I might have to put this story on hold, I live in Portland, Oregon, and if you've seen the news, the wildfires have caused many issues. I live in a green zone, so I'm safe for now, but I might have to evacuate. That being said, here is the next chapter. Please enjoy.
"Words" Speaking
'words' Thoughts
"Words" Demon Speech
"Let's play a game together, I want us all to become good friends!" Krone told the group.
All the children had gathered outside the house. This was a rare time where Ray was going to join the game with his siblings. The younger children were okay with the arrangement, using what the eldest children taught them, they believed they were unstoppable.
"Okay I'm sure we are all fine with that, that is if you don't mind being It,' Spencer tells the tall woman.
"Of course, I hope you can all get away from me~." She sings out as she turns around, facing the house. "1~...2~...3~..." She starts to count as the children disperse, running to the forest, following what the eldest taught then over the past couple of days.
"9~...10! Ready or not!~..." Krone turned around, an unnaturally wide grin on her face. "Here I come."
The eldest four discussed as they ran, thinking how Krone will play this game.
"It's obvious this is as much as a mind game as a physical one. She knows that at least two of us know the truth, if not more. Mama suspects us eldest, so Krone will most likely target us by singling us out." Spencer tells the other three.
"Let's split up for now. By giving her more area to cover, the chances of our survival maximize," Ray tells the group before they split up.
Emma goes into a tree to try to get sight of Krone when she notices five of the younger kids start to converge with leaves in their hands. Suddenly Krone appears and scoops all five of them in her enormous arms.
'How did she manage to gather all the little ones?' she wondered.
A little ways away, Norman finds 2 leaves on the ground, one with a star cut in it and another with a heart.
'I told the kids to pay attention to their surroundings, she's using that! Using their curiosity against them. She is crafty' Norman thought.
After ten minutes, only six were left, Norman, Spencer, Ray, Emma, Phill, and Mary. Emma found the two young ones together. Emma had a feeling in her gut, so she sprinted to the kids. After grabbing them in both arms, Krone comes barreling behind her. The two kids start laughing as Emma Ran with them.
"Shush! or she'll catch us!" Emma tells the children, who immediately put their hands over their mouths.
Running into an open area with many large rocks, Emma ducks under one of them, hoping Krone did not see her.
As Krone comes into the area, she starts to stroll and monologue. "Emma, you must be tired after running with those little ones… If you don't rest, you won't be able to keep running. I'm sure you've never been chased like this."
'She doesn't look tired at all! What is she?' Emma wonders, her hands on her mouth to hold back her heavy breathing.
"Did you know? Norman's weak point is stamina. I've been told he has had weak physique since he was young," Krone tells the girl in an attempt to intimidate.
'Did Mama tell her all about us?' Emma questions.
"Ray's Achilles heel is he gives up too easily. He makes up his mind and abandons things quickly," Krone continues. "Spencer plans things too much and takes too much time thinking rather than acting." Krone pauses before getting to the next point. "And you, Emma, are naive. You're too optimistic and put others before yourself." She concludes.
"Come on and give up, I won't do anything to you or anyone else. If it was you who saw the "goods" that day, then I'm on your side." Krone tells her.
'On my side? What does she…' before she could finish her thought, a face appears in front of her.
"Found you." says the smiling face of Krone staring at her.
Emma and the children return to the house, Emma deep in thought. 'What did she mean by "I'm on your side." Does she want to help us escape? Why? Whatever the case, I'll tell the guys after they win this,' she says a smile on her face.
Norman, Spencer, and Ray were running from Krone together, with over 8 minutes left, Krone thought she had this in the bag.
Spencer, who is in the middle, points his finger from side to side, indicating the three split up. Norman goes right, Ray left while Spencer keeps running forward.
'Splitting up is only delaying the inevitable; I'll catch Spencer first, then Norman, that should leave me 3 minutes to get Ray.' Krone planned.
Running forward, Spencer eventually sees a large rock in his way, and he prepares himself.
Thinking he would just go around it, Krone keeps her momentum and speed at its maximum until He does something she did not expect. Using his arms like a spring, he pushes himself off the rock into the air flipping over it. Krone has to stop herself before she crashes into the rock. Quickly getting around the rock Spencer is nowhere in sight. Turning her head, she sees another one of the boys running in the opposite direction; it was Norman.
