Home for the Odd Ones

It's okay

A warm weight sat on Gwen's chest, calming her. Lilith was curled up around her, asleep. They were sitting outside, and Gwen was watching as the other kids played.

"William!"

Gwen turned to see Brandon shouting up a tree at a cat, who had its paw stuck in the branches. And that cat suddenly wasn't a cat, but young William, trapped in the tree.

"Help?"

"Its your fault for going after birds." Brandon laughed, floating up to the boy. He hovered there as he moved the branches, freeing William's hand.

"Thank you." He hopped down, Brandon following suit. Gwen chuckled, turning her gaze back towards the building. There on the roof was Ari, she couldn't tell if he was looking down at her or not. But she felt heat rush to her cheeks. She still felt bad about last week, not bringing herself to be able to talk to him. She still sat with him in the mornings, but they didn't say a word.

"Gwen!"

Serah came running out of the home, an excited look in her eyes. Gwen stood up, holding Lilith close to her chest as she walked up to meet her.

"Yes?"

"You have to come with me." Serah grabbed her free hand, dragging her back towards the house. The girls ran up the stairs and into the girls hallway, walking through a door Gwen hadn't been through. It led to a library, not a big one, but a big enough one.

"What are we doing here?" Gwen took a seat in the desk chair, cradling Lilith close. Serah walked back with numerous documents, all old and faded. She rolled them out before Gwen, revealing news articles and stories.

"Kids were going missing in the early eighteen hundreds. She was taking risks and stealing her prey. That's why she has so little people here now. She almost got caught and had to lay low." She pointed to an article, showing Ms. Riffet as the main suspect. Then she pointed to a more recent one, with a little girls face on it.

"Is that?"

"Ophelia Malestrom. Kidnapped from her parents." Her eyes glittered. "She wasn't abandoned here like we thought. Ophelia was stolen from her parents two years ago. Then tragedy struck, and her parents were murdered a year later."

"Oh my god." She breathed, sadness sinking in. That could've easily been Lilith, William, Delilah, any of them. Then Serah laid out blueprints for the house over it.

"We can't stay here. So I went looking, and I found this." She pointed to something in the east wing, and emergency exit. It led right out into what Gwen knew were the main streets, through a large sewer grate. "If we get everyone out soon enough, we can be gone without a fight. And then we don't have to worry about her anymore."

"But what about the future Odd Ones? The ones in danger? We have to destroy this place, with her in it." Gwen sighed. "We can't let them get hurt too."

"You're right. How will we do it though?"

"I'll be the last one out. Ill light up the place like my last home. And I'll walk out after you."

"But that's such a risk-"

"One I'm ready and willing to take." She looked down, placing Lilith's hair behind her ear as the girl snored. "Even though this whole thing is to get me out of here, I can't let her escape. I have to make sure she's dead before I can leave."

"If you say so." Serah collected the papers, returning them to their places. "Just don't let yourself get hurt."

The sheets were uncomfortable around her, the bed too pokey. Gwen was feeling weird, unable to sleep. She just couldn't do it. So she got out of bed, slipping into her shoes, and slowly walking towards the door.

Once in the hall, Gwen stopped. She was about to go to the rose garden, but something nagged at her. She looked towards the attic, feeling even more unsure of what she was doing. But she made up her mind in a split second, walking towards the attic and throwing open the door. She ran up the steps, popping open the skylight and hauling herself out.

"Gwen?" Ari stood there, confused. He hadn't talked to her in a while. She knew he probably thought she didn't want to be his friend anymore. But instead, she ran forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him into a kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist, picking her off the ground and spinning her. His eyes sparkled as she pulled away, full of unshed tears.

"I'm sorry." She buried her face in his shoulder. "I'm so sorry."

"For what?"

"Not doing that sooner." She sighed, looking up at him. "I shouldn't have ran off after I kissed you first. I should have at least kept talking to you."

"Its okay." He pulled her closer. "I was just scared it was an accident."

"It wasn't."