Forgive or die trying

Return back

Entering through that small white door, Aubrey was greeted with her friends yet again. She smiled at the sight of Basil, running up and hugging him tightly. The others looked in confusion, Basil taken aback by this. She never acted like this, sure she may be cheerful but never to this degree.

"Ummmm.. everything ok Aubs?", Kel's voice wavered, concerned something may be wrong with the now purple haired girl.

"I just missed you guys so much!", Aubrey was being honest. She missed them. And the more she fought herself on it the more she desperately wished for them back.

But she got Basil back.

Her hug was reciprocated as the green haired boy hugged her close, looking to Hero with worry when the girl began hiccuping and crying softly. He approached and gently rubbed her back, Kel trying to comfort her with jokes but seeming more concerned when that made her cry more.

"Did.. did I upset you Aubs?", the poor boy was so scared of hurting one of his close friends, relieved when she shook her head no and slowly pulled away from Basil. She next slowly went up and hugged Kel,

"You could never upset me Kel! You always make everyone so happy and it makes you so special and unique and-" she was cut off by Kel gently wiping a tear from her eyes, she had started crying again while talking. Hero laughed a bit, smiling proudly,

"Look at you two! For once you aren't arguing!" He laughed more as both of them shot him a death glare, though quickly started laughing along with him. Basil smiled at the sight and Aubrey felt at peace as they began to walk to the exist of Neighbor's house.

As they walked along the grass, Aubrey felt a pit form in her stomach.

Something was not right.

She saw it dart by out of the corner of her eye and quickly turned to see what it was. The others noticed this and slowed down, turning to face her. She looked around carefully but shrugged once not seeing anything, keeping her guard up but still moving towards the playground.

Entering the playground, immediately she knew something was wrong.

Mari's picnic blanket was empty.

Hero ran over immediately, trying to find any clue as to where she went as Kel went over to the others for help, none of them seemed to know where the girl had vanished to. Basil looked to Aubrey who was absolutely shaking with fear and gently held her hand,

"It's ok Aubrey, I'm sure she just went exploring!" That did little to calm her fears but she smiled shakily anyways.

The world around her began to seem darker as she felt Basils hand no longer atop her own. She turned to him but saw nothing. Panicked, she swung her head back to the playground and saw Hero and Kel had left too. She forced herself to move, walking around the now empty park and shakily calling out their names. No answer.

Just ahead she saw them, only different.

Kel's face was distorted, no discernible emotion on it as he staggered towards her like a zombie. His voice was like a static ringing in her ears, she had to cover them from how loud it got. She couldn't make out any words through the pain as tears rolled down her cheeks. Her right eye fell to darkness once again.

Hero's face was one of sorrow, inky tears pouring from his hollow eyes as he mumbled out the words why over and over again, the word mixing with the static to overwhelm her more as she fell to the ground clutching at her ears.

She felt a sharp pain through her as she gasped and looked up.

Standing above her was Basil, his face of pure malice glaring down at her as he twisted the knife deeper into her guts. He seemed to gain a sick pleasure as blood poured out of her mouth and stomach, Kel and Hero's voices being the only sound she could hear other than the wet squishing of the knife moving deeper and deeper. Soon, only the handle was visible.

She tried to pull it out but he held it still as his voice dripping with venom drowned out the other two,

"You lied to us Aubrey. You knew the truth and didn't say anything. It's all your fault Aubrey. All of it is your. Own. Fault." She trembled in fear and stuttered out apologies as the red hands surrounded her, covering her mouth and holding her limbs down as the knife was cruelly ripped from her stomach and she was forced to see and feel every last drop of blood leave her body.

She screamed in pain, agonizing never ending pain, before shooting up in bed to a very concerned Basil standing above her. She dropped the tough act and gripped onto the boy tightly, sobbing into his arms as he gently shook the sleeping girl next to Aubrey awake. As Kim went to grumpily complain about being awoken, she quickly silenced herself and went straight to comforting Aubrey as well, having never in the two years she's known her seen her act like this. Through the broken words, the two made out what she wanted to say,

"Basil.. I have to tell you something."