Chapter Text
It's been years since that day.
"Mama, mama!"
A tiny four year old runs up to the woman, carrying a small stuffed giraffe. Her face shines bright like the sun, and the smile of true joy reaches partway across her face. Oh how Emma wishes she could smile like that again.
It's been so, so long.
She could still remember that unforgettable night. Just thinking about it always made her cry, waterfalls of broken crystal tears falling down her face that once was not prevalent. The urge only came when a child runs up so happy and carefree.
It reflected so much of her past self that it hurt.
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That faithful night, her best friend had planned his whole suicidal escape plot out. She had known, gone along with it, saved him from the fire. There was so much hope in both their eyes.
One demon. That hope shattered.
Ray was shipped out days later.
He wears the classic suit and tie along with that dreaded hat, and it looks wrong on him, like this wasn't reality, this wasn't supposed to happen, and it wasn't. If only nothing had gone wrong like she planned.
But that's a different story.
Right then, Emma really couldn't bring herself to say goodbye, but denying his request to see him off was unforgivable. So, they stand there and her eyes water yet again at how he still seemed to accept things with such ease.
The hug is warm but short and fleeting, and when it ends, he's gone.
She's all but broken after that.
Nothing can make her grin, and the other older kids who had been there with her knew it. They still tried to be productive and lead themselves anyways, hoping to hit a jackpot on how to escape. She watches it all with dead, broken, eyes.
Days later, it's her turn to leave, and Emma hesitates in making the choice.
But it's obvious what she picked.
The amount of forced fake smiles would never be counted. Everything that used to seem so amazing gave unending nightmares. Beaten down, battered away, reborn anew at something she couldn't call real.
How ironic it all was.