While Alastor carried the sleeping Edith upstairs, Sam followed him with the same lank expression he's hand for the past hour or two.

When he was right behind the man he cleared his throat. "W-What was that?" He stuttered out, looking down as they both walked.

"What was what?"

Sam cleared his throat once more, trying to calm his nerves in order to speak. "T-That bag... W-What was it? What was i-inside of it. W-Why did you h-have blood on your c-clothes? W-What kind of b-blood was that? W-Why did you-"

"Now now, Samuel." Alastor interrupted as he set Edith in her bed and put the covers up to her nose, who smiled and cuddled herself in the warm comforter, still fast asleep.

The man turned towards Sam with his signature smile. "One question at a time now. First, I see it best we leave your sister to sleep. We wouldn't want to wake her, now would we?"

Sam nodded in agreement, not taking his eyes off Alastor as they both left the room and walked down to the parlor. The elegantly dressed man couldn't even take a seat or really do anything before he got bombarded with questions from the teen behind him.

"What was that bag?! Who's blood was on your jacket?! Why were you back so late?! What did you do with the contents of that bag?! Why did-"

"Woah! Slow down there! Curiosity killed the cat you know." Alastor spoke, keeping his back to Sam and turning on a lamp.

"But satisfaction brought it back." The brunette retorted bravely.

That's when the adult stopped what he was doing and just stood still for a second before turning towards the teen.

"Now Samuel... Curiosity is a willing, proud, and eager confession of ignorance." Alastor started, forcing his smile to stay on his face. "Though, sometimes ignorance is better than knowledge. A safe environment of bliss you never knew you were in."

Sam took a minute to process this information. He wanted to say something but his mind just couldn't find the correct words. Was he correct? Was ignorance better than knowledge in this case?

"Besides," The man spoke again, walking past Sam and over to his office, opening the door and grabbing something before stepping back out. "It's easier to lie if you don't know the truth."

"L-Lie?" Sam stuttered out. "Why would I have to lie?"

Alastor faced the teen once more. "Is it not obvious? If the police find out about my endeavors and find out you've been living here, you and your sibling will, without a doubt, be questioned. If that happens and they ask you about the bag I had come in with and you say you didn't know what was in it, you wouldn't be wrong. You didn't. Plus, it would be much easier for you to say you didn't because it was the truth. If it was lie, it wouldn't be as easy to admit."

As much as Sam hated to admit it, Alastor was right. If that ever were to happen, it would be easier to lie if you didn't know the truth. Technically it wasn't lying at all, it was just relaying the little information you had.

But then again, what is he thinking?! Sam wants to know what Alastor had so that way if he had the police what he knew, Al would get in more trouble! More justice!

"But I want to know. I need to know."

Alastor chuckled softly. "Oh. You need to know, do you?"

Sam stayed quiet, noticing the other's change in demeanor. He said the wrong thing again.

"Listen here boy. If you need something, you cannot live or function without it. It's impossible. We all need to drink water in order to survive. It's impossible to live without water." The man explained sternly, his forced smile still on his face. "If you want something, you can live without it. You want to know what I was carrying. You do not need to know. There's a big difference. You can very well live without such knowledge, therefore I will not be enlightening you. Do you hear and understand me?"

The teen nodded his head slightly. He couldn't do much else due to being stunned by the change in atmosphere.

"Splendid!" Al exclaimed, lightening to room. "Now then, I do have some matters I must attend to. However, such things can be delayed if there is anything else you wish to discuss with me?"

Sam thought for a moment before making up his mind, shaking his head 'no'.

"Good, good. Best you be off to bed then!" Alastor instructed. And without another word, Sam went upstairs.

He didn't even stop to look in Edith's room, for he had made his decision. He was going to make his escape. He was going to make a rope and escape. The only question is, how is he going to teach Edith to go down a rope and when was this going to take place?

It would have to take place at night. Either when Alastor is busy with his paperwork or is asleep. Though, Sam doesn't know when the man goes to sleep since he's always upstairs while Al is downstairs.

He'll have to somehow learn his captor's sleep schedule. It shouldn't be too hard. He just needs to peak downstairs and see when Alastor normally goes to bed. But, he might not be able to rely on that in case Al goes to sleep at different times every night. That shouldn't be a problem though. He'll just simply make his escape while Al's working.

