Chapter 11 - Fire

The two stared at each other in silence. The clock ticking was the only thing you can hear in the silence.

"I've been thinking this whole time. What should I do for Y/n and Norman's sake? The answer is.... to do nothing." Emma said as Ray looked at her with his dead eyes.

"Mom told me to give up and free myself from the pain. But, I will never, ever give up. I won't let Y/n and Norman die in vain." Emma's voice got deeper.

"And you, Ray?" Emma asked. Ray looked away and scoffed. He placed the book he was holding on the table.

"So we're always thinking the same thing in the end." Ray said.

"Let's run away, Ray. I came here to talk about that." Emma said.

"I wanted to talk to you too. These past two months, we couldn't really talk since we were worried about Mom watching us." Ray said.

"Yeah. I didn't want Mom to figure out our true intentions." Emma agreed with Ray.

"True intentions?" Ray asked.

"Yeah. Mom is being cautious. Even though we weren't doing anything, Mom never stopped watching us. But we could use that against her." Emma explained.

"If she's watching me, I could keep her eyes away from people other than me." Emma said as she pointed at herself.

"Don and Gilda, huh?" Ray asked since it caught his attention. Emma nodded.

"Yeah. I left everything to them. Training for the escape, and all other preparations." Emma mentioned.

"How far long are you?" Ray asked since he was not informed about this plan.

"Everything is ready. Supplies, food, and warm clothing. We can escape anytime." Emma said.

"That's pretty good. Now, how will you run away?" Ray asked as he crossed his arms.

"I worked that out too. I have a plan. Let's run away tomorrow afternoon before you get shipped out." Emma replied.

"Wait. It's too reckless to go out during the day. The situation's different from before. We should leave at night when it's easier to hide." Ray pointed out before Emma could say something, Ray stopped her.

"Hear me out. Sit." Ray gestured to a seat. Emma look at it and sat down.

"Okay. There are two problems. First, Mom's watchful eyes. She's always watching us, and she's always holding one of the younger ones. She'll be doing that during the day, and at night, the babies are in her room. In order to escape with everyone, we'll have to shake Mom off, and separate her from the little ones." Ray said as Emma nodded, agreeing with the plan.

"And then, past the wall is a cliff. We can't climb down from it. If we're escaping, it'll be through the bridge. But there's only one. I'm sure there's security to begin with and once they find out there's been an escape, the guards will rush here. Plus, it's near the headquarters. Those monsters should be everywhere. So, what are you gonna do?" Ray asked; Emma just stayed silent.

"I think this is the best answer." Ray said as he stood up from his chair and grabbed something. Emma looked at him with a confused look. Ray opened the object to reveal something.

"Oil?" Emma asked.

"At night, we'll light the House on fire." Ray explained the reason why he had oil.

"Y-you're going to start a fire?!" Emma exclaimed.

"That's right. When Mom is distracted putting it out, we'll lead everyone outside, saying it's an evacuation. If we seal the door to the secret room, Mom can't notify the headquarters, and headquarters will think it's a fire, not an escape. Then security won't go towards the bridge. We can escape through it then. As a bonus, I also hid ten Molotovs behind some rocks in the forest. " Ray said.

"Molotov bottles?!" Emma yelled, surprised.

"Don't underestimate my 6 years of preparations. Throw those Molotovs into the neighboring plants on the way to the bridge. If all goes well, there'll be another fire to make security even scarcer. Since it's nighttime, no one will be in the forest. No one will die." Ray confidently said.

"So instead of tomorrow, let's run away tonight, right now. Can you do it, Emma?" Ray asked as Emma looked unsure.

"Don't worry. This place is the farthest distance away from everyone's rooms. They can escape before the fire gets to them. They've trained to run in formation through tag, right? Or is your leg still.." Ray got cut off by Emma standing up.

"It's fine." Emma said as she stomped on the floor with her right leg, showing that it is all healthy now.

"Then it's decided." Ray said as he opened a gasoline can.

"Ray"

"But you know Emma. To tell you the truth. I'm still against the idea of taking everyone." Ray said as he started pouting the gasoline can.

