“You might have noticed that this place isn’t exactly… normal. The voice has left temporarily, so I am taking this chance to talk with you.” The stranger spoke, looking at the doors.
“...Um, okay?” Basil nodded. He noticed that the voice hadn't spoken yet at all but assumed that it was just going to leave Basil with his thoughts. Though he wonders what this look-alike is planning. He thinks he has almost seen everything by now.
“Good. I want you to know that the voice in here wants to hurt you. It wants you to get angry and upset at yourself. That is its job.” Stranger informed.
“I-I know...He is right to do that though, I deserve all of this...” Basil sighed.
“No, no he isn’t. Though I suppose you would think that you deserve all of this.” The stranger looked at him.
“Why shouldn’t I think I deserve this? I am an awful person! He should torture me more I-!” Basil put his hands on his head as tears pooled in the corner of his eyes.
“Thinking like that isn’t healthy, though I guess I have no room to judge.” The stranger shifted his gaze away from Basil.
“What do you mean by that?” Basil asked as he wiped away some loose tears.
“Well you see, I am the representation of something known as The Truth. The Truth that the dreamer has been hiding the whole time from himself and everyone.” The stranger explained.
“The dreamer to you is known as-”
WHY ARE YOU HERE?
“Oh. I am sorry young one, we shall cross paths again soon. I promise. Please remember not to give in at all.” The stranger began to fade away.
“Wait! What do you-” Basil was too late. The stranger was gone.
~~~~~~
“Sunnnyyyy I am sorrryyyyyy….” Aubrey has been standing outside Sunny’s bedroom door for ten minutes.
“Just when I get him out! Why?!” Kel complained for the twentieth time.
“Sorry I lost my cool! I just want to know why he just suddenly doesn’t have a closet!” Aubrey yelled at him, “Closets don’t just get up and walk away!”
“Guys, hate to ruin your yelling but it is getting late…” Hero looked outside to see the sun lowering.
“Huh!? No way it is that late already!” Kel shouted as he looked out the window in shock.
Aubrey just whacked her head on Sunny’s door lightly, “Sunny, please open up…”
“...I have an idea! Hero, can you convince mom and dad to let us sleepover?” Kel turned to Hero with excitement in his eyes.
“I mean, I could try…” Hero trailed off, “What about you Aubrey, do you think you can sleepover?”
“Yeah, I would need to grab some stuff first. Kel you stay here so Sunny doesn’t lock us out while we are gone.” Aubrey looked over to him as he nodded.
“Aye!” Kel saluted as he sat outside Sunny’s bedroom door.
The moment they left Kel allowed himself to drop his happy face. He was used to doing this when no one was looking. It was practically a part of him.
Put on a happy mask.
Do dumb shit to get laughs.
Go home and scream into the pillow.
It was an average schedule for Kel though his facade was usually hard to keep up. It was amazing how no one noticed yet. He sighed and laid his face against Sunny’s door.
“Hey dude, know that Aubrey didn’t mean to get violent with ya...honest….” Kel whispered under the door.
“We’re gonna stay the night if you didn’t hear us earlier.” Kel continued.
Nothing but the sound of silence on the other side. Kel feels like he is back at stage one.
“Sunny, please come out tomorrow...I can’t lose you again…” Kel felt a tear stream down his face. He quickly swiped it away the moment the front door opened.
“Kel! Do you think you can help me bring in the pillows?” Hero shouted from across the house.
“Yeah! Sure thing bro!” Kel got up, quickly putting on his mask, and ran down the stairs.
Once he saw everything Hero was carrying he immediately gave a big grin, “Yo! Pillow fort time baby!” he cheered.
~~~~~~
Aubrey walked into her house to be greeted by the smell of smoke and alcohol. No surprise there whatsoever. She walked forward, knowing where and where not to step as she walked past her deadbeat mother who was staring at the television with dead eyes. Aubrey can tell she is still breathing though so it wasn’t her problem.
She climbed the ladder to her room and pulled out a piece of grass she managed to tear up when she was catching her breath after fighting that weird water monster thing. She put the piece into Mr.Bun-Bun and watched as he snuggled against it. It was something for tonight since she wasn’t going to be here for a while.
She grabbed a blanket off her bed and rolled it up so she could carry it easier. She grabbed her phone as well and shot a text to her gang.
------
Aubrey: Hey guys, I won’t be available for tomorrow to chill. Sorry.
Kim: Huh?? Y??
Aubrey: Busy.
The-Maverick: Doing what exactly?
Vance: You ain’t normally this secretive...is it a surprise?
Aubrey: It’s personal. Super personal. If you see Kel, Sun, Hero, or Basil around me don’t approach.
Angel: ????? Why?????
Charlie: We shouldn’t pry. She just said it is private…
Aubrey: Thank you. Anyway’s igtg see ya.
------
There, now her schedule was cleared and she could hopefully make amends.
She wants to go back in time and punch herself for doing that to Sunny. Over a fucking closet nonetheless! Sunny probably had his own side of the story he wasn’t sharing! Maybe something happened with the closet and he didn’t want to talk about it so he pretended like he didn’t know what she was talking about!
But no, she just had to be stupid when it came down to it all and hurt her friend more.
...Friend...she is seeing them as friends again. She never expected to think like that again. She is friends with Kel, Sunny, and Hero.
She doesn’t know about Basil.
Basil who ruined the album.
Basil who probably upset Sunny during his stay at his house.
Basil who cried at the slightest off-putting movements or sounds.
Basil who she probably gave more trauma to just because of a simple action she didn’t let him explain.
She felt tears roll down her face as she reflected on what she did to Basil. What a fucking moron she is, of course, Basil is so scared by her. She slapped herself a couple of times across the face to set her thoughts clear.
There was a list she needed to complete. Apologize to Sunny and Basil, apologize to Kel, control her anger, and become friends with everyone again.
Starting today, she was going to be a better person.
She climbed down her bedroom ladder and exited the house. She didn’t need to tell her mom where she was going, not as she would care anyways.
Without getting seen by her gang she snuck over to Sunny’s house and knocked on the door. The night air wrapping around her as if it was hugging her, telling her that everything was going to be okay.
The door swung open with Kel standing there to greet her.
“Whatcha waiting for? Come in!” Kel smiled.
“I’m coming, I’m coming…” She sighed as she walked in.
Maybe things might end okay after all.