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The morning of November 2nd, I was so tense I almost missed the nine-second time limit on several test questions, just barely managing to scrape by with another perfect score. I had to help with laundry that morning, and spent some time quickly folding shirts and standing atop a bucket to clip drying sheets to the line. Once I was finished, I made my way to the well, where Chris and Niko awaited.

I quickly checked around for Yukko before inviting them to follow me to the woods. When we arrived at the barrier fence, I pushed myself over, but Chris and Niko remained standing behind it.

"Isn't this dangerous...?" Niko said.

Chris looked down to the fence, and sucking in a breath, crossed after me. "Did mom lie about that, too?" he asked.

"Just look at it," I said. "What could that fence possibly keep out? Not to mention, there aren't any tracks or anything on this side. You'll be alright. I'll show you the real reason for the fence soon."

Niko followed after us, though not without fear, as they constantly cast worried glances over their shoulder and startled every time wind rustled through nearby bushes.

Soon, the wall loomed ahead. "This is why there's a fence," I said. "Just to keep us from finding out about this." I grabbed a white cloth bag of ropes and slung it under arm while I climbed nimbly up a tree. 

Slowly but surely, my athletic ability had been improving. When I wasn't pulling inspections, helping kids study, or planning the escape, I was exercising, in an attempt to offset the after-effects of being a sickly child with poor constitution. Though, by some miracle, I hadn't been completely unfit when I first woke. The biggest problem had been incredibly poor stamina and a general weakness.

According to Chris, however, I had once been a fan of running – every morning, before breakfast, I used to go for a run along the gate's perimeter. He had brought it up one morning after catching me doing wind sprints in secret, asking, "Will you go back to your morning runs?"

After overcoming my initial embarrassment that he had caught me working out in secret, I had instead replied with a joking, "Why do you want to know? Hoping to join me? Or to watch?"

Which had elicited the unexpected response of Chris stuttering over his words, as he tried to say he was "Just a little curious" and "Sorry for asking" because it was none of his business. Of course, it had come out more like "I-I- um–! Curious, that's all a-and sorry! For, uh – for asking! It's none of my, of my business!"

He was an... interesting specimen, to say the least. Sometimes I wondered how he even managed to get a word out in conversation in the first place.

Upon settling to the branch I needed, I swung my legs over for a quick second. I pulled the pesky hair out of my face, and back into a quick ponytail. The hair I'd woken up with was unnecessarily long, and quite troublesome to take care of. I was probably going to cut it, if only for easier management, but I wanted to hold off on that for some time.

As I tied my hair off, I noticed none other than Chris flushing like a tomato and glancing away. I raised an eyebrow. Could it really be a crush...? No way, I hummed to myself, a devious little smile spreading across my face. So many ways to tease the soft boy, so little time.

I dropped down from the tree and gave the rope a few testing tugs. It seemed tied well and tight enough, so I took a few steps back, and ran at the wall. I repeated the movements from some time ago, but this time, I managed to actually pull myself atop the wall without any help.

Chris was next, and he managed easily – frustratingly so, for his first time. Then we waited for Niko, who looked hesitantly between the rope and the wall. "You'll be alright!"

Niko managed to grasp the wall the same way I had my first time, and then Chris and I worked together to pull them atop the wall. As we toppled over, Chris helped me to my feet, and then I, Niko. "That was scary..." the latter murmured, looking to the ground below.

"Trust me, it gets easier eventually."

I now wandered over to the outer ledge, the two children trailing behind me. It was then they were encountered with the first insurmountable proof – the gaping cliff. "I don't think I need to say it out loud," I said, "But this cliff is to prevent escape. This isn't an orphanage. It never was."

Once the point was made, we departed quickly to plant three. On the way, I explained the circumstances, and our escape goal.

We arrived at the meeting point a little earlier than I expected. I had the others lay flat on the wall, out of view. Not one second later, Emma and Norman ran into view. I had a moment to wave as my eyes trailed to the tree line – Isabella would be here any moment.

