Archive of Our Own ^beta

Time skip: Norman, Emma and Ray are in the bedroom, and trying to make better plan to escape. They all know about the fact Norman will be shipped out soon.

Rays POV:

I couldn't believe that after so much work mama betrayed me. Why she couldn't shipped me. It's doesn't even make sense, Norman is the most intelligent person i ever met, he could help so much in humans world.

I looked forward and saw Normans face, he tried his best to not freak out, we all knew what will happened if we didn't do something really quick.

„Hey Norman you know we can make better plan, please just try to escape" Emma spoke, and Norman puts his hand on her shoulder

„Emma, you can't even imagine how much I want to be with YOU, escape and live a normal life like others. I really want that, but if sacrificing myself will help you escape, you already know what my answer will be" norman sighed and looked at Emma with sad look.

„b-but, but Norman you can't do it to us, we grow up together, we're family how could you even think that your dead will help with anything!" Emma almost screamed at him but he didn't seem to care.

They were talking to each other after that but I didn't listen,

Only thing I could think was the fact that Norman would never like me back, it's so obvious that he likes Emma. How could I even think that someone like him will have the same feelings like I have. But that doesn't matter now when he's close to be dead.

„Hey Norman what about my plan. Gilda and Don could make an another "rope" and at the same time, me and Emma could figure out new plan that will make us successfully escape" I said and looked at both of them

„hm, it doesn't sound bad... but no Emma has broken leg, that means she wouldn't be able to run. And if you'll try to think about it, she would be the first who will get killed. Do you know how much I care about her, i couldn’t live with it if something bad happened to her"

The words that Norman said to me hurt. It sounded that I meant nothing for him, only Emma Emma Emma, I could be happy for him, but some reason I can't stop being jealous that it wasn't me.

„RAY!" Someone screamed and I yelled back. God, was I thinking too long?

„What do you want Norman? Did I miss something important?" I asked him and he rolled his eyes.

„Yeah, I was trying to talk with you but you weren't responding. So I screamed at you but I didn't mean to scare you, I just wanted to ask if you agree with the escape plan, because if I look at Emma she definitely doesn't agree.

„Huh Norman you're really an idiot, how could I really agree with plan that coast you to be killed. You're my best friend I can't lose you." Emma said with sadness in her eyes. But Norman looked shocked and sad, was that because she called him a friend? Maybe it was because of it, who wouldn't be upset.

„Wait Norman you can't do that, what about m- I mean Emma what will she do, you're sometimes really selfish, you didn't even think how your dead will made her feel, just please do this one favour and escape, and if someone needed to be sacrificed I'll rather be the one." I said while looking down, after minute a looked up and saw Normans surprised face.

„Um Ray don't think that, okay i'll try to escape-"

„GREAT then let's do it tomorrow at 6 pm, we'll meet at this spot, and don't forget to tell Gilda about that." Emma yelled with joy and huged us.

//time skip to night time\\

(Still Rays pov)

It was 10pm and i was trying to fell asleep, but i couldn't, i though about Norman All the time.

„Hey Ray, are you awake?"I headed someones voice and slowly turn to the person face to face.

It was Norman, wow how unexpected,

„Hi Norman, what do you need" I said and slowly sit on the bed

„You weren't serious when you said that you'll rather sacrifice yourself, weren't you right?"

„if I were what did it change? You care only about Emma, even if I got shipped out instead of you will actually someone ca-"

„Ray! Don't say that. I care about you a lot. How you can even think that. I lo-... never mind just forget about it." Norman said with a little blush on his face

„It doesn't look like you cared, i know you like Emma don't hide it."

„what are you saying I don't like her, I was just scared, even it looks that I'm okay, I'm not. I don't wanna die here Ray, I wanna live with you and Emma, I don't know where's the mistake, I always had perfect score on logical test. It's not fair" he said trying to not star cry, but he failed and broke down in front of me.

„Hey Norman don't cry, everything will be okay I swear" I hugged him and tried to comfort him. I never saw his like that before

„you swear?" He said, tears were falling at his checks, I quickly wiped them away and put my hand on his chin

„Hey Nor, I'll do everything to make you stay alive, even if it means my own death"

//Normans pov\\ (finally)

„stop saying this type of thing Ray, you can't die because of me" I said sadly

„you tried so that too,"

„yeah I know, but I'll try escape I swear" i lied with it, I know exactly that it's impossible, but I don't want them to be stressed about me.

„thank you, and now go sleep, you know we have tomorrow logical tests again" Ray said, hugged me and I got to my bed.

It was pointless I didn't feel asleep, now I got an idea.

I stood up, ran to the nearest table, grabbed a pen and stared writing escape plan.

//time skip: tomorrow 6pm\\

I was standing here. In front of the big wall.
In my hand was long rope made of blankets. I still don't think this will work.

I climbed at the tree and tied up end of the rope, then I jumped off the and "tried" to climb at the wall.

I successfully made it, but something scared me, behind the wall wasn't grass, it was an abyss, a deep abyss.

Wait there isn't any chance that we could be here alone right? I asked myself and ran around and found other orphanages.

„so I was right, but how to made it to the other side" I looked back again, and then I got an idea. Wait am I crazy but what if they tried to slip it with rope and clothes hanger. It will maybe works but what if it wasn't safe? I'll write them to test it between these two big trees.

I get down and realised that I am really gonna die, there isn't any other plan that we have plus they don't know about the abyss, so it's my time to go back and accept the end.

Then I slowly walked to an orphanage.
When I was there I could see Ray and Emmas shocked faces, Rays looked little mad, but mama looked happy, I smiled at her and got to the orphanage with other kids.

//Rays pov\\

H-how he told me that he'll try to escape, what is he doing there? No this can't end like that.

//time skip in the bedroom\\

„YOU IDIOT! Why did you not escape what was so hard!" I yelled at him and almost started crying I- I can't lose him.

„Sorry Ray, but I accepted this fade” he said with a dump smile. How is he smiling at situation like this, is he crazy?

„and if you let me I need to prepare things" he said and tried to leave. I grabbed his hand and he looked at me with confused face

„Please Norman don't go, what are we even gonna do without your genius brain?"

„Ray you both are very smart I think you'll be the perfect duo, oh and I forgot to tell you that, you'll need to practice with kids sliding and make more rope"

„huh why?" Emma asked with confused face

„basically behind the wall is an abyss, if you want to get to the other side, you'll need to slide it with rope and clothes holder. " that was the last thing he said before he left.

Emma stared crying and I tried to comfort her, it didn't work at all.

Suddenly we heard the bell ring, that means only one thing. It's time to get Norman last goodbye.

Emma ran down immediately, but I don't I didn't want to see him leave. It hurts even think about it.

After couple of minutes I finally decided to go down. I slowly walked and saw Norman walking away with mama

„Wait Norman! I need to tell you something" I screamed and he turned around and ran to me.

„what is it Ray?"

„I please don't go, y-you can still e-escape just try it" I said and tears were falling at my cheeks. He put his hand on my chin and smiled

„silly you know I can't do it, just please don't give up, made it to the end no matter what it cost and live good life, get a job and even have your own  family, just please be happy, you can bring roses to my grave. Don't forget about me Ray." He said while he was crying.

There was a moment of silence
Then he walked up to me and said

„I was so cowardled that I never told you something very important, the moon is beautiful isn't Ray?" He smiled last time and walked away

„Maybe in another life..."

That was the last sentence I heard of him.