The Lifeless Beauty of Gracefield [ray x f! reader]

Sad Smiles and Flower Crowns

3rd pov

That next day went by faster and slower than the four of them could have ever imagined. They all went to bed, all feeling strangely empty.

Ray woke up earlier than he should have. Five in the morning to be exact. Not wanting to waste time falling back asleep again, he got up, got dressed, brushed his teeth, and just.. walked around the house.

Down the hallways, past the bedrooms, around corners. He walked and walked, his legs leading him to a room as if they had minds of their own.

He turned around a corner and stoped abruptly, eyes widening, but trying to keep his cool.

Mama was unlocking the door to the room of which held [y/n] prison.

"good morning mama. did you have a good sleep? cuz i sure didn't." [y/n] skipped out of the room, finally being able to escape those four, tiny walls.

[y/n] turned her head slightly and locked eyes with Ray. That was it, just a long stare, before she took Mama's hand and turned away.

"i'm making breakfast, and if you don't want me to burn the house down, i highly suggest you come with me." [y/n] dragged her along as Mama giggled.

Ray's head was swarming with questions, all having to do with that certain emotionless girl.

Why did she mutter, 'maybe... it'll be less than a week' to him the other night?
Why doesn't she plan to escape?
She wanted him to not prevent her death? Then was she just gonna accept her fate?
No, no, that wasn't the [y/n] he knew... right?
What did she mean by 'take in what i've said into mass consideration'?
So does she have a plan?

Will... she live... long enough for him to say.. that he...

"N-No [y/n]! How are you burning and undercooking eggs at the same time?!" Ray's thoughts were  interrupted by Mama quietly yelling at [y/n].

~~~

Everything seamed normal. Everyone ate breakfast like normal. Talked like normal. Took their daily test like normal.

It wasn't until right after testing that mama said something that.. wasn't normal.

"I'm sorry for such a late update, but it seams [y/n]'s foster parents simply cannot wait any longer! So, they are picking her up tonight!"

Emma, Ray, Gilda, and Don froze.
Time seamed to just stop.
Fear crept from their heels to their backs.
Smaller kids were crying.
A little other ones were shocked.
[y/n] seamed to not be bothered.

"W-What?!" Nat yelled out, "T-Today?! Like- she's leaving today?!"

"T-That's not fair!" Thoma yelled out as well, "Didn't she have a week?!"

"sorry." [y/n] yawned, "that's life folks. crazy and unpredictable. no matter how many plans you make."

Emma immediately yanked [y/n] down the halls and into a room, Ray following. Mama seamed to be ok with them talking, already knowing [y/n] gave up defeat.

Emma threw her in a random bedroom and locked the door. Her fists were clenched tightly and shaking, a shadow covering her eyes.

"good morning to you too, emma." [y/n] sat properly on the bed, straightening her posture.

"Are you gonna escape?" Emma's fists clenched tighter, her jaw locked shut.

"nah." [y/n] answered quickly.

"Listen!" Emma yelled out, "Do you not care?! You are gonna die eleven! We already lost Norman- I-I can't..."

Emma lowered her head as small whimpers were let out.

"My dream is that we all grow up! That we have lives- not just in this fake orphanage! Now, that includes you!" Emma grit her teeth.

"Why are you giving up like this?!" Ray yelled, holding in tears, "Norman would have wanted you to live-"

"but you don't know that." [y/n] cut him off, "how do you know that he would have wanted me to live? Me going to those gates today improves both of your chances of escape by seventy-four percent!"

"What about your dreams? Hopes, Goals, Life?! You are just gonna throw that all away?!" Emma argued back.

"emma! face it. i've been living my life for this moment. my dreams, hopes, goals, life. that's you guys. i am more than willing, to give my life for you guys." [y/n] clenched her hands.

"But.. w-what about.." Ray was scanning through his brain, trying to think of any good reason that could really make her re-consider.

[y/n] took a deep breath and opened her eyes with a more solemn look. She walked towards the two and out her hands on their shoulders.

"just except it. i'm not gonna live 'till i'm one hundred and seventy eight." [y/n], for the first time in a long time, gave them a sad smile. A smile they could tell that she's been holding in pain. One that left them without words.

After that smile, [y/n] walked pass them towards the door. "i'm gonna be outside today, sorry if we don't talk much." [y/n] apologized before opening the door and leaving.

~~~

"What took you so long?!" Nat yelled as [y/n] walked outside, squinting her eyes from the unexpected brightness of the sun's rays.

"sorry. we just talked, but today i'm gotta be hanging out with you guys..!" [y/n] told as kids around her started cheering.

"What are we gonna do?" Anna walked over, a small smile plastered on her face.

"well. how about i teach you guys how to make flower crowns?" [y/n] suggested as kids cheered happily, agreeing with her statement.

[y/n] wrote down a list of flowers and plants that were needed and sent Nat and his army to go get them.

As they were waiting for Nat and the others to come back, some of the four-year-olds started asking for piggy-back rides.

"s-sure." [y/n] agreed hesitantly as she picked up one of her siblings and ran with her.

Before they knew it, Nat came back.

~~~

"anndd your flower crown should look like... this." [y/n] finished tying her last knot on her beautifully made flower crown.

Everyone passed it around as example and soon enough, everyone was wearing nice little flower crowns while running around in the big field of grass.

~~~

Playtime went over quickly.
That whole afternoon- it all went by too quickly.
Soon, that afternoon turned into an evening.

Which now led to [y/n] brushing off the dust on her formal, nice outfit. While adjusting small things on her outfit, she stared deeply at the reflection staring back at her through the mirror.

She had seen so many of her siblings wear this outfit. She never would have thought that one day, she would be wearing the very same thing.

She wasn't ready to say goodbye. But it seamed, she would never be ready to.

~~~
IM SO SORRY FOR SUCH THE LONG WAIT FOR THIS UPDATE!!! I JUST NEVER FOUND TIME AND WHEN I DID I DIDNT FEEL MOTIVATED!!!

IM SORRY I HOPE YIU HUYS ARE ENJOYING THE BOOK SO FAR!

BYEEEEEEEE