Chapter 4
The Best Option
ベストオプション

     "There might not be any rope?" Emma asked Norman.
"Yeah, because it's not something that's necessary in our daily lives here," Norman responded.

{ That's true! } I thought.

"But... that would... definitely be here."
After a while, Norman shouted, "Found it!"

Tablecloths!
"We got our rope!" Emma said proudly.

~Time Skip

Emma hid the tablecloths in a tree, Norman helping her out.
We can go over the wall with this.
"We're a step closer!" I exclaimed with a smile.

After Emma jumped down, Norman said, "Okay. The hard part remains."
"Yeah," Emma agreed.
"The tracking devices... And how to get everyone out," I muttered.

I looked in front of me to see they were already leaving. I let out a small sigh and started walking. I soon caught up to them, I tapped Norman's shoulder gently.

"Norman," I called out, I told him what had been on my mind,
"I think it would be a good idea to tell Ray. He wouldn't panic, he knows a lot, he's good at machines, and he would be an asset to our plan," I informed him.

Norman smiled.
{ Damn it, stop! }
"I was thinking that, too," he said.

Ray is cool headed and precise. He would always think several steps ahead and make the best decision.
If we want everyone to survive, we need Ray. And more company won't hurt.

"I'll talk to Ray. Emma, why don't you  go back for now and-"
"It's fine. You can tell me now," Ray spoke from behind us. I jumped but was happy to hear his voice.

"Ray!" I exclaimed. I moved from Norman and gave him a hug. He patted my head without any effort. He was 4'11 and I was 4'8.
(Sorry I picked out your height! I don't like picking stuff out for you guys at all! Like hair or eye color or height or clothes, but I didn't want you to be taller than the trio since Ray is, again 4'11 and Emma and Norman are 4'9. Again, sorry.)

"Sorry I followed you guys," he said as Emma was in shock.
"It's been bugging me. So I thought I should ask," Ray moved to the two, bringing me along before putting us all in a kind of headlock.
"What happened at the gate?" he asked.
{ Too close, Ray! } My mind exclaimed.

His grip on us tightened.
"You're all acting weird. And you were empty-handed when you said you "Didn't make it.""
"Y-You're so smart, Ray!" I said.

"So of course something happened," he concluded.

He then let us go, Emma coughed multiple times.
I stayed under his arm though.
"Will you help us?" Norman then asked.
Ray gave a quizzical look, "Sure," he said.

"Then let me explain. We all have to escape from here," Norman said.
Ray nodded and sat down by the tree, bringing me down with him.
"Ow!" I exclaimed. "You're okay," Ray said, patting my head onto his shoulder.

Norman told him everything that had happened.
By the end, Ray was in shock.

"Demons... A farm... Mom is the enemy? Isn't that seriously bad?! Oh, that explains the grated windows!" he said. I smiled, Ray always caught on fast.
"Actually, I'm surprised you're believing us so easily! You aren't gonna make fun of us?" Emma exclaimed.

"Huh? Of course I'd believe it. There's no way Norman would make up this stupid lie. He's not you Emma," Ray teased.

"So if we're really going to escape... There are various issues, but the biggest is the number of kids. We could never take everyone. We should narrow it down to those who can make it and..."
"Wait!" Emma stopped him.

"I want everyone to escape. We need your help to make that happen!" Emma said.
"Everyone?" Ray asked.
"You're kidding right?"

"There's are 38 of us in total. And most of us are under the age of six! Mom. Demons. Tracking devices. These factors make a difficult escape even more challenging," he said.
"I know that but- I don't think it's impossible..."
"No, it's impossible. Emma, you don't get it, do you?" he asked.
"Huh?" Emma wondered.
"Ray, wait--" Norman got cut off.
"Ah, I see. That's why you said, "I'll talk to Ray."" Norman said.

I was also confused as Emma now.
"You kept it from Emma. Or I guess you couldn't tell her. Either way, you're being naïve and over-protective. You have to be up-front about the reality," he said. He then turned back to Emma, "Emma we can't just escape. It's not enough. We don't know what it's like outside," my heart dropped. I think Emma's did too.

"There's a place we're getting shipped to. The fact that there's a farm should give you an idea. What waits outside is a demon's world. Worst-case scenario, there is no place for humans to live. So it's impossible. If we take everyone, we all die. We have to leave them behind. That's the best option," Ray told her.

"No," she said simply.
"Even if it's impossible, I want everyone to escape. Let's figure it out!" she said with excitement.

