Author's Note: SPOLIERS AHEAD for those who haven't played the first Life is Strange. If y'all aint ever played the game yet, then what are y'all doing here?! Yer robbin' yerself of one helluva great gaming experience. Get that ass in gear and go and play the game first, then come back here. I'll wait...

So, you played it, then? Good, now we can talk.

Tonight's feature is a very short horror story inspired by the fucked up NEKRomantik grindhouse films. This is a NAME-ONLY sequel to those films, so watching the original NEKRomantik 1 & 2 ISN'T necessary. If y'all aint familiar with the type of horror story y'all are getting yourself into, then y'all should quickly look it up online first. Don't watch the movie itself, cause I aint payin' for your therapy afterwards, ha ha ha. Just look it up on Wikipedia or whatever. Alright, y'all looked it up and y'all are sure you still wanna take this ride?

Good, y'all accepted my complimentary ticket, now take a seat and enjoy the show...

- JMD Nelson

NEKRomantik 3:

Till Death

Written By: JMD Nelson

Chapter 1:

Saying Goodbye

Max Caulfield stared grimly down at the coffin of her childhood friend Chloe Price as she stood along with a handful of mourners in the Arcadia Bay cemetery. Chloe's mother Joyce Price stood close by, leaning on the shoulder of her husband, Chloe's stepfather David Madsen. He held her tightly, trying to keep himself composed and strong for Joyce.

Max stared solemnly at the coffin when a small, blue fluttering movement from somewhere above caught Max's attention. Max's blue eyes slowly raised, and then she saw it; the very same butterfly from before, which had now landed on Chloe's coffin. Max stared at its glistening blue wings and a warm feeling came over her. It must be a symbol of Chloe's spirit from the other side, letting her know that she was fine, happy and that she'd remain with Max, till they were reunited once again.

Max smiled gently, letting herself embrace the warmth.

Max had felt empty and worthless the past few days, especially following the events of the past week, which she had to keep reminding herself didn't actually happen. Everything had been reset to zero by the rewind power Max had inherited at the beginning of the week. Her power consisted of the ability to rewind time itself and change the outcome of anything. She hadn't known where the rewind power came from, or why she received it, but it had acted as both a gift and a curse throughout the past week she'd had it. And it had all started when she saw that blue butterfly… Just like the one on Chloe's coffin...

After she'd used it to jump back in time and save Arcadia Bay from a massive tornado, and in turn, sacrifice Chloe in the process, she hadn't been too keen in trying to see if it still worked, afraid she'd mess something else up.

It was a difficult choice to make, but Chloe had been so adamant that Max do the right thing for Arcadia Bay, no matter what happened to her, which unfortunately did end up happening. Chloe had died, and Max had been responsible, even though it was Nathan Prescott himself who'd pulled the trigger. Nathan had been arrested and his family name was now being disgraced and tarnished, something Sean Prescott, his father, feared would happen to him because of Nathan. Even though justice had been served to Nathan, it brought Max no closure.

Chloe was still dead.

As Max slowly ascended from her thoughts, she saw the coffin being lowered into the ground. Then Max couldn't help it, as she began to silently cry, the warm tears gently sliding like rain drops down her soft white cheeks. One of her guy friends and fellow classmates from Blackwell Academy Warren Graham saw this and moved over to her, gently putting an arm around her and holding her. Max buried her face into Warren's shoulder and hissed through her teeth between sobs. Warren rested his head against hers and held her close, staring at the coffin which slowly descended from view and then disappeared completely from sight.

A While Later…

Max was standing with Joyce, Warren and Kate Marsh,as they all conversed and comforted one another. David sat in his muscle car, his head lowered and his face hardened. Max stared at him, now knowing how much he really cared for Chloe, and how he now couldn't tell her. Max softly sighed with a heavy heart, wishing that he'd gotten his chance to do so. Chloe never knew how much people actually did care for her, as much as Max had insisted in the brief time that they'd spent together. But Chloe would live on forever in the minds and hearts of those who loved her.

