Hi everyone! So allow me to explain. I've been receiving so many reqeusts and questions for me to carry on with my From the Brink fanfic featuring Amberfield. And for this I'm thankful. I did not expect to see this story so popular. But there's a reason I discontinued the original version: I didn't like the way the story was going. It was mostly fluff, which is fun, but it lacked a certain direction. That's one of the reason's why I haven't been so devoted towards it. The other reason is that I'm trying to work on a novel of my own as well as all the crazy stuff at college.
The good news is that I haven't given up on this story. On the contrary I want to make it better with that same romantic Amberfield vibe to it. And before anyone asks me, I'm an Amberfield all the way. :P
So I hope you guys enjoy the new version of Life is Strange From the Brink.
Enjoy! :D
Chapter 1: It can't be (Rewrite)
Here she is again, back where everything began. This is where she discovered her powers to bend time to her will, where she manipulated that power to prevent the death of her best friend by a dangerous boy with a gun, and where her journey began to uncover the dark truth of what has been transpiring in Arcadia Bay. Everything can be traced back to the girls bathroom of Arcadia Bay. All of that was four days ago, but to Max, it felt like centuries.
This isn't even considered an option for Max. Even though through her actions she created the chaos and threw the natural order off balance, even with the titanic tornado about to swallow up all of the town and its inhabitants, Max was more than willing to make that sacrifice to save the only person who matters to her the most in her life. Chloe Elizabeth Price, however, refused Max that choice telling her to accept her fate.
That moment, taken on top of the edge with the untouched lighthouse makes Max tremble so suddenly before she froze forcing in a quick heap of air through her lungs. Max know what has to happen, and after everything that has happen, from all the death and the destruction she has caused and witnessed, it may be too much for the young girl. But it had to be done. In the end, she was left with no options. In the end, Chloe has to die. She made that very clear herself.
Max compressed herself against the bathroom stall as her head bent down towards her feet completely immobilized and she can feel her chest already starting to ache of loss and heartbreak. Her breath was forced and uneven and her fingers adding more and more pressure to the stall so much it would hurt her. Only it doesn't.
In a few minutes, she wouldn't feel anything anymore.
A creak of the door alerted Max that Nathan was here. It didn't take long for him to start muttering and talking to himself. Max even mouthes out some of the things he jabbered anxiously to himself, even letting out a small chuckle thinking how crazy he sounds. The first time he heard him saying that he had so much power he could blow up the school, and being all crazy, she nearly wet herself. Now it's just a stupid joke to her.
Another creak from the door signaling that Chloe, her best friend, her partner, her first kiss, her life, is now in here too. Already, this is becoming too much for Max to handle as her legs began to shake involuntarily feeling weak and weary. Max slowly succumbs to the floor careful not to make any noise to alert them both. They already begin talking about the money Chloe wants in order for Nathan to buy her silence for what she did to her, and every noise began to fade out until the only thing Max heard was her own heartbeat.
Memories begin to flash in her mind about her being with Chloe. She tries to avert all of her attention on all the good memories she had with Chloe. The ones that brought them together. Both of them hanging out in Chloe's messy graffiti punk rock room, their meals down at the Two Whales Diner, having a blast in the Junkyard. The Junkyard. In the end, that place would contain only pain from a horrible discovery. And the smell... Max shuddered silently sucking in air thinking of how she finally discovered Rachel Amber. Buried in a shallow grave.
Rachel was always a mystery to Max. And like any good mystery, she wanted to solve it. She heard so many things about this girl: How she was so popular and kind-hearted, how she was a top honor student, how she was there for Chloe when Max wasn't. The relations she kept secret from Chloe, and why she disappeared. All of this made Max wanted to meet her more and more thinking she was a very amazing girl. But all of that was taken, when Chloe and Max discovered that Rachel was so senselessly taken from this world thanks to Nathan and Jefferson, and even though they never met, Rachel's death was so painful for Max as it was for Chloe. She didn't deserve this...
