Chapter Text
With each step, Polly's anticipation grew, leading her closer to the door. As she reached out and grasped the doorknob, her hand trembled with excitement. She turned the key in the lock and pushed open the heavy wooden door. Standing on the other side was a familiar figure - Kel, with his warm, relieved smile when he saw Basil.
Kel stepped into the bustling kitchen, making a beeline towards Basil and Polly.
"Basil, you're finally out of the hospital!"
He enveloped Basil in a tight hug before pulling back, a look of genuine happiness on his face.
"I missed you so much, my friend!"
Basil's eyes widened in surprise as he replied,
"Kel...I didn't expect you to come here so quickly..."
A proud grin spread across Kel's face as he responded,
"I couldn't wait any longer. I had to make sure you were okay. After everything that happened, I knew you needed someone to talk to." The warmth and sincerity in his words brought a sense of comfort and relief to Basil's heart.
Basil nodded, his fingers absently scratching at his head. The rough stubble of his buzzed hair tickled his fingertips as he tried to focus on Kel's words.
"I appreciate it, Kel."
His voice was rough and tired, the weight of exhaustion pulling at his words.
"So, how are you feeling today?"
Basil sighed softly, his hand returning to scratch at his head once more.
"I guess I feel pretty okay...a little tired though."
Kel nodded in understanding, taking a seat at the worn wooden table across from Basil. He rested his elbows on the table, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he spoke.
"Anyways, I wanted to tell you something, something kind of important."
"Okay...what is it?"
Kel cleared his throat, glancing around the room before leaning in closer to Basil.
"Um...have you heard from Sunny recently? He hasn't been returning my letters or my emails, it's making me extremely worried..."
The worry etched deep lines into Kel's face, causing faint creases to appear between his eyebrows. Basil felt a pang of guilt in his chest as he frowned in response.
"I've...been meaning to get in contact, but I don't know his address or anything..."
Kel crossed his elbows on the table, looking concerned.
"I have his old house phone number, but it probably doesn't even work anymore..."
Basil trailed off, staring at the ground, pondering about what he could do.
Kel stood up from the kitchen table, his footsteps echoing loudly on the tiled floor. He paced back and forth, his mind racing with thoughts about what to say.
After a moment, he stopped in front of Basil and spoke hesitantly. "I was thinking...maybe we could go visit Aubrey. It's better than just sitting here doing nothing, right?"
Basil's face lit up with excitement. "Y-Yeah, that sounds like a great idea!"
He quickly made his way to his room, the hardwood floor creaking beneath his feet. Kel followed behind him, leaning against the doorframe as he looked around Basil's room curiously. The sun streamed in through the window, casting a warm glow over the posters and knick-knacks decorating the walls.
"Hey, do you want to take some photos with your camera? I know that Sunny still has your photo album...but it would be cool to see you take photos again."
Basil hesitated, his hand hovering over the Polaroid camera. A mix of emotions flickered across his face - nostalgia, anxiety, uncertainty. After a moment, he slowly shook his head.
"I...I don't think I'm ready to start taking photos again just yet," Basil said softly, his voice tinged with regret. "Maybe someday, but not today."
Kel nodded understandingly. "No worries, man. Whenever you feel up to it."
Basil gave a small grateful smile, appreciating Kel's patience. He grabbed a light jacket from his closet and pulled it on.
"Alright, I'm ready to go," Basil said, zipping up the jacket.
As they headed out, Basil called out to Polly, "We're going to visit Aubrey for a bit.”
Polly's voice called back from the kitchen, "Okay, have a good time! Be back before dark."
The two boys began making their way towards the front door, Polly stopping to give the boys a goodbye wave. The two stepped outside, onto the sidewalk, and continued down the street. They walked through town, making their way towards the block that Aubrey lived on.
Basil and Kel stepped out into the warm afternoon sun. As they walked down the familiar streets of their neighborhood, Basil felt a mix of nostalgia and anxiety. It had been so long since he'd ventured out like this with a friend.
"So, how've you been holding up?" Kel asked, glancing over at Basil.
Basil shrugged slightly. "I'm...okay, I guess. Taking it day by day."
Kel nodded sympathetically. "I'm glad you're out of the hospital now. We were all really worried about you.
They turned the corner onto Aubrey's street. Her house came into view - a small, slightly run-down building with peeling paint and overgrown grass in the yard.
They walked up to the front door, Kel took a deep breath, trying to steel himself before knocking on the door. The two waited quietly, but nobody came to answer the door.
"Maybe she went out or something," Kel said, looking around nervously.
Kel knocked on the door again, louder this time.
Still no answer. Kel turned around to face Basil, confused.
"Maybe...we should look somewhere else? She could probably be at the church."
Basil nodded in agreement, turning to leave the quaint house. Kel followed closely behind, their footsteps echoing on the cobblestone street.
As they walked away from the house, their destination became clear - the local church. Its tall spire reached towards the sky, beckoning them closer. Basil and Kel pushed open the heavy wooden doors, stepping into the cool interior of the church. Sunlight streamed in through stained glass windows, casting colorful patterns on the polished floors.