I moved away from the open wall, where I'd be visible from Isabella's approach, and hid behind the cover provided by the trees which grew closest to the wall. The children below must have heard Isabella's approach, as they threw the rope aside. I soon heard Emma's voice carry through the gentle autumn breeze. "What's wrong?"

The conversation was close enough that if I strained my ears, I could just make out the words. First, Isabella greeted the children for the first time in ten years, without a trace of acting. "Nice to meet you, Emma. Nice to meet you, Norman." After the chilling greeting and a laugh, she prompted them to relax. "You don't have to pretend to be good kids who don't know anything." After all, it was just her and them.

...And me, up on the wall.

And Niko. And Chris.

Sorry, Isabella...

"Right now, it's just the caretaker and the children meant to be food." The mother wished them not to misunderstand. Because she loved them – Adored them, as if they were her own children. That was why she wanted them to give up. Because she loved them, she didn't want them to suffer – She didn't want to have to make them suffer.

It was a happy life. A warm home filled with love and delicious food. Without knowing hunger, cold, or the truth, you can die feeling satisfied. What part of that was unhappy?

Gee, I dunno... the dying part?

"I don't need any fake smiles!" As Emma's voice rose, it carried easily through the trees. "Even if I suffer, I will live freely! I will decide for myself what happiness is!" From my vantage point, I could barely see Norman turn to Emma and shake his head in a silent plead.

Isabella finally extended a hand in welcoming. "Let's all live together happily inside our home. Until the end, when time runs out... I want the five of you to be happy."

I witnessed the silent understanding pass between Norman and Emma. Their mother had been several steps ahead of them all along. This was their only choice.

"Okay, Mama." Norman smiled. "I'll quit being a good boy."

Emma ran at Isabella, and she disappeared from my view. "Go, Norman!" But Norman didn't get very far before the sickening crack sounded through the clearing, carrying even to us up on the wall. The blood drained from the faces of the two children with me, who now had no doubt that our story was the truth.

"That's why I love... Nestle crun..." I stopped my barely audible humming with a hand clamped over my mouth. "Oh my god. I did not just – I'm– It was an impulse..."

Emma's horrifying wail echoed through the trees, startling birds from the trees.

"Oh god," I finally reserved, as I turned my attention back toward the clearing. "I'm going to hell."

Within a few minutes, Emma was carried out of the clearing by her mother. All of the kids – including the three who had just arrived on the scene – were left standing in shock. Norman's shipment date had just been announced for tomorrow, and everything they had planned was falling apart.

Now it was time for me to make my entrance, with the absolute worst timing possible. But hey, at least it would have some... dramatic flair.

Too stunned to think straight, the children below didn't notice when I first walked out from behind the trees; not for a count of three. The first to detect me was Gilda, her eyes jerking suddenly to mine. They widened beneath her circle-lens glasses, her lips parting slightly to make way for a noise of surprise. 

I raised a hand as the others began to turn my way, slipping out of their daze. "Wassup." I glanced over their faces as I cleared my throat. "Uh... I get this is... bad timing, but I'm not sure when I'll get another chance at this," – my eyes slid to Norman's – "When you're all here together."

I handed one end of the rope I brought to the two kids, winking as I spoke beneath my breath. "Try not to drop me, hm?"

Chris practically yelped. "I-I'll be careful! Sorry!" He was making this too easy.

I looped one end of the rope around my hand to prevent a friction burn, and then slid down to the bottom. I pulled my collar aside to reveal the number on my neck. "My name's Y/N," I said, taking a few paces forward, my hand raised in greeting. "It's my first time meeting most of you, so you could say I'm something of your neighbour. I know you're planning an escape... and I plan to join in."

Poor guys. They were onto at least their third shock of the day – and I couldn't blame them. I mean, just look at me! Who wouldn't be taken aback by this total snack!

(Cough, bite-sized, cough.)