Krone changes her plans and goes after Norman next. However, she can't catch up to him despite having the objective advantage in speed and stamina. After chasing him for some time, she stops, looking at him atop a rock in disbelief.
Suddenly Ray appears behind her, a watch in his hand.
"Times up, we win."
As they all return, Ray, Spencer, and Norman get praise from the other children, Emma giving them hi-fives.
Looking at the four oldest, she sees why they are so different. And why Mama must suspect them.
'The three boys are the prime suspects. Calm, collected, and smart; if we don't catch them, they might actually get out. And the girl Emma is hard to overlook.' Krone thinks a scowl on her face. 'I can't believe I lost a tag to some children!'
Meanwhile, Ray and Norman discuss the events of the game.
"We are going to have to escape in groups, using the strengths of each other to balance the weaknesses," Norman tells his friend.
"We also learned something even more valuable. Despite us being less developed, we outclassed an adult who has no doubt been training for most of her life. We might actually be able to kill her given a chance." Ray says to the white-haired boy.
The Next day.
"Tag with teams?" Emma questioned.
"Yes. Ray and I determined that if all 38 of us were to leave in a single group, most would die. So we divided us into 6 teams, each with specific people, so are each individual's weakness is covered by someone else." Norman told Emma and Spencer, who nodded in agreement.
"We will separate everyone into their groups. Each of us will teach them at least ten different team formations I will tell you. I want you guys to memorize all of them," Ray says to the group.
"By ear?" Emma questions.
"Is that a problem for you." Ray taunted.
"Nope, not at all!" She said with a determined smile.
"On another note, I'm guessing the other two team leaders would be Don and Gilda, so about them, when should we bring them in to tell them the truth?" Spencer asked.
"Correct, Don and Gilda will each lead a team, and I think we should tell them within the next couple of days," Norman answers, looking at Don and Gilda talk with some of the younger children.
That night Emma and Spencer were getting the kids ready for bed while Ray and Norman cleaned the dishes and checked the pantries inventory. Spencer took care of the kids aged three to six while Emma took the kids who were seven through nine. After bathing, brushing teeth, and getting dressed, all the kids gathered in Spencer's room for him to tell the bedtime story for that night.
Spencer opened the book Titled 'How Jellyfish Came to be, by Natasha Allegri.' Emma had Phill and Nayla on her lap; many of the other children were sitting or lying around Her to hear Spencer tell the story.
"This is the story of How Jellyfish Came to be," Spencer tells them as he turns the book to face the children. A picture of an Octopus on one side and a Princess on the other, her hair forming an octopus.
"Once there was a lost Princess." He starts turning the page to show the Princess, her long hair reaching past her feet.
"She came to a cliffside overlooking the ocean, and her long beautiful hair fell into it." He turns the page to show the Princess sitting on the cliff looking out to the Ocean.
"An octopus saw the Princesses hair that had tumbled into the sea, and mistook it for another octopus," He says. Turning the page to an octopus looking at the Princess's hair, thinking it was an octopus.
"And it fell in love," he says, the octopus's tentacle reaching the hair.
"When he found out it was a Princess's hair, the octopus offered to help take the princess home." The next page shows the Princess atop the octopus as they go across the sea.
On the next page, a castle comes into view, the other side of the page showing the Princess on land reaching out to the octopus while the octopus starts to leave. "The Princess gave her hair to the octopus as a thank you gift, to keep it company in the empty Sea." He turns the page showing the Princess pulling a large part of her hair and tying it into an octopus shape with a ribbon.
"And for a long time, the octopus felt like he had company. Carrying the Princess's hair," he tells the kids, some of them starting to fall asleep. The picture on the page shows the octopus and hair deep in the sea.
"However, the strong underwater currents untied the Princesses bundled hair. The octopus tried to gather the strings together. Not realizing he had tied himself into knots," the next two pages show the bowtie coming undone and the octopus tying himself up trying to grab the hair back.
"As he tried to pull himself out of the knots, his body was ripped apart." He says, showing parts of the octopus ripping off in a non-graphic manner.
"Each piece of the octopus's body joined together with a strand of the Princesses hair, and came back to life," Spencer tells them, showing the picture to be a hair strand touching a part of the octopus, turning it into a Jellyfish.
