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Don't let go.

He's been waiting for this day.

The time has come-

Ray looked at Emma and Zara, and the two girls stare back at him as the ticking of the clock echoed around the dinning room.

~140146~

"He's gone. I let him leave..."

"I couldn't do anything."

"No! Grieve afterwards! You can mourn later!"

"Think, for Norman's sake! What is it that I need to do now?!"

"From now on, Mom will control us indirectly. Without using Ray, she'll restrain us directly-

"She'll watch us herself!"

"Her number one objectives here are me, Ray, and Marianna."

"So, what I should be doing right now is-

"Nothing."

"Hide our fangs, and our claws. Do what Marianna does all the time. Hide your emotions. And I know what it is that Mom will see."

"Our plans, and our goals... don't let her see them. And don't let Mom's watching every little move, the slightest reaction. Don't be distracted."

"There is nothing I can do. There is nothing I should do."

"It's painful. It's frustrating. All I want to do is grieve."

"But..."

"There's no way I'd give up now!"

"I will not let Norman's death be in vain."

"I'll fool them all!"

"Without fail, I'll outwit Mom, and I'll make this escape a success!"

Emma painfully smiled. "That's right. We haven't given up and neither has Marianna."

"You know Marianna won't give up without a fight. That's just not her." Zara added with her still devilishly smirk.

Ray formed a smile. "Yeah. So she's been faking this all along, huh? She's a great actor."

Zara's smirk quickly disappeared. "Actually quite the opposite. That person you saw there wasn't actually Marianna. That was someone else. But thanks to Emma, she woke her up and Marianna's back on her feet and she already came up with a new plan."

Zara turned to Emma as she had a determined look and nodded. "We've been thinking this whole time, "What should we be doing for Norman's sake"? And the answer was to do nothing. Mom told me and Marianna to give up and free ourselves of the pain we felt... but we refuse to ever give up. We won't let his death be in vain. Will you?"

Ray chuckled as he sets his book down on the table. "It seems like both of us are on the same page, then."

"Let's run away." Emma proposed. "We came to talk about that."

"I wanted to talk, too." Ray said. "The past two months, we couldn't communicate, since we were worried Mom would see."

"Yeah." Emma nodded. "We didn't want her to know our true intentions, so we stayed quiet."

"True intentions?" Ray repeated questionably.

"Right." Zara chimed in. "Mom's really cautious. Even though the three of us weren't doing anything, she never stopped watching us, but that's something we can use against her."

Emma placed her palm on her chest. "If she stays focused on me and Marianna, then we can keep her eyes away from the other kids."

Ray gasps. "Don and Gilda, huh?"

"Yeah. I left them in charge. They're training the others and making preparations." Emma informed him.

"How far along are you?" Ray asked.

"It's all ready. There's warm clothing, supplies, and food. We can leave whenever." Emma said.

"That's impressive, but how will three escape?" Ray asked with his arms crossed.

"Oh, don't worry." Emma reassured. "Marianna has it all planned out. She wants all of us to run tomorrow morning, before you get shipped out."

"Hold it. As good as it sounds, that's dangerous." Ray said. "Things are a lot different now. The escape should be at night, when it's easier to hide."

"But-

"Just hear me out. You two should sit down." He said as he motioned the two of them to sit down, side by side, with Ray sitting in front of them. "Okay, then. There are two problems here. First, Mom's watchful eyes. She's always watching us and tends to be holding one of the younger ones during the day. And, at night, she puts the babies to sleep in her room. In order to make sure that everyone escapes here, we'll have to separate Mom from all the little ones."

Emma and Zara nodded. "Next thing is the cliff that's past the wall. We're not able to climb down it. If we're getting out, we'll have to take the only bridge that's available. I'm sure there's already security, and, once they know we're gone, the guards are going to rush over. It's at the edge of the headquarters. Those monsters are going to be all over the place. Knowing that, what will the three of you do?"

Both Emma and Zara remained silent as they contemplated the situation; for a little period, Ray's attention lingered on the edge of the dining table, where a box lay.

