【L】【i】【e】【s】

Chapter IV: Small Discovery

It was the following morning, as usual, kids were running around the kitchen & around the dinning table, trying to either tag one another or just mess around with all the rest of the others to be included in such fun events for the start of the day.

"Good morning!!!" Phil exclaimed as he ran towards the kitchen, so occupied with finally being awake that he almost bumped into a couple of others who were still drowsy & still quite tired. "Hey, Phil! No running!" Gilda scolded, hoping the younger child would be mindful of his actions & those around him so he wouldn't end up actually bumping into someone.

Mom was having help with setting up the table & preparing the food, everything had to be kept in order & in check for breakfast to be made & served when everything was ready.

"Does this go there?" Mark asks with curiosity, having been one of the few to be selected with helping her prepare the dinning table.

"Yes, please." Mom replied with a soft & caring tone, a smile gracing her face, glad to have so much help in the morning despite how early it was.

Everyone & everything was normal, another day to live through, but of course, not everything was the same. Out of the corner of my eye, I witnessed Emma flinch slightly, eyes wide, clearly terrified of something, or rather someone.

'Oh right...she knows the secret, can't say I blame her for her reaction just now, all she's ever known was but a mere lie, to be raised like cattle & handed over to the demons when we turn six or reach our limit, twelve years of age.' It would be a lie if I stated that I wasn't worried about Emma's behavior from now on.

'She's a good person, with a good heart, maybe too pure of a heart, but she now needs to learn when to act, after all, this is a dangerous game we're playing against Mom, so I need to keep my cards close & make sure that her & Norman don't end up doing anything stupid...' But with that, my thought process came to an end as a familiar blue-eyed boy entered the room, Norman.

He seemed to be doing well, he knows he has to keep acting like before, putting on a facade of innocence. "Hi Emma, morning." Norman greeted Emma, his tone laced with happiness. He's not the main concern, it's Emma, unsure if she'll get the hint to play along & smile brightly, her absolute specialty after all. I have a feeling these two will get a hang of acting & playing pretend, after all, it's not so hard once you do it for a long time, right?

We all soon finished up with our preparations & sat at our respective seats, began a prayer & ate. Laughter, chewing & conversations were heard all around the room as each and every individual was busy with doing something. Now was not the time to discuss my own thoughts to Ray, so I'd have to wait for now, but what'd I'd give to just head to bed just once more...

Afterwards, everyone cleaned up their plates, cleared the table, & made sure everything was put back in its place before being allowed to head outside. Like usual, everyone chose to enjoy their time with their own groups, talk before being involved in a few games here & there.

I was seated against the tree, letting out a slight groan of disappointment, of course it was short lived as soon as Ray plopped down beside the spot I was currently sitting at.

"Being a baby yet again? And it's not even an hour after breakfast, what is that, a new record?" Ray playfully teased as he placed his book on his lap, clearly itching to get a reaction out of me.

"I could say the same to you, already trying to annoy me not even a second after we're allowed to come outside?" I questioned, but it was more of a playful retaliation, which caused a small smirk to fall onto place on his face.