"Especially after hearing there's a cliff beyond those walls. Even if you do take some, it should only be Don and Gilda." Ray said as he started walking towards the table.

"You should at least leave the babies behind. For their sakes and yours too." Ray said as he picked up another gasoline can.

"But you won't listen even if I stop you. And it's better than having you stay behind and not escape. So I won't say anything anymore." Ray said as he poured the gasoline can.

"You decide." Ray said as he stopped pouring. Emma looked down and Ray dropped the can.

"So what are you doing? Go tell Don and Gilda." Ray said. Emma looked at him.

"But you said...to throw over the Molotov bottles." Emma said making Ray turn around.

"Yeah. You or maybe Don could.."

"And I'm worried about one more thing. Even if we start a fire, what if Mom abandons the building. She might give up on putting out the fire and refuse to take her eyes off of us, the merchandise." Emma said.

"You realized, huh? There's a good possibility of that happening. That's why starting a fire won't be enough. If we don't stop Mom, then we won't have any chances of escaping from her. But don't worry. I just have to do this." Ray said as he opened the gasoline can.

He dropped the lid of the gasoline can and raised it over his head and finally, he started pouring it on himself. Emma gasped and took a step forward.

"Ray?!" Emma yelled.

"Isn't this the greatest? The perfect scorer with the set shipment date will burn up. She won't be able to abandon me." Ray threw the gasoline can on the floor as he looked at Emma with eyes that looked like they have lost their sanity.

"I decided this a long time ago. Many, many years ago. It's a childish retaliation." Ray said as Emma looked at him as if he some psychopath.

"You know what, Emma. I've never really been interested in studying or reading. But I endured it and worked hard to improve my value to the highest it could be. Twelve years. I'm a feast that they've been waiting for. I'm going to take that away from them. Right before the harvest, they've been looking forward to."

"Don't think you can eat me. Don't think you can serve me. Food? Merchandise? I don't give a crap! I'm a human being! Serves them right!" Ray yelled.

"Also, it's fine this way. This is the best way. I've watched my family die all these many years. I used them. And they were all good kids. They were all kindhearted. I failed to let Norman and Y/n escape. Norman accepted me. Y/n gave me a purpose in life. And now I can finally join them!"

"Ray!"

"Don't move! Listen, Emma, you only have one chance. Make it work. Don't let me, Y/n, and Norman die in vain. This is for you." Ray threw a book at her and she caught it. She opened it and saw the picture of Norman and her. She also saw a picture of Y/n smiling. She also saw a pin that Y/n always had in her hair.

The clock dinged loudly as it announced that it was midnight. Ray is officially 12.

Ray lit a match on fire, surprising Emma.

"I'm now 12 years old. It was a life I wanted to curse, but the time spent with everyone was really fun." Ray said as he held a match stick on fire.

"No stop!" Emma yelled.

"Thank you. Give that pin to Y/n, I doubt she's alive even though she told me she is. Bye-bye, Emma." Ray said as he dropped the match stick.

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Mama hummed as she crossed the date, January 14, on the calendar. She smiled.

"Happy birthday. Goodbye." Mama said with a gentle smile until she heard a scream.

"Ray!"

Mama ran out and approached the scene. She saw a room lighted up and before she entered it, she wondered what that horrible stench could be.

"Ray!"

"Ray?"

"Emma!"

"Mom, help! Ray is...Ray is in there!" Emma yelled as she pointed towards the fire.

Mama checked her tracker and it showed that Ray's location is indeed there. Mama ran out and saw Gilda.

"Gilda, take everyone outside! Also, please get the babies inside of my room!"

"Okay!"

All the kids ran outside wholesome screamed, trying to evacuate as quickly as possible.

Mama used the fire extinguisher but it stopped working after a few seconds of using it.

"Why isn't the sprinklers working?" Mama whined as she threw the fire extinguisher.

"Emma, you need to get out of here too. Or else, you'll also..." Mama turned around and saw no one in sight.

"Emma?" Mama called out. She checked her tracker and started running to her location but when she saw an ear. She immediately stood up.

"What were those children...wearing on their feet?" Mama said to herself.

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"Oh she's here!" a kid said as he waved at Emma.