"I have the answer right here." Ray rose up from his seat as the two females stood there watching him take a can of oil from the box.

"Oil?" Emma questioned.

"Why so many? What is this? Your new obsession." Zara commented but Ray just ignored Zara's comment.

"We'll just set the house on fire." Ray said with a smirk.

"Y-You're going to start a fire...?" Emma stuttered.

"That's right." Ray nodded. "While Mom is distracted, trying to put it out, we'll pretend to evacuate everyone. We'll block the door to the secret room beforehand so that Mom can't get in. HQ will assume it's only a fire, so security won't be tight on the bridge, and you three can escape easily."

Emma and Zara gasp and they stood there taking all of this info in as Ray continued. "As a bonus, I also went ahead and hid ten molotovs behind some rocks in the forest."

"Wait. You what?!"

"Ten molotovs?! Have you lost it?!"

Both Emma and Zara exclaimed with wide eyes.

"Don't underestimate how much I've prepared. Now, when both of you are heading to the bridge, throw these into the plants next to ours." Ray explained. "It'll start another fire, spreading security even thinner. The forest'll be empty, since it's dark, so no one should die."

Ray closes his eyes as he steps closer to the two of them. He opens his eyes again and with a smile, he lend out his hand as he proposed, "So instead of leaving tomorrow, let's go now."

Both Emma and Zara have a doubtful expression as a frown appears on Ray's face and he lowers his extended hand.

"Can you do it or not?" He asks.

Both Emma and Zara sigh as they exchanged looks at each other.

"Don't worry."  Ray reassured.

"Huh?" The two mumbled.

"This place is pretty far from everyone's rooms." Ray informed. "None of them should get caught in the fire. They've trained for this, haven't they? What we taught them during tag- wait is your leg still hurt? Has Marianna not healed yet?"

Emma and Zara leapt to their feet as Emma began.

"It's all healed!" She stomped her injured leg on the wooden floorboard.

"Yeah!" Zara nodded. "Marianna wanted me to report that her left eye isn't blurry anymore and she can see just fine. But her right eye is still injured."

"That's fine. I didn't expect her right eye to heal up right away anyway." Ray stated as he twisted the bottle of the can of oil, and the two of them just looked at him nervously.

"Ray..."

"But, to be honest, I'm still against it, the whole idea of taking all the other kids along." He said as he started pouring the oily liquid on the floor. "Especially knowing there's a cliff beyond those walls. What I think is we should take Don and Gilda and at least leave the babies here, if anything."

"But you know how Marianna would feel about that, right?" Zara asked.

"Yeah. I know. But... it's the best thing for her. All I want is for her to be happy and you guys want the same thing, right?" Ray said as his eyes trailed over to the two girls who were looking at the ground with saddened eyes.

"But not as much as I do..."

"However, I already know that you two or Marianna aren't gonna listen. Though, I guess I'd rather you do that than not escape, so I won't harp on it." Ray said. "It's both of your choice."

Ray finishes pouring the second can and moves on to the third one.

"Why are you still here?" He asked. "Go tell Marianna about the new plan and go get Don and Gilda."

"... About your plan..." Emma trailed off with Ray turning towards her. "We're throwing molotovs?"

"Yeah." Ray said while facing Emma and Zara. "Could be you, Zara, Marianna, or maybe Don."

As Emma decided to speak up, Ray paused and closed his eyes, making them concerned.

"Actually, what we're most concerned about is... what if, when we start the fire... Mom decides to abandon the whole building? She might just give up on putting it out and focus on us since we're the merchandise."

"Exactly." Ray said making Emma and Zara sigh. "There's a pretty good chance of that happening. That's why simply starting a fire isn't enough. We've gotta make sure we stop her, 'cause there won't be an opportunity later."

Both Emma and Zara had troubled expressions on their faces.

"But don't worry." Ray's voice said.

Both Emma and Zara gasp.

"There's always this."

Ray snaps open the oil can and drops the lid on the ground, and they both watch as the tension builds as their gazes are fixed on him.

