You're back, Mari

Chapter 9: Aftermath

Crack.

Basil stared.

He stood, the bags in his hands falling to the ground.

Basil didn't have the chance to look away.

He watched as Sunny's mom got hit by a speeding car. She was knocked a distance away, head cracking against the pavement, neck at an impossible angle.

He watched the car slow, and for a moment, Basil could see the driver's expression. It was a man who had been on the phone, and most likely, believed he had made a mistake. The man paled, then sped off, unwilling to stay and take responsibility.

It's...a hit and run.

Basil pulled out his phone, eyes vacant.

He called the police, reporting where the crime scene was, and explaining that a car had hit a woman who was trying to cross the street and drove off. The operator comforted him. Basil hung up.

Basil looked over at Hero, who continued to blankly stare forward at nothing, arms hanging limply by his sides.

Everything...everything was...

Basil lunged at Hero, pulling him. Basil brought them both far into the trees, away from outside view. He grabbed Hero's collar, dragging him down to eye level. Hero's eyes were unfocused. "Why? Why!? WHY DID YOU DO THAT!?" Basil's eyes trembled, yet no tears fell. "HERO!"

"I..." Hero stared down at the younger boy in front of him, flowers almost completely clouding his vision. "I didn't...I didn't think..." Hero's voice cracked. The world was spinning. He wanted to throw up.

"You didn't think? You didn't THINK!? NO SHIT!" Basil pushed Hero away from him, and Hero wished he could see Basil's expression. "Haha...this...this isn't a nightmare...why couldn't this be a nightmare..." The flowers moved out of Basil's face, and Hero immediately regretted his previous wish.

Basil's lips stretched into a deranged smile, proceeding to tug at his own hair, flower clip falling onto the grass. "Hero...why...why do I have to do this again?" Basil's voice wobbled, hysterical. "She...she was bad...she was really, really awful...but..." Basil's pupils constricted. "What about Sunny? He doesn't have any other family! He's going to be taken away!" Basil rushed at Hero, banging on his chest. Hero didn't move, letting Basil hit him. "It's all your fault! I don't want Sunny to leave! I can't be alone again!"

Hero finally moved an arm, gently placing his hand on Basil's shoulder. Basil shrugged him off, now freely crying. "Basil...it's...it's going to be okay..." Hero smiled, but it must not have looked right, because Basil's expression worsened. "Sunny...he's...he's not going anywhere."

Basil stared at Hero and felt like he was looking at a stranger. Black shadows moved unnaturally, something forming. The Hero he knew wouldn't make that face. The Hero he knew wouldn't talk like that. The Hero he knew...he wouldn't...he wouldn't...

"You don't get to decide that! Are you stupid!?" Basil cried. "The only reason you're not going to get in trouble is because that man wasn't paying attention, and drove off! He's going to live with false guilt–living the rest of his life thinking it was he who killed that woman and then cowardly drove off!"

Hero didn't say anything, just holding that same smile. Basil hated it. Basil didn't know what was wrong with Hero. Hero's gaze was completely hollow. "She's dead, Hero! Do you not understand that!? I had to watch another person die right in front of my eyes! How are you going to take responsibility!? HOW!?" Basil gasped for air, "Hero, please...why did you do that? Please...I just...I just don't understand..."