Stuck In Paradise

Now we know

“I know you can pull through this. I believe in you.”

Those were the words Hero heard as he opened his eyes to see that he and the others had been transported to another location.

All he could see was the red glowing light from outside the sliding doors in front of him, a figure of what appeared to be a lamp and Sunny’s red eyes.

Sunny limped towards the lamp and took the lightbulb out of his pocket. Hero had honestly forgotten all about it.

Sunny screwed in the light and the lamp turned on only for them to see a ton of messed-up portraits hanging on the wall. Each portrait seemed to only show more and more disturbing yet interesting images that Hero had to tear his eyes away. Of course, he couldn’t fully stop looking at them, for he noticed the messed-up family photo was back again.

He wonders why it keeps showing up but decides not to question it.

He can also see Sunny’s body has gotten worse. If he thought he looked like a zombie before then this was practically a walking skeleton with little bits of flesh still on it.

He barely looked recognizable with his bones showing and his flesh almost disintegrating.

It brought him to one of his earlier thoughts.

Sunny saw himself as a monster for what he did to Mari.

Hero wanted to hug him but the moment he stepped near Sunny he moved away, seemingly more interested in a mirror than Hero.

He looked at his reflection and instead of terror on his face, his eyes looked...dead. Don’t get Hero wrong, he did call him a zombie earlier but despite that, his eyes looked like they still had emotion when picking up the photos. He didn’t have any feelings for his appearance though.

Like he thinks he deserves it.

He looked away from his reflection and his eyes landed on a photo on the ground.

Picking it up, his whole body froze.

Hero looked over his shoulder to see Mari being pushed down the stairs. It was clearly a quick shove out of anger and frustration but it stung to see. Sunny has been bottling up his emotions the whole time and it ended up getting to the point where someone was killed.

Sunny had the guiltiest look on his face and Aubrey and Kel looked lost and confused. Hero just wishes he could comfort them all but he knew he couldn’t.

The sliding door clicked, telling them that they were free to continue onward.

Aubrey was the one to open the door as Sunny stumbled through. Kel grabbed on to the boy, forcing him to be steady and slow with his movements.

Ahead was another gate. Sunny opened the album and began putting the photos in order.

Hero could see the story that the photos told clearly.

Kel and Aubrey could as well.

Sunny broke his violin which caused him to get in a fight with Mari. Mari blocked his way, preventing him from leaving which made Sunny push her in rage. She ended up falling down on the violin. For reasons Hero couldn’t understand Sunny brought her upstairs and put her in bed. Realizing what he did he began to cry before Basil decided to do something about the situation.

That was what led them to bring Mari downstairs and outside.

There were only a few photos missing but Hero could only imagine what was shown on them.

It was clear what they were going to do and Hero was about to see it with his own eyes.

The gate opened and they continued forward, Sunny using Kel as a crutch and Aubrey distracted with her own thoughts.

Another gate, another photo.

This one was of a jump rope on the ground. Hero grimaced at the sight.

He wished he could look away but he couldn’t.

Sunny put it in the album.

Another gate, another photo.

Hands were grabbing the rope, clearly in a process of making a noose with it.

Hero felt ill.

Kel looked at any moment he could throw Sunny to the ground or hug him.

Aubrey’s fists were clenched tight.

Sunny put the photo in the album.

Another gate, another photo.

Mari’s legs were dangling in the air.

Hero had to resist the urge to throw up on the album.

Aubrey’s nails were embedding themselves in her palms. Blood dripped onto the floor and her jaw was clenched shut.

Kel looked away, not having the strength in him to continue looking.

Hero didn’t have the strength to even move.

Sunny put it in the album.

Another gate, another photo.

Mari’s hanging corpse.

Hero ran and threw up away from the others.

Aubrey punched a nearby tree, refusing to look at the photo again. Tears were rolling down her face as splinters got caught in her fist.

Kel looked like he was on the verge of crying, the tears already in his eyes.

Sunny put it in the album.

Walking past the gate the group didn’t dare utter a word until they came upon a tree with a noose. On the ground was the shadow of Mari’s hanging corpse.

Hero wanted out of this place as soon as possible.

Sunny broke away from Kel’s light hold and stumbled to the last photo under the tree.

He picked it up with the others looking over his shoulder.

Mari stared back.

The one-eyed demon stared back.

Hero felt only pure terror as his vision went black and pain flooded his body.

He stood alone in darkness and his thoughts.

Rage, sadness, fear, guilt, concern, and a bite-sized piece of happiness was all he felt.

Happy from the fact the truth was finally out. That he didn’t miss any signs about what Mari was going through.

Rage from the fact Sunny forgot about all of this. That he killed his own sister.

Sadness from knowing Sunny and Basil has been suffering all these years with these demons only they were seeing.

Guilt from not seeing that Sunny was getting stressed out when he was younger and disliking the violin.

Concern about Sunny, Basil, Aubrey, and Kel’s wellbeing after going through all of this.

It was like he was in the eye of the storm and it was only getting worse and worse.

It would be easier to just stay asleep.

“You need to wake up.”

Mari’s voice encouraged him.

“Don’t wake up.”

An unrecognizable one spoke.

“You can rest for as long as you like. You deserve it.”

It tried to convince him.

“Wake up. Please. He is going to need help.”

Mari begged.

“Don’t. Rest forever here with me. A world where everything is okay.”

Hero already knew what he was going to do.

Hero woke up.

Kel and Aubrey also woke up.

Sunny was gone.

The front door was wide open and a bad feeling took over Hero’s body.

This isn’t good.