Before they could even realize it, Ray poured the oily liquid straight on top of him, making both of them gasp loudly.

"RAY?!"

"OH MY GOD!!"

Soaked by the oil from head to toe, Ray lets out a chuckle as he looks up at both of them with this deranged expression in his eyes, frightening the two females who had never seen this side of Ray.

"Pretty smart thinking, huh? I'm gonna burn to ash on my shipment date. Mom can't abandon me."

Ray finally drops the oil can as he continued. "I've been waiting for this day. I decided this years ago... and it's finally time to act it out. This is my retaliation."

Emma and Zara couldn't help but be pained by everything they were hearing, word for word, as they let out shaky breaths.

"You know, Emma, Zara, when it came to all that studying, I was never really into it like Marianna is. Regardless, I did it to improve my value, and I wanted it to be the highest possible!" Ray looks up at the ceiling as if looking up at God. "For 12 years... I've been the feast that they've all been waiting for. Tonight, I'm taking that away right before the anticipated harvest."

Ray then looks back at the two as a large implanted grin appears on his face. "Don't think you can eat me! I won't give you that satisfaction! Food? Product? Yeah, right! THIS IS GONNA SHOW THEM ALL THAT I'M HUMAN!"

"Ray........." Emma let out a weak voice.

Ray lowered his head as he muttered, "I have to do this... it's the best way, the only way. I've watched so many of my siblings die over the years... I used them, and... each one of them was a good kid. They were so kind and carefree."

"Wait-

"Don't move." Ray halted. "Listen up, Emma, Zara. The two of you only have this one chance so make this work. Norman and I... gave our lives for this. I'm begging you. You two better not waste it..."

Emma and Zara only stare at him in bewilderment as Ray turns to the side of the table, eying the book he had in his hand earlier.

"Catch." Ray threw the book towards Emma as she caught it in her hands and opened it with Zara peeking behind her shoulder.

When Emma first opened the book, the first thing that caught their breath was seeing so many images of their siblings with happy grins.

The two then flipped over to the next page and what they saw startled them.

"This is from..."

There was many and many picture of only Marianna in them and in each and every one of them, she was smiling.

One was with her washing the clothes, one was her filling the water bucket, one was with her and Zara sitting under the same old tree, one was them eating breakfast together, one was her and everyone else playing soccer together, and one was her and Zara smiling together.

The second other half was Marianna and Emma playing tag together, one was Marianna and Emma eating lunch together, and another was Marianna and Emma taking care of the babies.

But the one that struck out the most was the photo of Marianna, Zara, Emma, and Norman.

Emma and Zara exchange gasps as hushed sobs escape their lips and they both begin to cry, trying to holding back their tears. They couldn't help but look at Marianna's smile and Norman's face, knowing that this was the last time they'd see him and the last time they'll ever see a smile on Marianna's face.

As midnight approached, the clock began to chime. They both hear the sound of a match lighting up as they look up to find Ray holding a lit match.

"I'm finally 12." He let out. "It was a life I wanted out of, but I cherished the time I spent with you guys. Tell Marianna that I'm sorry."

"No! Please don't...!!"

"Thank's a lot. Nice knowin' you, Emma, Zara."

His fingers had finally let go of the match as both Zara and Emma yelled out, as if everything was happening in slow time. Zara was unable to move her body and could only watch in anguish as Emma ran towards him, holding out her hand.

Ray remained motionless, his gaze fixed on the one photograph he held in his hands: the one of Marianna toothy smiling and making a peace sign, which he had taken in the library. All of his previous memories flashed before him, but the memory of how he and Marianna met was the only one he could recall.

***

———————————————————————

The night before the fated day...

January 14th
2046
23:45

———————————————————————

Isabella smiles down at the sleeping babies as she hums a familiar lullaby. She let out a beloved smile and strolled out and right into her office after making sure they were all sleeping peacefully.

She sat down, picked up her quill, and began drafting a letter regarding the upcoming shipment.

Her room's clock chimes, suggesting that it was now past midnight.

