Chapter Text
Kel leaves his house to go play some basketball. He glances over to his right towards the house belonging to… Sunny. And Mari. It had been nearly four years since they found Mari… hanging from the tree in their backyard. Kel hasn’t seen Sunny since the funeral. Over the course of the last four years, he’s tried to get Sunny out of his house and outside. Each attempt at knocking at the door was met with silence.
Kel looks over and sees a FOR SALE sign on the house. Wait… was Sunny moving away? Or planning to?
Well… it couldn’t hurt to try.
Kel walks over once again to the front door and begins knocking.
Kel: “Hey! Sunny! Do you remember me? It’s your old friend Kel!”
Kel continues to knock as loudly as he can for several minutes, hoping against hope that just maybe… This will be the day.
Kel: “So, I… uh… I noticed the ‘FOR SALE’ sign in front of your house… and I… err… I guess that means you might move away real soon. I was wondering… if you wanted to hang out before you left… or… whatever or whenever that’ll be.”
That’s when it happened. The door clicked open. Slowly, it continued to open up, and on the other side was Sunny. He… hadn’t changed much at all. He was practically the same height as when he was 12. And he looked unhealthily pale. Kel practically towered over him. But the surprise was real.
Kel: “Whoa, you actually came out!”
Kel and Sunny awkwardly stare at each other for a few seconds. Kel scratches the back of his head.
Kel: “I-I mean… Okay, I’m going to be honest with you, Sunny. I really didn’t expect you to come out, so I don’t really have a game plan here.”
More silence between the two. Kel suddenly gets an idea.
Kel: “Hey, I know! Let’s go to Hobbeez! It’s the hobby shop in the Faraway Plaza. You remember the way, right? We used to go there all the time when we were kids.”
Sunny slowly nods his head.
Kel: “Well, what are we waiting for then? Let’s go!”
Sunny walks out of his house and the two walk their way down the sidewalk.
* * *
Now it was nighttime. After having dinner with Polly at Basil’s house, with Basil having given the Photo Album to Sunny as a memento, the two walked their way back to Sunny’s house. Despite the darkness, Kel could tell that Sunny had a pained expression on his face.
Was it about Aubrey…? Kel was aware of Sunny’s crush on her when they were kids. The two hung out with each other all the time. Sunny was still bruised from getting beaten up by her back at the church. Still, he decided it best to not bring it up and the two continued to walk in silence. Soon, they reached the front door of Sunny’s house.
Kel: “Hey Sunny. Thanks for hanging out with me today. Sorry for all the trouble. That was a pretty crazy adventure, huh? I can tell you haven’t talked to anyone in a while… but that’s okay! It just takes practice!”
Kel awkwardly stares at Sunny for several seconds. His expression seems more… downed than before.
‘Think Kel, think! Oh, yeah! Hero! Sunny probably missed him too!’
Kel: “Oh, Hero’s coming back from college tomorrow, so I’m sure he’ll want to see you before you leave. So… If you don’t mind… I’ll be coming back for you again in the morning.”
Sunny silently turns around and begins to open the door.
Kel: “Um… Goodnight, Sunny. Sweet dreams!”
Kel watched as Sunny slowly opened the door, walked inside, and then closed the door. Guess there was no option aside from heading back home. Hopefully… Sunny opens the door again.
* * *
It's the morning of the next day. Kel hops out of bed with a spring in his step as he walks downstairs. His mother has made a breakfast of bacon and pancakes.
Kel’s Mother: “Morning, Kel!”
Kel: “Morning, mom!”
Kel’s Mother: “You seem especially chirpy today! Excited for Hero I bet?”
Kel: “Yeah! And I’m gonna get Sunny to meet him too!”
Kel’s Mother: “Sunny…? Isn’t he… Hasn’t he not left his house in over-”
Kel: “I got him out yesterday and we hung out! So I’m doing it again today!”
Kel’s Mother: “Oh my, that’s amazing! It’s good to reconnect with him before he moves away!”
Kel: “Yep! Um… by the way, do you know when that’ll happen?”
Kel’s Mother: “I… don’t know. I know that nobody’s officially bought the house yet, so you still have some time, but… who knows. Oh, and when you get Sunny, I’ll need you to go and get two Hero Sandwiches from Gino’s! You better not forget!”
Kel: “Oh, right! Sure thing!”
Kel’s Mother: “Now! Who wants bacon with pancakes?”
Kel: “I DOOOOO!!!”
