OMARI: When He Wakes

(26) Breakfast, Planning, and MOM

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MARI slowly opened her eyes, needing a few seconds to adjust before she finally saw some a vague outline of her room. A few blinks and her vision cleared, lifting her head and looking around.

She lifted her head up and looked around to make sure this wasn't a dream or anything. Once she looked at the clock and saw the time, she knew she was awake.

4:36 AM

She knew she didn't spend THAT much time in the FIELD, but she was too tired to think of why it was this late... or, early. Looking to SUNNY, she got worried for a moment until he moved a bit in his sleep.

Sighing in relief, she gently kissed his head and held him close, putting her arm over him and feeling him breathing slowly. Any worry she had that he wouldn't wake up left her as she slowly smiled, closing her eyes and tried to go back to sleep.

Knowing he was safe in her arms made her feel at ease, and especially knowing more about the ENDLESS FIELD since her dream. She prayed he'd never have to go back there again, but if there was a small chance he ever did in his Dreams, like she had... she knew she had to tell him all of what CHIVE told her.

Slowly drifting back to sleep, she steeled her resolve to keep him safe no matter what again, so that he'd never have to visit that FIELD again. She knew she'd have to ask if he was stuck there for all those years, but didn't want to bring up the Incident again... not yet. He needed his rest still, and so did she. So, hugging him closer, she slowly drifted off to sleep once again...

That night, she didn't visit the Picnic Blanket, or see any of the FIGURES. She didn't dream at all the rest of the night...

She simply relieved Memories. Like pictures in a Photo Album, she was slowly reminiscing through Memories when she was younger, longer than just 4 years ago.

The sound of laughter filled her mind, seeing the younger selves of everyone sliding down a snowy hill on Christmas. The gentle hum of the engine as the car drove down the road, heading to the beach in a hot Summer Day. Learning to make Flower Crowns by where the Treehouse would be. Reliving do much in just one night, and one constant about them... SUNNY was always by her side.

This made her blissfully sleep through the night, no sudden awakenings from a Nightmare, or lurking feeling of needing to check behind her every second. She was just reliving the moments she remembers fondly with her and her brother... and... everyone else.

As much as she cherished the time with SUNNY, she could feel a sense of loneliness as she remembers everyone else. They were right there in front of her, smiling and laughing with her, but...

She felt like she was almost a stranger now, looking back. She didn't know why, but then... She remembered something, at least a part of it.

It was like she was trying to forget it, but slowly, it pieced itself together again, echoing in her mind as she moved her head, brows twitching in her sleep. Faint echoes of a voice... familiar voices....

"-would you do-"

"-ot her fault-"

"-ccident, right-"

So many voices filling her head, the tossing and turning getting more frequent as she could feel a sense of dread creeping in, crawling up her back as the voices kept getting louder... and she could begin to hear BASIL'S voice overwhelming everything else.

"-did this, and yo-"

"-something like that?!"

"sn't for you, he-"