She then rose from her seat and walked up to her calendar, where she crossed out the 14th with a sorrowful look.

"Happy Birthday, dear Ray, and... goodbye."

"RAAAAAYYYYYYYYY!"

Isabella was startled when she heard a loud muffled scream as she hurriedly exited her office. She then hurried down the corridor until she came across the dining room.

She instantly put her palm over her nose when she came at the door.

"Guh... what is this horrible smell?"

When Isabella opened the door, smoke immediately poured out, and the fire soon grew worse. Her eyes widened when she noticed the dining room was on fire and Emma was crouching on the floor.

"RAY! RAY!!"

After hearing his name, Isabella gasps as she muttered his name and ran towards Emma as she knelt down towards her.

"Emma!"

"MOM... PLEASE, DO SOMETHING!" Emma cried clinging onto Isabella with a distressed look as she pointed towards the fire. "RAY... YOU HAVE TO HELP RAY!!"

Isabella gasps once more as she just turns away from Emma and to the fire.

"What? Is this... a trap? A plan to run while a fire distracts..."

"No!"

"This stench..."

"Her reaction..."

"The transmitters!"

Isabella stood up and swiftly took out her pocket watch, which she opened to discover two green dots and that's when she saw it.

"There's a signal coming from inside!!"

Isabella looked up with a startled and frightened look in her eyes.

"This is no plan or trap. Ray truly is in there right now... burning in this fire!"

"Unbelievable..."

"This is his revenge!! That boy actually set himself on fire... so that I wouldn't be able to ship him out tomorrow night!"

Isabella immediately closed her tracker as she started to vision Ray's look at her, seeing him devilishly snarking at her.

"Tch!"

"How foolish of me! To think that he would execute his last form of resistance like this..."

"What now?! What about tomorrow's harvest? The Tifari! My plantation is the only one ready to harvest right now! I can't screw this up."

Veins started to pop out of Isabella's skin as she finally decided her next move.

"I'll put out the fire! I cannot abandon Ray."

Isabella dashed back out of the dining room to retrieve the fire extinguisher, only to be met by Gilda fleeing the room.

"Mom!"

"Gilda! Go get the babies from my room, and take everyone else outside! Hurry!"

"Right!" She nodded as Gilda dashed back up the stairs.

The kids all fled out of the house while Emma was still down in the dining room. Isabella had returned with the fire extinguisher in her hand.

"If anything... I have to save the brain!" Isabella shoved Emma aside. "Just stay back, Emma!"

Emma got to her feet as she watched the flames grow larger by the second.

"Ray..."

Isabella tried again and again to put out the fire, but it wouldn't go out, and not a second later, the fire extinguisher was out.

Isabella groaned in frustration as she tossed it aside. "The sprinklers aren't working! What happened?!"

"The extinguisher won't help. I've got to open the fire hydrant instead...! I also need to make sure the other kids are still safe..."

"Emma! You need to get out of here too! Otherwise, you'll end up getting-...

Isabella pauses as she turns to approach Emma, but she was nowhere to be seen.

"Emma?"

She took out her pocket watch again and checked on Emma as she noticed a green light in the adjacent corridor. As Isabella was about to dash out of the dining room, she then heard a loud whistle behind her.

Isabella slowly turned around and her purple orbs widened as she saw flowing icy blue hair that could remind you of the glimmering moon as piercing golden eyes look down on her with an intent to kill.

"Marianna..."

***

Emma dashed into the woods, clutching the gushing wound, and caught up with the others.

"She's here! You made it!" Chris gasped with a big smile as he waved at Emma.

All of the children smiled at Emma, who reciprocated with a smile.

"Thanks for waiting... guys!"

———————————————————————

20 minutes ago.

———————————————————————

Ray smiled at the two females as the quiet chiming of the clock echoed throughout the room.

"Thanks a lot. Nice knowin' you, Emma, Zara."

Ray's fingers had finally let go of the match as Emma and Zara screamed and she dashed towards Ray, grabbing the match in her hands before anything else could happen.

Emma then turned to Ray with a smile as she opened her hands and showed the burn marks on her palms.