Kel quickly sat down and devoured his plate of breakfast. Almost immediately after putting the plate into the sink, Kel practically bolted out of the door and excitedly ran to Sunny’s front door, where he began pounding on it with his fist.
Kel: “Yo Sunny! You ready to have an awesome day today?”
Kel keeps pounding on the door for several more minutes.
Kel: “Sunnyyyyyyy! I know you’re in there! Come on out!”
Kel continues pounding on the door. There’s still no response.
Kel: “Sunny… Please open up!”
Several more minutes of pounding, and the door still doesn’t open up. Kel begins to internally panic.
Kel: “Okay, um… Think… J-Just, go get the Hero Sandwiches. When Hero comes back, I can bring him and Basil and we can get Sunny to open the door then. I… really hope so, at least.”
Kel solemnly walks over to Gino’s. When he walks inside, he can see Aubrey and the Hooligans all digging into a pizza around a table. Everybody else is commenting on it, but Aubrey seems lost in thought. Kel goes over to the counter.
Pizza Man: “Heyo! What kinda pizza will you be ordering?”
Kel: “Two Hero Sandwiches. That’s it.”
Pizza Man: “What? How about a nice pep-”
Kel: “No. It’s fine.”
Pizza Man: “Oh… Okay...”
The man behind the counter sadly gets to work while Kel waits around.
Kel: “Sunny… Please don’t lock yourself away again… I was so close...”
Kel glances over at Aubrey again, who hasn’t really noticed him.
Kel: “Aubrey… How could you not miss Sunny? He...”
The Pizza Man returns to the counter and places the Hero Sandwiches on them.
Pizza Man: “That’ll be $10.”
Kel rummages through his pockets and pays for the sandwiches. He leaves without another word and returns to his house with the sandwiches.
Kel’s Mother: “Hey Kel!”
Kel’s Mother notices his lower mood.
Kel’s Mother: “Hey… Where’s Sunny?”
Kel: “He didn’t come out again… Um… I’m going to try again when Hero comes back. Is that okay?”
Kel’s Mother: “Of course. I’m… a little worried myself too, to be honest. I hope he doesn’t stay locked up in there for too much longer.”
Kel: “Hey, I’m gonna go see Basil. Is that okay?”
Kel’s Mother: “Of course. Try not to stay out for too long, though.”
Kel: “Okay.”
After handing the sandwiches over, Kel leaves and walks down the street towards Basil’s house. He knocks on the door harder than he probably should have given the situation with Sunny. Polly opens the door. She has a worried expression on her face.
Polly: “Kel?”
Kel: “Hey, is Basil home?”
Polly: “I… no. I was just about to come out and find you because of that, he hasn’t been home in a while and I don’t know where he is. I thought he’d be with you.”
Kel: “Oh… um… want me to look for him? Now I’m a little worried too.”
Polly: “Will you please?”
Kel: “Of course.”
Polly: “Thank you. If you can, tell him to come back home?”
Kel: “Of course.”
Kel immediately gets to running back the way he came from in search of Basil.
Kel: “Let’s see… if I were Basil, where would I be? I hope Aubrey doesn’t have anything to do with this...”
Kel runs to the park. He doesn’t see anyone in sight, but he hears something.
???: “SOMEBODY… HELP!!!”
Kel: “...Basil!!!”
Basil: “HELP ME!!! PLEASE!!!”
Kel: “The hangout spot!”
Kel immediately runs through the trees and past the bits of construction in the way. He soon comes to a clearing and he can see the Hooligans all surrounding Basil, who’s sobbing on the ground.
Basil: “HELP ME!!! SOMEBODY!!!”
Kim: “What the heck are you yelling for, Basil!? You’re making a scene!”
Angel: “This place is our secret hangout spot! You can’t be here, because you weren’t invited!”
The Maverick: “Dangit, Basil… Be quiet! Someone’s gonna find this place.”
Angel: “Yeah, we’re not trying to hurt you! We just want you to get out of here!”
Kel: “HEY!!! STOP IT!!! What are you doing to Basil?!”
Kim: “What the?!”
Kim grumbles something.
Kim: “It’s Kel again! But… Sunny isn’t here…?”
Kel frowns in sadness at the remark.
Kim: “Urrrgghh… Whatever! Why do you always show up? How did you even find this place?!”
Kim turns back to Aubrey.
Kim: “C’mon, Aubrey, we gotta defend our turf!”
