My Muse || READER X RAY || The Promised Neverland

📷 My Muse || Chapter Thirty Six

"What? He's getting shipped out the day before his birthday?" Don cried. Gilda quickly shoved her hand onto his mouth, shushing him. While Emma played with the kids, I sat under Ray's tree, my crutches beside me. There wasn't much I could do like this, but delegate Don and Gilda's actions from afar. 

I spent most of each day moping, crying, locked inside my room. 

Isabella seemed to notice and was pleased with the results of Norman's shipping. 

Don, Gilda and Emma played the façade of concerned friends, spending hours at a day by my side, consoling me. But every night at eight, while Isabella hid inside her office, writing down how each day on the farm went, I recruited more kids for our escape. 

All Isabella thought she knew were the broken hearts of five children. 

Two weeks into our scheming, a folded piece of parchment fell out of my pillow. On it's cover, a badly drawn picture of the six of us. My name was written sloppily on the back. "Norman..." I whispered, tears welling up in my eyes. His handwriting was a familiar sloppy script. I giggled, unfolding the faded yellow paper. 

I gasped at it's contents. 

Later that night, when Don and Gilda visited, I showed them the letter. Don smiled, sniffling back tears of joy. "Go, now." I said. They scurried away, leaving the letter on my nightstand. 

"Dear y/n, haha, is that how I start a letter?" Norman's voice spoke the words in my head, bringing me to tears. "I know you won't give up. Neither will Emma, Don, or Gilda. But Ray will. Ray will blame himself for my death. But know that I chose this path. It was necessary." The imaginary voice in my head turned serious. "Ray had created 14 nullifying chips. I convinced him to try to help more people escape. The trackers are inside of our left ear. The nullifying chips are hidden behind my drawer, underneath a loose floorboard. Collect them." Don and Gilda rushed inside, holding a dusty shoebox. Emma was with them, face frozen in disbelief. 

"On January 14th, Ray will attempt to burn Grace Field to the ground. Himself along with it. Escape on that day. From the time I am writing this, you have about three months to recruit and escape, fourteen people in total. Do not forget the book. If you're planning what I hope you are, the knife will come in handy. You're starting to toss and turn, so I'll sign off here. I love all of you so much. And I believe in you. Sincerely, Norman." 

I put the letter down, looking at the proud, hopeful faces around me. Emma roughly wiped away her tears. "W-We're going to make it. We're going t-to escape." She sniffled. I held her hand, nodding. "We will. Every single one of us."