"Thanks for waiting, everyone." Emma panted for air from all the running she did.

Ray looked at all of them in shock, as he held his bleeding ear with some gauze.

༻✦༺ ༻ 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤༺ ༻✦༺

Emma caught the once lit match stick in her hand which made Ray turn around and he was surprised.

"Nice catch." Emma said as she showed him her slightly burnt hand.

"You.."

"Sorry, but I'm not going to let you die. Y/n told me that you'll do something reckless. She even made a hunch that you'll start a fire. That's why she told the secret to the other children." Emma said.

"Other children?"

A knock was heard and the door was opened by Emma to reveal Lannion and Thoma.

"I brought what you asked for, Emma." Thoma said as he showed her a box.

"And everyone's all good to go." Lannion did a thumbs up as he smirked.

"Thanks, Thoma, Lanni." Emma thanked the two.

"Ray, get changed." Emma ordered as the two boys held some clothes and shoes with a grin on their faces. After he was done changing and the two were done placing Ray's replacement. Emma held a knife, ready to get rid of Ray's tracking device.

"Emma, I"

" 'You can die anywhere and it doesn't have to be here. I'll show you something cool so shut up and come' a message from Norman. 'If you end up dying without giving me my pin back, I'll never forgive you. You better come back alive or I'll kill you myself when we see each other.' a message from

Y/n." Emma smiled.

"Huh? Norman? Y/n?"

" Norman and Y/n left us a letter. Before they left, Y/n told me to read her diary because it's important and I found a plan that was made by the two of them. " Emma explained.

"Y/n also gave me a letter, she told me to give it to you once we made it outside. I bet you want to see it, let's hurry" Emma said.

༻✦༺ ༻ 𝐄𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 ༺ ༻✦༺

"Okay everyone, let's escape. We'll run to the wall!" Emma instructed and they all started running.

"Y/n, Norman." Ray mumbled as stayed behind in shock while hiding his ear.

"What are you waiting for? Go." Ray heard a familiar voice. He was about to turn around until a force pushed him.

He turned around and saw no one. He decided to listen to the voice and he started sprinting.

"Hey Don, what's going on? Do they all know about the House and the escape?" Ray looked at Don as he was running.

"Yup."

"How?"

"Y/n told them about it. That time when Emma and Norman talked to Sister, she woke them up and told them to listen. She told everyone over five years old. The only one she told that isn't over five years old is Phil." Don explained.

When they approached the wall, Emma stopped as she caught a glimpse of white hair. She looked at Norman and smiled.

"Nat and I will climb up first. Then we'll pull everyone up." Emma announced.

"Okay, everyone! Just do it like how we trained, and you'll be fine!" Don advised.

"Wait...." Ray mumbled as he watched Emma and Nat climb up the wall. He then felt the presence of someone from beside him.

He looked at his side and saw an

h/c-nette girl. She looked back at him and smiled.

"Ray, do you have my pin?" the girl asked. Ray then gasped as he realized that he left it at the House.

"Ray, what are you doing?!" Emma yelled.

"I forgot Y/N's pin!" Ray yelled but Emma stopped him.

"It's ok! I have it with me. You said I had to return it to Y/n even if you're not sure she's alive but I'm sure she is, along with Norman!" Emma reassured Ray.

"Wait, is this all of us?" Ray asked. Y/n shook her head.

"No, but don't worry. We'll come back for them. And by then, Norman and I will be there with you." Y/n answered.

"Y/n..is it really you? You're alive right?" Ray asked as he placed his hand on Y/N's cheek but it only went through her.

"Ray, we'll meet again. Remember, I'll always be with you " Y/n said before she vanished into thin air. Not even a trace of her was left.

'Y/n, Norman, you better be alive.' Ray thought.

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"Please...stop...it hurts...."

"Add more anesthesia on her"

"Get the syringes ready"

"I want to see them..."

"What's her stats?"

"It's decreasing!"

"Keep adding more fluids!"

"Let me see their smiles..."

"She's resisting the anesthesia!"

"Add more you bastard!"

"My happiness..."

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(A/N: Eyoo! After the next chapter is some manga spoilers. Anyways, that's 2449 words for you. Peace out!)