𝒷𝓁𝑜𝑜𝒹 𝓁𝑜𝓁𝓁𝒾𝓅𝑜𝓅𝓈 ~ 𝓇𝒶𝓎 𝓍 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹𝑒𝓇

Traitor.

—♡︎—
"Can you... stay for a while?"
—♡︎—

"Care for a game of chess?" Ray asked me from across the library.
"Aren't we supposed to be meeting with Emma soon to talk to Don and Gilda?" I reply, confused.
He shrugs as he grabs the chess case from the storage closet,
"So? We have plenty of time."
I laugh as I take a seat at the same table we were at during our last game of chess. I can barely remember that night, every time I try and think back to it the only thing I can remember in disgustingly vivid detail is seeing Conny's body and the demons. The conversation between the two monsters will probably never leave my mind.
However, everything after that faded into nothingness.
Realistically I could probably remember bits and pieces if I tried hard enough, but it's not exactly a night I like to think about more than I already do.

Ray takes the seat across from me as we set up the board.
Once it's all set up we allow the game to begin.
He moves his pawn two squares, allowing me to move mine in the same way.
The game goes on like this for a while, mindlessly moving the pieces like as if it's second nature, only worried about finishing the game to go find Emma and Norman.
I start to move my hand in order to move my rook when I stop and get the sudden feeling of déjà vu.
It's all coming back to me now, sitting down with Ray, playing chess, losing, and eating those damn blood lollipops.

The image of Conny is a hard one to get out of your head, even if it's extremely easy to get stuck there.
I move my hand back and into my lap as I stare at the board, trying to blink out the image.
Ray, who must've realized what was happening, silently reached over and gently took my cheek into his hand.
He guides my eyes to look at his, not saying anything for a moment.
The silence let me indulge in the beauty that is his eyes, the warmth that is his hand, and the overall image of him that I swear must've been painted by the gods.

But just as beautiful as silence can be, it can be even more dangerous. The image of Conny no longer being my top priority, but instead the traitor.
It was an odd thing to call them that. I don't know why I feel that way, it's what they are, right?
I lean into Rays touch one more time before pulling away,
"Thanks for that" I say in a tone that can be mistaken for a whisper.
"Do you wanna stop the game?" He asked, disregarding my thanks.
I shake my head, I really love playing chess, especially with him.
We continue the game, with me slightly more on edge as my mind is starting to get consumed in the idea of the traitor bit by bit.
I guess my moves must've gotten messy, or maybe the way I picked at the skin next to my fingernails got me under Rays radar.
"What's on your mind?" He asked.
I look up at him for what must've been the first time in a few minutes, I open my mouth but no words come out.
He doesn't say anything else as he pulls my hands away from each other, carful not to knock over the game of chess. He gently caressed his fingers over my own, rubbing over the part I was previously tearing skin off of.
I wait a couple of short moments before answering him,
"I guess the whole traitor thing is just stressing me out." I say finally.
I feel his motions come to a halt before almost immediately starting again.
"What do you mean?" He asked in a soft tone.
I shrugged,
"I don't know it just doesn't make any sense to me.."
he shoots me a questioning look,
"Why they would do something like that you mean?" He asked, now tracing shapes into my palm.
I shake my head,
"No, I think I could guess a couple of reason for that. I just don't understand who it could be." I whisper as he stays silent.
I continue,
"None of the younger kids fill that description, even Phil's story has some holes in it. He only ever looks for Emma or Norman, but that's to be expected of the younger kids. He's even been doing it since before we found out and after we did he didn't start to follow you or me around."
Ray nods,
"I guess so, who could it possibly be then?" He asked, looking down at our intertwined hands rather than my face.
"That's the thing I don't know," I say, "I've been thinking back on every interaction I've ever had, this has to have been going on for a while or we would've noticed something off."