━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Chapter 5 ━☂

╰┈➤ ❝ [Mask] ❞

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┊ ⊹ ✽ ⋆ ┊ . ˚

☆

Strolling down the sunny hall, (Y/n) held the child's hands as she hummed a mellow tune to herself, her regular smile glued on her perfect face. A day has passed since (Y/n) first broke an order, even though she knew it was risky she didn't care; she'll never care about those corrupted full-blooded demons.

You can say she loathed herself for even being related to them. Even to the humans, she despised having their part of her blood. (Y/n) didn't wish to be a demon or a human. She sought to be something else. Something free.

"Sister! Do you think I'll be able to climb the tree today?" Alicia asked her, her honey-gold eyes peering up at (Y/n) with an innocent shine. Staring back down at the girl, (Y/n) nodded, "Of course you'll be able to do it, Ali. I taught you." Leaning down to pinch her cheeks gently, Alicia giggled and clutched (Y/n) pinching hand.

Enjoying the warm touch of the little girl (Y/n) smile softened only for her to realize how late they would be to breakfast if they didn't hurry. "Come on now," Gently removing Alicia's hold from her hand, (Y/n) tugged on her smaller hand as she continued marching forward towards the dining room.

"the others are waiting for us, we must not make them wait any longer." (Y/n) explained, glancing over her shoulder to give Alicia a small smile. Eagerly nodding her head, Alicia giggled. "Okay!"

Spotting the large, wooden double doors (Y/n) shoved open one door and let Alicia run in before her. "Thank you, Sister!" Alicia shouted, sending her a bright smile. (Y/n) smiled back, "No problem."

Walking inside the dining room alone now, (Y/n) glanced around only to finally spot the dis-hearted-looking Emma.

"Does this go here?"

"Yes, thank you."

Hearing the voice of Isabella, Emma's pupils dilated in fear as she slowly turned around to look at the innocent-faced Isabella as she assigned the other children what to do to help others set up the table and even the food.

"Mark, can you set the table?" Isabella asked the younger child while leaning down, her motherly smile looking more like a threat to Emma. "Okay, Mom!" Mark complied, throwing his hands up in the air as he ran away to go set the plates.

Staring at the scene in terror, Emma tried to think of how someone who was supposed to be protecting them even if their own life was on the line was instead allowing them to be sold off to some... demons!

"Good morning, Emma." Bolting up in surprise, Emma spun around to see who called her name, only for her healthy-looking skin to quickly turn the color white. It was as if she's looked at something unholy.

Beaming down at the fear-stricken Emma, (Y/n) looked down and promptly grabbed the plate that slipped by Emma's grip as it slackened. "Emma, be careful," Putting the plate on top of the clean table (Y/n) stared back at Emma as she clutched her shoulder. "these things are rather expensive." Letting go of her shoulder (Y/n) grabbed the rest of the plates and lightly nudged Emma away.

"I can do the rest by myself. You should go rest, alright? You're as pale as the dead!" Chuckling at what she said (Y/n) walked away and took off arranging the plates down on the respective places on the table, not sparing the frozen Emma a single glance after that.

'Sister...' Glaring at her with saddened eyes, tears started springing up in her eyes only for the sight of Norman to bring her back to reality; their cruel, but true, reality. Noticing that Emma was looking at him, Norman smiled gently and raised his hand in greeting as he was guiding two other little girls.

"Good morning, Emma!" Norman greeted her happily, his eyes closed. Watching the interaction taking place (Y/n) turned away and went to go help Isabella with anything that she needed; anything to distract her.

Leaving behind the other two girls, Norman strode over towards the emotional Emma and stopped as his mouth was near her ear. "Smile, Emma." Norman suggested in a whisper voice. Trying to form a smile, Emma struggled as the horror that she experienced yesterday stayed clear in her mind. The rolled-back eyes of Conny, her dark grey skin, her disheveled blond hair. Everything.

With such thoughts, Emma clenched her teeth securely, as she could not relax her jaw no matter how hard she tried, but she knew she had to smile. Though how could she when the very people she wished to be when she grew up—if she ever grew up—were the ones choosing to kill her from the very beginning? All the trust, love, loyalty, everything died that day. Emma wouldn't have even hesitated to cut off her ear for them if they asked her to, but now? Oh, now she's certain she wouldn't.

