Martyr | Ray

Chapter 17

As I stand on the edge of the wall, I could feel a sense of peace as the wind blows softly as if encouraging me as I look down at the large drop.

The sound of multiple footsteps fade away with every second as I stood at the edge, looking upon the other side where everyone else was just at.

"Why.....did you stay?" I hear Mama say and I look up at her to see her with a shocked expression on her face.

My eyes drop for a bit as I smile, "so you don't feel lonely." I say and she shakes her head. "You'll get in trouble so in order to reduce your punishment, I will turn myself in." I grin as I lift a finger up, "plus, you're gonna get lonely without me causing trouble!"

Mama takes a step forward as I look back at the forest, a single lantern on the floor as it illuminates a bit of the area.

Ah, the breeze is nice. I think to myself as I hear Mama get closer to me before standing beside me. She was looking out as well.

I smile at this before pointing to the forest, "you know, we wanted to be detectives when we left this place." I say, closing my eyes as I remember the memory so clearly.

"We should be a detective! You can be my sidekick!" Osamu says with a big grin as I holds the book up in the air.

I look at him, my eyes shining with excitement and admiring his passion. I smile at him, nodding my head as I stand up.

"Yeah! We can be partners and be famous!" I excitedly said as he holds the book he was reading. I look at the words reading what he was reading and I smile big.

"We should have a name too!"

We grin at each other, "then how about—" I nod my head at his suggestion. "Yeah let's go with that!"

"We?" Mama repeats after me before she finally realizes who I spoke us. "You knew...this whole time did you?" She looks down at me as the wind blows her hair in her face.

I look at her, "the look on your face tells everything."

I sigh, "Osamu and everyone that was part of our small group are all dead." I said as my eyes drop with the sudden sadness of old friends but I am unable to cry a single tear for them.

"I'm the only one left and it's only right I follow them the same way." Within a blink, I feel Mama embrace me which caught me off guard. My eyes widen as she begins to spill so many apologies but I still recovering from shock as I stood there, my arms limp at my side.

"Mama?" I call to her and in the distance, I hear another alarm go off and she pulls back. Tears are rolling down her cheeks as she grabs ahold of my face with her hand, "listen to me, you need to escape. If Grandma finds you're still here, you'll be capture and killed to replace Emma and Ray who escaped. You're a more special Cass than them so you're in danger." She lets go and grabs the backpack I dropped earlier when Emma and I were planning this plan.

She wraps the white scarf around me fast but gently, "come. You need to catch up with the others." We run towards the last and only sheet that is still tied to the other sides on different trees. Emma had instructed the children to do before running away.

Grabbing the hanger, I'm getting ready to cross when I stop and look back at Mama who smiles at me. "I...I don't hate you and Osamu wouldn't hate you either, so don't worry about me. I'll keep everyone safe."

Taking a step back, I launch myself forward, "when we see each other again, we'll read the rest of the books together!"

I take one last look at her, a smile was on her face as she waves at me and I turn away and run.