1 Chapter 1 - The Gate
(A/N: Hello everyone! Please read this! I just want you guys to avoid using curse words. If you plan to use them at least don't say the full word. If someone uses a curse word, please inform me, I will not hesitate to delete your comment. Thank you for reading! Enjoy the story)
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"What is this?" Emma asked as she peeked inside the gate, using the iron bars to support her.
"It's a gate, it connects the inside and the outside." Norman answered Emma's question.
"Outside, huh? We've never been outside." Emma continued to look inside of the gate but I'm sure it's too dark to see anything.
"That's because we've been here ever since we were born." Norman answered once again.
"Mama always tells us,'Don't go near the gate or fence in the back of the forest because it's dangerous' . Well, something like that." I repeated mama's words from what I remembered.
"That's obviously a lie." Ray finally spoke from beside me. Ray looked at me as he said that.
"Really?" Emma sighed but then got back to her bubbly self in a second. She's so pure.
"What if it isn't a lie? What if there really is something in there or out there? What if mama really is telling us the truth? We'll never know." I said, Ray thought about it and nodded.
"You're right..." Ray mumbled.
"Hey Ray! What do you wanna do if you go outside?" Emma smiled as she looked at Ray.
"I don't know. What about you?" Ray replied as he leaned his back against the bars. Ray's tone is gloomy, interesting...
"I want to ride a giraffe!" Emma answered with excitement in her voice as she grinned.
"Good luck" Ray sighed as he placed his hands in his pockets while closing his eyes.
"I wonder....I wonder what this gate is protecting us from." Norman grabbed one of the iron bars and looked inside with a curious tone but it was also worried.
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𝘋𝘪𝘯𝘨
𝘋𝘪𝘯𝘨
𝘋𝘪𝘯𝘨
"Everyone, wake up! Or you'll be late for breakfast!" Emma's booming voice cheered. I lazily grabbed my pillow and sat up as I embraced it. My body is engulfed in its warmth.
I'm so tired...
I yawned and rubbed my eyes to get rid of the crusty stuff in it. I stood up and got myself ready for the day.
Putting on my uniform, I fixed my hair into my favorite hairstyle (your choice) and placed my favorite pin on my hair.
While I was placing my hair pin on, some children started chasing each other, others were struggling with their uniforms while some asked Emma for help.
"Hey! Stop messing around and get ready!" Gilda scolded the two, energetic boys chasing each other around.
"Y/n?" I heard a voice call for me. I looked down and saw Conny looking at me with her beautiful eyes.
"Yes Conny?" I smiled kindly at her as I bent down to get to her height. She hugged Little Bunny and looked at me with her big but adorable eyes.
"I can't put my shoes on, can you please help me?" Conny asked politely. I giggled and helped her. While I was putting on her shoes, other children started asking me for their help.
After helping about 6 more children, I finally finished and started to walk to the dining area with Emma who was holding one of the children, and that child was Phil.
I, too, was holding Conny in my arms who also brought along Little Bunny with her.
We passed by Don and Gilda and said our greetings to them. We continued our walk to the dining hall.
"Look! We made it." Emma put down Phil until she suddenly got pushed by the naughty duo.
She stopped and glared at them as they smiled innocently with their hands behind their back.
"Watch out.....I'm going to eat you!" Emma yelled as she ran off to chase the naughty duo. I giggled and placed Conny down.
"They're at it again." I sighed with a kind smile on my face as I watch Emma pull them and hugged them with Phil on top of her head.
I decided to help set up the table with Gilda. I felt a tug on my skirt making me look down to see Shelly, one of the children at the orphanage.
"What is it, Shelly?" I smiled as I lifted her up and carried her in my arms. She smiled and wrapped her arms around me.
"Y/n! Y/n! I want you to sing that song to me again! It made me sleep like boom!" she raised her arms as she expressed the word boom. I giggled at her cuteness and nodded.
Emma finally came back with 3 of the children with her. She looked at me and grinned.
I noticed Norman coming back with a gray cart and Ray following behind him, carrying something.
"Morning, Norman! And Ray!" Emma smiled at them with Phil behind her. I giggled at the sight.
"Good morning Emma." Norman smiled at Emma as his eyes softened. Norman was always soft towards Emma.
"Morning Emma." Ray exaggerated his 'morning' by making his voice go deeper.
"Morning Ray, Norman." I greeted as I waved at them with a smile.
"Morning Y/n, that song you sang for us really put us to sleep. Thanks." Norman thanked me.
"No problem. I'm always happy to help." I said.
