In a futon opposite to an empty bad, Polly lay restless. She couldn't sleep tonight.
Well, more imperative was that she didn't intend to sleep. Now that the commotion of having visitors had ended, maybe Basil would explain something, anything, she thought. The caretaker was sure that the flower-adorned boy appreciated the concern from his friends, but an audience could make it harder for him to voice what had been eating away at him for so long.
Midnight had long passed, and the boy's friends had gotten to bed a while ago. Having heard a thud from the direction of his room an hour ago, however, she curiously pondered if he was still awake. Her light brown hair flowing over her untidily, Polly rose up and quietly nudged her door open, which she had left ajar so that anyone who needed anything felt welcome. She didn't want to disturb anyone's sleep, but was intent on getting something out of Basil this time.
Through the empty frame separating the hallway and most of the house, the woman could see where the others were sleeping. She carefully stepped past the doorway, looking into the peaceful room which was illuminated only by streaks of moonlight from the windows, formed with the shadows of flowers in the windowsill that Basil had raised himself.
She reached the door of her ward's room. Before anything, she took a deep breath and prepared what to say. Three slow and gentle knocks – loud enough to be heard from the inside, if Basil was conscious. There was no response. She soon, repeated the action of three knocks – yet there was silence once more.
"I'm coming in." she whispered, turning the doorknob and giving a gentle push…
Polly yelled impulsively. She had only caught a glimpse for a second of the gaping wound in the boy's abdomen. She put one hand on her chest, her heartrate rising extraordinarily. She was too late. Images of the rare intimate moments she and Basil had shared, flashed through her mind. She felt like a failure knowing she couldn't stand to look back in there.
The shedding of quilts could be heard in the other room. Aubrey, Hero, and a tired Kel, turned on the main light and ran into the hallway. "Polly, is something wrong?" Hero exclaimed supportively, the other two behind him.
"It's Basil… He…" the woman started, her voice shaking. "Don't look…"
Immediately, Kel woke from his tiredness and Hero's eyes widened with fear and dread. Taking charge as the most mature in the group, Hero pushed the door to Basil's room open ajar once more. His facial expression turned sickly, and he was pretty sure he threw up in his mouth, but didn't care.
"We… We need to call someone." Hero stuttered, unsteadily strolling back into the living area to pick up his cellphone. Polly stood in the corner of the hall, her face buried in her hands and attempting to stifle her weakly tears. "Why am I so useless…" she quietly sobbed.
Kel stood completely still, in a state of shock, trying to process the events that had occured. He couldn't believe this was happening. They were just asleep… This must be a dream, right? Basil wouldn't do this, right?
Aubrey broke first. With initial reluctance, tears rapidly began running down her face. "It's… It's all my fault…" the pink-haired girl cried. The bow on her headband crumpled, she crouched down in front of the vacant space of wall, collapsing into a fetal position. She didn't care if anyone saw her in this state of weakness – she had just lost another friend.
"No… Don't say that…" Kel whined, beginning to tear up as well. "I'm going to cry too…!" He faced and leaned against the wall, rubbing his eyes aggressively, overcome with emotion. This was all real. This was all really happening, right in front of them. And none of them had been able to do anything.
(Thump. Click!)
The group heard the front door of the house close, a brief distraction from the loss they were going through. It appeared that Sunny had left, clearly knowing what had happened from the commotion, yet without a word to say about it. The door wasn't even slammed – it was as if he had said "goodbye" and casually left. "Sunny…?" Aubrey murmured, looking up. "Why?"
All manner of negative feelings beginning to form inside her uncontrollably. After just barely getting over Mari's unexplained suicide, her childhood friend Basil was gone, too. Perhaps the reason he wouldn't even come out of the room for his friends, was out of fear of being bullied by the pink-haired gang member again. And now Sunny was acting distant… Out of disinterest in Basil? Or perhaps distaste for her?
Hero sat on the couch, his face like he had seen a ghost, his cellphone in his hand which fell lifelessly next to him. A distant wailing of emergency services could be heard from across the neighborhood. "Today… was supposed to be a good day…" Hero sniffled, a lone tear running down the side of his face as the sirens got louder.