"And that is where Jellyfish come from," He concludes, closing the book. Most of the younger children are asleep while others look ready to go to bed.
(Note story is from Puppycat and Bee by Natasha Allegri. NOT ME)
Spencer helps Emma tuck the kids into bed before they head out the door.
"You are really good at telling stories Spence," Emma tells the boy quietly to not wake anyone up.
"So, I've been told. We make a good team, don't we, with the kids I mean." He tells her as they walk down the hall to tell Mama all the kids are in bed.
"Yea we do, Reminds me when we' ed playhouse as the Mama and Papa." She tells him a small blush on her face, but mostly overshadowed by her grin.
"I remember that some of the younger ones still call us that. Kinda embarrassing, isn't it?" He says a large blush on his face.
"Yea, totally…" She stops talking as they approach Mama's office. 'I remember I once told Mama I would marry Spence when we grow up. To think she told me that it was a great idea, knowing she would send us to our deaths when we were ready.' Emma thinks. 'I won't forgive her for all the lies she's told and the family she has had slaughtered.'
The Next Morning.
"From when we first learned the truth, we've learned more about Mama than the eleven years she's been taking care of us." Norman said as the four eleven-year-olds went to their meeting location.
"What do you mean?" Emma inquired.
"In a nutshell, Mama knows the eldest children are most likely to be the one to know. more specifically, I think she has figured out that Ray and Spencer had joined the two that found out." Norman explains.
"Not guessed or thought, but found out?" Emma asks.
"Yes, one of the reasons I believe this is by how she uses Sister Krone. If she could not identify us as the ones who knew but had the intention of finding us, the eldest six would be the most likely. Rather than focusing on us, Mama is having Krone watch all the children." Norman tells the girl.
"It only bugged me a little at first, but my suspicion has grown the more time passes. Mama is not putting any extra effort into exposing us. My best guess is that she a) doesn't care and is confident we won't beagle to escape. b) she's completely oblivious to the fact that we know or C) She knows who we are and what our plans are." Spencer commented.
"It's strange, isn't it?" Norman asked. To which the three others nodded.
"But her actions when Norman and I just figured out! They don't make sense if she already knew who we were!" Emma points out.
"Right," Norman confirms.
"How then? She can't draw any conclusions from just the trackers, and why would she let us do whatever if she knows it is us?" Emma wonders out loud.
"It's cuz she has her very own method of monitoring us." Ray tells them. "I think that's what Norman and Spencer were getting at, that she doesn't need Krone to weed out which among the six of us know the truth. Cuz she has a Mole among the children." he concluded, all of them looking at the younger children playing outside.
"While I agree that it is a possibility, we can't jump to any conclusions. It could be entirely possible that the children are leaking information to her unknowingly. To be specific, I think she has someone who keeps an I on the children here to make sure they don't do anything bad; they could be just as much a pawn in this game as Krone is." Norman says, making sure to not paint any of the kids as part of the enemy.
"Finding the inside source should be our next priority. We won't be able to do anything if Mama knows everything we are going to do." Spencer suggested.
"I agree, we could also involve Don and Gilda in this in such a way where we could figure out if they are the mole." Ray added on.
"Yes, I agree. That's why I already laid a trap for them." Norman tells them. "On another topic, Ray, how goes the transmitters? Got an estimate on when they'll be removed?"
"Two weeks- no, I can get them out in ten days." Ray replies.
"Okay, let's escape in ten days." Norman tells the group.
"Huh?" The other three asked.
"On November 8th, ten days from now, we will be executing our escape from this farm." Norman tells the other three.
"Woah, Woah Woah Woah, Woah!" Emma exclaimed, running over to Norman, Spencer, and Ray the following suit. "Don't you think that's a little rushed, not that I mind."
"I mind!" Ray and Spencer said at the same time.
"Mama's goal is to restrict us. That's why She will not make a move until we do." Ray says. "Doesn't that mean we have time?"
"We still know nothing of the world outside, and as of right now, I don't think all the kids are fit enough to escape." Spencer tells Norman. "If we have time like Ray suggested, we need to use all of it to escape." he says.
