Archive of Our Own ^beta

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Omori was walking on the Boardwalk surrounded by what seems to be almost endless water and waterfalls. There were little islands here and there, but he mostly just continued walking. Mari was trailing close behind him, he had to walk slowly for her bad knee, and he didn't want to get scolded again. There was a heavy fog around them, he could barely see anything in front of him, but he continued walking. The light blue almost transparent boardwalks lead the way, and the light blue transparent boardwalks mixed with the surroundings was calming for him.

Soon they reached a dead end Omori stopped as he looked at the giant window, Mari walked past him and moved to the edge of the boardwalks, she stopped and turned around to face Omori. "...Omori...", "It seems that you have forgotten something important, are you okay with that?". Omori stared at Mari, she wasn't supposed to do this, the cycle wasn't supposed to go like this, why would Mari try to make him remember? Mari turned around to face the Window with the closed curtains, "I'm not too sure..."
Mari walked forward, Omori wanted to step forward and grab her arm, but Mari just walked over the air, floating above the water.

Of course Headspace wouldn't allow Mari to be hurt, She had to be protected at all times, Mari stopped in front of the window. "You've seen this curtain before. The last time we went to the lake." Mari turned back around to face Omori. "This is my Stop though.", "I know I shouldn't have come... It just gets a little lonely without everyone." Omori stared at Mari, why would she be lonely? What did she mean, 'Without Everyone?' she always had company. "It's not my place to say anymore, but.. I hope you're still there... Sunny... I really miss you" Omori continued to look at Mari with a neutral expression, he couldn't read Mari's face correctly she was smiling, but it felt forced almost.

The curtains opened as a bright white light flashes into his face, he blinked as Mari was now completely black and white, she looked older as well, "Goodbye... Little brother." Mari turned around and walked towards the window, Omori quickly walked up the Boardwalk to the edge. As Mari was about to disappear, a loud splash could be heard into the water. Mari turned around as her face showed a look of horror, Omori, her little brother vessel laying in the water slowly sinking, and Sunny, standing on the Boardwalk completely black and white like her.

Sunny looked up at Mari, tears visible in his eyes as he began to walk towards her, "M-mari..." Before Mari could say anything, Sunny rushed towards her and jumped towards her with his arms outstretched hugging her, causing them to both fall through the window and landing in a beautiful flower field. Mari could feel something clinging onto her chest as she could hear soft sobbing, she knew the sound of the sobbing she knew who was hugging her, and she didn't want them to be here, not yet. "I-im so sorry, Mari I'm sorry." Sunny sobbed against her chest while mumbling apologies.

Mari gently placed her hand on his head, "Oh Sunny, why... I didn't want you to come here yet..." She looked at the window to see it was gone already, she knew it was too late for him to go back now. "I missed you, little brother, but I didn't want you to leave everybody else alone just yet." Mari slowly sat up and placed Sunny on her lap as she hugged him back comforting him, she rubbed gentle circles on his back, "What about Aubrey? or Hero, Kel or even Basil?", "They are better off without me..." Sunny responded rubbing away tears.

Mari lets out a defeated Sigh, "Oh little brother, sunshine... they would have forgiven you..." Mari tried to comfort Sunny, "I wanted you to forgive yourself... but now..." Mari could feel tears burning into her eyes as she knew Sunny had died with guilt in his heart, "They all cared about you, if they didn't Kel wouldn't have knocked almost everyday on your door to see if you would come out." "Aubrey wouldn't have kept the photo album if she hated you or anybody else of our friends.", "Even Hero cares about you, most likely the most out of all our friends, he is probably scared you would end up like they way they believe my story ended"

Sunny looked up at her, "I'm sorry...", "It's okay little brother, everything is going to be okay" Mari continued to hug Sunny, she had to admit even though she didn't like the though she was happy she had her little brother again, she was happy she wasn't alone anymore. Sunny's body was laying on his bed, he was cold, the phone beeped, "There's only one day left before I come pick you up. Ok, that's it for now! MOMMY loves you! Bye, honey!" Bzzt...