─── ∙ ~εïз~ ∙ ───

"Listen, Emma. We have to behave like we normally do. Yesterday, we broke the rules and went to the gate, but we didn't find anything."

"But Little Bunny..."

"Yeah, Mom probably found it, but she doesn't know who left it there."

"Mom was smiling, she doesn't show it on her face at all."

"And that's what we have to do, too. If our faces show it, Mom will notice." Showing her his fake smile, Norman looked at her with reassuring eyes. "We can't lose. Let's smile." Hearing this, Emma tried to bring back her usual smile, though she could lift the corners of her lips from her eyes. Oh, those eyes just shrieking with the horror that she had witnessed.

"What about Sister? Sister definitely knows! Sister must have been hired by Mom to help murder us all!" Emma shouted in anger, tears gushing down her cheeks as she got up and took out a picture of her and (Y/n); her idol.

Quickly splitting it in two, Emma went to rip it once more, only for the hand of Norman to stop her. "Emma, enough!" Pulling away the two strands of paper away from Emma's grasp, Norman looked down at the picture in worry, seeing as the tear was split just middle of both Emma and (Y/n). Just where their hands were holding one another in love.

"No, no, no, no... Emma, what have you done?!" Desperately looking around for anything to put the two together again Norman gently crammed the pieces of papers inside his pocket as he went seeking to look for something sticky, or even a small clip to put the two together. Looking at Norman as if he was insane, Emma looked down at where the pieces of paper were sticking of his pocket out as she tried to grab it, only for Norman to quickly dodge her attempt.

"What are you trying to do?!" Norman interrogated her in a thundering voice, his eyes frantic as his heartbeat began pumping blood faster. Frowning over at her friend, Emma went to grab it only for Norman to dodge her attempt once again. "Stop dodging me and give it back! It's not yours! It was never ours!" Emma proclaimed, dinging her nails into Norman's skin and pulling him closer to her.

Hissing in pain, Norman tried to pry her hold on his arm, only for Emma's superior strength to appear. Though that didn't mean that he himself didn't have any strength. Swiping under Emma's legs, Norman took his chance as she landed on the ground, losing her balance to run out of the room and into the lighted-up halls.

"Come back here! She doesn't deserve to be protected!" Ignoring the yelling of Emma, Norman continued running down the halls as he turned a sharp corner, only for him to hit a soft chest; as well as something squishy. Gasping in shock, Norman was about to fall on the ground, only for the ginger hand to wrap around his back and lift him.

Looking up, Norman unknowingly blushed as he saw how close (Y/n) face was to his own. Seeing Norman's face turn beet red (Y/n) inclined her head in worry. 'Does Norman perhaps have a fever? Oh no, that's not good. We can't have any complications.' Bringing up Norman from their dance stance (Y/n) fixed his messy hair as her eyebrows scrunched up showing how worried she was about the poor boy.

"Norman, are you alright? Why are you all disheveled- Norman! What in bread's name happened to your arm?!" (Y/n) asked in worry, her expression serious as she kneeled to examine his wounds. 'It looks like it was made by nails...' Frowning deeply at the sight (Y/n) pulled out a handkerchief from her breast pocket and dabbed it gently on his skin cleaning it from the little bloodstains that were coming out of the nail puncture wound.

Since it wasn't that much blood and with also being a little bruise forming there (Y/n) kept it barely touching his skin as she got up and gripped one of his shoulders, leaning down her head a little to look at him straight in the eyes.

"Norman, once we get to the Clinic Room and get you some chamomile tea, you'll have to tell me what happened to you, okay? For now, just relax and your wound will heal up quickly." (Y/n) promised as she leaned her head down and placed a quick kiss on his forehead like she would do with everything whenever they got hurt.

Blushing madly at the gesture, Norman brought down his head to hide his heated-up face from her, leaning on her side as (Y/n) guided him towards the Clinic Room.

Watching as the two walked away, Emma clenched her teeth rigidly as she clutched her white skirt in jealousy and betrayal. 'Why...' Quietly crying, Emma slide down the wall and hid her face behind her thighs, hiding her body as much as she could from the light as she began to silently weep.

"... why do I still care about you?"

─── ∙ ~εïз~ ∙ ───

After his minor wound was patched up by (Y/n), Norman requested to go back and do his chores. Even though (Y/n) protested saying that he should rest, Norman shook his head and opposed, comforting her that some slight arm movements wouldn't do him any harm.

