As the lights turn back on, I let out a sigh of relief as I looked at everyone around talking about how they did in the test
I looked at mama to see that she was collecting our test scores
I sighed as I thought to myself 'Things have been going great so far... All I need to do now is continue with the plan so that I can save almost everyone in this plant...'
'Knowing that there already is something wrong with the story so far because of me... It may not seem like it in the manga or anime but I'll try to make the story go in the direction of the manga with a few people included and some not... God, I hope this plan of kine works...'
I was still in thought until I saw a hand waving in front of my face knocking me out of my train of thought
I looked at the owner of the hand and saw that it was emma
"Harley? You okay?" she asked
"Yeah... You looked like you were deep in thought." norman said
Ray just looked at us but I can see he was worried as well knowing I had to talk with mama after this
"Yeah! I'm alright just thinking I guess." I said with a smile
I heard mama clearing her throat making all of us look at her
"Congratulations norman, emma, ray and harley! You all got perfect scores again! Your scores also improved don and gilda " mama said enthusiastically
Everybody was congratulating those who were mentioned only to be silenced by mama saying that she wants to see me in her room making the oldest 4 look at me in horror while the rest looked at me in confusion and ray with his poker face on
"Sure thing mama." I said with a smile
Mama smiled and let the kids go out to play
The kids went out the room in haste as they couldnt wait any longer with mama behind them presumably going to her room and wait for me
Leaving only me, emma, norman, ray, don, and gilda in the room
The 4 looked at me in silence until emma asked "What does mama want with harley?" looking at norman
"She must be trying to single us out but why? She already knows that it's one of the older kids... Maybe she wants concrete proof that it's one of us..." norman said thinking very hard
"Or maybe I just wanted to talk to her..." I said
"Dont be silly harley. This is mama were talking about. She must have some sort of plan-" I put a finger on emma's lips and said "You guys trust me right?"
I looked around and saw they were nodding their heads and saying "Yeah" and "Of course"
"Then I just wanted to talk to mama." I said
"But why?" emma asked
"Why not. I just wanted to talk and no, I am not stupid and no I'm not selling us out, I just wanna talk to her and no this aint your fault ray... Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go see mama. Ciao!" I said waving my hand goodbye as I walked to mama's room leaving the 5 to talk amongst themselves
As I stood in front of the door, knocking gently and saying "Mama? It's me." waiting for her to open the door to let me in or to say come in
I waited for a moment and heard the knob jiggle
The door opened half way with mama blocking the entrance
She smiled and moved to the side and opened the door fully then said "Come in harley."
I went inside and turned around to see mama closing the door behind us
I looked around and saw that we were alone
"There's no cameras here or any listening devices if that's what your looking for." mama said as she walks to her desk
"Nope... Just wanted to have a look around." I said still looking around
"So... You wanted to talk?" I asked
She smiled and sat down on her chair beckoning me to sit down as well
I sat down and asked "Whatcha wanna talk about?"
"Harley... Let's talk truthfully... No masks. No lies. Just nothing but the truth... Farmer and cattle." she said
"Sure, but I wanna talk mama to child." I said with a smile
"Okay dear." she said
"So... What do you wanna know?" I asked tapping my fingers on my lap
"How long?... How long have you known about the secret of this house?" she asked
"Since the start." I said with a smile
"Then you should know tha-"
"That escaping is useless and just live the rest of your life here where you're loved, get to eat to your belly's full and have fun rather than out there where it's unknown. Yeah. Yeah I know. I wasn't planning on escaping. Truth told." I said
"Then how about becoming a mama?" she said
"No thanks. I don't wanna do more work It's too troublesome." I said as I looked at her
Her smile turned into a sad one
Before she got to speak, I sighed and said "Mama... I know you love me and all the other kids as if we were your own... That I know isn't fake... You were like us too, right?"
She looked at me with her poker face making me frown
"Mama, you said no mask." I said
Her eyes widened and chuckled then said "I did say that, didn't I?"
I moved to the edge of my chair and held her hands
"You were like us weren't you, mama?" I asked
She gave me a sad smile and said "Yeah."
"That ravine really took the fight out of ya?" I said
"So you know about the ravine?" mama asked
"I know a lot of things... Say mama if given the chance would you escape this place?" I asked
She looked surprised at my question but still smiled and said "Of course..."
I smiled and nodded
I sighed and asked "What are you gonna do about krone and the other older kids? Don't worry I won't tell them about our talk."
She looked at me with amusement in her eyes and her eyebrow arched
I thought for a moment and got an idea
I pulled out my pinkie and said "Pinkie promise?"
"No harley." she said with a genuine smile on her face
"Pwease mama. I pwomise I wont tell thewm." I said pulling out the puppy do eyes
She giggled and pulled out her pinkie and said "Promise?"
I intertwined my pinkie with hers and said "You make a pinkie promise, you keep it all your life. You break a pinkie promise, I throw you on the ice. The cold will kill the pinkie that once betrayed your friend, the frost will freeze your tongue off so you never lie again."
She looked at me weird but I didnt pay it any mind and said "There a promise has been made so a promise must be kept."
"So whatcha gonna do to them?" I asked
"Well I'll keep the others from escaping and for sister krone... I'll keep it a secret for myself..." mama said
I puffed up my cheeks at her answer even if I knew she was going to die but still I got annoyed 'Adults... Confusing bunch I tell ya.'
She giggled and went to where I was sat then cupped my face and said "You look cute when you make that face, harley."
I smiled and just basked in her warm touch
"Mama?" I said looking at her
"Yes dear?" she said with a smile still caressing my cheeks
"I just want you to know... That I dont hate you... The kids you sent to their deaths didnt hate you..." I said
She looked at me shocked with tears threatening to fall
"Why do you say that? I'm leading you to your death! Shouldn't you hate me?!" She asked as tears started to fall from her eyes
I smiled and wiped her tears with my thumb as I cupped her cheeks and said "Why should I hate the woman who loved and cared for me as if I were her own child? I said it once and I'll say it again. You love me and the others as if we were your own, that I know isn't fake."
I hugged her for dear life as she did me
And we stayed like that for a few minutes, the both of us not wanting this moment to end
Mama pulled out from the hug first then said "Then I dont have to worry about you trying to escape but please... Reconsider becoming a mama... You know I want my children to survive so why not become a mama?"
I smiled and said "Sorry mama but no... I wont escape but that doesnt mean I wont help the others escape..."
She looked at me and smiled then asked "You promise, you wont tell them about what we talked about?"
I giggled and said "Mama I made a promise if I break the promise I'll get thrown into the ice killing my pinkie and the frost cutting my tongue off."
She smiled a sad smile and sighed then said "You do you, harley. But know this... The higher ups want a high quality product from this farm..."
"So they want me?" I asked
She merely nodded her head and gave a sad smile
"You gonna tell the others?" I asked
"In the future before you get shipped out." she said
"Then I better go have fun while it lasts." I said
She smiled and said "Go and play harley, I already took too much of your play time already."
I smiled and went to open the door but stopped and looked at mama and said "Hey mama? I know it might not be much but your the best mom any kid could ask for."
Then went to go outside accidentally leaving the door open to her room
Unknown to me that mama was clutching her heart as she looked at the door with a full heartedly smile making nothing absolutely nothing can ruin her day