ｏｍｏｒｉ： １０ ｙｅａｒｓ (2022 ver)

thursday (part 1)

warnings: hospitals, negative self-talk, mentions of death/manslaughter, mentions of attempted suicide, mentions of substance abuse, mentions of vomit

I pulled my car into the driveway of Basil's house. Then I unbuckled my seatbelt, got out of the car and knocked on the front door, all at a frantic speed. I glanced around the yard nervously while waiting for an answer. There were potted plants everywhere, and they all appeared to be healthy and growing. Basil hadn't changed a bit, neither had his home. The roof was still green, the walls were still white, and the old picket fence's paint was still chipping. There wasn't a response, so I knocked again.

"I'm coming, gimme a second!" A strained response spoke from the other side of the door as Basil opened it. He smiled to see me, going red in the face with surprise and embarrassment. He seemingly only woke up recently, because he still appeared to be in his pyjamas, his hair messy and his eyes half-open. "Sunny! W-what are you doing here at this time of day? I didn't think you'd be functioning this early, heh."

"I was told to come get you. Hero's apparently waking up, according to a phonecall from Kel."

"O-oh, geez, really? Okay, I'll get dressed and we can go. You can come in, make yourself a drink or something while waiting."

"Alright."

He led me inside, and hundreds of memories rushed into my head at once. Yep, it was the same old room, but there was new furniture, new paintings, and a small cage in the corner. Basil rushed upstairs, whereas I wandered over to the cage. There were a couple of mini lop bunnies snuffling around. The top of the hutch was open, and there were some half-chopped vegetables on the kitchen counter. Basil was likely feeding them when I knocked. Not wanting the two little things to starve, I wandered over to the kitchen and finished off the chopping of the vegetables.

After I had placed the vegetables into the cage, I decided to help myself to a glass of water, sitting down at the kitchen table. There was an assortment of papers and crumpled up sheets of notebook paper, and a laptop that was nearly out of battery, resting on a word document that read, and I quote:

News Story Idea:

jnreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhjkfthdnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

You know, I think it'd be a good idea of me to stop there rather than typing out all 47 pages of that. You get the jist, right? I decided to yell up the stairwell, not bothering to hide the smug smile that was evident in my voice. "Interesting news story you've got here! A real tear-jerker!"

"O-oh, that!" he yelled back. "Yeahhhh, I kinda... fell asleep on my laptop last night."

"When did you go to sleep?"

He rushed downstairs, holding a pair of boots in his hands and falling onto the couch to lace them up. His hair was still a mess, the bags beneath his red eyes were still painfully obvious, but he was dressed nonetheless. His sweater looked familiar. I smiled. "I don't really remember, it's a bit of a blur... I think an hour ago? Maybe two?"

"You really should be sleeping more."

"I-I know, but my boss really wants a new story by the end of the week," he sighed. "I can't miss another deadline, you know. Don't want to be fired."