Change || The Promised Neverland

✼ Chapter Seventeen: Hidden ✼

<< Why do you keep everything hidden? >>

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"A secret room?" [Name] repeated. Emma nodded. They were now inside Norman and Ray's room with Don and Gilda, the sunset casting a rosy glow over the House.

"Yeah," she confirmed, drawing a circle with a marker on the makeshift map. "It's located here, between Mom's bedroom and office. Those two rooms are separated by the bathroom and washroom. But this," she highlighted the wall connecting the washroom and office, "probably isn't a wall."

"When I was watching Mom," Gilda raised her head. "I noticed that she always goes into her office or washroom when she disappears."

"So to figure out what happened," Emma continued the thought, writing on the sketchpad hurriedly, "I measured the distance inside the room, and the distance in the hallway."

"Oh, so that's what you were doing," Norman realized, "counting your steps."

"Well?" Don pressed. "What did you find out?"

"They didn't match," Emma revealed. "There are about ten steps worth of space between the washroom and Mom's office. On one side is a wall and the other side is covered by bookshelves. But there are probably hidden doors on both sides, and a secret room beyond those."

"But what would it be for?" Don asked. [Name] looked up.

"Probably for regular check-ups." Ray nodded.

"Mom does scheduled check-ins to the Headquarters every day," he explained. "That's what it's for, probably."

"Headquarters?" Don repeated.

"The base that supplies babies and Sisters to this House," Norman clarified. Emma looked at Ray and [Name], the sketchpad in her hands.

"Did you two know that there was a room here?" she asked. [Name] shook her head.

"I didn't either," said Ray, "But I suspected its existence-"

"Let's try to get in." Don cut him off. He looked around at his friends' shocked faces. "It's a way to communicate with the outside, and find Conny and the others' whereabouts."

"Could we really get in there that easily?" Gilda asked nervously. "If Mom's keeping it a secret, it's probably locked."

[Name] walked towards the sketchpad, bending down to examine it. She shook her head. "It's likely that there'll be harsher security on it, considering that it holds the secret. Just taking the key probably won't be enough to get into it."

"Well, even if it's difficult, we have to do it!" Don insisted.

"Hold it," Ray raised a hand. "There's no benefit in going that far. The communication device is most likely only connected to Headquarters. Also, Mom doesn't know where our siblings were sent. And to add to that, our tracking devices could give away our interference if we're careless. [Name]'s already spoken about the danger of security."

"But..." Don tried to reason.

Ray crossed his arms. "The risk outweighs the benefits by an overwhelmingly large amount. It's good that we know where it is, but there's no need to overextend ourselves at this point."

"You're right," Norman agreed, Emma and [Name] following soon after. "For now, just be wary of that Sister. Don't dig your grave with a foolish move."

"Precisely," Ray looked pointedly at Don and Gilda. "We're doomed if Mom or Sister finds out. Keep that in mind before you act."

[Name] smiled reassuringly. "Ray and I have Mom under control. But you'll be fine if you just act normal."