Confront

That night, as Penny laid in her soft bed, she thought over and over again of the last words Gilda told her and Emma before saying goodnight. Penny shifted in her covers and glanced over at Emma, who was sleeping peacefully. Penny sighed, mumbling to herself. "Together forever, huh?"

She smiled softly, closing her eyes.

The sound of someone's bed creaking caused the girl to open her eyes again, but quickly closed them. The person who was getting up was possibly heading out for a drink, who knows. But a second later she felt someone shaking her awake, and the brown-haired girl turned to Emma.

"It's Gilda." She whispered to her younger sister, her eyes wide. "Let's follow her."

"Gilda?" Penny whispered, her eyes wide. "I thought it was one of the younger kids going to get water..."

Emma put her finger to her lips, shushing the ten year old. Penny quickly closed her mouth, nodding. The two crept up to the closed door, and they gasped softly as they heard Sister Krona speak. "I've been waiting for you, Gilda."

Once the door closed, Emma opened the door and nodded at Penny, and the ten year old crept closely behind Emma up to Sister Krona's room, where they heard everything.

"We can talk now," Sister Krona was saying. "Can't we?"

"You mean about...the issue, right?" Gilda asked.

Penny glanced at Emma with wide eyes, but the ginger wasn't looking at her younger sister. She just clutched at the door, eyes narrowing seriously.

The next thing Gilda said surprised Emma and Penny. "Well, there ISN'T an issue! I appreciate you checking in on me so much, but there's nothing to worry about!"

Emma and Penny both gasped silently.

"Are you sure? I can't help but be concerned!"

"I feel better, I promise! So please, stop worrying about me! Goodnight!"

At that, Emma and Penny both looked at each other. They almost squealed with relief, but thankfully cupped their hands over their mouths.

The moment ended as soon as it started when Sister Krona spoke. "I see now, Emma and Penny told you everything. Am I right, Gilda? They told you all about it, didn't they?"

"That monster..." Penny muttered quietly under her breath, narrowing her eyes.

"Too bad," Sister Krona moaned. "I was really hoping that we'll eventually become good friends! So tell me, how many of the others know? There's Norman, and Ray. Anyone else? I will let you off the hook if you cooperate, so let's work together."

An uncomfortable moment passed. Penny shuddered while Emma looked anxious. What would Gilda do or say?

The sound of someone being pushed came through the door. "Please stop this!" Gilda cried. "What are you even talking about?! Emma, Penny, and I juts had a fight, but we were able to make up, so everything's fine now!"

"Well, it appears that I have misunderstood." Sister Krona said a little too sweetly. "Sorry."

The next thing Sister Krona said gave Penny chills. "If you think Emma and Penny are both lying to you, feel free to come back and talk to me."

Emma quietly stood up and motioned Penny back to their bedrooms. Penny nodded, and with Emma's help, the two crept back into the room. A second later, Gilda walked back in, and Emma and Penny smiled at their sister.

"Emma...Penny..." Gilda managed to squeak out.

"Gilda..." Emma began, but Penny beat the ginger haired girl to it. The ten year old smiled at Gilda. "I'm so proud of you."

Gilda's eyes swelled up with tears, and she let out a quiet sob as she clung to both of her sisters. Emma and Penny returned the hug, comforting her.

Back at her room, Sister Krona growled angrily. "I am not giving up. If I can't get Gilda, then..."

"Thank you for all your help, Don." Sister Krona smiled at the older teen.

Don grinned back. "Yeah, no problem."

Gilda glanced at Penny and Emma. "Should we be worried?"

"It's time to go." Emma mumbled, side glancing at one of the house windows. "Mom's watching."

"According to what Emma told me, we can trust Gilda." Norman said as he and Ray worked on laundry. He turned to Ray. "I'm curious. Why do you think the traitor's betraying us?"

"It's obvious that there's gotta be some sort of advantage." Ray explained. "Think about it. Maybe they get spared from being shipped or something."

"Guaranteed survival..." Norman hummed thoughtfully. "Huh."

Later that night, Penny and Norman both walked up to Emma, who seemed to be counting her steps for some strange reason.

"Emma." Norman said.

Emma glanced up.

"I need to talk to you and Penny."

Norman led the girls to the kitchen, and Emma and Penny both sat down on chairs, glancing at Norman as he spoke. "I need your thoughts on something."

"What is it?" Penny asked curiously.

"If there really is someone here who's willingly siding with the demons, and is guaranteed to live in exchange for bits of information...."

"You mean that they're safe from being shipped out because they're spying on us." Emma said.

Norman nodded. "Would you take them with us, or just leave them?"

Penny glanced at Emma. "Well, Emma and I have been thinking about that ourselves." She glanced at Norman. "We've decided that we should take them."

Norman's eyes widened in surprise. "Even if they didn't want that?"

Emma nodded. "Penny and I would force them. Because if we end up escaping, then that person's life might not be guaranteed anymore. And plus, I wanna believe in everyone. We both realized that after what happened with Gilda."

"That's right." Penny said. "Ray said to suspect everyone."

"But even if one of us is helping the demons, none of our siblings are truly bad." Emma finished. "We all grew up together! Even if someone gets in our way, or says I'm naïve, I still wanna believe in them!"

Norman finally smiled. "Right. Of course that would be your answer."

Later, Norman and Ray walked up to the rope's hide out.

It was there, just as planned.

Ray glanced up at Norman and nodded.

The next place they checked was under Norman's bed, but he came out empty handed.

"No rope?" Ray asked.

Norman shook his head. "It's gone." He stood up.

"Really." Ray hummed with a rare smile. "Well, then, guess it was Don."

Norman shook his head and turned to Ray, his stare darkening.

"Actually, it's you who's the traitor, Ray."