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

🔒 My Muse || Chapter Sixty Seven

"What are you talking about?" I asked, tugging his long brown cape. When he turned around, the coat flew over his right shoulder. I gasped, noticing the empty sleeve of his shirt. he jabbed his left fist into the air. "We can destroy Goldy Pond."

I stumbled backwards, slightly disturbed. A familiar grasp caught my shoulders, someone blocking my fall. 

"You scared her." I turned around, meeting Zach's annoyed glare pointed towards the red haired man. Lucas nervously scratched his head, apologizing to me. "Sorry, y/n. I was so excited, I forgot. I'll explain right now." I shook it off, following him deeper into the hidden room. 

"Actually, this is the second time this room has been opened." The corridor started to dip into a downwards slope. Zach held out his hand. "You might slip." I blushed, placing my fingers in his palm. He's so considerate... Lucas continued his monologue. "The first time I've entered was about three years ago, maybe more. When I came here with my family. We had our own pen, from our escape from a premium farm." This story sounded familiar. He returned the silver utensil from Emma. She shoved it into her pocket. "I wanted to come here to save other people, other children. Instead, we were caught." Light shone from the thin cracks of two wooden double doors. Lucas placed his hand on it, pushing them open. "Goldy Pond." He started, turning to me. "Is another farm." I whispered. 

A small room was packed floor to ceiling with hundreds of security cameras, monitoring every corner and alleyway of this bright little town. Except it wasn't a town. Another farm, I had to remind myself. I pulled Zach into the room, immediately gravitating towards another door. "Lucas, what's in here?" I called, turning the knob. "You'll have to go find out." He chuckled, breaking into a run. Emma, Zach and I raced down the crude tunnel, resembling an unexplored cave. Zach glared at me. "You'll-" "I won't fall!" I laughed, grabbing his hand again. "You'll catch me!" I was so curious. I wanted to find out what was in this secret basement. 

"An exit?" Emma asked, perplexedly noticing a golden glow of light. 

"But we went so deep underground..." I said, rubbing my eyes. 

"It's not an exit." Zach replied, stepping into a large stone chamber, stalactites dripping from the ceilings and rising from the floor. The yellow glow was being emitted by a beautiful golden pond, in the center of the room. "What?" I muttered, stepping towards its shore. "There's a house!" Emma pointed in the center of the small lake, where a small house looking contraption sat on a tiny island. I stepped into the water. "y/n!" Zach called, following me. 

It felt like I wasn't controlling my own body. My legs moved with a mind of their own, sloshing through the golden water. "y/n, you'll get... wet?" I stepped onto the island, my leggings still completely dry. The liquid dripped right off of my pants and skin. Emma looked at her own feet, noticing the same effect. We all confusedly walked towards the house. 

The silence was interrupted by the loud ringing of a telephone. 

"Eek!" Emma shrieked, jumping onto Zach. 

We stared at each other, perplexed. 

"What are you waiting for?" Lucas called from the entrance to the room. He pointed at the house, smiling warmly. "Pick up the call!" 

I walked towards the front of the little building. It wasn't a house. It was an elevator. An empty car seemingly waited for our arrival, locked by thin metal grates resembling a fence. In front of the booth was a plain wooden table with a single drawer. A red telephone was ringing intensely. My fingers were trembling. I felt like I had to pick up this call. I grabbed the phone, noticing its lack of a cord. 

A man's voice immediately spoke. "Hello. This is William Minerva." 

"M-Minerva! Mr. Minerva!" I stuttered out, shouting. Emma ran to my side, eyes wide open. She couldn't believe her ears. William Minerva was speaking to us? 

"Mr. Minerva we've been wanting to see you!" She cried. 

"If you are receiving this transmission it's because you escaped a premium farm. I congratulate you." 

"Minerva?" I asked, expecting a reply. He continued to speak. 

"I wish I could've been there to congratulate those who made it to Goldy Pond. But unfortunately, I cannot." 

My heart sank. It was a recording. Emma realized too, her quivering mouth drawing closed. 

"I used to be affiliated very closely to this world's farms, acting as a business leader and guardian for the humans unfortunate enough to have been born cattle. But you know as well as I do that we are not product to be sold. My name is not William Minerva. It was an identity I took so I could act as a vigilante leader, whose goal was to destroy the farms. You may know me as James Ratri." 

I gasped. James Ratri? My father? William Minerva? I stumbled, grabbing onto the table to keep me from falling. My whole body shook. Emma grabbed me, her hands trembling as well. I couldn't believe my ears. I couldn't believe anything. 

Zach called my name from across the pond. 

"I was betrayed by my brother, Peter Ratri. I've concluded it was so that he could inherit the family fortune and name."

My eyes started to burn, tears dripping from my cheeks. 

"If he had asked, I would have given it to him." He chuckled painfully. "I was forced into the business when I turned twenty. All I can say is that I'm glad it led me to her." 

Her? My mother? 

It's as if he knew I'd be asking these questions. He answered me immediately. 

"Josephine." He said. I could feel the smile on his face when he said her name. "Sixteen years ago, I decided to become a traitor. For my wife, who was a shepherd. And my child, who was a lamb. Both were to be sent to the slaughter. And I could not stand that thought." 

A hand grabbed my shoulder. I jerked around. It was Zach, looking at me solemnly. He had heard everything. William Minerva continued to speak. 

"My child. y/n." I froze, my fists clenching closed. I dug my fingernails into my palms. Zach grabbed my hand, squeezing his fingers in between mine. Emma placed her hand on my shoulder, giving me a comforting look.

"It is out of pure foolishness that I hope you are listening to this. It is out of pure love that I create a world for you to live without the gloom of an imminent death. I know that you will survive. You will change this world. For your traitor father, and for your cattle mother." 

The line started to cut out. 

"And remember, that love is the only way out." 

Painful static filled the room, echoing from the red telephone in my hands. I put it down.

"What happened to this place?"