Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
When you're close to me...
꧁----꧂
The four oldest kids walk together to the library, to have a talk with Don and Gilda.
Emma turns around right before turning the door knob, "Please guys, just follow my lead."
She finally opened the door to reveal Don and Gilda waiting patiently in chairs.
"Hey, Emma! What's up?" Don said.
꧁----꧂
"Human trafficking? Are you sure?" Don clarified. Nobody said a word.
"Yeah," Emma finally said. "All of our siblings, we're sold off to some really bad people." Don began to look really uncomfortable. That was until he bursted out laughing.
What's his problem?
"No, no, no. There's no way! Come on!" Don continued to cackle.
[Name] was fed up with how lightly he was taking it, "It explains the walls and gate. And also why the kids who get adopted never send us any letters." She gripped onto the railing next to her in annoyance as she sat on the very top of the ladder next to Ray.
"Alright guys, so what's the punchline? You almost had me there for a second." Everyone stood quietly for a second time. "Uh, hey. Why aren't you guys saying anything?"
"Because it's true." Ray said from the top of the ladder.
"What? Wait but Mom..."
"She's the one..." Emma answered. "Who sells us to people."
"Huh? There's no way Mom would ever do that to us take it back, Emma." Don grabbed on to Emma's shoulders.
"Don," Gilda softly called. "Emma loves Mom and this house just as much as the rest of us. Why would she make this up?"
"So, Gilda?" Emma said.
"To tell the truth, I did think it was weird. The night that Conny left, Emma and Norman both went down to the gate..."
"Wait, you did?" Don cut off.
"Yeah." Norman answered.
"In those cases, even if you broke the rules, you'd eventually come clean about it and things would go back to normal. But you haven't done that yet. Emma, I wanted to ask about it. But I always got too scared to bring it up." Gilda began to break down crying. Emma walked around the table to her, and began to comfort her.
"Oh Gilda, please don't cry. I'm sorry I made you worry."
"Did you see it happen?" Don said. "Did you guys see Conny being sold off to the bad people?"