"That's why we need to leave sooner rather than later." Norman tells them. Seeing the confusion on their faces, he continues. "If we can figure out all that, Mama surely predicts we'd wait till the last second as well. Mama won't be able to predict it If we leave in ten days. Furthermore, it would probably be safer to leave before winter. Spencer, I understand your points and even agree with you, but that's why we need to step up our game over the next ten days. We can do this." Norman encourages.
Later that day.
Ray, Spencer, and Emma were outside on the porch, watching the children play.
'Could one of them actually be a spy for Mama?' Emma wonders.
"What's Phil's average score again?" Ray asks the other two.
"I believe his average is 203." Spencer tells him.
"Damn, that's high for a four-year-old." Ray comments. "When we played tag against Sister Krone, he was among the last six too."
Emma starts to stare at Phil. 'Could it be Phil?' she wonders.
"He and Mary are always asking for you two." Ray adds.
Emma's composure starts to fall as she drops to her knees and frantically scratches her head.
"AGGGGHHHH! Stop it! You're scaring the crap out of me!" Emma exclaims.
"You dumbass. Learn to doubt people even if you don't like it." Ray tells her
Kneeling down to where she is, Spencer rubs her head, trying to calm her down. "Ray has a point. We need to find the mole and convince them to work with us. However, I think we can say that anyone younger than five is most likely, not it. Mama would need time to judge if they are good for the job, and they'd have to be intelligent and mature enough to lie and snoop in on our conversations."
"That still leaves over ten possibilities," Ray commented.
"Remember, Norman already has a trap set for the mole, I trust that he will get results." Spencer said, looking at Ray. turning back to Emma, he continues. "Emma, even if people call your optimism and naivety a weakness, it is also a strength. If anyone could get through to the mole and convince them to betray Mama, it's you."
Looking at him, Emma smiles, "Thanks, when we find out who it is, I'll make them join us so we can escape!"
Spencer saw Ray looked on at them with a pondering look on his face, with a hint of sadness? Spencer didn't know why, but suddenly some things started to make sense. 'I have to go talk to Norman.'
"Well I'm going to help Norman with planning our escape once we reach outside. You guys keep looking at the others for suspicious behavior." Spencer tells them.
"Okay!" Emma said, jumping up to her feet.
"Fine" Ray says in a bored tone.
That night.
Before dinner, Emma and Norman told Don and Gilda that they wanted to talk to them about something important. They told the two ten-year-olds to meet them in the library after dark.
Entering the library, Ray, Norman, Spencer, and Emma see Don and Gilda sitting at a table.
"Hey guys! What did you want to talk about?" Don said.
"..."
"Huh? Human trafficking?" Don questions after the explanation. When The four discussed how to tell the ten-year-old, they decided to lie and tell them that Grace Field was a human trafficking plant. Emma thought that they were not ready to know about the demons.
"Yea… everyone that's left here to go to a foster family has ended up being sold to some bad guys…" Emma says in a saddened tone, Spencer could not tell if it was because of the subject or because of lying to her siblings.
"...pfft. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I was worried that you would tell us something bad happened by the looks at your faces. HAHA! No friggin way!" Don laughs at what he'd been told.
"Come on, Don, Think about it. The gate and fence, the fact we don't hear from anyone outside, the ID tattoos on our necks, it all adds up to something malicious." Spencer told the laughing boy.
"This is a good bit! So what's the punchline? Or is this a set up for a new game?" Don joked around.
The four eldest just stood in silence, hoping their serious faces and demeanor would convey that this was no joke.
"Wait… your kidding, right?" Don asks, all joy and laughter gone.
"Nope." Ray said with no emotion.
"So... then what about Mama? She wouldn't let us get sold to bad guys?" Don asked.
"She's in on it, been in on it the whole time…" Emma says melancholically.
"What! Stop lying, Emma!" Don accuses. "There's no way in hell that Mama would do something like that. Apologies right now!" he yells.
"Umm, Don?" Gilda says timidly. "I don't think Emma would lie about something like this. She loves our family and Mama too much." she says. "It would also explain how weird you guys have been acting. The night Emma and Norman left for the gate. Usually, you'd tell Mom if you broke the rules, and then you told us not to mention it ever again, then Mama made us do all those chores like we did something wrong… All four of you kept disappearing outside, so I couldn't ask any of you what happened." Gilda's composure started to sway as tears formed in her eyes.
