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MARI was inches off the ground, holding onto HELLSUNNY'S hands as it tightened it's grip onto her neck. She was staring it in the face, it's smile ever-present. Her eyes were still red, trembling as her vision was getting blurred. The tighter it's grip around her neck got, the weaker hers got around it's hands.
Everything was becoming out of focus, her eyes slowly rolling up as her pale face was becoming more blue. Her breathing was more scarce and strained, unable to take a full breath, gasping for air desperately as her vision crossed.
But even still, she could tell... it's smile was getting wider, grinning as it was slowly draining the life from her eyes. MARI was trying to look to the side, only able to see a blurred outline of her brother, feeling herself fading and not wanting the last thing she saw being that damn smile. She even reached out her hand weakly towards his body, hand trembling as she felt her eyes getting heavier and heavier.
MARI: "S-S....UN...N..Y...."
She felt her head getting turned, forced to face whatever it was, and saw its massive eye staring straight into her soul. In a mix between hearing her brothers innocent voice and the raspy broken voice, she heard it speak...
"YoU... dId... ThIsssss...."
Tears were forming in her eyes, staring at it's smile once again, and knew it'd be the last thing she saw... Everything turning from the dull gret surrounding her turning to pitch black, focusing on it staring her in the eyes as she was fading away...
The last thoughts as she was drifting away... her brother. How she couldn't save him again, and how they both had to suffer for it again. She just got him back, and she let him slip away from her again... Maybe she did... deserve this...
Her eyes slowly closed, and then...
Darkness...
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RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING
The kids all looked up to the clock with bright expressions, but none brighter than the one KEL had.
3:00 PM
They were in the GYM, their last class, and KEL was one of the first dashing out the door straight to the lockers. BASIL and AUBREY were both tired, sitting and panting as they were looking at KEL still running full speed despite just finishing GYM.
KEL: "SorryguysgottarunI'llseeya!!" He blurted out in one incoherent sentence before dashing out the door.
AUBREY and BASIL were simply left not at all shocked but still confused as to how KEL could still move so quickly after all the Running Exercises they did.
BASIL: "How huff huff can he still be huff huff so active?" He kneeled forward and held himself up by his elbows, face red and sweating.
AUBREY: "He's a freak huff huff No kid huff should be able to run this much." She wiped her brow and chugged down a bottle of water.
They both cleaned up and got ready, knowing KEL had been long gone since he ran out those doors. AUBREY closed her locker and was heading towards the exit before seeing BASIL struggle to get his open. She came over and kneeled down to his locker.
AUBREY: "I swear, they gave you the one crummy lock here." She grabbed it and pulled, taking a good bit of force before it finally opened.
BASIL sighed in relief as he grabbed his backpack out of it. "Th-Thank you. Sorry, it always seems to act up whenever Schools out, heh." He closed his locker and tried to close the lock, struggling for a moment before it finally locked shut.
AUBREY sighed lightly as she looked to BASIL with a hint of concern. "How you feeling, bud?"
BASIL looked to her, surprised she'd ask this, but gave a gentle smile. "O-Oh, uhm, I'm fine, honest! I know P.E was a little much, but I don't feel... too sore, heh."
AUBREY nodded with a chuckle. "Yeah, MR. HILL did not hold back on the workouts for the last day of school. But hey! You made it through the day. Though, coming to school again JUST before Summer Break is a bit of a risky move." She said with a chuckle.
BASIL blushed and scratched the back of his neck. "Y-Yeah, heh, I have quite the bit of homework to catch up on. I-I didn't mean to miss that much, but I just... needed some time."
AUBREY saw him getting gloomy, remembering why he missed all those days of school. Immediately, she went up and hugged him, a loving squeeze that caught him off guard but was quickly reciprocated. They stayed there for a few seconds, embracing one another before AUBREY ge try pulled back and kept a hand on his shoulder
AUBREY: "I know she meant the world to you, and I'm so sorry about what happened. But she's in a better place now."
BASIL wiped his watery eyes lightly, nodding and smiling softly. "Yeah, I know she is. She... went with a smile on her face. Knowing she went without any pain helped alot, but... but I still miss her."
He folded his arms and leaned against the lockers for a few moments, sighing lightly as AUBREY rubbed his shoulder. "I-I'm sorry-" He shook his head lightly. "-I didn't mean to bring down the mood. Uh... Oh! What are your plans for Summer?" He said trying to redirect the conversation.