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Hero sat up with a yawn in the makeshift pillow fort he had a sleepover at Sunny's house. He slowly got up and looked over at the bed at the sleeping form that was his friend Sunny Mari's little brother. He smiled, being happy to have seen him again after so long. 'I should probably make some food for Sunny and Kel when they wake up; they would like that if Kel doesn't eat everything first.' Hero thought to himself as he began to leave the room to find a list on a table: 'oh, Sunny's chore list from his mom; where is she anyway? I haven't seen her at all.

He grabbed the chore list off the table while leaving the room. He would do them for Sunny, as he was, to be honest, not sure if Sunny should be doing them in his current condition. He didn't want to press Sunny about it, so he didn't mention it, but Sunny looked pale and skinny; he also barely grew any taller than when he was twelve years old. If somebody didn't know him, he wouldn't be surprised that people would mistake him for a twelve to fourteen year old. 'I should probably keep in contact with Sunny to try and get him on a diet or something; that's probably the best for him' Hero's thoughts were interrupted as he was in the kitchen already.

'I should probably first do the chores; I don't want to accidentally burn Sunny's house down now while I'm doing his chores.' Hero awkwardly laughed to himself while rubbing the back of his head as he left the kitchen to the closet to grab some cleaning supplies. Hero quickly went to work. Hero was sweeping the floor as he heard a bedroom door slam open and a way-too-energetic teenager rush down the stairs, almost slipping and taking the trip downstairs face first. "Kel, slow down, your going to fall." "Oops, sorry Hero." Hero let out a sigh, "Its okay, can you go to the kitchen and wait there? im almost done."

Kel just nodded in response and walked into the kitchen; not long after, Hero walked in as well. "So is Sunny still asleep?" He asked, "Yeah, when I woke up, Sunny was still asleep." Hero looked in the fridge and saw it was empty. "I see, well, Ill go over to our house real fast to grab some food. Just wait here, okay, or go ahead and wake up Sunny."  "Alright Hero," Kel watched as Hero left out the front door as he got up and walked over to the stairs and went back to the bedroom. He pushed open the door and quickly let himself know, "HHHHEEEEELLLLOOOO! SUNNY! WAKE UP, IT'S YOUR BEST FRIEND, KEL!" 

Kel looked over to the bed as Sunny didn't react, not even in the slightest. Kel smile disappeared a little. "Hey, Sunny,", Kel walked over to the bed and gently shook him. "Hello, Sunny, wake up, dude." Kel smile disappeared when he touched Sunny. He felt cold, and he wasn't responding either. What scared Kel the most was the lack of sound Sunny made. He couldn't even hear his breathing or see Sunny's chest go up and down. Hero had walked over to his house while Kel went back upstairs. He didn't think much of it, but it worried him a little that Sunny slept this long.

Kel froze. He didn't know what to do. It was happening again. A friend was leaving them. Sunny wasn't breathing; he didn't know what to do. Kel himself felt like he was drowning right now; he was hyperventilating. Panic quickly set in. At first, he wanted to grab Sunny's shoulders and shake him more, thinking it would magically wake him up, but he then remembered his brother Hero, who was becoming a doctor; he would know what to do. Kel dashed out of the bedroom and downstairs, taking three to four steps at a time as he dashed out the door and across the street.

Hero was already walking back with some bags of food. As he looked towards Sunny's house, all he saw was an orange blur. He rushed straight at him and almost knocked him over if Kel hadn't stopped in time while breathing heavily. "Kel? What's going on? something wrong?" Kel was gasping for air; he had never run that fast before. Even for him, that was fast, but he didn't care. Sunny needed help. "Sunny... Not waking up... Not breathing!" Hero stared at Kel for a few seconds as he dropped his bags. Sunny wasn't breathing. Mari's little brother, whom he promised to protect if she wasn't there, wasn't breathing.

