Stuck In Paradise

Lost and Found

The gardening shears clashed together, the sound echoing through the endless void.

“You know you can’t beat me. You’re too weak.”

Basil grit his teeth and the masked version of himself made fun of him.

“I...I won’t let you hurt Sunny!”

He swung aggressively and Mask went on the defensive, blocking his attacks with ease. It was clear which one of them had the most battle experience.

“Just give in. Your pain, his pain, everyone's pain...it will all go away.”

Basil felt himself begin to tremble but he wouldn’t give up. He needed to protect Sunny.

They clashed against each other again and again. A loop of metal hitting metal.

Basil was becoming tired and it was clear his enemy wasn’t taking this battle seriously.

“You are tired. Sunny is tired. All of your friends are tired. Rest.”

More slashing.

Basil felt pain spark through his body as his clone got him right in the arm.

The clone pulled out the shears, making Basil yell in pain.

“Rest your heart. You care too much.”

Basil instinctively went to put his hand over the wound. This left him wide open. The copy kicked him to the floor.

Basil was crying, tears running down his face.

“Rest your mind. You think too much.”

The copy pierced Basil through his stomach. Basil let out a deafening scream as blood poured to the ground.

“Rest your eyes. Never wake up.”

He took out the shears and aimed them right in between Basil’s eyes. Basil didn’t even have time to react as the shears plunged through him.

“Give up. Sleep forever.”

Basil shut his eyes and disappeared.

Grinning, the copy was victorious. It took off the mask of fear and stomped on it, breaking it into bits.

“Finally. It is time to end this nightmare.”

~~~~~~

Sunny was outside. His legs felt weak and his head fuzzy. He couldn’t tell where he was but he assumes he is near the park.

The moment he woke up he was going to confront Basil. Instead, he noticed that the front door was wide open.

Basil must have left the house and Sunny didn’t know where he went.

He needed to talk to Basil before something happened. He could feel it the moment he woke up.

The presence of Something.

Basil had put all the blame on Something, saying it wasn’t his fault that Mari was dead. He told him that things would be okay and that he’ll help him.

Before he knew it, Sunny was helping Basil cover-up Mari’s death.

They passed it as a suicide.

His parents...well his dad, knew what he had done though. It was painful hearing them fight.

Sunny hated it.

Eventually, his father grabbed an ax and chopped down the tree. Afterward, he packed his things and left, still saying Sunny was the reason Mari was gone.

When he left the house went quiet.

His mother rarely talked to him, only leaving notes and messages on the phone in his room.

She also began getting less and less food, to the point where the fridge barely had anything in it.

Mewo ran away and his mother told him that she heard rumors that she was hit by a car. Sunny felt sick. He blamed himself for it.

He should have kept a better eye on her.

That was the last straw for Sunny. He was responsible for two deaths.

He shut himself down.

If you asked him what he remembered from his four years of isolation he wouldn’t be able to tell you. It was a blur. He ate, used the bathroom, and slept some days. Other days he would just stay asleep.

Other days he cried. Other days he sat motionless on his bed, his head filled with way too many thoughts.

He ended up sitting on the sidewalk, curled into a ball and tears running down his face. He didn’t make a sound though. The only things that could be heard were crickets chirping and the airbrushing against him.

“Sunny.”

Sunny opened his eyes and uncurled himself, turning to face the owner of the voice.

It was…

No, it wasn’t Basil.

Basil would never have such a chilling look in his eyes.

“Sunny. I have something to tell you. Can you follow me?”

This wasn’t Basil.

Basil wouldn’t have such a blank face, emotionless and stoic.

It reminded him of his reflection in the mirror.

“Please, follow me.”

The fake began walking off.

Despite knowing better, Sunny followed.

~~~~~~

Hero, Aubrey, and Kel practically broke Sunny’s door running into his house.

“SUNNY!”

They all began yelling for the boy.

Kel ran into the backyard, Aubrey upstairs, and Hero took downstairs.

He checked the kitchen to see if any knives were missing and was relieved to see they were all still there. That didn’t mean that Sunny was safe though. Hero continued to look around the bottom floor, checking for anything that could possibly show that Sunny was there.

There were no signs of him.

Kel ran back inside and bumped right into his brother.

“Oops! Sorry, Hero.” Kel apologized.

“It’s fine. Did you find anything?” Hero asked.

Kel let out a sigh, “Nope, not a thing.”

Aubrey ran down the stairs and into the living room, “I heard talking, anything?”

“Nothing.” The brothers chorused.

“Shit, where did he go?” Aubrey asked no one, her voice a harsh whisper.

“I don’t know!” Kel answered anyway.

“Gah!” Aubrey kicked one of the boxes, “If we don’t find him...I have a feeling something bad might happen….”

“I do as well, which is why we should continue searching. Where else could they have gone?” Hero asked.

“Uh, the park? Othermart for some reason-” “THE HIDEOUT!”

Aubrey yelled, feeling stupid that she didn’t think of that before.

“You’re right! The hideout!” Kel grinned, “We’ll find him there!”

Despite everything, Hero felt the bad feeling in his gut get worse. He hopes it is just him overreacting.

~~~~~~

Fake Basil led Sunny to the Hideout. It was deathly silent minus the sounds of the water and crickets.

“Sunny…”

The fake turned to him, his eyes filled with something Sunny couldn’t identify.

It scared him.

“My best friend...are you scared?”