AUBREY smiled and went along with him changing the mood, but immediately went to sighing while dropping her head. "Wellll... mostly work. MS. CANDICE says that Summer brings in a lot of customers for OTHERMART, so she said I've gotta come into work early, properly, and with he 3 C's. Clean, Classy, and Cutsey." She said the last bit pointing her fingers at her cheeks, tilting her head. "Smiley Smiley and all." She smirked before rolling her eyes.
BASIL began to laugh, covering his mouth a bit as AUBREY dropped the cutsey act and joining him in laughter. Both were so caught up on their own conversation that they didn't notice someone coming up behind them.
KIM: "Hey nerds, what you two being so giggly about?"
Both looked to her, and AUBREY'S face immediately lit up, rushing over and hugging her. "KIMMY!" KIM blushed lightly but patted AUBREY'S back with a light smile. "Nothing much, just talking about Summer Break, and how I'm being forced to act cute for MS. CANDICE and the Candy Store. Oh, the torture~" She said semi-dramatically.
Hearing this, KIM rolled her eyes. "Well, you don't gotta act hard, so you'll be fine, AUBEY." Her cheeks turned red and immediately began lightly hitting KIM'S shoulder. "Not you too! KEL said that early today too! You guys really don't want me to forget about that, jerks!"
KIM and BASIL both laughed at her outburst. KIM soon turned her attention to BASIL and cleared her throat. "Hey, uh, sorry again 'bout what happened. I know you probably don't wanna talk about it, but uh... my condolences man. I know how you must've felt, so uhm... yeah" BASIL smiled softly. "Thanks..."
Feeling awkward, KIM quickly changed the subject. "Uh, yeah, but hey, skipping 2 weeks of School? Being a delinquents my deal, FLOWER BOY, quit stealing my style." She said with a smirk.
He quickly turned pink, holding both hands behind his back. "I-It wasn't like that, I swear! I-I didn't want to miss that much." He looked back to his backpack disappointed. "Especially with how much work I have to do this Break."
KIM chuckled and pulled out her phone. "Yeah, well, sucks to suck. But hey, you got all Summer to deal with that crap." She tapped away at her phone before closing it just as quickly. "Alright nerds, Dad's gonna pick me up soon. Coming over for Dinner tonight, AUBS?"
AUBREY nodded excitedly. "Mm-hmm! I talked with MARI about it yesterday, I can even sleepover if your Mom's okay with it!"
KIM's smile grew hearing this, hiking up her backpack and pushing up her glasses. "Sweet! ahem I-I mean yeah, I'll be sure to ask." She looked away with a faint redness to her cheeks.
AUBREY grinned at KIM as both were excited for tonight... but once she looked to BASIL, she saw his expression had soured. A mix of emotions as he looked away from the group. She was confused at first... until she remembered whose name she just said. (Why is- Oh... right.)
She quickly cleared her throat nervously, not knowing what to say as even KIM knew what was happening. Trying to think of something to say, KIM finally managed to change the subject quickly.
KIM:"Uuuuhhhh....Oh, hey BASIL, you know that Gladiator Flower you gave me?"
BASIL looked confused for a few moments. "Gladiator... Oh, you mean the Gladiolus?"
KIM: "Yeah, that. Well, my Mom thought they looked beautiful and junk, wanted me to thank you and say she wants to get some for her Garden. She's been mainly taking care of it since it takes alotta work, so uh, think maybe I can get a more low maintenance plant?"
AUBREY looked to BASIL and saw his soured mood not disappear but fade away slowly as he talked more about plants.
BASIL:"Hmmm... Well, you might be looking for something like a Cactus. They don't need to be watered much a-and mainly need sunlight. I-I have a few at my place, I wouldn't mind giving you one." He seemed to lighten up as he talked more about Plants, much to the girls relief.
KIM: "Nice. Just lemme know when you can bring it and I'll make some space for it in my room." She nodded before feeling her phone buzz, typing on it before flipping it shut. "Oh- Dad's here. Alright chumps, I gotta get VANCE and head out. I'll save you a seat at dinner, AUBEY~"
AUBREY swatted at KIM with furrowed brows and red cheeks. "HEY!" KIM ran off with a chuckle, pushing up her glasses as she went off to get her brother. AUBREY pouted with a huff, making BASIL laugh and inadvertently making her laugh.
