Forgive and Forget: but what about Now? (suntan fic :))

Healing is Difficult, but not Impossible.

Last babil centred chapter, stay tuned for bagsil trauma.
__________________________________________________________________________

Black as dark as the bottom of the sea clashed with a white brighter than sunlight in his hazy vision.

For a moment, Basil could hear colours and see sounds. Images flashed in front, almost instantaneously being scribbled over.

And suddenly, a landscape that looked and tasted like static glitching marshmallows. Everything looked chalky and pastel-like.

Bright, checkered mountains stretched as far as the eyes could see, rapidly changing colours along with trees which resembled fudge on chocolate.

He moved his feet across the cool grass, shivering as cool dewdrops wet the soles of them.

He could feel a lot of things. See a lot. Heard a lot. It was all so surreal.

He was a teenager. A normal teenager, with a normal life. Mari never died, everything was okay.

A dreamy version of Polly ruffled his hair, and hugged him. She whispered words of encouragement that filled his heart with confidence.

Highly multicolored versions of his friends seemed to wave at him, welcoming him with open arms.

And suddenly everything got smaller, and his perspective of the world grew more sheltered and colourful.

A mere innocent child he was.

His parents stood there, standing and smiling. They held him in their arms, read him books and peppered his cheeks with kisses. He giggled and laughed with them, as a normal family.

He closed his eyes, and the next second, he was holding Sunny's hand.

His best friend. His hope as a child.

Sunny looked at him, his flat inky bangs fluttering over his kind eyes. He tightened the grasp, and smiled.

Everything is okay.

Sunny melted into the image of Aubrey. She giggled and pinched his cheek, her little pink bow accentuating the blush in her cheeks.

Everything is okay!

Mari appeared. He looked at Basil concernedly, but not unkindly.

Is everything okay?

Basil stared on. Why didn't she disappear?

Is everything okay?

Her eyes dripped dark rivers of thick black tears.

Is everything okay?

Cracks appearing in her face, which turned flaky and dead. Her skin grew more pinched and shriveled.

Is everything okay?

She wouldn't let go of Basil's hand. Her own shriveled into a bloody mass of bones and melting flesh.

Is everything okay?

A rubbery blue jump rope hung at her neck, which was red with rope burns. One eye imploded messily, and the other single one seemed to pierce his mind, black with disgust.

Is everything okay?

MARI!!

Basil woke up sweating, his clothes hot and sticky. The thick woolen sheets of his weighed heavily against him, and he desperately wanted to throw them off his body, shirt and all.

He took a deep breath, trying to steady his breathing.

What had happened?

He tried to recall his memory, only to have a throbbing ache shoot through his head, almost causing him to black out again..