Joyce: (Hugs her) "Max, it is so good to see you again."

Max: (Hugs her back) "You too, Joyce. I just wished it were under better circumstances."

Joyce: (Sighs) "Me too, Max, me too." (Rubs her shoulder)

Max: "I'm so sorry Joyce, I can't even imagine…"

Joyce: "Thanks Max. I can only hope that I'll see my daughter again on the other side, happier than she ever was here in Arcadia Bay. She struggled a lot after the death of William, and I know he'll look after her in the meantime."

Max: "William was great man, and an even better father. I'm glad that they can be together again. We'll all be together again one day. You just gotta remember that Joyce and keep living for them. Keep their memories alive and keep them in your heart. That's how they stay with us."

Joyce: (Smiles) "You've grown so much, Max. You're family. Chloe always thought of you as a sister to her."

Max: "And I always thought the same of her, as well. The cooler, older sister I was lucky enough to have in my life."

Joyce: "I'm so proud of you, Max. You've come a long way and have grown so much into a respectable young woman. Your parents must be so proud."

Max: (Smiles) "They are. Thank you, Joyce." (Hugs her)

Joyce: "You're quite welcome, Max." (Hugs her back)

They held for a few moments and then parted.

Joyce: "We're going to be putting Chloe's stuff away in a few days. You're more than welcome to come by and take anything you want. I know she'd want you to do so."

Max: "I'm not sure I can do that, Joyce."

Joyce: "Trust me, it's what Chloe would want. There's a bunch of stuff that she kept that could hold some meaning to you. I know Chloe wouldn't mind. You're more than welcome to it."

Max: "Thanks Joyce. I'll think about it."

Joyce: "Please do, Max."

A while later, Max, Warren and Kate were all walking towards the cemetery entrance, conversing with each other. The mourners had all begun to disperse and head home. But unlike them, Max didn't feel like going home just yet.

Max: "It sucks that we all have to die one day."

Warren: "Maybe one day medical science will find a way to prevent it."

Kate: "It wouldn't be natural, Warren. Death is a part of life."

Warren: "Yeah, the end of it. Haha."

Kate: "But it's natural. Prolonging it wouldn't be."

Warren: "No, but it'd be convenient. Mortality would be a thing of the past."

Max: "It sounds like the plot to one of your sci-fi movies, Warren."

Warren: "Jason X to be exact. Or The 6th Day."

Max: "Whaaa? Those movies are so lame!"

Warren: (Smiling and jerking his thumbs to himself) "Just like me."

Max: (Patting his shoulder) "You're not lame, Warren."

Kate: "Yeah, you're sweet."

Warren: (Scratching his head) "Aww, you 2 are the best!"

The 3 of them stopped at the cemetery entrance and all group hugged each other.

A short while later, the 3 of them were driving in Warren's car, sitting in silence. As they cruised through the cool, early Arcadia Bay evening, Max stared out of the window and watched the town folk going about their business. Out of everyone in the town, her mind was still on Chloe, and the fact that she wasn't here anymore. This place felt empty without her, despite having Warren, Kate and the rest of Blackwell Academy. Chloe was irreplaceable, and nothing would be the same ever again. 'Don't overthink it,' Max thought, 'Everything's going to be fine.'

Max: "Warren, can we listen to some music? This silence is killing me."

Warren: (Switching on the dial) "Sure thing."

Warren stopped on a station, on which 3 Doors Down's "Here Without You" was playing. Max turned her head slightly and looked at the radio.

"A hundred days have made me older since the last time that I saw your pretty face…. A thousand lies have made me colder, and I don't think I can look at this the same…."

Max smiled slightly. 'Huh,' Max thought, 'That's rather appropriate.'

"But all the miles that separate…. Disappear now when I'm dreaming of your face..."

Max smiled to herself, chuckled and began to sing along with the song.

Max: (Singing along with it) "I'm here without you, baby, But you're still on my lonely mind. I think about you, baby, and I dream about you all the time. I'm here without you, baby, but you're still with me in my dreams.… and tonight, it's only you and me, yeah."

