(Mother's pov)

"How long has this been going on?" The man who we all knew as Father asked.

Father was the one who had started all of this, the one who had created us. He was a merciful man, some even considered him to be a God.

But the ones who had crossed him in the past would say otherwise. They'd even go as far as to say he was the devil himself.

Father was a tall, muscular man. He had salt and pepper hair, that was swept back. He had a snow-like complexion, with rosy cheeks, and pink lips, that held a natural pout to them.

"If I'm being honest, a few months," I admitted, hating to have to admit to failure.

This was the first mission that Father had entrusted me with, and it wasn't going as well as I had planned.

"And I am now just being informed of this," he said, sounding angry with him.

I couldn't blame him for being angry with me, if I was in his position I'd be angry as well. I should've informed him when they had woken up the first time.

I hadn't thought too much about it at first. It wasn't uncommon for the test subjects to wake up at least once, while the kinks were being worked out of the simulation.

"I'm sorry Father, I thought I could handle the situation, but now I see that I was wrong."

Father had put a lot of faith in me to see this mission through. I was the first one he had created after all.

I was the first test subject he ever had. I remember the first time I had seen those non-existing eyes. You'd think seeing someone who had their eyes sewn shut, and a curse mark sprawled across his neck would freak me out. But it was the opposite, he fascinated me.

I had eventually convinced him to quit putting me in the simulation world, it was hard, but I had managed to do it. I slowly earned his trust, and he told me everything I wanted to know.

He had told me that he was the last of his kind. His kind was known as Realm Walker's, they could go between the realms of the living and the dead.

He was technically among the dead, but he could come and go as he pleased in the living world. Father had decided to go ahead and let me go, but after learning about who and what he was, I was just too intrigued to leave.

That was when he turned me into what he is, I couldn't tell you how he did it, but I went to sleep as a human, and woke up as a Realm Walker.

After that, we kept adding more, and more, until we got to where we are now.

"I see."

Father sighed as he stood from his chair, he walked across the room, grabbing a bottle of his favorite Brandy, pouring himself a glass. He brought his glass to his lips, taking a sip of the brown liquor, before turning towards me.

"Do you know why they keep waking up?" He asked, walking back to his seat.

"No sir, I've run test after test on them and can't find a reason as to why they keep waking up."

He hummed in response, as he took another swig of his drink.

"Phoebe do you want to know why I turned you into a Realm Walker?" Father asked me, using my real name.

"Why sir?"

"Because I saw something in you that I just couldn't explain. You were like the moon, lighting up my nights. That's also why I chose you to do this mission, I knew you'd make the right choices. Granted, I would've preferred that you had come to me before now, but you have handled the situation very well."

I could feel my cheeks redden at his words, it was very rare to be praised by him.

"W-What should I do then?"

"There's not much to do, they know too much so we can't send them back home, can't keep sedating them if they're just going to keep waking up. The only thing to do is kill them," Father said, causing me to tense.

"Couldn't we just turn them?" I asked.

"I'd love to say yes, but it's too risky with them. They could get out and expose everything we've worked so hard for."

"I see."

"I know it's not easy, but we don't have a choice, Phoebe."

He downed the rest of his drink, before standing up and walking over to me.

"You're going to make me proud aren't you."

He cupped my cheek, causing my face to redden. This was one thing he was very good at, getting me to do exactly what he wanted. He knew how to play me like a well-tuned violin, and it was one thing I hated about myself.

I'd tell myself not to fall for his charms, but then there I'd be, jumping to his every command, like the good little lap dog that I was.

"Y-Yes s-sir," I stuttered out, my voice barely over a whisper.

His lip curled into a smirk, as he kissed my forehead.

"Good girl."

He walked away, grabbing his glass as he refilled it with Brandy.

"You're dismissed."

I stood from my seat, quickly leaving his office while I still had some of my dignity left. I rounded a corner, pressing myself against the wall as I tried to catch my breath.

No matter how many times I've had to get rid of test subjects, it never got easier. If anything it just got harder with each time.

I knew I didn't have a choice, but part of me thought maybe, just maybe I could save them. Asher and Scarlet were different from the others, they were the only ones who have fought this hard to stay alive.

There had to be something I could do to save them. They couldn't just end up to be another dead, rotting body in the disposal room.

I pushed myself from the wall, quickly making my way to my office.

"Oh there you are," someone said, stopping me in my tracks.

I turned around to see Macie and Noah standing behind me. Noah was still a little banged up from where Asher had tackled him, but he was starting to get better.

"Yes?"