Hero rushed past Kel towards the house and just charged up the stairs. He quickly rushed into Sunny's room and over to his bed as he quickly put his ear near Sunny's mouth to hear him breathe or feel air being pushed against his ear from Sunny's exhale, but there was nothing. Hero looked over at the phone on the nightstand, quickly rushed over to it, and called 911. Kel was passing back and forth outside, grabbing chunks of his hair while stressing out and mumbling that it would all be okay and that Hero would save Sunny.

Hero looked at the phone as it kept beeping. He had no time for this. He just laid the phone down on the bed and removed the covers from Sunny's bed and stood over him. He put his hands over eachother, and on Sunny's chest, Hero quickly began to push his hands against Sunny's chest, giving him compressions and doing CPR. He wouldn't fail Mari; he can't fail her. Hero kept at it for a few minutes while the phone kept ringing. 'Please pick up the phone!' he internaly screamed. Kel was still pacing around in a panic outside. He couldn't be there, not in that room, he then Noticed Kim approach him.

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Kim noticed Kel looking at her but not saying anything as he just looked away and kept pacing around while grabbing the back and sides of his head almost pulling his hair out, She didn't really care but was curious on what was going on but she had bigger problems, Aubrey needed help right now.


"Yo Kel! I need your help."


Kel didn't really look towards her and just ignored her, 'what is he now to high and mighty to talk to me? he kept looking for fights constantly with us and now he ignores me?' She found herself feeling annoyed now.


"Grumble grumble, Kel don't ignore me I need to talk to you"


Kel finally looked at her but his face just looked, off putting like she was looking at a completely different person, no longer was there a bright smile on his face, yes she has seen him angry and annoyed before but this was different, he looked almost dead inside like he saw something he can't accept.


"What do you want kim?"


Kim felt a chill run down her spine, his voice sounded fake like he was trying to hide his sadness and confusion but it just sounded terrible, 'what the hell gotten into him? did his dog die or something?' she quickly peeked towards Kel's house yard and saw Hector running around happily.


"well uhm, I need your help, and if possible knife kid help as well, Aubrey isn't leaving her hou-"


"he's dead"


Kim stared at him for a few seconds trying to understand what she was just told, 'Dead? what does he mean dead, we saw knife kid yesterday? he is fucking with me?' She let's out an annoyed sigh and stared at him furrowing her eyebrows.


"not cool Kel, I saw knife kid yesterday it's not funny to joke about shit like that"


Kel just stared at her with the same expression until Siren's could be heard in the distance coming closer, Kim could feel sweat slowly going down her neck now as Kel never made up lies or generaly made such jokes, and now with sirens.


"Y-you're fucking with me right.... i-it isn't funny Kel, Aubrey really needs help right now she isn't leaving her house.."


Cursing could be heard from inside as somebody was yelling and cursing in spanish, Kim could hear two names, Sunny and Mari, She looked confused at the house with a slight amout of worry was there a fight going on inside between three people? over this knife kids dead?


"W-we should go to Aubrey maybe I can help..."


She found herself looking back at Kel who was now nervously leaving the door of the house towards her to head to Aubrey, 'Might be better, don't wanna stick around this house anymore either.' she found herself thinking as she lead the way, she could hear the sirens behind her as a car stopped, she didn't want to turn around she didn't have the gut to do so.


Hero was still inside pacing around cursing to himself andthe world in Spanish, mumbling on how he failed Mari and now Sunny as well, why did it have to happen to them? what did they do to deserve this? Hero heard the sirens outside and looked toward's Sunny's bedroom.


He slowly went down the stairs holding the railing tightly thinking he would fall the moment he let go as he felt light headed and just terrible at the moment, as he reached the bottom he quickly walked towards the front door and opened it just as two Paramedics reached the door.


"U-up stairs, room at the right...."


Was all Hero could mumble out as he then walked over to the couch and sat down grabbing his head in stress as the Paramedics made their way upstairs, he could hear their footsteps and the bedroom door open, it felt like he could hear anything as everything was louder around him.


