Let's Escape Together *BOOK 1*

|22194| Norman {Pt. 1}

Azalea had never run so fast in her entire life.

She ran through the forest, stumbling over a tree root, panting heavily and running to the wall, following the path that they had scouted the day prior. Eyes widening, she spotted Emma's vibrant orange hair as she and Norman came to a stop, the girl tossing the bag into the bushes. She skidded to a stop behind a tree, breathing heavily as Isabella emerged, the children smiling.

"Mom?" the pair chorused, internally panicking. Norman's blue eyes hardened slightly, spying the pink-eyed girl behind a tree, placing a finger to her lips.

"Where's Azalea?!" yelled Ray as the trio ran, panting.

"She went ahead to warn them!" Don yelled back, the boy letting out a low 'tch' and pushing himself further, running faster as he scanned the trees for any sign of the said girl.

"You need t move forward with the inspection, regardless of her!" she mouthed, gesturing to the woman who snapped the tracking device shut, smiling coyly down at the wary children. Norman nodded, seeming to have gotten the message and turning back to the adult.

"Ten years..." she began softly, confusing the children, "we've been living together for ten years, but this is the first time for us to talk without acting..." her purple eyes travelled to the tree that Azalea was hidden behind, "you can come out now, Azalea."

Her breath hitched, the girl slowly emerging. She sent the children a frantic, pointed look in an attempt for them to not try anything yet.

"Now that we're all here," she smiled sweetly, bowing, "nice to meet you, Emma, Azalea. Nice to meet you, Norman." The children stared, dumbfounded and on edge as to what would happen. The woman bent over, chuckling with laughter at their tense expression. "Come on, you three, relax! Don't worry, it's just me; nobody else is here. You don't have to pretend to be good kids who don't know anything... here, at this moment-" her expression darkened "-we're just the caretaker and the children meant to be food~"

The trio inhaled sharply.

"But... don't get me wrong, I love you, I adore you truly as if you were my own children," she sighed gratefully, "that's why I'm here. I want you to give up."

"G... give up?" echoed the pink-eyed girl hesitantly, "w-what are we supposed to-"

"Give up resisting," she responded swiftly, the girl shutting her mouth, "because I love you, I don't want you to suffer. I don't want to have to make you all suffer."

"Mom..." began Norman, but the woman wasn't finished.

"It's a happy life, isn't it?" she hummed, amused, "a warm house filled with delicious food and love, you don't get cold or starve... so, without knowing the truth, you can die with a satisfying feeling. What part of this is unhappy?" Images of a dead Conny flashed through the children's minds, shaking as they remained silent. "It's impossible to escape. The outside is dangerous too, it's full of despair." She extended her hand as the wind blew some leaves off the trees. "Let's just live here happily at Grace-Field House. For the limited amount of time, until the end... I want you six to be happy."

Their eyes widened just a fraction, sharing an alarmed yet slightly relieved glance at one another.

Norman stared at the girls, then back at Isabella who was waiting for their reaction. She... doesn't intend to ship us out immediately! She's not shipping us out immediately, Mom still wants to control us, or else there would be no need to persuade us. The only problem is... her method is clearly different from before! So... what happened to Ray?! Did she dismiss him?

The girl's heart ached at the very thought, her expression sombering as she shook her head, ridding her mind of those thoughts. From now on, Mom's going to control us directly... meaning the only chance we have to go and inspect is right now!

Emma's gaze lowered, beginning to grow desperate. Even so... what's our next move? If we push through the inspection now, that'll make us seem uncontrollable and we could be shipped out immediately! What do we do?! If we go, we'll be shipped out. But this could be our only chance!

Norman swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. No doubt, she knows for sure. She knows we'll waver because she raised us that way. Think, Norman, think! We can't just push through and ignore the risks! Should we give up quietly and kneel before her?!

Azalea's eyes remained unwavering with determination. No, we shouldn't give up! Mom knows we have Don and Gilda on our side to... and she probably also knows about Ray's betrayal... yet she wants to control us? That's the method she's choosing... Mom won't ship us out immediately just for inspecting the vicinity!

Emma sighed. We must be that special, then, huh? The highest quality of goods that she can't pluck so easily! We won't lose, and we won't flinch!

The trio shared a determined gaze, nodding in confirmation.

They would escape, together with everyone.

"Okay, Mom," the boy finally beamed, pleasing the woman, "I'll quit being a good boy."

Her face fell as Norman made a beeline for the forest, the girls making a beeline for the woman and grabbing her waist tightly, reaching out for the tracker.

We'll push through and inspect the area! We'll keep Mom here, the girls thought in sync, as long as we buy time for Norman, even if it's only 5 or 10 seconds! And if... we can grab the tracker... Norman will be able to-

The woman's expression darkened as she smiled calmly down at the girls who hesitated upon seeing it. Their hearts skipped a beat.

Not a second later, Emma found herself on the ground, her ankle twisted at a strange angle. Azalea found herself in the same situation as her arm bent back, twisted. Norman paused, his hopeful expression morphing into one of mortification.

The girls screamed.

"Shh, shh, it's okay," she cooed softly, cradling Emma and stroking Azalea's wavy, black hair, "it doesn't hurt, does it?" The girl whimpered, panting heavily. "You poor things... my adorable Emma, my sweet little Azalea... this is why I said to give up."

She sighed.

"But... you haven't hugged me in a while, that made me so happy~!" she sang, stroking the pained girl's hair and turning to a terrified Norman, "you realised too, that's amazing!" She grabbed a roll of bandages, wrapping them around the girls' arm and leg, continuing to reveal her plan. "You're all right, I'll control you until the end; that's just how special you lot are: special food that only a special one can eat."

As she said this, she smiled knowingly at Azalea, who avoided her sly eyes.

"The highest-quality of children that I have raised..."

"Then..." whispered Norman.

"That's why I have to protect you, no matter what." She stood, gazing at Azalea, beginning to bandage her arm. She whimpered, panting as beads of sweat rolled down her neck, struggling to rid herself of the excruciating pain. "I had to do this if you weren't going to give up... you two won't be able to move for a while, you know..."

"You can survive until tomorrow, safely."

At that moment...

"Tomorrow?" whispered the girls, their voices cracking.

"Yes, tomorrow."

They never knew how truly naive they had been.

"Stay put and celebrate, Emma, Azalea."

"W-why?"

At that second, Don, Gilda and Ray stumbled into the clearing, panting as the black-haired boy's eyes widened upon seeing the pained girls.

"Congratulations, Norman..." the woman smiled slyly as she turned to the said boy, the children's hearts dropping into their stomachs as the next sentence tumbled out of her mouth, "your shipment date has been set."