"Morning Y/n" Ray greeted as he exaggerated my name as he walked towards me.
"You're so energetic. Even though you haven't eaten breakfast yet." Norman said to Emma.
"How old are you again? Five?" Ray asked Emma as he smirked making Emma pout.
"I'm 11! The same as you guys! And one of the eldest here." Emma retorted as she looked angry. I smiled.
"Ara ara, don't start arguing early in the morning!" I scolded the both of them. We heard someone laugh from behind us.
"You're laughing too, Mom?" Emma asked as she pouted at mama.
"Emma, Y/n, can you give me a hand over here?" mama asked, I nodded. Emma wrapped her arms around mama.
"But mom! I'm going to redo my entrance from the beginning!" Emma complained.
"Why? I love that part about you." mama said. Mama always had such a kind voice.
"That I'm 5 years old on the inside?" Emma looked up at mama's face with a pout but mama shook her head.
"The part where you care deeply about your family." Mama smiled gently at Emma.
"Thanks mom!" Emma grinned as she hugged mama even tighter. Mama removed her arms from Emma and Mama ringed the bell signaling that it was time to eat.
I took my usual seat which was beside Ray and saw that he was already sitting down.
"Good morning, my dear children. Let's give thanks that all 39 of you siblings are able to live here happily, today, too.....Thank you for the food." Mama said as the children repeated.
I started eating my food slowly, making sure that I don't eat too fast since I know the side effects of it.
After eating breakfast, we went to the room where our tests are held. I waited for mama to announce that the test will begin.
I took my seat which was once again beside Ray. Among Norman, Emma and Ray I was the closest to Ray.
When the test finished, I sighed as I scanned the screen and the lights turned back on.
"How did you do, Y/n?" Ray asked from beside me. I looked at my right and smiled gently.
"I think I did fine. I'm sure I'll get a high score though. How about you? How did you do?" I asked.
"I think I did alright." he replied. I heard the others sigh in relief and saying what they think they got.
"I'm jealous! I didn't get most of it." I heard Conny whine from behind me. I smiled and tapped her desk to get her attention.
"That's alright Conny! It doesn't matter if you didn't get most of it. You're amazing just the way you are." I encouraged her making her nod and grin.
"Yeah, you're right y/n!" Conny smiled. I noticed Ray smiling at me but when I looked at him, he had already looked away and pretended to do something.
"Are you all ready for the results?" mama asked as she held our papers in her hands.
"Norman, Ray, Y/n, Emma, you 4 did an amazing job. You got all of them right! Perfect scores!" Mama smiled. I patted myself at the back.
"Yay!" Emma exclaimed as she stood up from her seat with joy. The others gasped while others groaned.
"Those four are different, huh? Norman is a genius who has the best brains. And Ray, an intellect, who can compete against Norman's geniusness. Emma has amazing atlethic skills, and her learning ability allows her to stay close to the other three. Meanwhile, Y/n who acts as our 2nd mother despite being the youngest among them. She notices the smallest things and has incredible hearing and she can detect us with just her sense of smell! She's also athletic like Emma but Emma has greater stamina"
"They say the House has never had 4 kids at this level together before."
"No wonder mom is happy with them."
The children chatted among themselves but I noticed how Don was tense and tapping his arm. Is something the matter with him?
"Norman!" Don suddenly stood up and pointed his finger at Norman who sweat dropped. I sighed and smiled at the two.
"I challenge you to a game of tag!" Don declared. Ray sighed and rolled his eyes making me giggle.
After the test, we were allowed to play around in the field. I walked towards Ray and sat beside him.
He looked at me and smiled making me smile too. We read together in silence but it wasn't awkward or anything. It was comfortable and we enjoyed each others' prescence.
"Y/n! Y/n! Come play with us!" Conny said as she tried pulling my arm. Shelly and Phil started pulling me up along with Conny.
"Sorry, I don't feel very well today so I can't play but I'll play with you when I get better." I said as I patted their heads. They frowned but understood and left us alone.
Norman looked at us and Ray took out his pocket watch and nodded at him. It looks like the game has begun.
'I wonder....where did he get that pocket watch from.' I thought as I rested my head on his shoulder.
I felt him get tense but he relaxed immediately and rested his head on top of mine as we read the book together.
Closing my eyes, I enjoyed the warmth he gave off and rested myself.
After 12 minutes, 24 seconds and 37 milliseconds of resting, I fluttered my eyes open and looked around to see that about 99% of the kids got caught. That was quick.
(A/N: Yes, I counted Ray's pocket watch)
"Ya awake sleeping beauty?" Ray jokingly said as he closed his book.