As the song continued, a large rented cargo van with tinted windows sat in the Blackwell Academy parking lot. And in the back, wrapped up in a sleeping bag with her face uncovered was the pale, lifeless body of Chloe Price, Max's best friend. A large clear plastic tarp lay under Chloe and her sleeping bag, for later use.

Max sat in the passenger seat of Warren's car as they continued to drive, Max smiling slightly. It's true that she'd stolen Chloe's body near the conclusion of her wake and replaced her friend's body with that of Joyce's entire encyclopedia collection that she had stashed in the garage. Max had placed Chloe in the back of the van she'd rented and drove off while the casket was being moved to the hearse and then brought to the cemetery. It was an insane plan, but it had worked. There was a method to the madness she'd given into, but no one knew it yet.

Blackwell Academy

Max's Dorm

Max was in her dorm room later that night, lying back on her bed and reflecting over everything that had happened in the past week; the missing girl Rachel Amber was dead, Nathan had accidentally killed her and Professor Mark Jefferson was the mastermind behind it all. He had used Rachel for his own project that he had on the side, photographing her while she was drugged and out of it, to capture her fleeting innocence, or so he said. Nathan was his partner in the project and had helped drug and kidnap Rachel for Jefferson. But Nathan had also accidentally killed her while trying to imitate what Jefferson was doing, but he gave her too much of the drug and she'd died of an O.D. Then Arcadia Bay was almost destroyed by a freak tornado that was linked to Max's own powers and in order to stop it from doing so, Max had to jump back in time and let Chloe die. But at least both Nathan and Professor Jefferson were behind bars now, for what they'd done.

Max: (Eyes tearing) "But you're still gone, Chloe. I still need you." (Eyes close as her tears fall) "Don't leave me, Chloe. I can't go on without you."

"Max…"

Max sat up, her glassy, teary eyes staring wide as she suddenly froze in her spot.

Max: "No way…"

Sitting backwards in Max's computer chair and staring out the window was Chloe Price herself. Max slowly covered her mouth with a quivering hand and whimpered loudly as Chloe remained still, gently humming 'Here Without You.' Max slowly got up and approached her best friend and stopping inches away from her.

Max: "C-Chloe?"

Chloe: (Still staring out the window) "Max, you look like you've seen a g-g-ghost."

Max: "Chloe, is it really you?"

Chloe gently spun around in her chair, arms folded over the back of it as she stared up at Max. She then smiled up at Max. Max smiled back at her as well, tears pouring freely now.

Chloe: (Smiling) "Of course it's me, Mad Max! I missed you. It feels like it's been forever."

Max: (Hugging her) "It has! It really has, Chloe! Jesus, I can't take it anymore. These damn powers were a curse. I never should've played with them in the first place!"

Chloe: (Hugging her) "Hey, I'm glad you played with them! I felt alive again, I felt like how I did when were kids, playing pirates. It was hella cool that you remembered the time that we shared this past week together, even if we're the only 2 that remember it."

Max: "That's okay, it's our memories now." (Sighs) "You look good, Chloe. God I miss you."

Chloe: "I miss you too, Max. But it's great here on the other side. No hunger, no pain, no worries, no anxieties, nothing. Everyone you lost is all here, and they're happy. And my father is here, too Max! He's actually here. And Rachel's here, too. God, I wish you could've met her."

Max: (Smiling) "That's awesome, Chloe!"

Chloe: "It is! It's hella fucking awesome."

Max: "I wish I could go with you, Chloe…"

Chloe: "I'll be waiting for you, Max… but you can't go just yet. You've still gotta make a name for yourself. You wanna be famous for your photography, don't ya?"

Max: "Yes… Well, kinda… my experience with Jefferson soured that dream for me…"

Chloe: "Fuck that clown and that idiot Nathan Prescott. You can forge your own path, Max. You can, and you will, because I still believe in you."

Max: "Thank you, Chloe."

