Chapter Text
There was a monster in the woods.
Or so Kel heard. At first it was only a chatter among some of the younger kids of Faraway Town, hushed whispers that never fully left the playground. However these rumors soon spread as more and more claimed to have seen the supposed creature in the forested outskirts of town. In the woods, they claimed, lived a monster more horrifying than simple imagination could conjure up. Accounts varied, one claimed to have seen a giant eye wreathed in shadows, another claimed it had pointed deadly teeth, ready to gulp up any kids who dared venture into the forest.
Kel, to the probable refutes of some, thought he wasn’t that gullible. Sure he was often willing to give the benefit of the doubt, and sure maybe he DID believe Aubrey that one time she said Captain Spaceboy was real and in fact behind Hobbeez. But that was years ago! He had definitely matured since then! He knew these rumors were probably exaggerated, just spooky stores spun from the shadows of trees or the rustling of wildlife in the thickets.
Although Kel would be lying if he said his curiosity hadn't peaked. The promise of adventure and discovery still nagged at him, even though such adventurousness had dulled since his youth, as most experienced in the unfortunate process known as aging. Chasing such rumors would be childish, but perhaps it would be a welcome distraction…
…A welcome distraction from the events that still played in Kel’s mind whenever he let it wander. When Sunny, still bandaged and cloaked in a light blue hospital gown that seemed to swallow up his concerningly thin frame, entered into Basil’s hospital room. With trembling movements and nervousness far exceeding that of simple trepidation, confessed to a dark secret of what actually transpired on that day four years ago.
Shattered was the ugly lie and replaced with an uglier truth. Sunny, who had loved his Mari more than life itself, had accidentally murdered his sister. Then Basil, sweet innocent gentle Basil, came up with the idea to hang her corpse. Framing the manslaughter as a suicide. Kel would be lying if he said he remembered everything that followed clearly. The events after Sunny spoke played like a fuzzy VHS tape in Kel’s mind. He vaguely remembers Hero storming out without a word. He strains to recall how Aubrey had thrusted Sunny up by the collar of his hospital gown, sputtering incomplete sentences as her eyes searched his face for an answer not even Sunny seemed to know.
This had all happened almost a whole month ago, Sunny had since moved and Hero had to return to college. He didn’t see Aubrey much but at least the hostility between the two of them had died down to a mutual state of shock with neither wanting to engage or acknowledge the other fully. Basil was perhaps the most perplexing. He seemed both more afraid than ever, yet also relieved of a choking burden, finally remembering how to take ragged breaths after living under a crushing weight for so long.
Kel shook his head in an attempt to break himself out of his stupor. He didn’t need to think about this right now. He forced himself back to the thought of the rumored monster of the woods. What equipment would one bring monster hunting? Flashlights definitely seemed like a necessity. A camera maybe to take photos for proof? Some snacks and a few loose cans of Orange Joe in case he got hungry or thirsty couldn’t hurt.
As Kel walked home, he continued to list things to bring in his head. Although the list was rapidly spiraling into what kinds of snacks to bring and other such things. Who knows? Maybe the monster would like a few bites of a chocolate chip granola bar.
Later that night, as Kel drifted off to sleep with scattered thoughts of avoidance and possible monster hunting, SOMETHING was indeed lurking in the woods, a shadowy figure even among the shady undergrowth. Tomorrow, Kel would see how much of the rumors were true, and how much he had yet to find out.