"Nice catch, huh?"

"Score! Catch of the day!" Zara cheered.

"What the?!"

"Sorry, but me, Zara, or Marianna are not letting you die, and the other kids aren't, either." Emma said.

"!?? Wait. Other kids...?" Ray said confused.

A knock came from the door just as Zara was walking towards it and opening it, seeing a smiling Lani and Thoma, as well as Marianna herself standing directly behind them.

"M-Marianna?!" Ray stuttered, caught by surprise that Marianna was finally standing on her own two feet.

Zara smiled as she tightly hugged Marianna. "Marianna I'm so glade you're here!"

"Mph."

"Emma, Zara. We brought Marianna and I brought what you asked me for!" Thoma said.

"Yeah, and everyone's ready to go now!" Lannion added.

"Thanks, you guys. You were a big help." Emma smiled.

Ray was taken aback as Thoma and Lannion entered the room with a new pair of spare clothes and a pair of brown boots.

"All right, Ray. Time to change." Emma informed as the two boys had grins on their faces.

Once Ray had changed into his new clothes, Thoma and Lannion began to set up the new decoy on the hardware floor, while Emma bent down to Marianna who was hiding under the dinning table.

"Okay Marianna. It's a good thing you have such a small body, but as soon as you see Mom try to move an inch away from the room, that's when you come in and distract her, kay?" Emma said with a smile.

"Mph." She nodded as Emma happily smiled and patted her head.

Zara bent down towards Marianna as she gave her what seemed to be like braided wires and placed the braided wires on her wrist.

"Good luck, Marianna. See you soon." Zara said with a smile as she lowered the kitchen sheets.

"You done?" Emma asked walking up towards Ray. "Then, next is-

"Emma, wait. Listen. I just think-eh?"

Emma had given Ray a hard slap on the cheek before he had even finished his sentence. The raven-haired boy was taken aback and had a surprised expression on his face.

Emma had gripped his face and before he could even say anything, she spat, "ARE YOU STILL PLANNING ON DYING, YOU IDIOT?! SHUT UP, AND GET READY TO RUN AWAY!"

"OH PLEASE SAY I CAN SLAP HIM! I CALL DIBS IF HE DOES SOMETHING STUPID AGAIN!!" Zara exclaimed with stars in her eyes.

"Hey, Emma, Zara! All done here!" Both Thoma and Lannion called out.

"Good." Emma nodded.

"Great job guys!" Zara exclaimed.

Ray, who was still taken aback by this, held his stinging red cheek as he just glanced at Emma.

***

"...What's this?" Ray asked as he approaches Thoma and Lannion, looking down on the items on the table, which include his oily white collard shirt, various sorts and sizes of meat, and two beautifully trimmed blonde braids.

"Your replacement." Lannion answered.

"It'll create a specific smell." Thoma added turning towards Ray.

Ray then examined the items on the ground before stumbling over the familiar braids and exhaling a nervous gasp.

"Those braids..."

"Anna gave them to us." Emma replied. "And now for the tracker."

Emma then pulled out a scalping knife. "Just give me your ear, and I can take it out for you."

Ray turns around, still a little dazed from the information being told.

"Wait a sec. What are you-

Emma approaches Ray and clutches his shoulder, and as if she was possessed, she stared at him coldly. "If you're gonna die, then don't make it here. I'll show you something cool so shut up, and follow."

Her eyes then brightened and were back to normal as she added, "Norman wanted me to tell you that."

"Huh? Seriously?" Ray said.

Zara smiled. "Also we lied about earlier. Marianna doesn't plan on leaving tomorrow. Her actual plan is to leave tonight."

Ray gasped as Zara continued. "It's like they say, good minds think alike. Just like with Marianna and Norman."

