Phytoremediation

And god damn it, we liked it.

--I have artist's block for my other books, but I need to write right now, so here is another chapter. --

Sunny opened the front door, and took of his shoes. His mother was in the living room, watching TV.

"So, what happened across the street? Is Basil okay?" She asked.

"Someone died over there. Basil's fine, I think."

"Oh gosh, do they know who did it? Who died?" She asked, turning off the TV.

"I think Polly might've died, but I don't know for sure." Sunny said quietly. A dead woman in Basil's house kind of implied the worst, though.

"Oh no... she was always so nice, right Sunny?" She asked.

Sunny nodded. He didn't really know her too well, though. She only became Basil's caretaker just over a year before the incident happened.

He thought back to when he had been staying inside for those long 4 years... well, it actually didn't feel that long at all. That sort of happens when you're sleeping for 3/4s of the hours he spent during those years.

Sunny had just woken up. He checked the clock, 6 pm. He felt hungry, and he heard his mother downstairs, so he decided eating was possible right now.

"Hello, Sunny! I just got home from getting groceries!" His mother smiled.

"I'm hungry." Sunny spoke without tone.

"Alright, I'll make you something..." she said while putting things away, "I saw Polly today..!"

"Mmh."

"You remember Polly, right?" She asked, "Basil's babysitter?"

Sunny said nothing. He looked at the table, and felt a twinge of guilt. A flashback within a flashback? No, you already know that Sunny scribbled on the photos, and why he did.

"Well, I saw her at the supermarket! She told me about Basil..!" She quietly frowned, looking away from Sunny. "She said Basil misses you. Kel misses you too, Sunny..."

Sunny stared at the table.

"When are you going to go out again?"

Sunny walked upstairs. "Forget it." He went back up to his room, to go to sleep all over again.

His past actions made him feel like an awful person. Maybe he was.

Regardless of the subjectivity of his morality, the phone began to ring. A great bid to get out of the awkward topic, and move himself upstairs.

His mother answered the phone from downstairs. "Sunny, it's for you!" She called up.

Sunny sighed, and picked up the phone in the hallway. "Hello?"

"Sunnyyyy! The Daybreak!!! My mannnn!" The Maverick shouted through the phone. Sunny was surprised he didn't make the audio peak.

At least this will get my mind off what happened.

"Hey, Mikhael." Sunny responded calmly.

"Oh, right, don't want your mom to know your secret identity." The Maverick whispered.

"Or uh... wiretaps." Sunny added.

"True, true, uhhh... I'll make it sound like I'm just venting so all the agents stop listening out of respect." The Maverick said shakily, "S-So, like, I think my friends might be trying t-to ditch me, sometimes, and I'm scared cuz I don't want to be alone a-again..."

The Maverick sniffled. This was a bit more than sounding like he's venting.

"M-m-my brother and sister were always so good at baking, and- and I sucked so I don't have any *hic* any place in my family either..." he was full blown sobbing now.

"Oh... uh..." Sunny stuttered.

"And... and everyone at school makes fun of Aubrey for hanging out with me, cuz- cuz- cuz they... they say that... they call her my girlfriend and- and say that I'm only friends with her cuz she has boobs and stuff and like *hic* I'm not, I'm not!!!"

"I... uh... believe you, Mikhael." Sunny awkwardly responded.

The Maverick sniffed violently from the other end, likely snorking up all his snot caused by his infantile sobbing. "See, no agent would wanna listen to that, alright, now we can continue our conversation."

Note to self... no more mentioning wiretaps.

"So yeah, I'm home safe now, Sunny. How's uh... how's Polly doing?" He sniffed after the question, after he asked it in a unnatural way. It came off unintentionally creepy, as The Maverick was known to be.

"Not sure. She might be dead." Sunny replied.

"Haha! Classic The Daybreak! Your dry wit and humour are truly a staple of your personality!" The Maverick responded with an exaggerated laugh.

I wasn't joking but, whatever.

"Now I'm off to call The Synthesizer! Stay safe, comrade!" The Maverick hung up promptly.

Sunny left to his room, and decided to resume an old habit. Falling asleep early.

Yeah that's the end of the chapter. I know it's short, what are you gonna do about it? Pussy.