"Mama."

"Hm?" Isabella let out a small smile as she glanced over at the brunette. Serephina sat down with her cheeks, tear-stained from crying too much earlier. Isabella already had an idea as to why. "What is it, Serephina?"

"Has Emma been well these past few days?" Serephina questioned. The last time she saw Emma was the night wherein Ray gathered them all up. "I haven't talked to her for a while, not to mention, she won't even come visit me."

Isabella hummed. "I see." She placed the folded blanket beside the girl. "She's been eating well, other than that, she hasn't been herself. She's always quiet, the other children have started worrying too." She then gave Serephina a sharp look. "I guess she's lost hope. Both her and Ray. The only one who still thinks of escaping is you, Serephina."

Isabella then held the sides of the girl's face, making her look up. "Listen, Serephina. What about you just become like them? Accept the situation, don't cause any more trouble. Stay in this orphanage and become a Mama. I can recommend you as one—"

"Never." Serephina forced out a smile as she backed away from the woman.  "Become a Mama and sacrifice children? I'm sorry, but that's too much..."

"I see." Isabella frowned as she turned away from the girl. "Then struggle all you want and die when the time comes. I, nor the others, won't let that happen," she stated. "Let it sink into your stubborn mind as you continue your futile attempts."

Serephina watched as the woman left without another word, leaving a heavy tension in the room. The girl let out a shaky breath as she covered her face, thinking of the words that Isabella had just told her.

Give up?

"Serephina?" The girl gave Phil a grin as she patted the free space beside her. "Phil! You can sit here with me!" she said. "I'm pretty bored right now! And my injured leg is making it even worse!"

"You should be careful next time, Serephina..." Phil pouted, making the brunette chuckle. She then raised her hand and gave Phil a pat on the head. "Don't worry, I'll be sure to never trip over ever again." She smiled. "You should also be careful, Phil."

He hummed, though Serephina was sure that he wasn't even paying attention to her. His eyes were stuck on the house, as if looking at it in anticipation. This made the girl curious.

"Phil?" Serephina called. "Is there something wrong? Do you need anything? Wait.. are you injured—?!"

"No!" Phil quickly waved both of his hands while looking at the girl worriedly. "It's just that... I'm confused." He frowned.

"Why?"

"Well." He looked at the house then back at Serephina. "Ray isn't with you."

Serephina flinched, though the boy didn't seem to notice. "You and Ray are always together... So seeing you here without him makes the place incomplete..."

The girl resisted the urge to heave a sigh as she looked down. She had been avoiding Ray, and she was sure that he had been doing the same thing. After that night, everything between them changed.

"He's just..." She had to make up some sort of reasonable excuse. "... Still sad about Norman's adoption, they were pretty close.. he had been living with him since they were young."

"That's right." Phil smiled as he nodded. "That's why Emma is also looking so sad. But how come you don't look that drained..?"

"Hm?" She let out a forced smile. "It's because I have the others to keep me company.." It was true. Norman wasn't her only sibling. She had thirty-six others to love and care for.

Serephina needed to make sure that all of them escape. She needed to make sure that Norman's sacrifice wasn't put in vain, and that Conny's death can be avenged.

They needed to make a new world.

But after Norman's departure, none of them have been able to get the motivation to continue the plan. Emma's drowning in sorrow, Ray's tired, both Gilda and Don can't go on without them.

And Serephina's here, sitting with a broken leg. She felt useless.

"Serephina?"

The girl's ears perked up as she looked at Phil with a brow raised. Phil frowned as he stared at her. He had a look of hesitation on his face. But either way, he managed to speak up.

"Why are you crying?" Phil's voice was filled with confusion. In all honesty, the boy was very confused. A minute ago, Serephina was smiling. But now, tears are falling from her eyes.

"Huh?" The girl didn't realize it. "W-Why..?"

"E-Eh!" Phil shrieked, thinking it was somehow his fault. He hadn't seen Serephina cry in ages. Heck, he's probably never seen her cry. "I'm sorry! I promise, I never did anything! I never meant to offend you and—!"

"Don't worry!" Serephina let out a smile, although as seconds passed, Phil started realizing how forced it look. "Something got caught in my eye! It's probably from the wind."

That's the usual excuse, Phil frowned, but didn't bother to question it any further.

For the first time in years, he could see Serephina's other side.

"Ray."

Anna frowned as she opened the door to the infirmary even wider. She could see the boy sitting beside the bed with crumpled bedsheets.

She had been seeing this sight for days now. From what she could deduce, Ray only stayed in two spots: one, the library, where others usually see him in; and two, the infirmary, where only Anna and Mama see him.

Anna usually goes to the infirmary to either leave Serephina some medicine, vitamins, or new bandages. She goes into the infirmary around free time, wherein everyone goes out to play.

And whenever she does, she would always see the raven-head boy. Either reading or sleeping.

"Ray."

"What?"

There was always something in Ray's voice whenever he talked to the younger kids. It was softer and calmer. But right now, it sounded like he didn't even care about who he was talking to.

Anna flinched. "You're not going out in the fields again?"

"No." Ray paused. "Not anymore, atleast."

Anna hummed as she walked towards Serephina's bedside table and placing the new bandages and pain killers. She looked over her shoulders and sighed.

"Did you and Serephina fight?" Anna was worried. If the two ever did fight, it just meant that Serephina was mentally blaming herself. Anna was worried about her to the fullest.

Ray's silence gave the answer right away.

Anna sighed. "I'm not going to try and ask for whatever the reason is, because it really isn't any of my business and I'm sure that you and Serephina would like to keep the reason hidden, but..." She looked at Ray, trying to gain some sort of reaction from him.

"Whatever Serephina was trying to tell you is for your own good, that's what I know about."

And with that, Anna left Ray.

The boy was alone once again.