With a cry, Gilda ran into Emma's arms and cried into her chest.
"Oh Gilda, I'm so sorry I made you feel like that." Emma told the girl in her arms.
"Emma, Norman, Did you see Conny get taken by the bad guys?" Gilda asked.
"Yea, we saw, but we couldn't do anything, she was already knocked out." Norman told her.
"Wait, then that means Conny's…" Don started. "She's okay, right!? She's Safe, right!?" Don says, grabbing Norman's collar.
"We don't know…" Norman tells them.
"We have to escape, so let's all run away together and save Conny!" Emma tells them.
"I don't if this helps, but here are test scores from all the people who have left over the past few years. Spencer helped me with it with his great memory." Norman says, handing Gilda and Don a sheet of paper. "As you can see, after the age of six, everyone left this place in the order of lowest to highest, with no one staying long after they turn twelve."
"You're right! That is no coincidence." Gilda says, looking at the sheet of names.
"Please believe us, and help us escape from here!" Emma pleads.
Both Don and Gilda agreed to help escape and get to Conny. Then they all separated to get ready for bed.
"Well I think that went well," Spencer says as he and the other two eldest boys walk to the bathroom to get ready for bed.
"I disagree!" Ray says, irritated. "Saying stuff like "We don't know." and "Let's go save Conny." is giving them false hope. I understand that if one of them is the spy, then lying is the best option, but if they aren't, then it's damn cruel."
"It would have been hard to convince them of a world full of child-eating demons, and if they didn't believe us, they no doubt would have told Mama about us, and we'd be screwed." Norman reasons.
"That may be true, but we could at least have told them that Conny died." Ray says, still irritated.
"False hope can be cruel, but is it better than no hope? I agree we should have told them Conny's fate, but what's done is done. If we are to make it out of here and beyond, we need hope, and if it's a false hope that gets us out of here together, then let them believe in it." Spencer says as the boys enter the bathroom.
"I still don't like it, even if one of them isn't the traitor when the truth comes out, it will hurt them." Ray grumbles.
"For now, all we can do is wait and see if the trap is sprung. I told you guys that I told Don and Gilda two different locations where the rope was hidden. If we find that one is missing on the next day, we will know who the traitor is." Norman says as they start to get ready for bed.
That night.
Emma woke to the sound of the door opening. Getting up and sneaking out, she sees Gilda and Sister Krone outside the sister's door.
'Is Gilda the mole? How?! All the tears she shed and smiles shared were they all part of an act?!' Emma wonders, seeing Gilda walk inside the room of Sister Krone.
Emma waited just on the other side of the door listening to what the conversation was about. Krone asked Gilda if anything was wrong or if she wanted to tell her anything. Gilda responded with a hardy no that nothing was bothering her, and she wanted to be left alone. Emma felt relieved at hearing this; Gilda was not the spy! Then Krone confronted her, saying that she found out the truth of everything. Still, Gilda refuted her and said she had no idea what Krone was talking about before leaving.
When Gilda closed the door, Emma jumped at her, giving her a hug.
"Thank goodness, Gilda! I'm sorry for ever doubting you!" She said in relief.
Gilda hugged her back and cried in similar relief; both of them then headed back to bed and promised to discuss in detail what happened in Sister Krone's room with the others.
That Morning Spencer and Norman talked about Sister Krone while doing the laundry with Emma and Gilda.
"I think we can safely say Krone has started to act independently from Mama, what happened last night with Gilda is enough to prove it." Spencer said to his friend as they washed the white clothes of their siblings.
"Yes I think it's a safe bet. Whatever her response, Krone is trying to find the targets without Mama's approval. Depending on her methods, we cannot rule her out as a mere annoyance." Norman told Spencer.
"So Norman, any news on the traps?" Spencer asked.
"All I know is Gilda is clean. I still need to check Don's spot." Norman says. "Hey Spence, why would someone spy for Mama in the first place? I thought she must have let them become an adult under the demons like her." he asks.
"That may be a possibility, but it could be for a chance to escape everything all together or something material. One thing for sure, Mama could also be lying to them about their reward. I think they could easily be turned into a double agent and work for us. Emma's pure charisma can change anything, I swear..." Spencer concluded. As they put the last of the washed clothes out to dry. Norman thought about that; he'd have to ask Emma if she could even trust the spy after they found out.