She gave a long exhale and hiked up her backpack and looked at the time.
3:12 PM
AUBREY: "Well, I should get going, don't wanna be late. Otherwise MS. CANDICE is gonna have me color code the gumballs... again. Oh, you're uh... going to visit SUNNY still, right?"
BASIL rubbed the back of his neck and looked hesitant to answer. "Well... yeah. I-I'm going to try at least. But..."
She saw how reluctant he was to give a confident answer, sighing softly. "Yeah... if you go there, you'll definitely run into her... Just, please, try not to fight or anything, okay? Especially with KEL there too. He really doesn't like seeing you guys fight... we all don't." She placed her hand on his shoulder, rubbing it lightly.
BASIL looked away, frowning lightly as he took a deep breath. "I...I'll try. If anything I'll just ignore her, but..." His expression went from mildly annoyed to worried. "I'm mainly... worried. I haven't taken pictures of, well, anything lately. I-I won't have anything to show him if he-"
He stopped himself, his eyes going pale, looking shocked at what he just said before clenching his fists and shutting his eyes. "WHEN... when he wakes up..."
AUBREY looked worried, seeing him so worked up over one word, knowing it made a world of differences for them all. She came in and hugged him, resting her chin on his shoulder and holding him tightly. "... It's gonna be okay. You don't need pictures or anything to see him. Just being there will be enough, I'm sure of it..."
BASIL waited for a moment before hugging her back, taking a deep breath and exhaling.
AUBREY: "And hey-" She pulled back and had both hands on his shoulders, looking him in the eyes. "-That just means when he does wake up, then you can take loads of pictures with him, yeah? Make up for lost time, heck, maybe even make another PHOTO ALBUM! Wouldn't that be fun?"
BASIL smiled weakly, nodding his head as he was looking less shaken. "Yeah... it really does... Th-Thank you, AUBREY."
She gained a warm smile hearing him say that, giving a confident nod of approval. "Of course! Now, I DO have to get to work soon, but do you want me to walk with you on your way to the HOSPITAL? I won't mind." She tilted her head slightly with a genuine care in her voice.
BASIL: "Heh, thank you, really! But..." He looked away meekly. "I-I need to get something from my house, a-and I don't want you to be late, so you can go on ahead."
AUBREY: "Oh, alright! No worries." She got ready to leave but looked to him, quickly coming back for another hug. "One more squeeeeze~!"
BASIL laughed and patter her back, watching her dash off to the exit and wave goodbye. "Take care! I'll try to come visit with you next time, okay?" He nodded to her as his waving slowed down, seeing her get further and further away.
. . .
It was just him now
Alone... with his thoughts.
He felt them creeping in. The crackling noises, and the sensation of getting surrounded. The BLACK VINES surrounding him.
His breathing grew heavier slowly, struggling to keep it normal. His eyes grew pale as he heard his heart beat slowly rising in his eardrums. It was like it was trying to suffocate him... to remind him. But...
He took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and breathed in through his nose and out his mouth. It was like everything stopped for him, and the crackling grew less and less audible for him.
(It's okay... He's going to be okay. KEL will be with you, and it'll be just like every other visit, before...)
He thought about his GRANDMA, his heartbeat slowly steadying as he took deep breaths.
(Even if SHES there... it'll be okay. Everything's... Everythings going to be okay...)
He took one more breath, and opened his eyes. The BLACK VINES were gone. He felt himself staying calm, and he had an immediate sense of relief. Not wanting to waste a second after that, he hiked up his backpack straps and headed out the door.
Going outside once again, he was blinded by the sun slightly before his eyes adjusted. The air was clean, the sky was blue, and it seemed like an average day for FARAWAY TOWN yet again. And that's exactly what he thought too... reluctantly unaware of what the day had planned out for him. He placed one foot forward and started walking home, with a few things on his mind, but most importantly...
(I think maybe... I should get my CAMERA...)
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"What did you do..."
A voice echoed in the emptiness...
"-how expensive that was..."
Although faint, it sounded angry, furious even... and it sounded just like MARI. It was echoing and cutting out, fading into earshot as MARI herself seemed to be wincing. Her eyes closed shut, she kept moving as the echoing got louder and louder, sentences mixing and becoming jumbled as she only heard herself.