Aubrey takes a long glare at Basil, then Kel, and then silently looks away to think. Kim turns back to Kel.
Kim: “Grr… Go away, Kel! You’re not welcome here! This is our spot!”
Kel: “Oh, is this your spot now? Well, this used to be our old hangout spot… Wasn’t it, Aubrey?!”
The 5 Hooligans all step closer towards Kel in a threatening matter.
Angel: “WATCH IT OR WE’LL MESS YOU UP!!!”
Kel gains a more serious expression on his face.
Kel: “...Fine. If that’s how it’s going to be, then at least stop bullying Basil.”
Kim: “We weren’t even doing anything to him. He just started screaming for no reason!”
Kel: “Yeah, sure you weren’t! Why should I believe you?”
Kim: “We’re telling the truth! Stop being such a self-righteous prick!”
The Maverick: “Come on, guys! Let’s make sure this is the last time this guy tries to mess with us!”
Angel: “That sounds good to me! I’m right behind you, The Maverick!”
After a few more seconds, Aubrey steps up in front of the Hooligans.
Aubrey: “So. Looks like Sunny didn’t come out again this time, didn’t he?”
Aubrey can see by the look on Kel’s face that she’s right. She smirks.
Aubrey: “Heh. I knew it. That’s all he’s ever good for, hiding away and abandoning us. You’ve always been so naive, Kel.”
Kel: “Don’t you DARE talk about Sunny that way!”
Aubrey brandishes her nail bat and points it at Kel.
Aubrey: “Let’s settle this, Kel. If you want to pick a fight with me and my friends, then you got one! Come on, gang… LET’S TEACH HIM A LESSON!!!”
The Hooligans all come at Kel. It’s not even close, and soon, Kel is kneeling on the ground with some bruises on himself. The Hooligans all step away from him, the clear victors of their “fight.”
The Maverick: “Whoa! We really did it… The evil foe has been defeated!”
Kel: “Dang… What made me think I could take on six people at once…? Even if they are just a bunch of dweebs...”
Aubrey turns her back onto Kel.
Aubrey: “Leave this place, Kel. You don’t belong here anymore.”
Kel: “...No. I won’t! I can’t just leave here knowing that this is the person you’ve become. I mean… What would Mari think?”
Aubrey turns back around to face Kel.
Aubrey: “Why do you keep bringing her up? Do I have to keep saying it? Mari is already dead!”
Kel: “Can you stop it with that? And while you’re at it, drop the tough guy act too! I don’t believe it when you say you don’t care about us anymore… You have all your new friends now… but you’re still hanging out at our old hangout spot. Do I really have to spell it out for you?”
Aubrey steps back and turns away once again.
Kim: “Don’t listen to him, Aubrey. He’s just spouting crap like usual! Right… Aubrey…?”
Aubrey remains silent. After a few more seconds, Angel sighs.
Angel: “This isn’t fun anymore… I wanna go home. Let’s get out of here.”
Vance: “You said it.”
The other Hooligans all walk off to their scooters and ride off, though Kim lingers behind.
Kim: “You coming, Aubrey?”
Aubrey remains silent, but is visibly trembling.
Kim: “Oh, okay. Um… catch you later, then.”
Kim quickly rides off. Aubrey turns back to face Kel, her trembling more visible and her face red with rage.
Kel: “Aubrey...”
Aubrey: “Ugh...”
Aubrey falls to her knees.
Aubrey: “AUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! Why!? Why do you keep coming back!? I just want you to leave me alone!”
Kel: “I just wanted you to stop messing with Basil! What’s your deal with him all of a sudden? You used to be friends! We… We all used to be.”
Basil takes a step back on the pier. Aubrey stands back up as well.
Aubrey: “You think I’m the bully, but you’re all messed up too… Where were you when Mari died? WHERE WERE ANY OF YOU?!?!”
Turning quickly, Aubrey walks at Basil, who steps back towards the end of the dock.
Aubrey: “And you… You’re the worst, Basil. How dare you still show your face to me after what you did!”
Aubrey turns away from Basil. He slowly walks up to her.
Basil: “Aubrey… I-”
Aubrey: “GET AWAY FROM ME!!!”
Aubrey gives Basil a hard shove, and he goes tumbling into the lake. He sinks below the surface and doesn’t come back up.
Aubrey: “...Shoot...”
Kel: “What the heck, Aubrey! What are you doing!? You’ve taken this way too far!”
Aubrey: “W-Wait, hold on! I… didn’t mean to...”