Chloe: "No, thank you, Max. The time we spent together, it was an honor and it means the world to me. And remember that we will see each other again. Until then, live your life, Max. Enjoy it."

Max: (Hugging her) "I love you, Chloe."

Chloe: (Hugging her back) "I love you too, Max. I love you… so much."

Max woke up suddenly, looking around her dimly lit room. She sat up and stared at the computer chair, which was now empty.

Max: "Chloe?"

Max knew at that moment that she'd just been dreaming but had hoped against hope that she wasn't. But there was no sign of Chloe herself, so Max just nodded her head, accepting the bitter truth. She sighed, putting a hand through her hair, before getting up and going over to the window, staring out of it. She stared in the direction Chloe had been staring herself and realized where she'd been looking at; the direction of the van that had now held her body.

Max closed her eyes and placed a hand through her hair, breathing in deep. There had been something she'd been hiding from everyone since the day Chloe died. It was an awful thought, but it had fascinated Max from its very inception. There were things left unfinished, things that Max hadn't entertained yet. But maybe tonight was the night to begin her journey…

Seeing as she was still dressed, Max quickly grabbed her coat and quietly snuck out of her dorm. As she tiptoed down the hall, Kate's door quietly opened a crack and Kate peered out at Max who was making her way down the hall towards the girl's dorm entrance. Kate stared in curiosity at Max and quietly closed her door.

A short while later, Kate emerged from her dorm, locking it behind her. She was dressed in her usual street clothes and had her bag over her shoulder. 'You've been acting so strangely during the past week, Max,' Kate thought to herself, 'I know you're dealing with Chloe's death in your own way, but I don't want you to end up hurting yourself, Max. You're too good a person to end up in some serious trouble.'

Parking Lot

Max made her way out to the parked cargo van that she'd rented and peered in through the back. Among a few boxes that Max had placed in the back to help conceal Chloe, was Chloe herself. Max removed the van keys, unlocked the rear doors and climbed in, shutting and locking the door behind her and sat down, moving the boxes aside. Max held her breath staring at Chloe's lifeless corpse, half expecting her eyes to fly open and stare up at her, but they thankfully didn't. Max gently pulled Chloe into her arms and held her, caressing her hair and holding her.

Max: "Fate kept trying until it finally tore us apart. It took your life, but I still have your body." (Brushes Chloe's hair back) "I never should've left Arcadia Bay. If it were up to me, I never would've left." (Rests her head against Chloe's) "I would've stayed right here with you, Chloe. Where I belonged. We could've been so happy together. And I never got to ask you out and I'm sorry I didn't get around to it. I'm such a coward… I love you Chloe… I always have…"

Outside…

Kate tiptoed down the steps where she'd followed Max until she lost her, when she'd gone into the parking lot. Kate knew that Max had to be in one of the parked vehicles, as she'd heard a car door slam. It was just a matter of guessing which one. Kate squinted in the dark parking lot for any sign of movement in any of the windows. She knew that Max didn't have a car, which made trying to pinpoint her all the more difficult.

The van door opening caught Kate's attention and she quickly ducked behind a nearby car, peering through the window. She then saw Max climbing out of the back of a large white cargo van and hopping down to the ground. As she watched, Max turned and leaned into the back, saying something inaudible. Kate squinted in the night, trying to make out what was in the back, but Max stood in the way. Max then shut the van doors, locked them and made her way over to the driver's side door, opening it and climbing in.

Kate then looked down at her bag, digging out Warren's car keys. She'd taken them when he'd stopped by her dorm earlier to talk with her about Max, and what they could do to help her with her grieving process. Kate had felt guilty in stealing from Warren, but a gut feeling told them she needed them as Max had been acting strange in the past few days.

Once the van was started up, it had crawled out of the parking lot and was making its way towards the main street as Kate hurried over to Warren's small car, quickly unlocking the door, climbing in and starting up the engine. She then carefully followed after Max's van in the pitch-black, cold autumn night.

She hoped to God that she'd get to the bottom of whatever Max was up to. She only hoped that she wouldn't regret it...