LIVING OFF

chapter 2 •GOING ON•

Watching.

Ray watched the scenario play before him:

Mama ushering the younger kids to bed while motioning Emma to follow her to her 'room'.

Don and Gilda picking up the plates and putting them into the sink, shortly following after the kids to secure them to bed.

Norman smiling while washing the dishes, an expression of sadness diplayed on his face.

Ray watched.

"What are you spacing out for, Ray?"

Norman broke Ray's train of blankness.

"I..."

"What is it Ray?"

Norman looked over his shoulders, Ray just stood there with a blank face.

Then all of a sudden Ray's eyes darted up and down, Ray grabbed a fistful of his hair and panted, as if he was being chased. Fear swirling his heart, thoughts getting a bucket full of his sanity.

Panic attack.

Ray falls to the floor, fingernails digging into the boy's palms as he let his hands support him.

"Ray!"

Norman pushes the plate down and rushes over Ray.

"Why?..." He sobs.

Ray was down on fours, the cold floor welcoming his little warm hands as he shakes.

The raven boy is on the verge of losing it, he grabbed his chest now chasing his breath although he couldn't calm down.

"Ray!"

Norman worriedly helped the boy up, letting his friend sat on one of the stools.

"Norman?..."

Ray says in a whisper, the silence is eerie. Just the two of them on the dining room.

Tension rising, The unknown cause of Ray's panic hangs loosely on the air. Norman unable to wait for Ray to recover, rubs his hands to the back of the raven head comfortingly.

"What's wrong Ray?"

Norman looked down at Ray, his face forming a frown. He bit his lower lip.

Ray is never the one to have a panic attack, if anything, he is calm, rational, and logical.

"She's gonna die."

Ray's words are still hushed whispers, he seems afraid of letting anyone hear it.

"What do you mean?"

Ray looks up, his black irises boring into the oceanic ones.

"Emma..."

____________________

"You will be sent off two days from now." Mama says to Emma as she closes the door of her room.

"Two days? But Mama that's not fair! I can't say my proper farewell to them." Emma protested, her expression downcasted as she does.

"Don't you want to meet your parents as soon as you can?" Mama sends a reassuring smile to her way.

"But...."

"I am quite sure you will enjoy your time with your new family, i heard they don't have a child but their nephew is living with them, you won't be so lonely."

Mama presses positively forward, looking at Emma in the eyes. Spewing a bit of reassurance and encouragement of not being alone, she can walk Emma through this like how she did to the rest.