Later that day, Ray and Norman went to check the hidden ropes. First, the duo went to check under Norman's bed.
"Well is it there?" Ray asked.
"No not here…" Norman replied, looking under his bed.
"Really, okay, I'll check the bathroom." Ray says as he starts to walk to the door.
"No need; I already did, the rope is still there." Norman tells the black-haired boy.
"Well then, I guess we know who it is." Ray said.
Norman told Ray that he told Gilda that the rope was above the ceiling on the second-floor bathroom and told Don he was under Norman's bed.
"Yea, I guess we do know, don't we… it's you, Ray, you're the spy." Norman says to Ray.
After a moment of silence, Ray giggled then responded to Norman's accusation.
"Funny joke Norman, this trap was for Don no-" Ray was cut off by Norman.
"I did not lay just two traps." This statement by Norman causes Ray to lose the smile on his face.
"What I said was different for everyone, I told Don they were in the Dining room, and I told Gilda they were in the library." Norman explains. "I only told you that they were under my bed and in the bathroom. It was different for Spencer and Emma too. Out of the eight possible spots, only the one under my bed was missing. Meaning you framed Don."
Ray looked at Norman for a moment before falling onto the bed staring at the ceiling.
"Keh… Hehehe… HAHAHAHA!" Ray started laughing, putting his arm over his eyes.
"Man, and just when I thought things were going as planned… You're so soft I assumed that I could deserve you guys for a little longer, but you found out much faster than anticipated." Ray said, sitting up.
"You're Right. I am Mama's Spy. Since when did you suspect?" Ray asked.
"The night Sister Krone came here." Norman answered. "Man, right away, huh?" Ray replied.
"Honestly I'm sickened by my own self, for suspecting you first and foremost… despite our close friendship." Norman says, looking saddened. "You being the informant was the worst-case scenario for us, and it's the best-case scenario for the enemy. You could manipulate the plans perfectly. If all Mama wanted was control, you'd be the perfect spy. No one here is more suitable, am I right?"
"Heh I'm guessing all that is why you suspected me?" He asked.
"Yes, but Spencer helped. He told me about some of your suspicious behavior. The other day, he saw how you looked when Emma said they convinced the spy to join us. However, I decided to test all of you, just in case." Norman told the boy. "How long have you been her spy? I doubt Mama would trust someone she hasn't been working with for a long time."
"Six years." Ray said simply.
"You weren't just a spy? But an underling?!" Norman asked in an angry tone.
"Yes, you could think of me as the sheepdog of a shepherd." Ray analogized.
"Are you the only inside source?" Norman asked.
"Yep." Ray answered.
"And even though you knew everything, you supported Mama?" the white-haired boy asked.
"Yes." the black-haired boy answered.
"Was everything a lie, all the smiles, tears, laughs… was it all a lie?" Norman asked, getting face to face with Ray. "There isn't enough time in the day to ask all the questions I want to, so all start with two. How much did you tell Mama? and can you actually destroy the transmitters?" He asked.
"Why? Depending on my answer, would I be removed from the escape plan?" Ray asked.
"No, I'd have you around just like before. Mama thinks she can control us through you, that's why we have not been shipped out yet. If we kicked you out, then our shipment time would probably come closer." Norman explained. Ray just scowls in response.
"Shouldn't you be happy? Your failure can now be covered-up. You were so desperate you framed Don." Norman said with a smile.
"... what do you want?" Ray asked.
"I want three things: One, you stay next to us at all times to ensure our safety. Two, you disclose all the information you have. Three, double cross Mama." Norman demanded.
Ray just looked at Norman with the same scowl as before. "Are you stupid? If that's what you wanted, you should have used me and kept me in the dark, then cut me off when we escaped."
"Yea, I know… But Emma wants everyone, including the spy, to come, and Spencer made a great point to me. Having a double agent is a huge asset, and being able to take full control of the information Mama gets will make our escape that much easier." Norman told Ray.
"..." The two sat in silence for a moment before Norman spoke up again. "You were the one to keep Little Burnie here in the first place, to get us to know the truth, am I right?"