"I indeed am." I giggled. We continued to sit like that until we noticed that Emma came back with Norman beside her. It seems Emma is dissapointed.
She laid on the grass and started hitting it while complaining.
"He caught me again! Why? So frustrating!" Emma complained until she finally stopped hitting the grass.
"Question." Ray suddenly spoke making me jump a little but I regained my composure.
"What does Norman have that you don't?" Ray asked as he looked at Emma.
"Hmm....the ability to plan ahead? Calmness? Overwhelming intelligence?" Emma seems unsure herself.
"Strategy" Ray said as he placed his pocket watch back in his pocket and put down his book. Emma looked at him confused.
"If it's about simple physical ability, you have the upper hand. But Norman is strong right here, like no other." Ray said as he pointed to my brain.
"You're playing tag. It's a game where you compete with strategy." I added.
"A simple game of tag?" Emma asked as she tilted her head.
"It's like playing chess but using your entire body." I explained.
"Correct. Right Norman?" Ray asked the albino boy.
"I can but you're a better tactician than me, Ray." Norman complimented.
"You overestimate me!" Ray said as he rolled his eyes making me giggle.
"Reading the enemies' moves, huh?" Emma mumbled. I looked at her and smiled gently.
"Indeed. You are correct Emma. But we're not even close when it comes to mama" I said.
"True! We've never beaten her in chess. Well you did once but that's it!" Emma looked at me before she faceplanted herself on the grass.
"Norman!" we heard Don call Norman again. I sighed internally knowing what he was gonna say.
"I want a rematch! Next game, everyone will be 'it' except you." Don said. Is he that desperate?
Conny noticed me and quickly ran to me and gave me a hug. She wrapped her small tiny arms around me.
"You can't hog y/n to yourself Ray! Mama said don't be selfish!" Conny stuck her tongue out and hid her face at the crook of my neck.
An irk mark formed on Ray's forehead as his cheeks flushed a bright shade of red.
Norman stood up and the game began once again. It has been more than 10 minutes and yet no one has found him.
"I'm gonna go look for them. Be right back" I said as I stood up catching Ray off guard.
"Wait for me! I'm going with you." Ray stood up and we walked together. Using my hearing and my sharp sense of smell, we found them in no time.
"You caught me." we heard Norman said. Based on his tone of voice he's talking to Emma. We saw the two looking at the forest beyond the small fence.
"You can't go near them, no matter what." I said as I repeated mama's words. Emma shrieked but she relaxed knowing it was just the two of us.
"Mama always tells us that." I continued as me and Ray went beside them.
"The gate and the fence deep in the forest are dangerous" Norman said.
"That's obviously a lie." Ray retorted as he went closer to the fence. With me following behind.
"What do you mean?" Norman asked Ray to elaborate his statement to why it is a lie.
"Well, just look at it. What part of it is dangerous? The fence is low and I don't see anything threatening." Ray looked at the fence.
"But if mom's telling us that.." Emma got interrupted by me.
"You really love Mom, don't you, Emma?" I asked.
"But everyone-" Emma got interrupted once again.
"Hey! Are you sure you guys are playing tag?!" Don said as he came out of nowhere.
"Oh? Is the game over already?" Gilda asked as she came out of the bushes with Conny.
Conny saw me and smiled as she ran up to me. I lifted her up and carried her in my arms. When I looked at Ray I saw that he was glaring at Conny.
"What's wrong, Ray?" I asked him making him look at me with those soft eyes.
"Sh-she stuck her tongue out at me!" Ray started doing weird hand movements making me giggle.
"We should call it a day. If we're late, Mom will be worried." Norman suggested.
"We'll eventually leave this place, huh?" Don sadly looked at a tree and frowned.
"This is an orphanage. Of course we'll leave eventually." Norman replied.
"You know, we don't receive any letters from anyone." Gilda said. So she noticed it too.
"Letters?" Emma asked.
"You know, after they leave the house, no one writes us." Gilda explained, making me frown which I rarely do.
"I'm sure they're being considerate to their foster parents." Norman said with a small smile.
"But we've all been together ever since we were born! Even if we're not related by blood, we're truer siblings than most!" Don said.
"They must be having so much fun everyday that they've forgotten about the house." Gilda crossed her arms. Are they though?
"Then it's fine, right? I'm happy for them." Emma said. Norman, the way you look at Emma is obvious.
"I want to go outside too!" Gilda groaned.
"What would you do outside?" Nat asked the green colored hair girl who looked at him.