She can hear Chloe's anguish cries for her beloved friend echoing in her mind. Then she was in the Dark Room, tied up and at the mercy of Mark Jefferson. The Dark Room was... there were no words to be found what she did to her. Max's eyes squinted to the extreme as if she was trying to banish the memory. Then a new one came into view. It was serene, happy, and at that moment during through the storm there was no tornado, no Arcadia Bay, now howling winds, just Chloe and her sharing that one kiss. It felt like an eternity of peaceful bliss. She kept that moment sharp in her mind trying to remember every detail from that moment.
Max's hearing started to clear out just in time to hear Chloe cry out. "Get that gun away from me, psycho!"
A shot rang out and a loud thud was heard and that only means one thing to Max: there is no life left to live for. She is broken, a husk of her former self. The pain was too much. She slowly brought her head down on the floor and had her eyes glued onto the tile wall while her body remained motionless.
The butterfly that Max captured in one of her photos flutters down to the tiny girl gracefully landing on her hand and look as it if was trying to communicate with her. The blue-winged creature moved up her hand a little and a slight tingling can be felt. For only a brief moment, Max noticed something unusual planted on her wrist: it was a blue bracelet with seashells adorned on it. Max knew she never wore a bracelet ever, so it was strange, however, she's too tired to care. Just then everything began to look so blurry and out of pace, and Max's head begins to feel so dizzy to the point where darkness overtook her vision.
(^)
How much time has passed? Hours? Minutes? Who can tell? But as a weary Max slowly opens her eyes, her peripheral vision notices that the small window on the ceiling has a purple color bruising to it.
Which only means one thing: dusk has arrived. Or is it dawn?
Whatever the time is, Max dismisses that question and her eyes flutter, struggling to stay awake. The aching in her heart is unbearable.
Her tired mind recalls the tragedy from earlier and fresh tears begin pouring down her cheeks like a fresh stream. Soft hiccups make Max jolt before she succumbs to a silent sobbing.
"Chloe..." Her voice is nothing more than a hoarse whisper.
Her tiny hand curls into a trembling fist as her eyes squeezed themselves shut to the extreme and her jaw becomes tight and frigid. A few painful seconds later, her body loosens up and gasps in several breaths of air.
Many minutes later, Max calms herself, but is too weak to move. Her eyes glance back up at the window to see the view is pitch black.
Night time.
That's not good enough for Max to move. She cannot move nor did she want to.
All she wants to do is go back to sleep.
Her ears can hear a soft creak coming from the door. She jerks fearing that Nathan is coming back into the bathroom or it's some sort of twisted replay of Chloe's murder. But she relaxes when it was just a girl's voice. It sounds familiar, but her foggy mind could not make out who it is.
"Okay, well I'm in the bathroom right now. I swear, my hearts just racing just being here." Her voice. It could have been Victoria, but it lacks that sort of pish posh haughty tone to it. "I'll meet you out in the campus, okay? Hey! Calm down. It's all good. I'll meet you out in a few minutes, 'kay, baby? Okay. Love you."
Max involuntarily sucks a breath in. One that may have been too loud.
"Hello?" The voice calls out a little startled. "Anyone here?"
Max just begins whispering, "Go away, go away, go away, go away. Leave me alone. I want to be left alone."
"Okay, I can hear you." The stranger sounds a little irritated but a little spooked. "Stop being a creep and come out!"
Max can hear the unknown girl opening up each and every stall room door. Hopefully, she doesn't look behind the stalls.
"This isn't funny! Come out right now or I'm calling the cops."
Max's brows furrow and just hurdles into a ball as slow steady footsteps reach her ears. This girl, whoever she is, will find her. All she can do is cover her face in her knees and shudder.
"Oh my god..." A soft but alarmed whisper comes from the stranger. "Max!"
Max curves a small smile finally deducting that person's voice. One of the popular girls in Blackwell, but none of those douche snobs like Victoria or Taylor. It's none other than that happy go to cheerleader for the Bigfoots.
"Dana..." Max gasps out.
Dana's voice is calm but frantic. "Alright, girl, sit up!"
The tiny girl can feel hands on her shoulders as she is pulled up off the floor with her back resting against the stall. Max lazily looks up at Dana who looks more than worried.
"Holy shit... you look pale.."