Ray stayed silent, looking at Norman. The white-haired boy continued. "You aren't 100% loyal to Mama, the fact that you allowed us to learn the truth meant you wanted us to know and plan for us to make an escape, you haven't even told her the actual location of the ropes. So tell me, why do you work for Mama."
"..." Ray stayed silent before a smirk grew on his face. "Mama didn't ask me, I asked her. For a once simple goal… To prepare to Escape with you guys!" He said with gusto.
"Prepare to escape?" Norman repeated.
"Right, all these years, I have been gathering intel and resources to make our escape. Spencer was right that having a double agent is a huge asset in making our escape. I asked two simple things in return for me being her undercover agent among the children. One that I don't get shipped off until I turn twelve, and two, that I get compensated for my work. She agreed as long as my work was worth the trouble," Ray explained.
"What kind of "compensation" did you ask for?" Norman asked.
"Useless crap to anyone unsuspecting like Mama. mainly I got things that aren't in the house." Ray told him.
"You were testing what she could and could not get for you!" Norman realized.
"Exactly. I got almost everything I asked for, I only could not get anything dangerous, or that could make contact with the outside world. The only problem is that the stuff was a little dated." Ray said. With a smile on his face, he continued, "and after a few years of experimentation, I am confident I can render the transmitters utterly useless. Do you understand? Right in front of you is the most important trump card you have access to!"
"But why include us? You could have escaped by yourself. It would have been much easier if it was just you and not having to include the rest of us."
"You misunderstand, I didn't spend the past six years trying to escape. I sold myself to Mama, stole Burnie so you would find it, all for the goal of keeping you three alive." Ray said, much to Norman's shock.
"But back on topic, I will agree to be your spy, lie to Mama and give you all the information I have, on one condition…" Ray tells Norman.
"And what is that?" Norman asked.
"Fool Emma and Spencer," Ray demands.
Ray continues, "Pretend like we will bring everyone and then ditch them at the last second. Gilda and Don can come along with the four of us, but no one else. Everyone under ten would be deadweight and most likely die once we get outside. If you want me to help you, then agree to these terms."
"... okay, fine. I'll do it." Norman agrees.
"Good, good. With that out of the way, I have a report to make, don't worry, I won't tell her anything that would cause my six-year-long plan to go up in smoke." Ray says, walking out the door, leaving Norman to think.
Meanwhile, with Emma and Spencer.
While Norman and ray checked the rope locations. Emma and Spencer were cleaning the dishes, many of the other kids in the dining room reading or playing Spencer's piano. While it wasn't actual music, the kids seemed to be having fun.
"... Emma?" Spencer asked the girl next to him.
"Hmm? What is it?" she responded.
"What were you doing near Mama's room? I saw you stepping and counting?" Spencer questioned, looking behind him to make sure no one was listening.
"Oh that, well, I thought that Mama must have a secret room she disappears too, just before 8 pm every night. I tried to follow her for the past two nights. The first night she entered her office and locked the door, I put my ear to the room and heard something shift like a door or something. Last tonight she entered her room's washroom, and the same thing happened. So I did some measurements. Down that hallway are Mama and the baby's bedroom, a washroom connected to her room, and Mama's office. But the steps don't add up, there's an extra 10 steps or so, between her washroom and office." Emma told Spencer.
Spencer was stunned. He had never noticed that extra space. He knew Mama left for the bathroom or her office, he'd just thought it was for typical reasons, but now he agreed with Emma.
"Good work Emma." Spencer tells her, nudging her arm as praise. "We can tell everyone tomorrow. However, I don't think we should go in, rather use this information when we escape. She's in there for about ten minutes, or so we can get a head start if we leave right when she goes in."
"Right." she replies.
The next day.
After the test's finished, Mama praised the four eldest for getting full scores again. She also congratulated Don, Gilda, and Phil for their scores jumping up. The four escape planners left for their meeting spot to wait for Don and Gilda to come by.
"So how was the situation with the rope locations? Anyone-" Emma asked before Ray cut her off.
"It was me, I am Mama's Spy." He tells her.
Chapter 3, End.
And with that, I'm done for this chapter. It was getting long. Like I said, the first two arcs will be pretty much the same except for Spencer being inserted into the story. There will be a point where the story shifts away from the source material, and when that happens, I will need input on what to do. I won't say what or why just wait.
This is RightouesHope wishing you a good day.