Mommy

Chapter 56: Plan

Carson was sobbing and struggling to breathe, clawing onto the floor. He choked on his air, only causing more tears. He was shaking from head to toe, scratching and tearing at his skin. "Anna!" He gasped, hitting the floor. "I'm so sorry..."

I couldn't move as my eyes landed on that yellow-tinted note. I couldn't look up. I couldn't look up to Carson because I knew it was my fault. I didn't tell her, I wasn't enough. It was because she thought Alex wasn't alive because she thought she wouldn't be a good mother-- because she had no hope. I could've written down a few words, hugged her for a few more seconds, and she would be saved. But because of me, she's dead.

I shakily crawled forward on the floor, my constant tears blocking my vision. My chest hurt with the sadness and the pain, the grief overflowing me. I couldn't breathe, and I felt like I was falling apart. I picked up the note, my tears dropping into the dark ink, smearing it.

"Please...get Rosabeth out, promise me you will get her out. I-"

I couldn't read the rest.

I stared at the paper, but my eyes wouldn't focus. I shook my head, folding it up. No, I couldn't read the rest. I couldn't get myself to read Anna's last words, because then, she would truly be gone. I tucked it into my worn-out pockets, looking down in defeat.

I was weak. And even after all of this, my heart still breaks, and the tears won't stop. Maybe I should do what Anna did, give up. There's no use living here anymore—Carson, Kai...all of us are going to fade away. There was no use.

But I went over those few words in my head, and I sighed. That's it. There will be no more hiding away from Mommy. There will be no more cowering in fear and fearing for our lives. There will be no more games or supper or tears for the lost. I was going to get out...Rosabeth and I, we were all going to get out. That was Anna's last request, and I would make sure if anything, that request is taken care of.

I will get all of us out, and number three taught me how.

I remembered how I got out in number three. How Alex spoke to me just mere minutes before I left, what he said. "There's a little hole at the bottom—unlock it. That's your way out...and not just in number three—keep that in mind." I remembered how he found the rusty key with the number ten on it, and led me to the wooden box under the couch. That key, and the wooden box were the way out.

I stumbled over to Carson, shaking his trembling and heaving body. She looked up, his face red and covered and tears. I felt uneasy—this was the most I'd ever seen him cry. This is the mist I've seen him break down. He truly loved Anna.

But now wasn't the time for tears. I wiped away mine and looked him in his dark, swollen and tears eyes. He began to gasp for breath, crying even more. "I'm so sorry Harper-"

I pushed him. Although my push was weak and it didn't even manage to move him, it was enough to gain his attention. 'Leave,' I mouthed, pointing to outside the window. It was getting dark, and the plan to leave scared me and made my stomach twist up in a knot. I'd never planned to carry out an escape plan like that.

"What?" He spoke softly. "No, there isn't a way out. We've talked about this, we've tried, Harper. There's no use in even trying-"

I cut him off, holding up three of my thin, scraped up fingers, mouthing the solemn words, 'number three.' I didn't expect him to understand, as though I was the only one who had to go though the third round of Mommy's horror. As though I was the only one who had to escape through that wooden box. But to my surprise, he pressed his hands on his sweat-drenched head, shaking with memory.

"Anna loved me there," he hummed, only crying harder. "I didn't want to leave, I didn't--she made me go-" he broke out in fits of sobs, unable to control his pain and sadness. "She said she loved me! Why would she do this?! She finally was mine!"

I stood there and watched as he cried his heart out, as though the world was going to end. No, I had to stay strong. My heart ached and the tears begged to breach though, but I knew that would only encourage me to stay longer, for the fear that others would die and I would feel the same pain. I stood there and watched in silence until his sobs faded away, and I could feel the realization settle in the room. He knew we had to save Rosabeth, and he knew we had to get out.

He paused, before nodding, shakily standing up. His face was pale and he looked sick. "We find the key...number ten—what if it doesn't work?"

I shook my head, shrugging my shoulders. I didn't know what would happen if it didn't work. All we could do was try, and if that didn't work, then it would be over. We would all die—but maybe it would be better then. Either way, we wouldn't be suffering here with Mommy anymore.

We walked out of the room, Mommy seemingly forgetting that she called us downstairs. We walked into the room where Anna used to be, where I last saw Anna alive. Where all of us used to be together. My heart broke at the sight of the empty bed, and my eyes watered with pain. Now, on the bed was Aki, gently rocking Anna's child. She was smiling softly, clearly not knowing what horror just happened.

Once she saw Carson's tear strewn face, her smile dropped and she stood up, walking over to him. They shared a silent look before her face paled and she looked down in grief. She handed him Rosabeth and walked out of the room, not speaking a word.

Carson looked at me.

"It's time to get the hell out."

Carson handed the baby to me and I waited in horrid silence as he went downstairs to gather everyone—to bring everyone up here to make the escape plan. I felt nauseas and I had a headache. I worried that we would get caught. I worried that Rosabeth would get taken away.

But she would be taken away either way if we didn't leave soon.

The children gathered in the room, and I could see the anticipation on their faces. They had no idea what was coming for them. They didn't know about number three, or our plan. They didn't know about the danger that awaits our next moves.

"We are going to get out," Carson mumbled under his shaky breath.

Silence filled the room.