~Memories from the Beginning~

♟Chapter 13♟

"Ray?" Emma questioned, shocked. 

"Isn't this the greatest?" Ray chuckled.

"One of the perfect scorers with the set shipment date will burn up. She won't be able to abandon me." He grinned while outstretching his arms and letting the empty canister fall on the ground.

"I've been waiting for this day. I decided this a long time ago. Many, many years ago. It's a childish retaliation." He shrugged.

Emma continued to stare at him with wide eyes and he chuckled, "You know what, Emma? I've never really been interested in studying or reading. But I endured it, and I worked hard to improve my value to the highest it could be. Twelve years...I'm a feast that they've been waiting for. I'm going to take that away from them tonight. Right before the harvest they've been looking forward to."

A sadistic grin appears on his face, "Don't think you can eat mee. Don't think you can serve me. Food? Merchandise? I don't give a crap! I'm a human being! Serves them right!"

"Ray..." Emma stammered as she slightly took a step forward.

"It's fine this way. This is the best way. I've watched our family die all these years. I used them and they were all good kids. They were kind-hearted." Ray muttered with his head lowered.

"Wait-" Emma said but the boy cut her off.

"Don't move." Ray held his hand forward.

"Listen, Emma. You only have one chance. Make this work. Please don't let me or Norman die in vain." He said as he reached over to the table beside him.

"This is for you." Ray said as he tossed Emma a book.

Emma confusedly looked at the book and opened it, halting as she spotted something inside. There were photos and one was of her and Norman.

"From that time..." She muttered, her eyes becoming glossy.

The clock rang, signaling the beginning of a new day It was now midnight. Midnight on January 15.

Ray reached into his pocket and pulled out a box that made Emma gasp. She watched as Ray lit a match and faced her with a smile.

"I'm now 12 years old. It was a life I wanted to curse, but the time I spent with everyone was really fun." Ray said.

"No...! Stop!" Emma exclaimed.

"Thank you." Ray said. "Bye-bye, Emma."

Ray released the match from his grip and Emma ran towards him with an outstretched arm and a horrified expression on her face.

-----

Isabella hummed a lullaby as she checked on the sleeping babies, her hands caressing their faces as she made sure they were cozy. When she finished checking on the last baby, she exited the room and entered her office. Setting down a lantern, she took a seat at her desk and grabbed a feather with ink. As she brought the tip to a sheet of paper, the clock rung, signaling that it was midnight. A few moments later, she dipped the feather in ink and stood, making her way over to a calendar and crossing out a day that passed.

"Happy birthday." She smiled. "Goodbye."

Before she could return to her desk, she halted as someone yelled, "Ray!"

Isabella was surprised by the sound, not expecting someone to be up at this time. She quickly left her office and ran through the hall, and upon making it to the dining room, she brought her hand to her nose.

"What is this smell?" She furrowed her brows.

Quickly throwing the door open, she flinched at the sudden gust of heat as her eyes stared at the huge fire before her.