Hundred Word Challenge: #22- Sigh

Basil blinked his bleary eyes, replacing the sleep in his eyes with clear sight. His eyes rested on the door handle of his room. He sighed. No sleep was going to be coming to him, tonight. Again.

Insomnia had been a bother for Basil Jr. just as it had been to Basil Sr.. He often sat in bed thinking or reading…but that could only go so far. He got bored easily.

Legend says that whenever you cannot sleep, it is because someone else is dreaming of you.

That is what Basil's mother and grandmother had told him to comfort him. He thought it was just plain creepy. Having that many people dream about you- why would you want that?

Basil looked at the little green alarm clock Mr. Canis had gotten him for his fourteenth birthday. 3:07. He let out another long sigh. Why had he been the one stuck with his grandfather's sickness? Why couldn't Daphne have gotten it? Not that Basil would ever wish a terrible thing upon his favorite sister, but he really hated it.

A quiet and tentative knock came from his door. Somebody's still awake…great. Socialization- just what I need at three in the morning.

"Come-" Basil stopped, cleared his raspy throat trying to make it sound clearer. He tried again," Come in."

A auburn haired girl poked her head in. "You asleep?"

"Yes." Basil replied sarcastically. He flopped back on his bed and gave a loud snore.

That only made Little Red giggle. "Can I come in?"

"I already said yes."

The young girl came into his room and sat lightly on the very edge of his bed. She let out a slow sigh just like his earlier. Basil sat up again, resting his weight on his elbows.

"What's wrong?" He questioned.

"Oh… nothing. I'm just bored."

He let out a dark chuckle. Being up so late, even though he was used to it, was not something he enjoyed, and he tended to get moody because of it. "Then maybe you should go to sleep."

Little Red shifted her weight, turning her back against the foot board. "I would if I could."

"And why can't you?" Basil was just getting annoyed. This girl came into his room every once in a while… but she had never stayed this long. Usually he drove her off by now with his moodiness.

"I- I'm afraid." She took a deep breath. "To… dream." She pulled her legs up and rested her chin on her knees.

Oh no. Now she's getting comfortable.

"And why-" Basil moved so that his back was straight up against the head board, "would you be afraid to do that?"

The girl looked at him. She let out a sigh, but it was hitched with a sob. A quiet whimper really, but it made Basil soften his glare at her a little.

"I-" She sniffed," I always dream about when I was in the…" She trailed off again," you know."

Basil did know. He knew all too well. The Scarlet Hand- the same dastardly evil group that tried to kill his family and convert him into some…thing. He never really knew what they tried to do. Apparently they tried to steal his body when he wasn't nearly three. And Red Riding Hood had been part of that group.

Of course, she had been insane at the time, but that didn't matter. She had tried to help the villain. That was a crime Basil might never be able to forgive.

His thoughts were interrupted by Red's weight shifting once again on the bed. He glanced up and saw her getting off the bed. He wanted to ask where she was going, but that might make her think he cared.

He watched her body shake violently once. Then twice. He realized she was crying. He let out a loud sigh and patted the bed beside him. "Red, come back. It's okay."

She turned back, there was hope in her eyes. She swiped at her face repeatedly with the back of her hand. Red sniffed.

"I can just leave. You seem to have your own thoughts to deal with." Her voice cracked in the middle with a sob-induced hiccup.

"No-no. It's okay. Com'ere." He patted the bed once again. She shuffled over. Basil bent over himself and pulled the blanket up. "Get under." He offered. At least, he hoped it sounded like an offer. He wasn't quite used to being 'sympathetic' or 'caring'.

She pulled the blanket up over her lap before pulling her legs up to her chest again.

A pregnant pause passed between them before it became unbearable for Basil. Usually he liked silence, but the look in her eyes pleaded for him to speak first.

"What," he started. He searched his brain for a conversation starter, "…is your favorite color?" He finally blurted out. Well, he might as well start off easy.

She chuckled slightly before resting her chin on her knees once again. "Red. My favorite color is red. What about you?" her quite voice somehow carried around the room, startling Basil.

He sighed internally.

Yup. Tonight's gonna be a long night.

A.N.:

Merry Christmas, all!

Two pages and two sentences! AKA- 870 words! Yaaay. A semi-longish one. :)

Anyway…I was really at a loss for what to right for this one. But I think it actually turned out well. And yes, Basil is unsociable and slightly rude in this one. We don't know what he's really like, so hey, this is one way he could have turned out. And no, I don't think there is a love interest between Red and Basil Jr.. They are young, but Red didn't grow up. Basil is fourteen/fifteen in this one. And Red is eight.

Question of the Chapter:

Last week:

Question: What is your favorite season, and why?

Best Answer: I wanna say summer is my fav...but im gonna say spring because everything comes to life in spring c: it is also the season of love c; if u know what i mean...jk.- Solaria daughter of Apollo

Yes, I do know what you mean. ;)

This week's Question:

Question: What is your most embarrassing moment? Be honest.

My answer: Well, I must have told you all this by now. It has to do with a johnny on the spot and a broken lock. I had to go pee way too much, and I couldn't get the lock to work. So I held the lock until, you know, I had to get up. And…low and behold, as soon as I let go of the door, a boy swung the door open. I yelped, he gasped, and we both turned red. He slammed the door and then I got the lock to work. Yup. Embarrassing. :3

-Red