Kel and Kim Reached Aubrey's house as the other hooligans looked towards them, Kel could see a few of them look a bit worried at him, did he really look that bad? he tried to put up a smile for them and waved but it felt more forced than usual.


"Hey guys, uhm... so Aubrey won't come outside?" 


The hooligans just responded with shaking their heads, 'Okay Aubrey won't come outside... but she has to know what happened with Sunny... they used to be friends as well... we all used to be...


"Say what is with the sirens in the distance?"


Everybody looked towards Angel who questioned the loud sirens, Kim and Kel tensed up, 'They don't have to know... they shouldn't feel that guilt or bad for something they had no doing in....' Kel thought to himself as he then heard Kim clear her throat.


"Uhm guys... Knife kid.... uhm... isn't here anymore..."


Everybody looked towards Kim confused, Her brother clearing his throat before speaking.


"Did he get arrested? did somebody report him for the knife incident?"


Kim shook her head.


"N-no no police, it isn't a police car... it's an ambulance... he is... gone"


Kim wasn't sure why it felt so hard to tell them, knife kid attacked their leader yes, but he didn't deserve to die, Kel even said they used to be friends, knife kid him and Aubrey, Suddenly the door flung open as Aubrey rushed towards Kim with her bat in hand.


"What did you say?!"


Was all Aubrey yelled at Kim before looking towards Kel like she was trying to find some kind of fucked up prank in this, Kel quickly realized Aubrey probably was listening to them especaily after he arrived.


"Aubrey... Sunny is... dead... he died last night.."


Aubrey gripped her bath tighter, she was trying to hold back tears while staring at the ground, 'Sunny.... dead? why him... why... why does everyone leave me...'


"I don't.... I don't believe you, this has to be a fucked up joke Kel, haha you got me laughing, hahaha okay you got me back for what I did to Basil, Im sorry okay, b-but please.... tell me you are joking..."


Kel just looked at her with a defeated look and shook his head, the next moment he was pushed to the ground as Aubrey rushed past him towards Sunny's house.


Aubrey didn't care that people were screaming her name she had to be sure, Memories leaking into her brain thinking about Sunny, seeing him on the swings waiting for her, always being there for her comforting her, she remembered a funeral Mari's funeral, her sister she never truely had, but now she imagined Sunny laying in her place, like the Brother she never had, and maybe even more thant that.


She ran down the sidewalk and crossed the road and quickly turned left and reached Sunny's street she could see the ambulance and a stretcher with Hero standing outside just staring at the body under a blanket.

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Aubrey just stared as the strecher was loaded into the ambulance and drove off, she couldn't even get a look at Sunny the body, all she could see was his shape, nothing more, She didn't even register Hero trying to talk to her she just walked away.


The past two day's kept going through her mind, her yelling at him, him pulling a knife, the fear on his face after cutting her, her taunting and hurting him emotionaly, she felt terrible and now she had no way to apologize to him, she never would have it again.


Aubrey just continued to walk down the sidewalk, making her way towards the swings, as it came into view she stopped, she rubbed her eyes as for a split second the swing-set was covered in something dark and black, like an oily substance dripping off the metal chain's and seat, the seat Sunny always sat on.


She slowly continued to walk towards it and sat down, as her action's kept coming back into her mind, her eyes started to sting, a struggling sob escaped her throat, she just lost everything, truely everything, Sunny was already moving away but now, she would never see him again.


It felt like she also lost the last piece of Mari, Sunny felt like a brother to her, simular to how Basil felt to her before he ruined everything, Basil? how would he react to it she thought, She knew Basil was already walking on thin ice, emotionaly and mentaly, she could alway see he was slightly on edge and looking more and more, unstable.


Sunny was his best friend as well, they were almost attached to the hip when they were still kid's, she didn't like to admit it but Sunny's death would probably kill him, yes she might hate him now and bully him, but he doens't deserve to die either.