Kel rushes past Aubrey and leaps into the lake after Basil, leaving her on the dock. The water is dark, but Kel uses his athleticism to quickly move through the water. He manages to find Basil, who already seems unconscious somehow. Quickly, Kel grabs him by the arm and rushes for the surface. It’s getting harder and harder to hold his breath, but he barely manages to breach the surface. He puts Basil’s head above the water, and a pair of hands pull Basil onto the dock and then towards the grassy area. Kel pulls himself onto the dock, and sees Hero checking on Basil. Aubrey is still there, watching.
Hero: “Hmmm… It looks like Basil’s breathing is steady… but we need to get him somewhere warm, quickly.”
Hero picks up the unconscious Basil. Kel gives a side glance towards Aubrey.
Kel: “Yeah. He’s had a rough day. Let’s get him home as soon as possible.”
Kel and Hero walk past Aubrey and move towards the exit.
Aubrey: “WAIT! Where do you think you’re all going?”
Kel: “That’s enough. Don’t you think you’ve caused enough trouble? C’mon, Hero. We’ve gotta go.”
Kel and Hero leave Aubrey at the hangout spot and rush Basil back to his house. Kel quickly knocks on the door, and Polly opens up.
Polly: “BASIL! What happened? Is he okay?”
Hero: “His breathing is stable… He just needs a change of clothes and a warm bed.”
Polly: “Okay, I can do that… Quick, come inside!”
Kel and Hero bring Basil inside, and Hero goes with Polly to Basil’s bedroom while Kel waits outside. Soon enough, Hero comes back out.
Hero: “Hey, Kel… It looks like Basil’s going to be just fine. I heard from Mom that Basil was missing and that you two went looking for him. When I was running around the park, I heard some commotion coming from our hangout spot. I guess I got there right at the nick of time. So what happened back there?”
Kel: “...Aubrey… She pushed Basil into the lake.”
Hero: “What? That was Aubrey back there? No way… She wouldn’t do that to Basil. I’m sure there was some kind of misunderstanding.”
Kel: “She’s not the same anymore, Hero! She’s become all messed up after you left for college.”
Hero: “Aubrey… What happened while I was gone? Maybe I should have never left.”
Kel: “It’s not your fault that this happened. Things could’ve gotten a lot worse if you didn’t show up! You’ve done all you can. Let’s go home now.”
Kel and Hero leave Basil’s house and start to walk back to their own.
Kel: “Hero… Sunny came out of his house yesterday.”
Hero: “He did?”
Kel: “Yeah, but… he didn’t come back out again today. Aubrey kinda beat him up.”
Hero exhales visibly with a concerned look on his face.
Hero: “This is all my fault. If I hadn’t wallowed in my own misery for a year after...”
Kel: “I said don’t blame yourself, Hero! What happened to Mari, or Aubrey, or Basil, or Sunny isn’t your fault at all! You aren’t the one who’s been actively bullying Basil for four years.”
Hero closes his eyes sadly. He then looks up at the sky. It’s orange due to evening time.
Hero: “I… We’ll try to get Sunny out tomorrow again. It’s kind of late now.”
Kel: “Yeah… Sure...”
Kel and Hero return home for the night. They have dinner with their parents, but the mood is overall somber, and soon, the boys go to bed while their parents situate Sally.
The next morning, the brothers got up and had their breakfast.
Hero: “Heya, Mom. I’m gonna go check on Sunny this morning. Does that sound good?”
Kel’s Mother: “Oh, um, of course! Just, stay safe out there! You going to take Kel with you?”
Kel: “Yeah, I’d like to go.”
Kel’s Mother: “Great! Just, don’t take too long out there, okay?”
Hero: “We won’t. Come on, Kel.”
Kel and Hero leave their dishes in the sink and walk outside to Sunny’s house. Hero is the one who does most of the knocking,
Hero: “Sunny? Hey SUNNY!!!”
There’s still no response.
Kel: “Sunny! We’re not just going to leave you to rot inside anymore! You better come out!”
The two continue knocking on the door, when an individual walks over to them. It’s Kim. Kel and Hero stop knocking to face her.
Kel: “Kim? What the heck are you doing here?”
Kim grumbles something but quickly speaks in an audible volume.
Kim: “It’s Aubrey. She hasn’t left her house at all since yesterday and she’s not responding to her door. Or her back door. Or the rocks we’ve been throwing at her window. You were the last one to talk to her, Kel! What did you do to her?! I KNOW IT WAS YOUR FAULT!!!”
