know who did it,” my little brother Jason said, his voice shaky but his eyes steady.
I turned, confused. “Jason, what are you talking about?”
He took a small step forward, looking at Linda cautiously. “I saw her. Last night. She turned off your alarms, Emily.”
Linda shot him a sharp look. “Jason, stop making up stories,” she hissed.
Jason gulped but didn’t back down. “I’m not lying! I saw you go into her room, pick up her phone, and turn off the alarms. You said she didn’t need to be at that stupid exam anyway.”
My mind was spinning. I looked at Linda, searching her face for denial, for any sign she’d say it was a misunderstanding. But she just sighed, crossing her arms.
“You know what, Emily?” she said coolly, her voice hardening. “Fine. Yes, I did it. You’re not fit to be a doctor. It’s a waste of time and money that your dad could spend on something worthwhile.”
“Like… your beauty salon?” The words slipped out before I could stop them.
Just as I was about to push past her and leave, I heard sirens in the distance, getting louder as they approached our house.
Jason, now holding my hand, gave me a small, hopeful smile. “Don’t worry, Em. I called for help.”
Linda’s face hardened as she looked at Jason, who stood by my side. “You seriously did this?” she asked, barely able to speak.
Jason’s small voice cut through the tension. “You are the bad guy, Linda,” he said, his eyes fierce despite his small size. “Emily is going to be a doctor one day. Mom would be proud of her.”
Linda’s face twisted, and before she could say anything, the wailing sirens outside grew louder. I watched her look toward the window, her eyes widening with surprise.
The front door opened, and two police officers stepped inside. One of them, a tall man, spoke with calm authority. “Is everything alright here?”
Jason didn’t hesitate. “I called you,” he said, standing tall despite his age. “My sister needs to get to her entrance exam. Linda turned off her alarms so she’d miss it.”
The officer’s eyes moved to Linda, who immediately pretended to be innocent. “This is absurd!” she scoffed, folding her arms. “They’re just children, making things up because they’re late.”
But the other officer, a woman with kind eyes, knelt down to Jason’s level. “You called us to help your sister?” she asked gently.
Jason nodded vigorously. “Yes. Emily studied so hard, and she was ready. Linda turned off her alarms so she’d miss her test.”
The officers exchanged glances, then turned to me. “Is that true?” the male officer asked.
“Yes,” I whispered, feeling the weight of everything settle over me. “I have to get to my college right now, or I’ll lose my chance to take the exam.”
The officers nodded and exchanged another glance. “Alright, young lady,” the female officer said, standing up, “We’re going to get you there.”
Linda’s face twisted with disbelief. “Wait, you’re actually going to escort her?” she stammered, frustration evident in her voice. “This is ridiculous!”
“It’s our job to help people,” the officer replied, coolly dismissing Linda. “Now, if you’ll excuse us.”
I turned to Jason, who was smiling proudly, a little hero in his own right. “Thank you, Jason,” I whispered, hugging him tight. “You saved me.”
As I left with the officers, Linda’s face showed a mix of fury and disbelief. The officers helped me into their squad car, and we sped down the road with the sirens blaring, weaving through traffic as we approached the college. My heart pounded in my chest, but this time, it was with determination.
At the exam center, we arrived just minutes before the doors were set to close. The officers stepped out with me, guiding me toward the entrance.
One of the proctors noticed us and approached, looking confused. “Ma’am, the exam is about to begin,” he said, glancing at the officers.
The policewoman explained quickly. “This young lady had her alarms sabotaged at home, but she’s here now. I understand if you can’t make exceptions, but if there’s any way she can sit for the exam…”
The proctor’s stern face softened as he listened. He looked me in the eyes, as if weighing my sincerity, then gave a brief nod. “Alright. Go on in.”
“Thank you,” I managed, barely believing I’d made it.
I found my seat, still shaken but refusing to let the morning’s events get the best of me. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes for a moment, and thought of my mom. This was my moment, and I wasn’t going to let anyone take it from me. I picked up my pencil and began the test.
Hours later, I walked out of the exam room, exhausted but relieved. The officers who had helped me were gone, but I felt their kindness with every step as I headed home. Jason was waiting on the front steps, and he jumped up as soon as he saw me.
“Did you do it?” he asked eagerly, his eyes bright with hope.
I nodded, a smile breaking out despite my exhaustion. “I did, thanks to you.”
He threw his arms around me. “I knew you could.”
Inside, my dad was waiting. His face was pale, and his mouth was set in a grim line. He had been waiting for me to come home to hear everything. Jason took the lead, explaining every detail of what had happened while I was gone.
My dad’s face grew red with anger, his eyes narrowing as he looked over at Linda, who was trying to look calm and unaffected. “Is this true?” he demanded, his voice trembling with restrained fury.
Linda’s eyes darted between us. “I… I was just trying to keep her from a mistake. I didn’t mean for it to go so far,” she mumbled, finally looking cornered.
“You sabotaged her dreams because of your own selfishness,” my dad said coldly. “You’re not staying here another night.”
