Dear little brother...

Chapter 3 - Kel

I think I might just pass out

I hear ringing in my ears, I can't comprehend what has happened. I think about comforting Aubrey but I just can't gather myself... I look down at Sunny's body. He's dead. Staring at his corpse, I see his arm cut open with the bone, and his neck is snapped. I dont know what im doing, I pick up his mangled arm, it sends shivers down my spine. I just.. can't. I ran as fast as I could, but im not tired in the slightest. How is this the same Sunny that would come to Hobbeez with me? The one who, on rainy days, would sit and eat cookies with me? Why.. Sunny? Why did you do it? I notice Sunny's head and, tears start gushing out of my eyes. Im not particularly sad, but this... I just..

"Sunny? Hellooooooo? Sunny?"

I am taken out of the moment when I hear doctors rush out of the hospital and a crowd begins to form. My brother, Hero, moves along with the crowd. A mass of people begin to form around Sunny, I cover my face with my hands. Hero comes up and puts his arms around me and Aubrey's shoulders. "Everything will be okay" I hear him say, and I can tell that he is particularly nervous and unsure. The look on his face speaks numbers. Aubrey lets out a whimper and falls to the ground, weakly. Hero tries to take care of Aubrey for the moment.

"Doc.. Doc? You can fix him right up... right?" I could tell that my words sounded shakey. The paramedic just looked at me and responded, "Im sorry, kid" I begin to shiver and hold my arms. I end up speaking with multiple doctors, I end up arguing. "Kel!! Come on!" Hero has brought Aubrey to the car, I am concerned, she may get heatstroke if left there. I simply glance back at Hero. And continue to argue with the nurses, but inside I know nothing can be done. I start trying to bargain with them. They simply refuse...

What stubborn people.

Im trying to keep my breathing steady, but I fumble. Hero runs up to me. "Kel, come on!" He grabs my arm, his shaking all the while. I can feel how dry my eyes are. God... what even happened? Aubrey is laying on the back seats, air conditioning pumped up. I reach the car, zoning out after strapping in. I try to process what happened, but all of my thoughts are staggering everywhere else. I dont even realize how hard I am breathing. Suddenly, Hero reaches his hand out, "Hey, Kel... We'll check up on Basil later, okay? We just need to get Aubrey home first." Classic Hero, always trying to play it cool. I know how he really is though, seriously messed up inside. "Poor Hero," I think. We arrive at Aubrey's house, the hooligans waiting "patiently" outside. That just seems like more trouble. Hero sighs, knowing that the only choice is to carry Aubrey somewhere. Kim walks up to the car, "Hey, took you guys long enough! Also, Aubrey, what's 'takin you so long?" Her eyes widen slightly as she looks in the back seat. "Aubrey??" "What did you guys do to her?!" She scoffs at us, considering its from Kim, its probably a rhetorical question. There is no explanation where she wouldn't get mad at us. "Well, its about Sunny..." Hero begins to explain. "Oh, that weird knife kid?" "Yeah, Kim.. Aubrey got a little stressed out from well.."

"Sunny, he-"
"...Jumped off the hospital roof."

Kim looks at me, of course. Now she notices my bloodshot eyes, probably. "Yeesh, Kel, you look tired. And like, really depressed. Seriously, never thought I'd be saying this to a nerd but, are you good?" I've never heard anything of passion come from Kim's mouth, even if it was more critical. "Now that I think about it, maybe we should take her to me and Kel's house, we have to let her rest before she gets heatstroke, and it's best if I cook for her. You can come, too.. If you want. But you'll have to walk," Hero added. The hooligans agreed, easily. They have to be the most ravenous bunch in town.

At home, I- stepped out of the car and the concrete brought back the ringing in my ears, I can't get the image out of my head. I step inside, weakly. Hero brings Aubrey onto the couch. Hopefully she wakes up soon. I go off to the bathroom, the sound of the doorknob stands out to me, weird. I look in the mirror, I look kind of like, Hero, in a way. The day that Mari died... now I know how he must have truly felt. His eyes, they were so strained, and I could barely get my words past him. All I know is, I can't live like this.

Wait, is there something behind me?
It kind of looks like the reflection of me and Sunny, outside of Hobeez, window shopping. I checked the reflection, just 'cus I wanted to see what I looked like. And at the time, I couldn't help but look at Sunny, he was so... invested. I dont think that I will ever be able to read a Space Boyfriend comic again.

Now I'm starting to see things,
Why did I do it?
Why would I knock on his door?
Why am I such an ignorant "friend"
Sunny.. why does this keep happening to us?

...

It is 2:34.

I rush to my room, I throw myself under my sheets. I sob. Why, Sunny? I thought everything was finally going to go back to normal. I thought everything was okay. Was everything fake these last few days? The picnic, the swings, the jobs, why Sunny? Why couldn't I have been there? Why did I do it, sunny would still be here if I had taken a moment to stop being such a nuisance and actually listen. I am crying uncontrollably at this point, throwing myself into an early sleep.