Please note that if the author continues making jokes about my height I am going to crawl out of this fanfiction and go on a rampage.

"Escape with us?" Ray wasn't too taken aback for sass, that's for sure. "What the hell are you talking about?" He glanced to Norman for some sort of explanation, but the boy was still unresponsive: still coming to terms with his rapidly approaching death.

I raised an eyebrow, a little taken aback. "Wow, getting some animosity here already – and we're not even two minutes into the conversation. I'm impressed!"

Ray was... not so impressed. "What are you doing here?" he interrogated, pacing forward a step. "Who are you?"

I sighed begrudgingly. This is not at all a piece of cake.

"As I just said, I'm Y/N," I articulated carefully, as if I were talking to a five-year-old. "I'm trying to explain, so if you'd be so kind as to shut your mouth so I could actually manage that, I'd deeply appreciate it."

Yikes. If looks could kill, the silent-but-deadly one Ray was wearing would probably incinerate me in an instant. 

"I come from another Grace Field house," I explained. "It's the one right next door to you – Plant two out of five. Myself and several other children have been planning to escape from here for a while. We'd like to join our groups together, to mutually increase our chances of survival."

"What's for us to gain from it?" interrupted Ray again. "We have our own plan."

My eyebrows raised as I muttered lowly, "Quite the Ray of sunshine, isn't he?"

"You could say that," said Norman quietly, from a few paces behind.

I hummed cheerily, gesturing over my shoulder. "I've already explained this to Mr. Pleasant behind me – Oh, and Emma." 

Ray shot a betrayed glare to Norman, but the boy merely shrugged.

"But well, I'll explain it again," I said, stuffing my hands in my pockets. "For one thing, we're not bringing any small children, which you can view as convenient. We have someone trained extensively in first aid, and it appears, unlike your mother, ours has no idea. Also, should you refuse my invite, I will escape tonight. It's technically more beneficial for my group to escape ASAP, especially since we have all our supplies ready. And if we do that...?"

Norman chimed in to finish the thought. "Security will be increased, and all personnel will be on guard against another escape."

I rocked back on my heels with a grin. "Bingo!"

"How do we know you're not a spy?" Ray stepped forward from the trees, an ever-skeptical expression on his face. "You could be trying to gain information on our escape with the intent of turning us over."

I couldn't stop the sardonic roll of my eyes. "A spy? You're the one mentioning that, of all people?" Once I realized what I'd just said, alarm bells flashed in my mind. Stupid, dumb idiot Y/N. I continued quickly with a pace forward, before anyone could process the slip-up I'd just made. "As far as proving I'm not a spy goes, I'm afraid there's no real way to. Sorry, Mr. Emo." I gave his shoulder a pat, and swayed away with a shrug of my shoulders.  "I guess you'll just have to trust me." 

Leaving Ray speechless – too appalled (in a bad way) to get a word out –I spun on my heel, screaming internally at my idiocy. As I passed by Norman, I laid a hand on his arm and spoke gently. "I'll meet you up there tomorrow." I gestured to the wall with a nod. "I've got some things I'd like to discuss."

Leaving Norman with a quizzical expression, I touched my hand to the wall and glanced up to Chris and Niko, making sure they were ready. I gripped the rope and took a few steps along the side of the wall. I prayed I didn't mess this up, and that if I did mess it up, they'd hold a swift funeral because I most definitely would not recover from the embarrassment.

I pulled down on the rope yet again as I ran up the wall at an angle. I swung to my side as I reached the top, leveraging myself over the corner using my arms and knees. As I straightened to my feet, Chris smiled.

"Nice one," he complimented quietly, raising a hand. I smacked it in a high-five before my group collectively turned, jogging back in the direction of our house before free time could end.

It would be a few minutes after I ran out of view before one of the lingering Grace Field children would speak again.

"Did no one else notice that Y/N kid looks exactly like Norman!?" said Don.

Ray huffed irritably. "Yes, Don," – he spat the boy's name like a curse – "We noticed."

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