The emptiness of the halls was notable, with only a few scattered individuals sitting near the front pews. Kel gestured towards the empty stage and whispered to Basil, "Let's go up front."
Together, they made their way slowly towards the stage, passing by rows of wooden pews and a grand altar. As they approached, Basil's eyes caught sight of a familiar face - a girl with long pink hair sat on the front pew, her legs crossed and a backpack on her lap. She seemed lost in thought, her gaze fixed on the floor below her feet. Basil tapped Kel on the shoulder, pointing towards the girl.
At the sound of her name, Aubrey's eyes flew open and widened in surprise when she caught sight of Basil. With a sense of urgency, she rose to her feet, taking note of the boy who had been confined to a hospital bed mere days before. Her steps were hesitant as she made her way towards him, her gaze remaining fixed on the ground beneath her feet. The air around them seemed charged with unspoken emotions and memories, both painful and hopeful.
Aubrey's concerned gaze rested on Basil, his usually confident demeanor faltering as he slowly nodded. His voice trembled slightly as he reassured her.
"Y-yeah...I'm fine, Aubrey...thanks for asking."
A flush crept onto Aubrey's cheeks as she awkwardly rubbed her shoulder, unsure of what to say. She turned to Kel, who was smiling sheepishly and shifting from foot to foot in a nervous manner. The tension in the air was palpable as they all stood there, unsure of how to proceed after Basil's sudden vulnerability.
"Hey...is everything alright, Kel? You look a little nervous," Basil asked, concern evident in his voice.
Kel shifted uneasily, his eyes glued to the ground as he shrugged.
"Yeah, sorry about that, I uh...I'm just thinking about something."
Basil leaned forward, curious. "About what?"
Kel sat down heavily on one of the pews, arms crossed tightly over his chest. He continued staring at the ground, his voice trembling with emotion.
"Um...basically...I haven't been able to get in contact with Sunny, you know? So I have been thinking, um...maybe we should try finding him."
Aubrey joined them on the pew next to Kel, crossing her legs and looking equally worried.
"Well...I was thinking the same thing actually...how are we going to find him?"
Kel shrugged again, his discomfort palpable as he shifted in his seat.
"Dunno...do you have his new address?"
Aubrey shook her head with a sigh, feeling overwhelmed and unsure of where to even start looking. She turned to Basil, who was still standing by the pews, deep in thought.
Basil's eyes scanned the room, searching for any sign of Sunny. Desperation and hope clung to his every word.
"Oh, Basil," Aubrey's voice was tinged with concern. "Do you have any of Sunny's old email addresses or contacts? Maybe we can reach him that way."
Basil hesitated, unsure of what to say. He bit his lip, trying to recall any possible way to contact his lost friend.
“I might still have his old email; when I was in the hospital, Polly helped me leave a voicemail at his home address. However, since he has moved away, I'm not sure if it's still valid...”
Kel's eyes lit up with an idea. "What if we sent him a letter or something? There must be something we can write that would catch his attention..."
Basil's gaze shifted to Aubrey, who nodded in agreement. Their minds were all racing with possibilities.
"That does sound like a good idea," Basil spoke up, determination shining in his eyes. "But I wonder what we should write..."
Kel spoke, his voice echoing throughout the empty church and breaking the silence that had settled in. The late afternoon light streamed through the stained-glass windows, casting a rainbow of colors on the polished wooden pews. Aubrey nodded along to Kel's suggestion, her long hair catching the light and shimmering like gold.
"Tomorrow sounds perfect," she replied, leading them out of the church and carefully closing the heavy doors behind them. As they stepped out into the fading daylight, Basil took a deep breath and savored the fresh air that filled his lungs.
Kel glanced down at his watch and his face fell. "Oh no, it's almost seven o'clock. My mom is going to kill me...I better hurry home."
With a quick goodbye wave, Kel grabbed his things and sprinted off towards his house, disappearing around a bend and leaving Aubrey and Basil alone on the quiet streets. They began their walk back home, their footsteps creating a steady rhythm on the pavement.
Aubrey turned to Basil as they walked, her expression softening. "So, how are you feeling?"
Basil let out a small laugh. "I-I'm good. I think the fresh air helped clear my head a bit."
They continued walking in comfortable silence for a few moments before Aubrey spoke again, her voice thoughtful. "Yeah, me too." She gazed up at the sky, taking in the pink and orange hues of the setting sun as if searching for answers in its ever-changing canvas. She paused, suddenly remembering something.
"Oh yeah, where are we going to meet up? We can't meet up at the church again, since it's Sunday tomorrow."
Basil pondered for a moment, his brain scrambling to think of something.
"Uhh, well, I don't know...I guess we could meet up at a park or something, maybe?"
Aubrey nodded, turning to face the direction of their houses.
"I guess that would work. I'm going to get home now, but let's meet up at eleven in the morning?"
Basil nodded, thanking Aubrey for inviting him to hang out. They said their goodbyes, and Aubrey started walking down the sidewalk, heading home herself, while Basil walked the opposite way, heading home.