After a bit of arguing and reassurance (Y/n) finally agreed, allowing for Norman to go to the storage room to do one of his last chores of the day.

Opening the door to the storage room, Norman instantly saw Emma there, leaning on the wall while looking down at a chocolate chip cookie that she held in her hand. One of the last cookies that Emma and (Y/n) both did for the departure of Conny.

"Why did you want to protect her?" Emma questioned the quiet Norman, who just walked inside and went to put back some leftovers. Norman shrugged, "I didn't protect her, I just protected what she held dear." Glancing over at Norman, Emma scoffed in disbelief. " "What she held dear"? What a lie." Throwing the cookie inside the garbage can, Emma walked towards where Norman was currently standing.

"How could someone like her ever hold something dear! I held something dear, and you know what she did?!" Slamming her hand on the closest wall, Emma's tears continued to stream down her cheeks and onto the ground while the scowl was still on her face. "She killed it!"

"Or do you just want to protect what you used to know? Huh? Is that it? You don't want to accept the truth that our dear 'Sister' is nothing but a monster!"

Sighing, Norman walked away from her as he clutched the handle of the shelf cart. "Sister killed nothing. For all we know, she could be from another orphanage and was brought here to be the next Mother. Sister probably doesn't even know what's going on and is just being trained to later know the truth." Norman speculated, placing down a cardboard box on the shelf cart.

Stepping away from Norman, Emma glanced down at her hands in question. 'Is Sister... still my Sister?' Glancing back up at Norman, Emma fell on the floor as she cried tears of happiness.

"I'm- So stupid." Chuckling at what she thought was her stupid, Emma wiped her tears away as her scowl was instead replaced by a relieved smile. Seeing Emma finally calm, Norman bite his lip, not wishing to let Emma know how he truly felt.

'I think nothing I said was true. Even I'm lying to myself.' Smirking sadly at the thought, Norman quickly recovered himself as he helped Emma get up.

"I guess the only thing we can do now is wait as we are shipped out indiscriminately." Emma voice out in a saddened voice, her eyes downcast as she stared down at the cardboard box. "It's not indiscriminately. Remember what the demon said? "Another six-year-old. We've been shipping out normal quality ones"." Reciting what he remembered the boss demon say, Emma tilted her head in confusion.

"What does that mean?"

"Judging from those words, age probably equals the grade of meat. If I remember correctly, the siblings who were shipped out were between six and twelve years old. If being six years old is ranked as normal, then the highest quality is..."

Finally, realization dawned on her. "Twelve years old, but what about our test scores? Meat won't taste better even if we get good scores on tests, right?" Emma questioned, sweat trickling down her forehead.

"Yeah. It was never announced unless we got full scores, but maybe..."

Emma gasped in shock as the information that passed through her brain made her reel back in shock. "The order of getting shipped out?" Emma exclaimed, Norman nodding in agreement. "After we turn six, we get harvested starting from the lowest test scores, and when we turn 12, we get shipped out no matter what." Norman stated in a calm voice, his grip on the handle loose.

"So we were never shipped out because we have full scores?"

"But I don't understand why it depends on our scores."

"Is there meaning for being between the age of six and twelve? The size of our bodies? No, then it would depend on our weight." Continuing to try to find an answer, Emma ignored Norman as he began thinking of his theory. Taking out a sharp breath, his eyes dilated as a look of disgust crossed his features.

"The size of our brains." Norman spoke in a blank voice. Hearing this, Emma looked back up at Norman. "That means..."

"The brain probably tastes the best, and the more developed brain, the better."

"Eating... the brain?"

"And they don't care how much they risk or spend. That's why we're high-quality merchandise. Try to remember, Emma. Conny was shipped out. Before her was Hoa. Before him was Sadie. Based on the cycle so far, the next shipment should be two months from now at the earliest. We need to think of a way for all of us to escape before then." Raising his two fingers, Emma bite her lip in thought.

Smirking at what she had just heard (Y/n) quietly walked away from the door, her steps light and giddy. 

𑁍┊𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐈𝐀 ˎˊ˗

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⠀⠀┊ ⊹ ⋆

⠀⠀┊. ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀

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ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ᴅᴀʏ/ɴɪɢʜᴛ ᴍʏ ʟᴏᴠᴇꜱ!

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