"We wanted to let you know that they have both woken up again. We were wondering what you wanted us to do?" Macie asked.

"Put them in the same room for now," I said.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure, when you have finished that, let me know immediately."

"Yes ma'am," they said in unison, before walking away.

I opened the door to my office, walking in before slamming the door shut. I walked over to my desk, pulling my planner out of the top drawer of my desk.

I flipped through the pages, looking intensely through the next few day's schedule. If I played my cards right, I might be able to get them out of here by tomorrow night.

But that is if the schedule doesn't change by then. Schedules were never really set in stone here, they were always flip-flopping. Then I had to take into consideration how the situation with the guards would be.

Father always had this place heavily guarded, except for Fridays. By then it'd be too late, they'd be dead by then, if I didn't do it tomorrow then I wouldn't get a second chance.

There was a path through the woods they could take, it wasn't guarded like the rest of the place was. It led straight to the ocean, they could jump in and have a chance at freedom.

But if Father found out I had done this, then I could end up in the disposal room. I bit my thumbnail nervously, I was torn between saving them, or not wanting to be caught.

Even if I did manage to save them, then Father would just get two more test subjects. A knock on my door brought me out of my stress-induced thoughts.

"Yes?"

The door opened as Noah poked his head in.

"We have them in the same room, just like you asked."

I stood from my chair, grabbing the schedule book on my way out of my office.

I walked down the empty corridor until I reached the room they were in. I unlocked the door, opening it to see them sitting in chairs.

I'm guessing I interrupted their little conversation, because the moment I walked in they became quiet, and on alert.

"I think it's time the three of us had a discussion," I said, shutting the door and locking it behind me.

I'm guessing I caught their attention, their expectations went from confused to curious.

"About?" Scarlet asked.

I grabbed a chair, pulling it over to where they were at. I sat down, opening the schedule book once more.

"Well first let me clarify a few things. Where we are now, is the real world. What you two thought was your normal was all fake, it was a simulation world we created from bits and pieces of your memories."

I wasn't too surprised by the fact that they didn't seem shocked at all by what I had just told them. Especially after yesterday's incident, they had been in simulation for a few hours when it had started glitching.

They woke up only a few short hours later. Which was the main reason I had to tell Father about everything.

"Where are we?" Asher asked.

"You're in a place that is hidden far away from civilization. You were brought here to be our test subjects."

"What are you?" Scarlet asked.

"That's one thing I can't tell you."

"Why are you testing on us?"

"To see if your body, mind, and soul was strong enough."

"Strong enough for what?"

"For the transition," I stated, causing them to tense.

"Transition?" Asher asked.

"I wish I could tell you but I can't," I said, my voice full of regret.

"Then what was the point of coming in here," Asher said, sounding annoyed.

"Because I got the order from the big man himself to have you two killed," I said.

Their eyes widened as they grew quiet. I could see Scarlet's body shaking from fear.

"I think I can get you out of here," I said, finally catching their full attention.

"How?" Scarlet asked.

"There's a path in the woods, that  leads to the ocean, if I can get you there, then you have a fighting chance of making it out here."

"Is that even possible to pull off?"

"I'm not sure, but what do you have to lose. The way I see it is you stay here until you meet your definite death, or you can take a chance and might be able to live."

"What are our odds?" Asher asked.

"50/100 at best, probably not even that much," I answered honestly.

"What happens if we don't make it to the woods?"

"They'll kill you on spot, then they'll probably kill me."

Scarlet looked at me in shock, as to where Asher was studying me, probably trying to tell if I was telling the truth.

"Why are you so willing to help us all of a sudden?" Asher asked.

"I've been doing this a long time. I'm tired, I'm tired of watching innocent people dye, I'm tired of having to keep doing this over and over again. I'm just tired," I sighed out the last part.

I was mentally and physically exhausted. If I had known then what I knew now, I wouldn't have been so willing to help him out. I wouldn't have fallen for his charming words or his tricks so easily.

If there was anything I regretted the most, was that I didn't try harder. I didn't try harder to fight against him, but mainly I didn't try harder to save them.

This time was different though.

I looked over to see them sharing a look, before turning their attention back towards me.

This time I wouldn't sit back and follow orders, this time I would do what my gut was telling me to do. What I should've done from the beginning.

"We're in," Scarlet said.

"What changed your mind?"

"Like you said, what do we have to lose. Either way, we're fucked," Asher said.

"We'll move at midnight then."

I stood from my chair, walking to the door as I exited the room. This time will be different, it had to be.