LIVING OFF

chapter 4 •WALK THROUGH•

Emma disappeared from the children's sight. Norman turned away from them and retreated to his room where he buried his head deep and wrap himself into thick layers of white-wool blankets.

The cheery day descended into the night of sorrow and grief.

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Gilda woke up with a start. She blinked numerous times to adjust her eyes to the brightness that blinds her. She slowly sat up and gazed around.

"No one...?"

Not a soul is inside the room with her, she pulled herself up as she recalls previous memories.

'I must have slept late' she concluded. She straightened the blankets and she fixed her bed.

Strange.

No one woke her up, the corridors were silent and there is no sign of her siblings.

'Maybe they're in the dining hall.'

She made her way with soft, firm steps that echoed as the sound of her heels clicking made contact with the walls.

She proceeded to walk , she heard gentle clatter of plates and utensils. Gilda laid her forest eyes to her siblings who ate in silence.

This isn't the scene that she expected to see.

Mama sat on one of seats while feeding Sherry who tried her best not mess up any more than she already did.

"Where's...?"

Gilda tilted her head in confusion, her eyes flickered to the empty seat beside Ray to Norman who's eyes were transfixed on the untouched food infront of him.

"Good morning Gilda. Have a seat, i see you didn't enjoy a leisured time last night." Mama scopes another spoonful of food and rises it to Sherry's open mouth.

A frown knitted her eyesbrows when Don coughed awkwardly, motioning her to a seat across Mama's table.

She sat but she seemed not to understand. Gilda doesn't understand why the kids were too silent, why she wasn't woken up, why everyone looked so sad, why Emma wasn---

Here?

Gilda's eyes widened to the point it could have matched the size of her eyeglasses. Gilda stared down to the food infront of her and immediately Emma's greetings of goodmorning popped into her head accompanied by a big beaming smile plastered on her face.

Gilda scooped deep into her food and shoved it inside her mouth before she could even think. She choked and coughed, she lost her balance and dropped to the ground. Mama instantly sprang up towards Gilda and helped the grenette back up.

"Calm down Gilda, Mama is here. What seems to be wrong, my dear?"

Mama soothed her back but Gilda held her breath. Mama made her take long deep breaths to calm her down. Gilda looked up and all of the sudden, instead of taking breaths, Gilda took a deeper understanding of her surroundings. All of the children's eyes are on her, most have concerned looks but Norman glared...

At her?

No, Gilda turned her head to face mama who smiled symphatically at her.

She managed to smile reassuringly. Gilda was pulled up by Mama and placed her back to her seat where Gilda reluctantly steal glances to Ray's back which is facing her.

Biting her mouth's insides, Gilda tried to eat again. She starts with small portions of her food down to her mouth, chewing and swallowing it gently. Gilda froze when she felt another person beside her.