OUTRUN THE TRUTH {OMORI AU}

The Start Of Everything [PROLOGUE]

TW: Murder, Fake Suicide, Emotional Abuse, Implied Physical Abuse, and Implied Manipulation.

Ever since SUNNY had acquired a violin, things had turned into a living nightmare for him. He was under immense pressure, with his violin recital just hours away. MARI had been relentless in making him practice incessantly, leaving his wrists sore and fatigued. She had been in the bathroom for a while, supposedly 'getting ready.' SUNNY placed his bow onto the strings and began to play, but he missed a note. Frustration welled up within him, prompting him to storm out of his room and head toward the stairs.

 He started to wonder what all this pain and suffering was for. Was all this REALLY worth it? Fuming with anger, SUNNY angrily tossed his violin down the stairs, causing a loud mess as it crashed to the floor. The violin now lay shattered, and he thought he had finally gotten rid of his troubles... or so he believed. After putting her hair up in a bun and slipping into a red dress, MARI came out of the bathroom and quickly walked over to SUNNY, who was at the foot of the stairs. Without a second thought, she gave him a sharp slap, realizing what had happened.

'Have you gone insane?! Why would you throw away MY hard work?!', MARI said angrily.

SUNNY stood there motionless, holding his reddened cheek, while MARI glared at him with dissatisfaction. Frustrated with his lack of response, she forcefully grabbed him by the hair.

'You are such a burden to this family! I've given you everything you could've asked for and this is how you treat me? With disrespect and attitude? You're so ungrateful!', MARI tightens her grip on SUNNY'S hair, making him wince in pain.

'Ungrateful? I'm not going to be grateful when you beat me every single time that I miss a note! I'm sick and tired of your constant abuse!!', SUNNY landed a kick on MARI's stomach, causing her to stagger towards the staircase opening. Without giving her a chance to recover, SUNNY rushes to her side and shoves her roughly.

As MARI tumbles down the stairs, letting out a scream, SUNNY breathes heavily. There's a loud thump as she lands on SUNNY's broken violin. SUNNY looks down at his hands. He...was finally free from MARI. He did it, he really did it.

'S...SUNNY..?', 

A meek and small voice could be heard from down the stairs.

It was BASIL.

BASIL's face contorts with confusion, then transforms into a look of pure joy upon seeing MARI's unconscious body.

'You....You finally did it! Should we go ahead with the plan?', BASIL looks up at SUNNY from down the stairs. He gives him a comforting smile. SUNNY looks up from his hands and towards BASIL, he gives him a nod before heading downstairs, stepping over MARI.

'I..Uhm I know you said you were planning to kill her soon but I didn't expect it to be on the day of the recital. You really should have told me, SUNNY!', BASIL says nervously as he picks up MARI'S arms. 

SUNNY shrugged as he picked MARI up by the legs, and together they dragged her to the backyard. Fortunately, SUNNY's parents were outside at the moment. They both dropped her in front of the tree, and BASIL reached into his bag, retrieving some jump rope.

'I...uhm... I'm sorry... you're probably disappointed in me for not being prepared... ', BASIL lowers his head as he ties a noose, muttering to himself.

He secures a knot onto a tree branch. With difficulty, they lift MARI up and place her head through the noose. Releasing their grip, MARI's head becomes ensnared in the noose, causing her to sway and emit choking sounds.

She had gained consciousness.

With her eyes fixed on BASIL and SUNNY, MARI thrashes about in the air, struggling to free herself.

The two young boys gazed back with wicked grins as MARI took her final breath.

[END OF PART 1]

(644 words)