Kel: “Hey! I didn’t do anything! She’s the one with the problem!”
Hero steps in between the two of them.
Hero: “Hang on, Kel… If Aubrey’s that upset, we should at least try to do something to help. This is Aubrey we’re talking about. We’ve known each other since we were kids!”
Kel: “You weren’t there when she pushed Basil into the lake! I told you… she’s different now! We shouldn’t bother with people like her!”
Hero: “It’s true that she’s changed, but it doesn’t change the fact that I still care about her. And even if she doesn’t show it, I’m sure Aubrey still cares about us too. That’s just the kind of person she is.”
Kel: “...I don’t know about that...”
Hero: “Well I still want to try to talk to her. We might not get another chance like this. Plus… maybe she can get Sunny out of his house if we can get her to come? I know that he had… well, you know. I know you know.”
Kim: “What are you even talking about?”
Kel: “...Fine, Hero. I’ll tag along. But you’ll be doing the talking. She listens to you the most.”
Hero: “Thanks, Kel.”
Hero turns back to Kim.
Hero: “Hey, thanks for getting me to help, Kim. You’re a good friend.”
Kim: “O-Oh, um.. Not a problem!”
Kim grumbles some more under her breath. The three of them walk over to Aubrey’s house, where the rest of the Hooligans are standing outside. Hero walks to the front door, while Kel trails behind him.
Hero: “Hello? Anybody there?”
Kel: “HellLLLLLLOOOOOOoooooooooo!”
Hero: “Come to think of it, have we ever been inside of Aubrey’s house before?”
Kel: “I don’t think so… she always came over to play with us. I don’t remember hanging out at her house at all.”
Hero knocks on the door again.
Hero: “Hello? Aubrey? Anybody home?”
Hero opens the door. It was unlocked.
Hero: “Oh. Guess it was open. Let’s go inside.”
Hero and Kel walk in. The entire place is a mess. There’s trash and empty beer bottles littered all over the floor. In what must be the living room, they see an unresponsive woman with her eyes glued to the TV. It must be Aubrey’s Mother.
The two walk further into the house, and can hear crying coming from up above. There’s a ladder nearby, and Hero climbs it first. They find themselves in the attic, which is put together like a bedroom. Aubrey is there, standing over a desk.
Hero: “Hey Aubrey! How are you feeling?”
Aubrey turns around. Her eyes and face are reddish.
Aubrey: “W-W-W-W-What the heck are you guys doing here?! GET THE HELL OUT OF MY ROOM!!!!”
Hero: “Hey, we just wanted to-”
Aubrey: “I SAID GET OUT!!!”
Aubrey rushes at the two brothers and pushes them back towards the ladder.
Aubrey: “I’M NOT TALKING TO ANY OF YOU!!! GET OUT!!!”
Kel: “But Aubrey-”
Aubrey: “I SAID LEAVE!!! GO AWAY!!!”
Hero and Kel find themselves back on the floor with the ladder pulled up and the hatch sealed. Hero sighs in defeat.
Kel: “Didn’t I tell you, Hero?”
Hero: “...Come on. Let’s go check on Basil. See how he’s doing.”
Hero and Kel walk back outside. The Hooligans all eagerly move up to see them.
Kim: “Well?”
Hero: “Sorry, guys… No dice. We’re going to go check on someone else. I’m sorry I couldn’t get her out.”
Vance: “Hey… You tried. We appreciate it.”
Hero: “Thanks.”
Hero and Kel leave the Hooligans by Aubrey’s house and make their way to Basil’s house. They knock on the door, and Polly answers it, looking worried.
Polly: “Oh! Thank goodness, you’re back just in time!”
Hero: “What happened?”
Polly: “Basil went to visit his grandmother at the hospital, and then when he came back, he just ran straight to his room! I’ve tried talking to him, but he won’t come out, and...”
Kel: “Have you tried opening the door?”
Polly: “I… thought it was locked...”
Hero: “Well, it’s worth a try! Come on, Kel.”
Hero and Kel walk into Basil’s house and go to the door of Basil’s room.
Hero: “Hey, Basil! It’s me, Hero! We just wanted to check to see if you’re okay!”
No response. Hero twists the doorknob, and it’s unlocked.
Hero: “We’re coming in, okay?”
Hero opens the door. None of the three were ready to see Basil’s horrifically bloodied body slumped against the wall, reddened garden shears aimed towards himself laying on the ground.