***

"To my dearest Emma,
    I'm going to give you a new plan to follow.
First, Ray intends to die.
From what he said, he's doing it so that you, Marianna, and I don't get killed.
He didn't include himself in the numbers.
He's not escaping.
Ray has decided to die inside this house.
He's going to set himself on fire to distract Mom in order to let us run away.
That's his entire plan, but I won't allow him to do that, not ever.
That's why I'm writing down the plan Marianna and I recently came up with for you and Zara.
It'll happen in about two months, probably the night before Ray's birthday.
Using the fire that he's planning to start, I want you and Zara to save Ray, outwit Mom, and escape with everyone.
Don't worry.
You have enough time.
By the way, Marianna and I got something unexpected from Sister Krone.
I'm counting on you, Emma.
Please, take care of Ray and the rest of our siblings.
Finish what we started.

***

Emma ignited the match as she stared at it, the flame reflecting in her emerald eyes.

"Now let's begin, Norman."

Emma swiftly flicked the match, causing the dining area to catch fire. As she watched the room turn ablaze, she took in a big breath and shouted:

"RAAAAAYYYYYYYYY!"

***

Emma turns to the children after Anna patched her wound.

"Okay, time to go. Let's head for the wall!"

"Let's go!"

"Yeah!"

They all began to flee through the forest in the direction of the wall as Ray remained where he was, his eyes enlarged.

"Norman." Ray mumbled as he now started to follow behind everyone.

As they all continued to run, Ray caught up to Don as he turned to him.

"Hey... Don... what's happening? Do they all know about the house's secret... and the escape we've been planning? What about Marianna?!" He asked rashly.

"Yeah." Don answered.

"But how?" Ray asked.

Don smiled. "Everybody found out from Emma and Marianna."

***

"Let's tell them about the escape, okay?"  Emma said as Norman gasped. "It's just... I have a feeling that the rest of our siblings really aren't as immature as we think they are. Since we'll be running from monsters, it's better they know what dangers lie ahead. That way, they can join us willingly. And, besides, Mom doesn't suspect anyone but the older kids. Is it... reckless?"

"Afraid so." Norman said.

"But we can catch Mom off guard with this plan! It's the only way to actually escape with everyone." As Norman kept thinking about Emma's plan, the two heard footsteps behind them as they turned around and gasped.

"Then I propose we proceed with this plan."  Marianna suggested as she walks up to Emma and Norman.

***

"Marianna started by telling four others." Don started to explain. "She rounded up Nat, Anna... Lannion, Thoma... she led them all hear what Sister Krone said."

"She did all that? Since that far back?" Ray asked shocked.

Don greeted him with a grin. "It took us two months, but we finished Marianna's plan. We managed to bring in the rest of the kids."

"Emma and Zara were only pretending to have given up, but, the whole time, Emma was actually giving instructions to half of us while Zara also gave instructions for the other half. Mom never even noticed."

Ray couldn't help but recall Emma's words as he and Don continued to run.

"They're training the others and making preparations."

"How far along are you?"

"It's all ready. There's warm clothing, supplies, and food. We can leave whenever."

As all of them were running through the forest into the walls, Ray couldn't help but mumble out, "You guys..."

"Okay! But what about Marianna?!" He asked again but more rashly.

"Calm down, Ray." Don said. "Marianna's back at the house distracting Mom as long as possible."

Ray gasped. "She's with Mom?!"

"Don't worry! Zara came up with this little gadget to track down Marianna."

Ray gasped once more as Zara caught up with the two boys as she added. "Yup! Here!"

She pulled out her little gadget that had many electrical wires connecting to a small wooden box with a tiny little satellite connected at the top.

"What the hell is that?" Ray asked while cringing.

"I told you!" Zara exclaimed. "It's my little gadget! It's not great but it'll let me know where Marianna is and it's all thanks to the help of morse code." 

Ray gasped as his eyes widened. "But how...?!"

"You know that wired bracelet I gave Marianna back there?" Zara asked as Ray gave her a simple nod. "Well just by tapping on it, it comes out of this device and with a little beeping sound, but that's another use of morse code."

"Wait how do YOU know morse code." Ray asked.

Zara gave Ray a cheeky and smug look. "Before Norman got shipped out, Marianna taught me how to read morse code and it's all thanks to her. I really owe her one."

