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Basil wakes up. It’s 7:34. He didn’t get much sleep last night, but he never really does.
Nightmares always plague his mind. Dreams repeating of that day he had so selfishly made a desperate decision to hide the secret he keeps so close to his chest. He keeps it so hidden from the world, that sometimes it feels as if it burns from within his body.
He gets up despite his body wanting to lay down and let the earth swallow him whole.
He brushes his teeth, bathes, gets new clothes for the day, and eats breakfast. Polly tries to start up conversation, however Basil can’t help but not listen to the endless mumbling Polly spews out.
He usually would’ve checked up on his grandmother, but she’s probably asleep at this time. Her health has been increasingly deteriorating, and it’s not longer before she passes on. Leaving Basil all alone. (Just like everyone else.)
Basil quickly finishes his breakfast that Polly made. He washes his plate, and decides to head off to school. He walks out the door as Polly warmly wishes him a good day at school.
As Basil walks outside, he can’t help but look at his garden. The plants he used to adore, have now recently wilted and died off due to his neglect.
That’s not surprising to him. Everything seems to wilt at his very touch nowadays.
When he arrives at school, he tries to stay under the radar. Though, it doesn’t take long for someone to push him into a locker, or murmur something about him.
When he reaches his locker, he notices the littering and awful comments in his space. But, it’s not like it’s anything new.
He just grabs what he needs to for that class, and heads for the door before anyone can trip or make fun of him.
The morning is usually boring. Basil used to pay attention in class, but he doesn’t feel motivated to do so these days. Which often means he gets a barely passing grade.
It’s not like he minds though.
Lunch is when the bullying usually starts. People calling him a sissy, bumping into him on purpose, driving him into the furthest corner of the cafeteria.
He used to enjoy lunch. That was when he had friends to hang out with.
He misses Aubrey, who’s kindness would always make Basil feel welcomed. Kel, who was loud, yet had a warmth that Basil felt was needed in a town so gray and cloudy. And then Sunny. Perfect Sunny, who he swarmed to like a moth to a flame.
But that was then.
Aubrey, who he would once call the sweetest girl. She now gangs up on him with the rest of her crew. Bullying him to the point where no one would even sit next to him in fear they would be next.
Kel, who used to shine brighter than the sun. Only gives him a nod when they see each other. Which was usually during switch period since they barely shared a class this year.
And Sunny, who was the light of his life. His best friend, the one he would die for. The one who so terribly ABANDONED him.
He doesn’t even come outside. He left Basil all alone. How could he?! They promised, PINKY promised they wouldn’t leave each other after what they did! So why? Why was Basil sitting alone, at the end of the cafeteria, picking at a lunch that he had no appetite to finish?
The school day usually has no important events other than when he gets bullied by some random jock or wannabe popular girl.
(God, he WISH he could stab his gardening shears into their throat and watch the blood ooze out as they beg for mercy.)
When Basil gets out, is when the bullying really kicks in. They push him, throw cans at him, call him horrible names, belittle him. He lets them. He deserves it. He’s a sinner who taints anything he lays a finger on.
He can’t even feel safe on the way home.
Aubrey’s goons usually chase him on bikes, mocking and laughing at him. Well, most of the time, it’s just a little kid who can’t be older than 13.
Still, he runs. He runs because he’s a coward.
Only when he’s in the comfort of his home, is he free from those hooligans that torment him daily. Though, nothing ever comes for free. Being home just means Basil has to face new horrors that take form once he’s in solitary.
The voices that tell him he’s useless, the words of poison they spew. Those horrible words repeating out of their mouths. It’s SOMETHING that Basil hates.
It spouts lies. Telling him that he’s never coming back. That Mari’s death was the cause of himself. That Sunny isn’t innocent. All lies.
Sunny, so gracious and generous Sunny. A beacon of light in the darkness of Basil’s world. A savior, a grace, that Basil so selfishly clings onto.
Sunny would never have done a deed so horrible. It was SOMETHING else’s fault. Basil saw it. He saw it push Mari. He saw it blame Sunny. He wouldn’t let it get away with its sins.
Trying to blame their filthy, corrupt actions on innocent Sunny. Trying to get Basil to offer Sunny as an offering. Basil wasn’t going to fall into it’s grasp.
He knows Sunny would never hurt Mari. It’s always just that evil creature that spews the poison that infects everyone else. Basil would happily take it down with him if it meant saving his sunshine.
He remembers those days when Sunny would come outside and play with him. Play with all of them. When Mari and Hero would flirt like an old retired married couple. When Aubrey and Kel would banter like a bunch of misbehaving kids. When Sunny and him would bench on the trunk of a tree. Basil would most often read aloud the book he had his little hands on for Sunny to hear.
Those little moments were the ones Basil cherished the most. Where everything felt like a dream, that you didn’t have to wake up from.
Basil remembers taking pictures of those bright days of his childhood. He took pictures of whatever brought him the most joy that day. Mostly just his friends. He loved taking photos of them being themselves. Not posing for a camera, not fake smiling, truly being happy.
He would stick those photos in a photo album. Everyone used to shower him in compliments about how he truly captured life in each and every photo. He loved those times when they would flip through his pages and reminisce on their memories. Laughing at the silly moments.
Basil wishes he could look at the photo album right now. Most of the photos have been scribbled and marked over, but he still would like it back.
Aubrey had taken it a while ago, when she saw the photos that had been scribbled over by Sunny and him. Maybe if she knew why they did it, she would’ve understood. Maybe if she didn’t call him a freak before running off, they would’ve been friends. Maybe, everything would’ve been okay if he just hadn’t been born at all.
It’s not like he deserves to live anyways.
Anyways, maybe he should go try to see if Aubrey is willing to give it back! He knows it’s a long shot, since Aubrey pretty much hates his guts. But maybe, just maybe that kind and hopeful Aubrey will show its roots and give Basil back his photo album. Maybe they can all become friends again.
She usually goes to the park, right? Basil should go give her a visit…