Linda’s face turned pale as she realized he was serious. She tried to protest, but he shook his head firmly. “Pack your things, Linda. This family deserves better than this.”
Jason and I stood by the door, watching as she finally left. There was no satisfaction in it, just a sense of justice and relief.
People Relate Their Most Memorable Instances of Instant Justice
Whether it’s a cheating spouse, an entitled individual, or a selfish family member, karma spares no one. These five stories showcase how it serves justice even when things seem like they’ve gone out of control.
Karma, the cosmic force of cause and effect, often works in mysterious ways. But sometimes, it strikes with immediate and undeniable impact.
In this collection, we present five stories where wrongdoers faced instant consequences, reminding us that what goes around truly does come around.
1. My Sister Threw Our Grandpa a Birthday Party but Demanded That He Pay for It When the Bill Came — Karma Retaliated
When my younger sister Ariel offered to plan Grandpa’s 90th birthday, I knew things would go awry, but I didn’t expect this. The first odd thing I noticed was the party venue.
Ariel chose a sushi restaurant for the party knowing well that Grandpa didn’t like sushi. To make matters worse, the guests were mostly her loud university friends. Grandpa’s friends and relatives? She didn’t even invite them.
When I confronted her during the party, she brushed off my concerns saying Grandpa was “happy to hang out with the youth” when he was clearly feeling out of place.
It seemed like Ariel had thrown a party for her friends while Grandpa just sat in a corner. I felt so terrible for him.
Then, just when I thought it couldn’t get worse, Ariel handed the bill to Grandpa.
“Here you go, Gramps! Happy birthday! Time to pay up!” she laughed, oblivious to the disaster.
I couldn’t stay quiet.
“Ariel, what are you doing? Gramps shouldn’t pay for his own birthday!”
I snatched the bill, but Gramps, always the peacekeeper, offered to pay.
“It’s alright, Jocelyn. I can handle it,” he said.
I wasn’t letting that happen.
“Let me take care of this, Gramps,” I smiled. “You’ve done enough for all of us.”
Then, as Ariel went back to her friends, I asked the bartender for the aux cable. I pretended I wanted to play a special song for Grandpa.
Instead, I plugged the cable into my phone and played Ariel’s voice messages where she was ranting about her friends. The same friends who were sitting right there.
“I can’t stand my roommate!” her voice echoed across the room. “She’s always in my space, and her boyfriend is the worst. He’s such a slob, and she’s just as bad!”
I watched in silence as Ariel’s jaw dropped open and her friends looked at her with wide eyes. Soon, all of her friends left, and she just sat there in silence.
Ariel knew why I’d played the audio, and didn’t have the guts to confront me.
That’s when Gramps, ever wise, looked at Ariel and said, “Ariel, you need to take responsibility for your actions. This isn’t how we treat family or friends.”
“I’m sorry, Grandpa,” Ariel apologized.
Grandpa and I didn’t have to say a lot to make her realize how wrong it was to invite her friends to Grandpa’s birthday party, and then ask him to pay the bill. Karma had done its job, and I was sure Ariel wouldn’t dare do such an immature thing again.
2. Man in Walmart Demanded That I Give up My Wheelchair for His Tired Wife – Karma Got Him before I Could
I was rolling through Walmart in my wheelchair when Mr. Entitled blocked my path.
“My wife’s tired. Give her your wheelchair,” he demanded, gesturing to the woman behind him.
I blinked, thinking it was some weird joke. “Uh, sorry, what?”
“You heard me,” he snapped. “She’s been on her feet all day. You’re young, you can walk.”
“I can’t walk,” I explained. “That’s why I need this chair.”
But he wasn’t buying it.
“You’re faking it!” he barked, his face growing red.
Things escalated quickly as a Walmart employee, Miguel, intervened.
“Sir, we can’t ask someone to give up a mobility aid,” Miguel said calmly.
But Mr. Entitled kept yelling, demanding a manager and ranting about my supposed “fraud.” Just as he stepped back, karma struck. LITERALLY.
He stumbled into a display of canned vegetables, crashing to the floor as cans rolled everywhere.
His wife rushed over, while Mr. Entitled tried to get up, only to slip on another can and fall again.
The whole store was watching at that point, and I couldn’t suppress a laugh. Miguel tried his best to help him, but Mr. Entitled ranted about suing the store before his wife hurried him out.
I still wonder what would’ve happened next if she wasn’t there.
3. I Came Home to See My Furniture Put up for Grabs — My Ex-husband’s Petty Revenge Backfired Spectacularly
After about four years of marriage, Brendan and I decided to split. I won’t go into the details behind it, but all I knew was he had become so much bitter after this decision. It was getting too unbearable to stay with him in the same house.
As a result, I went to my parents’ house to clear my mind one weekend. But when I returned, I found all my furniture scattered across the lawn.
A large, hand-painted sign that read “Free Stuff!” stood proudly in front of the chaos, inviting anyone passing by to help themselves to my belongings.
Furious, I kicked the sign over and immediately called Brendan.