Ray then formed a smile on his lips. "Yeah. We all do."

***

"Marianna..." Isabella muttered seeing the child she's raised for 10 years now rebelling up against her and giving her this cold glare.

"Where is Emma, Marianna?" Isabella asked with a startled tone. "It can't be... did the smoke get her too?!"

Marianna didn't answer.

"Where are the other children?" She asked again.

Still no response.

Isabella gritted her teeth as her purple eyes were bulging out of her eye socket. "ANSWER ME MARIANNA!! WHERE ARE THEY?! WHAT DO YOU WANT?! TELL ME AND I'LL ANSWER!!"

Marianna's icy cold glare remained as she started to dig in her cardigan pocket and pulled out a brown paper thin diary. She pulled it out for Isabella to see.

As soon as Isabella saw the diary, she immediately and horrifically gasps as her eyes showed pain and suffering within her.

"What?" She answered. "You want to know who that is? Is that it?!"

Marianna gave a simple nod as Isabella looked a bit hesitant, but she took in a deep breath as she calmed herself down and her only focus was on Marianna, looking in her golden eyes.

"Madeline..." Isabella said while gaining Marianna's attention. "She was born July 14 of the year 2014. She was an orphan at this house along with me."

Marianna slightly gasped as she remained her composure. "It was me, her, and a boy named Leslie. We were the closest friends anyone could be. We went everywhere together. Madeline was the type of girl who was so adventurous and tomboyish. Back then I wore my hair in a single braid while she had two braids. Everyone called us the twin braids, like we were actual twins. But Madeline... she deeply cared for her family."

"She always got scolded by our Mom and eventually got in trouble." Isabella giggled at the thought of it. "She was truly my best friend. Madeline, Leslie, and I were inseparable, until... that fateful day when my dear Leslie was later shipped out and killed."

Isabella then placed her palm on her heart. "I've never felt such grief. There was a void without Leslie here with me. But... Madeline comforted me and swore to me that we'd escape this place. She was truly my light, she guided me through the dark."

"And so... we attempted to escape Grace Field by crossing the huge wall, but that's when we realized there was a huge cliff on the other side. I truly felt like giving up, but she never did. She grabbed that rope we had swung on and made a swinging rope over that long cliff. I still, to this day don't know how she did it. She made it past the cliff as she told held out her hand towards me, yelling my name, Izzy!" She impersonated. "But when I saw our Mom, I didn't go over the wall with her."

Marianna squints her eyes at Isabella in disgust. "The look on her face... I'll never forget it. She seemed so betrayed and saddened for what I did, but I wanted her to continue on living. I volunteered. And at the age of 12, I was shipped out just like my dear Leslie and I expected to die and see him again. But, I was given two choices: one to be killed by demons or train to become a Mom. I chose the latter."

"And so, I became a Mom. And that's how I became the women I am today. Oh but you're probably wondering what does she have to do with me, just because she's a previous Grace Field orphan?"

Isabella shook her head. "No. Quite the opposite actually. You see, my dear Marianna. Madeline is... your biological mother."

Marianna breathily gasps as she couldn't control what emotion she was showing, but it was definitely fright and bewilderment of learning the entire truth.

"That's right. Who would've thought that the most premium quality's mother was an escapee and then did things that normal humans couldn't" she laughed for a little bit as she placed her hand over her eyes. "But why... why didn't she go there? She would've been free? She could've lived a happy life there. Instead, she stayed here trying to save humanity. She met a man and she fell in love. She got married and then she had a child...? WHAT WAS SHE THINKING?! HAVING A CHILD HERE IN A PLACE LIKE THIS!!!"

As Marianna saw Isabella slump onto the ground and break down, she couldn't help but feel sorry for her. All the pain she was feeling inside. You think she wanted to ship her children away. She didn't have that choice. She didn't even have a say so in the matter. The demons chose that for her. Marianna thought... no... she knows that Isabella wants all of her children to live happily and not repeat what she's been doing.