She just wished everything would return to how it used to be, she wanted her friend's back, wanted to go back before Mari suicide, before the recital, before anything happened, but that was a dream that was now further away than ever.


could she even have changed anything? maybe if she tried to knock on sunny's door like Kel did, maybe then he would still be alive, she just... had to drag him out of his house, if Mari only knew what happened, would she be disapointed in her? probably.

Would Sunny now be with her? wherver she would be now? Aubrey wasn't religious, not by a long shot, but she did hope there was atleast something, atleast some type of peace where the once's that passed could rest and look after the once's they care about.


Would Mari be watching them? probably not anymore now that Sunny is with her, she would probably look after him again like she always have done, she is probably deeply disapointed in her for what she did, she wouldn't blame Mari if she didn't look after her after all.


yet beside's that, it still hurt, it hurt terribly bad, Aubrey let's out a sigh as she lowers her head and closes her eyes, she could see a beach, remember a long car ride home, resting her head on the one person that truely understood her and always made time for her.


one person that is now no longer here and joined her big sister figure, 'to live in your own little bubble', those words now felt like acid on her tongue, in her mind, She remembered how he was terribly afraid of water after his nearly drowning experience, yes she saw him dive head first into the lake after Basil, like he was never afraid.


Deep down, she knew Sunny was brave, very brave, probably the bravest out of the entire friendgroup, yet he never showed it unless actions called for it, he was the one to find and help her, he was the one to always listen to her, she once protected him from bullies to end up bullying him because he was grieving in his own way.


She stood up and left the swing's, as she left the park she stopped and looked back one more time, the black goopy substance was on the swings again, this time a shadow was sitting on sunny's seat, he looked up at waved at her, She blinked and it was gone.


She wasn't sure what it was, she didn't want to know, but it frightened her, yet felt calming in a sense, like she deep down knew what and who that was, she let a shiver run down her spine before heading home, Ignoring the hooligans and Kel that were still talking.


She could see Kel probably kinda chew into some of them as mostly angel and 'the maverick' god such a stupid name, she was never going to call him that, looking terrible and emotionaly hurt, she knew they all deserved it, which reminded her, she basicly beat up a malnourished suffering kid with 5 other people.


She felt ever worse as the guilt clawed at her back, she blinked and once again the black substance was back hanging over the other hooligans, the shadowy figure was all behind them, each of the figure's having their own shape and size.


Kel wanted to talk with her but she just entered her home and slammed the door shut, beer bottles still covering the floor, she looked at her mom, or atleast the husk of what was once her mom, now just a alcoholic waiting to kick the bucket.


She moved past the couch into the back of the house and made her way to her ladder, she went up into the attic and her room, she looked at bun-bun but ignored her rabbit for the first time and just colapsed on bed, she didn't feel like doing anything today anymore, or tomorrow, or the next day, she didn't feel like doing anything for a while, She closed her eyes, tears still stinging her as she let's out a shaky sigh before drifting off, the last thing she felt was SOMETHING staring at her.

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As Basil was currently sitting in his room, he just felt terrible; he soon would have to go to the hospital to visit his grandma. She didn't have long anymore, he knew; he wouldn't stay long after; he would take it with him, the secret tormenting him for so long; he would take it with him; he would keep Sunny safe.

The gardening shears were lying on the nightstand next to his camera; the light shining through the window made the blade of it shine slightly; it almost felt warm and welcoming, but not now, not yet. He still had to see Sunny one more time, but he felt so afraid, after the lake, after Sunny ran away two days ago from him after something appeared.

Would Sunny run away again? Would Sunny leave him before his end? The thought of it tormented him; it scared him and made him just want to cry. He didn't want to be alone, not now, yet everyone was leaving him: his grandma, Sunny, Aubrey, Hero, and Kel; they would all leave him.

Basil almost felt like throwing up; his stomach growled and turned from the stress, yet he ignored it. He took a deep breath and slowly exited his room; Polly was in the hallway making way to his door. "Oh hey, Basil... are you ready to go to the hospital? I can take you there if you want. "N-no, it's okay; I-i can go myself. I'll take the bus, but thank you.", 'Oh Polly, if you only know what I have done, you don't deserve this.' Basil thought to himself after quickly excusing himself and going downstairs. He could hear sirens in the distance, fading away.