"What?!" Ray exclaimed.
"I don't want all of us to die outside. But it isn't an option to leave them behind. I want Conny to be the last. I'll never let anyone end up like that again. If there's no place for humans to live... Then let's make on on the outside. Let's change the world. Thanks, Ray, I understand now," she said.

"What the..." Ray muttered.

"That's the kind of escape we're going for," she continued.
"That kind of escape? It's absurd!" Ray muttered.

"I'm not bending on this. I've decided. So, Ray, you bend on this, got it?! Just stop jabbering and help us!" she said, grabbing his hands.

Ray had a murderous look on his face, and soon, Emma was on the ground. Norman held in his laughter.
"Norman, Y/n, can I talk to you guys for a second?" he asked, gritting his teeth as he pulled us somewhere Emma couldn't hear.

"Could you guys whack some sense into that idiot?! She's being unreasonable!" he exclaimed.
"Sure..." I muttered, unsure of how to react.
"Yeah, totally! But I'm glad she's back to her cheerful self," Norman said.

"You're missing my point! Stop her! Or you'll all die! You knew that from the very start, right?" he said, talking more to Norman than me.

Norman looked to the side.
"Emma was crying. And she never cries,"
{ I cried too... just a reminder. I'm alive too. } I pushed those thoughts away as soon as they came in.

"I thought she was crying because she was scared. I was scared too. But I was wrong. I was scared of drying. But Emma... was scared of her family dying. She's amazing, being able to think of protecting others in that situation," Norman said, a look of admiration in his eyes.

"But it's not the correct thing to do! It's like trying to make a boat out of mud! Honestly, if it's just the four of us, we can escape!" Ray said.
{ At least someone noticed I'm here. Gah! Stop thinking stuff like that, Y/n! }

"You're right It's nothing to be ashamed of. Don't distort your decisions based on your emotions!" Ray said. I stood quietly, I couldn't take sides and I wouldn't.

"It's not just that, Ray. I also want to make a boat of mud," Norman said.
"Huh? Why?" Ray asked him.
"You're different! You're more cool-headed... and you always think of the best option. More than me, more than anyone. You're the one who..."
"So why--" Ray asked, grabbing his collar as he grit his teeth.

"Because I care about her. I like Emma. That's why I want her to always be smiling," Norman said. His tone made it clear it was in a 'like like' way.

I felt as if my heart shattered. No, I think it did. I'll admit it, I like Norman. He makes me happy. His smile gives me a tingly feeling. Ever since we were little, I've loved seeing his smile and him happy. I loved it when he would do simple gestures like even just say hi to me.
But... he doesn't care about making me happy, he wants to make Emma happy. He doesn't like me. He likes Emma.

I tried hard not to show my heartbroken expression as I gulped it all down and looked down.
"You're crazy," Ray scoffed.
"What if Emma died because of it?" he then asked.

"I won't let that happen. And I'll use myself to accomplish it," he said seriously. Then smiled. His smile now gave me a tingly, but sad feeling.

"Luckily, I've always managed to accomplish what I set out to do. And if you bake bud, it can become a vessel. Although it depends on the mud. So a boat made out of mud won't necessarily sink," Norman said with a slight smirk.

"You're being foolish!" Ray shot back.
"Maybe. So what are you gonna do? Emma and I are insane. We've completely lost it," Norman said.

My lip quivered but I quickly bit down on it.
I wouldn't cry because of a boy.
Especially Norman.

Who am I kidding? I'll cry because I'm useless in all of this.
Because Norman would never like me.
Maybe if I was as upbeat and cheerful as Emma, Norman would like me.

"You can't let us do this on our own, right?" Norman asked Ray.
Ray looked shocked before he smirked, "Damn," he muttered, "Of course not."

Time Skip

"Look at this," Ray said, handing Norman a book.
Him and Emma looked at it while I looked at the ground, trying to look at it the best I could.

"Mechanical Engineering and Human History..." Emma said groaning slightly.
"2015," I said, having read the book before and seeing which year it was published.

"Not that. The year it was published. The year 2015. That's the newest book in the house. So at least until 2015, it was a world where books could get published," Ray said.

"Thirty years ago..." Emma said.
"Despite what I said, it's only been 30 years. So it's possible there's a human society outside. But I'm not going to gamble on something with no chance of winning. Know the outside. Know the enemy. Come up with a strategy. And survive. If we're doing this, we're going to win," Ray told us.
"Okay!" Emma exclaimed.

{ Come on, Y/n! Be more energetic like her! } I thought. { No, that wouldn't work one bit. I can't just be like Emma for Norman to like me. No, I would have to be Emma. But I was just Y/n. }

愛されていなかったので死ぬと思った

10/28/19
Word Count: 1817