Isabella started to recall all of the founding memories they had with each other. When they first met, when they met Leslie, when they played games together, when they told spooky stories together, when they dreamed together, and most of all when they laughed and smiled together. All Isabella ever wanted in life was to hear Madeline's voice again.

Suddenly...

Isabella heard a metal noise. Her purple eyes widened, hoping it isn't what she think it is. Her head slowly looked up as she saw Marianna putting the diary away in her pocket and, in her right hand, she saw a silver scalpel, having a firm grip on it.

Marianna slowly started to lift up the scalpel. She tucked in a piece of her hair behind her ear and placed it right on top of the pinna.

Isabella breathily gasps as Marianna placed both of her hands on the scalpel, getting ready to cut open her ear.

"NO STOP!"

Marianna didn't care what Isabella said, but she kept pressing on with the plan. She slices down the pinna and blood sprawled everywhere, squirting out like she had just been stabbed through the ear.

Isabella got up on her own two feet, but as soon as she took two steps, Marianna covers her ear with her palm as she suddenly lifts up her right foot and falls back into blazing fire, never loosing her sight on Isabella.

"MAAAAARRRRRIIIIIAAAAANNAAAAAA!!"

***

Emma was the first to arrive, her gaze fixed on the wall. She was startled when she sensed a presence from beside her.

"Norman..."

He patted her on the back and smiled at her, as if he was telling her to press forward and seize freedom by the hands.

Emma smiles as she turns to face the wall and hears everyone's footsteps approaching from behind her.

"Nat, Zara, and I will climb first. We'll help you guys once we're at the top." Emma informed.

"Hear that?" Don said turning to all of the children. "Just do it like we trained, and you'll be fine!"

"We're all gonna escape safely!" Emma said raising her fist as everyone applauded, but then they heard Zara's morse code creation emit a beeping sound.

.. - - / - - -  - . / - -  - . - - / . - - . -  - . - -

--. . - / . ...- . .-. -.-- --- -. . / --- ...- . .-. / - .... . / .-- .- .-.. .-..

--- -. -.-. . / . ...- . .-. -.-- --- -. . ... / --- ...- . .-. / - .... . / .-- .- .-.. .-.. .-.-.- / .-- .- .. - / ..-. --- .-. / -- .

"What was that?"

"It was a weird beeping noise."

As the children were sending off confused mumbles to each other, Zara brightly smiles as she turns to everyone.

"It's Marianna! She said she's on her way!" Zara said earning loud gasps and smiles from everyone as they cheered. "She also said to get everyone over the wall. Once everyone is over the wall, wait for her."

"You heard that, everyone? Marianna's on her way so let's get going!"

"Yeah!"

***

At the house, the entire building was caught on fire as Isabella stood outside, staring at the burning house, with the communication equipment she needed to contact headquarters beside her.

"Everything is burning, all of it." As Isabella was staring at the burning house, she then realized something as she gasped horrifically. "Wait... a minute. When she fell, she kicked her own leg... and fell on a different direction... she didn't fall into the fire. She took off her bandage to make the fire grow more. Not to mention... she threw her ear into the fire... to create her burning flesh smell. And... she snuck right behind me, treated her own wound... and got away..."

She stared right back into the fire as she started to picture that whole scenario until a deranged smile crept onto her lips.

"Heh.. heh... heh... HA HA HA... HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!"

Isabella continued to laugh like a psychopath until she completely stopped, her purple eyes began to protrude out of her eye socket as she swung her arms in the air and looked up into the sky with her deranged smile.

"Ray, Emma, and my Marianna! They're still alive! My darlings! Oh, thank goodness! Thank goodness, thank goodness! As long as they're alive, I'll be able to capture them! As long as they're still in one piece! Oh, my precious little babies! I WILL NEVER LET YOU ESCAPE FROM HERE!"

***

"Wait a second..." Ray stopped, clutching onto his injured ear. "Is this... everyone?"

***

Isabella's nightgown is clutched by a little hand, which catches her off guard. Isabella gasps and she turns around to see none other than Phil standing directly beside her.

"Hey, Mom..."

"Wha... Phil?"

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]