Good. He has a simple plan. Now, the rope. He can make it out of bedsheets or curtains but the problem with that is, Alastor might notice if things start going missing. But unless he can find an actual rope things are going to have to go missing in order for this to work.

He could use his and Edith's clothes... but then again there's little doubt Alastor would notice if they started wearing the same clothes everyday. He's very strict on keeping his house and it's occupants clean. So that won't work.

Mimzy obviously wouldn't help. In fact, he might have been lucky when she didn't tell Al about his plans when she heard them. He'll have to act as though he's accepted his fate when they're around which shouldn't be too difficult. It's just acting less cautious but still remaining on alert that will be hard.

He could do though.

Plus Edith will have to stay in the dark about the escape. Sam loves her but she's still five. Five year olds love to share, even if it's not a good idea. She'll probably spill the plan to Alastor, Mimzy, or Rosie, simply not knowing any better. He can't have that.

Now, back to the rope...

He could use his own bedsheets. He had his regular fitted sheet that went over the mattress as well as a coverlet that went between the fitted sheet and the duvet. However, that probably still wouldn't be enough. He'd need at least 2 more which he could get from Edith, but that'll spark questions. Not to mention, she might ask Alastor for more sheets but that would just make Alastor realize what was going on. He might just have to take his chance though. It's not like he could just go up to Al and ask for more sheets in order to make a homemade rope.

That would just be suicide.

Sam will have to find an excuse to justify taking his sister's things as well as find an excuse for her not to ask Alastor for more. He'll also have figure out how to tie a knot tight enough to be able to hold his weight maybe even both his and Edith's weight together.

Making a knot tight enough for that with bedsheets won't be a small task. But he can do it.

"You want to know what I was carrying. You do not need to know. There's a big difference. You can very well live without such knowledge, therefore I will not be enlightening you."

Alastor's words rang in Sam's ears.

If Al openly chose not to tell him what caused the deep red stains on that bag, then it had to be what he feared it was. It had to have been something that was living before. If it was a non-living thing, just something red that might have spilled in it, why would Al refuse to tell him what it was? If something just spilled that wouldn't have mattered. So there has to be more than that.

Not to mention, after he got home, Alastor brought that bag into the basement. He told Sam and Edith that they weren't allowed in the basement. What was he doing down there that was so secretive?

Secretive... That word always comes up when Alastor is in his mind. Secretive. Secrets that would no doubt be revealed once his house was raided by police looking for evidence that they would no doubt find, confirming the identity of the Smile Killer.

Sam just had to get out of there and tell the police what he knew. But he had to time it right in order to make sure Alastor had no time to hide the evidence of his crimes.

As long as Sam had his courage and determination... Alastor would never get away with what he's done.

How long could Alastor possibly think he could keep up his double life anyway? He'll slip up and when he does, he'll get caught. He's smart, wearing his gloves and never taking them off. But one of these days something will happen, whether it be someone witnessing his crime and not being killed or abducted, or him not being careful enough and leaving a trail. Something is going to happen.

Sam just hopes it will be him and Edith escaping and running to the police that will bring him down. Then him an his sister will be free to decide what kind of life they want to live.

It might not be as luxurious as they one they could have lived with Alastor, but that doesn't matter. As long as they're free.

Sam smiled at the thought of leaving and running off, holding his sister's hand as they walk through the fear-free streets while Alastor was in jail for his crimes. Not to mention they'd have money because of the reward for turning Al in.

With that, he decided to put his plan into motion, taking of the sheets of his bed and attempting to tie different knots out of the two sheets. After he would finish a knot, he would put one end on the floor, stepping on it while he pulled the other end as hard as he could to see how the knot would hold up.

The first knot he tied became undone rather quickly, making the teen click his tongue with frustration as he sat back down and attempted another knot, trying to make the knot itself as small as possible in order to have as long a rope as he could get. It worked for the first little bit but folded and became undone when he tested it.

After an hour or so of attempting to find a good knot, he found and wrote down a few that worked well before decided he was done, putting the sheets back on his bed and climbing in between them. This was good. Really good in fact. He had a stable plan and knew what to do in order to carry it out.

Make a rope, try to gain more trust of Al and his little helpers, and try to figure out as much as he could about the serial killer's schedule.

It's a lot... but he can do it...

He can do it.

~

It's 4 in the morning. I'm tired. Enjoy your chapter and goodnight.