He wasn't sure what it was about, nor did he care or want to know. As he reached the door, he opened it and left the house, quickly making his way down the street but froze on the spot; the Hooligan and Kel were standing on the other side of the street comforting Aubrey, who was currently breaking down.

He could see Kel also looked miserable; he wasn't liking where this was going. What happened to make Aubrey and Kel like that? He quickly walked down the sidewalk but heard footsteps behind him; he felt like running, just getting away from anybody who was following him, but he froze once more and slowly looked back. Kel was slightly jogging up to him, but it was more like a quick sprint than the happy jogging he normally did. "Basil, wait!" and Basil did; he waited until Kel stopped in front of him; he turned to fully face him. "O-oh, hi Kel, what's going on?"

Kel took a deep breath and looked seriously as Basil Basil, in turn, felt his sin crawling up his back. why was Kel looking at him like that? he didn't like it. "Basil, it's... it's Sunny.... he-he...", "H-he is moving. I know, did he move early?" Basil asked, He was currently begging; that was the reason they were sad." Sunny moved earlier, but he felt his heart stop as sweat came down his forehead; Kel was shaking his head no.

"Basil, Sunny's... death...", Basil felt like he was about to pass out, lose it, and go insane all at once. So he just responded by softly giggling to himself while looking away nervously; the giggling slowly changed into laughter. Kel just stared at Basil in pain and remorse as he watched Basil just lose it. "H-hahahahaha, y-you got me, Kel, you got me real good. I-I don't find this joke funny though."

"Basil, I'm sorry; I wish it was a joke... I-I really do." Kel wanted to reach out to Basil, but he just slapped his hand away. "N-no! You're a liar; Sunny wouldn't leave! No, he wouldn't." He then turned around and ran off while fighting back tears; SOMETHING was swallowing him whole now, eating even faster at him; he could feel it clinging to his neck now.

While Basil continued to run, he skipped the bus stop and just ran; he had to get away from there from Kel, from everyone; he just had to say his goodbyes to his grandma, and then he would be gone for good. He would be with Sunny again, maybe even Mari; he would like that, to apologize to her, to finally get that guilt away from him once he can face her, yet it felt so frightening at the same time to what would happen after he did it, after he was gone.

Kel just watched as Basil ran down the street and quickly vanished; he really wished he was just a liar or doing a terrible joke, but he couldn't save his friend, and now everyone was worse than before; it was like Mari's suicide all over again but worse. He found himself even doubting if he could stay positive this time.

As Basil was running, memories seemed to chase after him just as quickly. 'These photos, these memories seem old now. Let's make some new memories, okay? You're a good person. It was SOMETHING behind you' all these words; it felt like there was nothing left true of them anymore; he was doubting if anything ever said was true now.

As he continued running, his foot caught onto something, and he hit the ground quite hard, cutting open his knees and hands he had pushed out to catch himself. He tried to stand and continue, but he just collapsed again, and then he felt his cheeks becoming wet as his eyes stung; he began to cry, covering his face while crying on the sidewalk. 'Why does this have to happen to me? WHY IS EVERYONE LEAVING ME?' he thought to himself; he felt so small and afraid now; it felt like he truly couldn't escape and SOMETHING would swallow him whole this time.

His cheek became all red like his eyes, and as he slowly stood up now more determined than ever, he was close now; he wouldn't doubt it anymore; he would finish everything and finally get rid of this creature; he would take the secret with him for everyone's sake; he didn't care if people saw him as a coward for doing this, but Sunny would wait for him, he knew he would; Sunny never judged him; he wouldn't do it for this decision either.

Basil looked up and saw a big hospital. He hadn't even realized he had just run all the way here; he smiled a little. He slowly started to walk toward the hospital once more; he walked through the doors with his mind set on one thing, and he wouldn't be stopped; he would see Sunny again, his best friend.