Repeating and reverberating in her mind, it was becoming too much for her...
"Sissy...?"
It was SUNNY. He sounded so confused, scared, anxious, a mess of countless emotions... all directed at... her. Her concern grew exponentially, wanting to open her eyes and find him immediately... Until she heard thumping, crashing. She heard panting and screaming, sounding exactly like her brothers as it was all boiling up to one scream of ITS voice fading in but becoming unbearable to hear, a gut wrenching CRACK echoing in her mind over and over and over-
"MARIIIIIIII!!!-"
. . .
"IM SORRY!"
MARI cried as she immediately sat up. Her eyes were watery and her hand was reached out as far as it could go. She was panting heavily, unable to process anything in front of her as her mind caught up to her body. Her vision cleared slowly but surely, seeing nothing but a bright white surrounding her... but slowly, a figure began to form beside her.
She had to blink and rub her eyes to properly see what it was, but once she saw it... she saw her brother. Bandage over his right eye, still wearing the hospital gown, and looking at her with a mix of worry and relief. It took her a few seconds to properly take in what she saw, but once she did-
MARI: "S-SUNNY!" Without hesitation, she hugged him, wrapping her arms around him and refusing to let go.
SUNNY was shocked initially, but quickly returned the hug, clenching at the back of her shirt and taking the embrace fully. MARI was sniffling into his shoulder, trembling with him in her arms as she could barely speak.
MARI: "SUNNY, I-I thought you- I-I should've, I-" Every sentence ended abruptly, followed by a mess of words slurred by her sobbing.
SUNNY was getting teary eyed too, but was able to speak more clearly than her. "I-it's okay, Sissy. I'm okay... W-We're okay... sniffle I... I think we're okay..."
MARI had him in her arms again, and she was becoming calmer by the second as she held him tight. She was finally able to think straight, and once she collected herself, she finally processed what he said. " Sniffle Yes! Yes, w-we're okay now, I... Wait- sniffle You... think?"
She opened her eyes and was ready to look at him directly before cutting herself off. "SUNNY, what-"
As she finally got a look at her surrounding, she finally realized... this wasn't her nightmare. Or the HOSPITAL ROOM... it was some field, filled with white flowers as far as she could see. She could tell this wasn't her dreamworld either, it was... well, she DIDN'T know what it was. And that scared her.
She clung to SUNNY with a quick gasp and looked around, seeing nothing but flowers upon flowers, frantically looking in every direction to see something, anything different... but nothing.
MARI: "SUNNY, I... I-I don't know where we are. This- This is... J-Just stay close, I'll keep you safe."
SUNNY... didn't seem scared. He wasn't trembling like she was and he seemed to look around more confused than anything. "MARI... I-I think I know where we are... but..."
He knew this place all too well... the ENDLESS FIELD. He knew it wes ORCHIDS surrounding them, and that only mean one thing... they died...right?
MARI: "Wait, what?" She put put her hand on his shoulder and looked him in the eye. "You... know this place? H-How? How do you know it?"
Before SUNNY could start his sentence, he was immediately cut off by someone else's voice... not MARI's.
"Oh, I believe I know how."
Both siblings eyes went pale, darting around as MARI held him close, keeping him behind her as they looked around for... whoever that was. Everywhere they looked, there was just more field, pure white light radiating off the ORCHIDS as they grew more nervous.
MARI: "W-Who said that?!" Her breath grew more heavy as both her and SUNNY kept circling around to see where they were.
...until they both felt a chill down their backs. Whoever it was... they were behind them. They FELT it. And MARI quickly turned, gasping as her eyes quickly checking to see who or what it was... but had to trace up the tall figures body.
SUNNY followed suit, and took in a deep breath as he saw... whatever it was.
"Ah! How rude- Do forgive the informality." The tall, shadow figure said before bowing slightly to the two as they stepped back in fear. "I am DEATH. Pleased to meet you! Now, sorry to sound a bit hasty, but sadly, I must get back to business. Now then, ahem-" He leaned forward, kneeling to the both their eye level as MARI held SUNNY back from this... thing calling itself DEATH.
DEATH: "SUNNY SUZUKI. You... have cheated me. And I do not quite like to cheated, young man."
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CHAPTER 12: END