"Isn't it obvious? Get new clothes!" Gilda said. That's not what I was expecting.
"Not again.." Don sighed
"I mean, come on! We only have this one uniform! I read in books that the outside world has so many different types of clothes! I want to wear them all!" Gilda explained with so much passion in her voice.
"I'm sure you'll look great in all of them Gilda." I said. She blushed and covered her face with her hands.
"R- really? Th-thanks, I'm sure you'll look great in them too! Right, Ray?" Gilda smirked at Ray who turned red again.
"Wh-what?! Tsk, whatever." Ray turned away from everyone else. I noticed Phil was tugging my skirt so I carried him too.
Carrying 2 babies sure is heavy and a lot of work! But seeing their cute smiles makes it worth the pain.
"I want to eat delicious food." Nat said. He's always been a foody.
"I want to go on a date with a cute girl!" Don said with confidence. Gilda smacked him. I could see Phil look at them with a sparkle in his eyes.
"I want to see a train!" Phil said as he lifted his arms up. Gosh, he's so cute I could literally squeeze his cheeks out.
"That's a good one, Phil." Don said as he complimented Phil's idea.
"What about you, Norman?" Emma asked. Hmm....this scene feels awfully familiar.
"I want to go to different places and see things I've never seen before." Norman smiled as his eyes started to sparkle. When people talk about what they like, their eyes seems to sparkle.
"Good idea, and you Ray?" Emma asked the boy who stood beside me who offered to carry Conny who was now in his arms.
"Once I get outside, well, I'd have to survive first." Ray said. His answer....his eyes aren't sparkling.
"Such a downer, how about you Emma?" Don asked. I looked at Ray and smiled.
"Don't mind that idiot, what you said was right. You need to survive before thinking of big goals." I said to him making him smile.
"Me?" Emma asked.
"You want to ride a giraffe, right?" I asked as I finally recalled where this scene reminds me of.
"Did I say that? Well, I don't really want to leave. I want to stay here forever! How about you, Y/n?" Emma asked me.
"Well...I want to see a flower field. I want to look at every flower and make flower crowns for everybody. How about you Conny?" I smiled at them.
"Hmm...I promise to write. I'll write a lot of letters. I'll never forget about everyone. When I leave the house, I want to become a mother just like Mom. And then, I'll never abandon any children." Conny's eyes sparkled. What a lovely answer.
"You love mama very much, don't you?" I asked, she smiled and nodded as she hugged Little Bunny.
◦•●◉✿ Conny's Farewell ✿◉●•◦
"I'm slow and I wasn't as smart as everyone but even after I leave, I'll do my best. I have Little Bunny, so I'll be okay." Conny said.
"Conny..." Don said as his voice cracked.
"I don't want to leave anymore. I want to stay here." Conny started crying. Don sobbed and Emma and the others started sobbing their eyes out.
I felt my heart ache and I almost let out a tear but I made sure it didn't fall. I have to be everyone's crying shoulder. And in order to do that, I have to be strong.
And then they left. Just like that, Conny is now going to a new family. I hope she enjoys it there.
Ray and I started heading to the library where we usually read together until we heard a scream from downstairs.
I stood up and quickly ran down the stairs to check the commotion with Ray following behind me.
"What should I do?" Emma asked as she held Little Bunny in her hands. Why is Little Bunny here?
"There's still time. From the library window, I saw the lights of the gate were still on. Mom isn't back yet either, so I don't think Conny has left yet." Ray said. So that's why he was looking at the window.
"Let's hurry, Emma." Norman said. My stomach began to ache. It's hurts so much! Stay calm, don't let them know that you're in pain
"Okay! Y/n, you should come too! You're the closest to Conny." Emma suggested. I smiled at her and shook my head.
"I'm not good with farewells and plus, who will be taking care of everyone when mama is gone?" I asked. Emma frowned but she said she understood.
They left and me and Ray continued to read in the library together, of course with about 7 children with me.
"The kids really like you a lot." Ray said as he looked up from his book. I sweat dropped as I looked at the kids who were in the library.
Two were on my lap, two are sitting beside me reading a book while asking me some questions since they can't read that well.
One was looking for a book to read with another child and the other one was messing with Ray's hair.
"I guess" I giggled as I looked at Ray's messed up hair. It looked like he hadn't slept in a month.
"It would've been 8 if Conny was still here." I frowned but quickly smiled again as I noticed the children looked at me with worry in their eyes.
𝑭𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒚
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(A/N: Eyooo! Yes this chapter is very long so sorry for that. 3687 words boizzz)