“Why is my furniture on the lawn?” I demanded.
“You were going to sue for all my money anyway,” he said. “I heard you on the phone with someone. I know that you wanted everything. Or at least half of everything! So, you might as well know how it feels to lose what’s yours.”
Sure, I had thought about taking him for a ride and having my share of his money, but the weekend away with my parents taught me to just let it go.
“You’re absolutely unbelievable,” I yelled. “You think this is going to solve anything? You’re just making things worse for yourself.”
“Whatever. It’s your problem now,” he replied. “Maybe you should charge people for your things instead of letting them take it for free.”
I was speechless. I knew arguing with him was pointless, so I hung up.
I looked around at the furniture, thinking if I could ask a friend to store these things until I found a new place. That’s when my gaze landed on the bedside table, and I remembered what was there inside the drawer.
It was Brendan’s father’s prized watch.
It was a family heirloom that Brendan cherished, but now I had it hostage.
A few hours later, I was at a friend’s place who had helped me store the furniture in her garage and offered me a place to stay. We were having pizza when Brendan called, realizing he’d left the watch in the drawer.
“Please, Gina, I need the watch back,” he pleaded.
“The neighbors took the bedside tables,” I lied. “You might have to buy it back from them.”
After making him sweat, he eventually offered $500 to “buy it back.”
The next morning, he handed me an envelope, while I handed over the watch. I can never forget the defeated look on his face!
4. My Parents Spent All My College Fund Inheritance from Grandpa, but Karma Struck Back
After my grandfather passed, he left his entire inheritance to me for college, but the money was kept in my parents’ account until I turned 18.
When I checked at 19, the account was empty.
Furious, I confronted my parents and learned the truth: they had drained the funds to bail out my brother, who had squandered his finances on a luxury car and debts. Worse, they used the remaining money for a lavish house.
“How could you sacrifice my future for his mistakes?” I demanded, devastated by their betrayal.
My parents offered weak excuses, prioritizing my brother over my dreams. I can’t explain how abandoned and betrayed I felt.
As a result, I cut off contact with them and worked toward my career. I got a job, found a grant, and enrolled in another university. As years passed, I became financially stable and even started paying for my own house.
Then, karma struck.
I was in my office when I received a call from my brother.
“Can we meet?” he asked. “Please don’t say no.”
I hesitated, but curiosity got the better of me. When we finally met, he was unexpectedly warm, still, I remained skeptical. It wasn’t long before he asked me for money to help our parents.
It turned out that my parents’ house investment had collapsed, leaving them in debt. I knew this was karma doing its job, but I didn’t feel good. I felt bad because they were my parents, and I still loved them.
So, I decided to visit them. I still remember how they broke down in tears and begged for forgiveness. They had realized what they had done, so I forgave them.
5. My Husband Cheated on Me With Secretary, Then Karma Crushed Him Back
My husband Brody and I met at work, and we continued with the same jobs after our wedding. I always thought working with him in the same office was so cool until I caught him cheating with his secretary, Lila.
I still remember how I couldn’t even move when I caught him caressing her legs in front of everyone at the office. My heart sank as I realized how publicly he was flaunting his affair.
“Brody, what’s going on here?” I confronted him.
He didn’t even flinch.
“We’re discussing work,” he said, with Lila smirking beside him.
“By putting your hands up her skirt?” I asked, looking straight into his eyes. “In front of everyone?”
“Don’t make a scene, Shirley,” he snapped. “You should be grateful I’m still coming home. But I’m done. I’m filing for divorce, and I’ll take the house. You deserve nothing.”
I was too shocked to react. I just quietly watched him walk away with Lila.
That night, I didn’t have the guts to go home. Instead, I sat in a cheap hotel room, crying and questioning everything.
Was this really my life? I thought. How did I let it get this bad?
The next morning, I dragged myself to work, dreading the looks I knew I’d get from my coworkers. Sure enough, their gazes were filled with pity.
I wanted to disappear, to resign and leave it all behind. But I couldn’t.
The thought of not finding another job scared me. I had bills to pay, and starting over wasn’t something I could afford. Little did I know that fate would soon turn my life in a better direction.
A few days later, the company hired a new boss, Mr. Anderson. Word spread fast that he was sharp, no-nonsense, and talented. As a result, everyone kept their head down and focused on work.
Then came the bombshell. Brody was fired.
It turned out he had been skimming money from the company for months, manipulating the finances in ways he thought no one would ever notice. But Mr. Anderson spotted the discrepancies almost immediately.
Brody’s arrogance had finally caught up with him, and the man who flaunted his affair so proudly was now out of a job.
I won’t lie, I felt a small sense of satisfaction. Karma had done its job, and I hadn’t even lifted a finger. But the story doesn’t end here.
Brody showed up at my door a few weeks after that. He mumbled something about making mistakes and how he missed me. He wanted back into my life, but I stood firm.
“No, Brody,” I said sternly. “You made your choices, and now you have to live with them. I’m done.”
And with that, I closed the door in his face, feeling stronger than I had in years.
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