Max remains silent and just brings her head down as Dana helps her to feet frantically assuring Max that everything is alright. With Dana's help, Max limps out of the bathroom to see that the corridor of Blackwell is dimly lit but students are still roaming around.
Max notices a few of them stop to stare at her with shock looks on their faces. She can even make out some of the stuff they're saying.
"Is that Max?"
"Was she in the bathroom all night?"
"She looks so zonked out!"
"Did Nathan drug her?!"
Dana snaps at everyone to make room as she assists Max towards the exit. The black void beyond those doors is softly illuminating bulbs of light. It gives Max some source of comfort, like hope in an unforgiving world.
She suddenly comes up with a great idea for another photo shoot.
As the doors open up, a gush of cool air hits her skin. Max shudders from its touch, but her legs quickly begin to suffer intense pins and needles feeling that's making her struggle to stay on her feet. Flashes of Rachel in the junkyard, and a motionless Chloe beside her become too much to bear. Max's loses her footing and falls on the second step to the ground. Thankfully, she didn't feel the pain.
The last thing she remembers is Dana screaming something about dialing 911.
(^)
Max's slowly regained consciousness, but she was still too exhausted to open her eyes, but she can hear faint whispering from what sounds like more than one person and a slow steady beeping. That only meant one thing: She had visitors. It was a shame it was still too clouded to make out what can be heard.
A few moments of passed before her head was clear enough to allow more movement. With a soft moan, Max moved her head slowly opening her eyes feeling the extreme wooziness playing with her sight before it settled to see that she was laying down in a bed in the hospital. And despite feeling like she has is in the deepest pits of internal torment, it was such a blessing to see one truly amazing friend. Someone who has suffered much worse than her and tried to take her own life in the process. Someone, like Max, is a victim of Jefferson. Kate Marsh is sitting in a chair doodling in a sketchbook. Most likely her illustrations for her new book.
Max softly grunts as her body squirms around in her bed, alerting Kate that she's awake. The doodling girl's eyes widen with a gaping mouth.
"Hi, Kate..." Max cracks a weary smile and extends her arms out as Kate approaches.
"Max!" She cried out in joy pulling her in closer. "Oh thank goodness, you're awake!" Kate lets out a shaky breath as her grip tightens. "Oh, bless you."
Max smiled in happiness knowing that Kate Marsh was here alive and well, and to Max, that was one thing she is truly thankful for. She tries to sit up, but Kate rests a hand on her shoulder.
"Lay back down." Kate whispers softly pushing the hospitalized girl back down. "Just relax."
Max complied slowly sinking back into the bed, but there was something she needed to say. "Kate... listen to me." She caught Kate's hand gripping it tightly.
Kate was taken aback by this but nods. "I am." She said.
These words may be just the thing to keep Kate from losing hope.
"Kate..." Max gulps before continuing. "Always remember that no matter what, you're not alone." She can feel the tears building up, but she had to be strong. "I've got your back no matter what. So do a lot of people who love you and want to help you. You're an amazing person, Kate. You need to know that."
"Max..." Kate darted her head away. "That makes me feel so blessed for the first time this week..." Max can see the tears falling from her face, and she gripped her hand tighter. "I- I don't know what to say.."
Max forced a smile. "That's okay. Neither do I." Despite her fragile state, Kate needed her right now. "Can I... have another hug? Please?"
"Yes." Kate replies as the two girls embraced each other once more only it felt like an eternity. Max closed her eyes pulling Kate in more as if she a nurturing big sister would. Both girls reluctantly pulled away letting Max rest her head back on the pillow sighing heavily.
Her chest is enduring a numbing pain, and it's somewhat difficult to keep her eyes open.
Max risks the casual small talk. "How was your day? At school I mean?" She notices her breathing is somewhat shallow.
Kate pulled her chair up close to Max and sat down with her bible resting in her lap. "Ever since Nathan..." She struggled to find the right words. "Took that girls life, Blackwell is shut down for a couple of days. From what I can tell, the police are on a full investigation of what's been going on. The entire staff and some students were questioned.."
"Did they question you?" Max queried knowing that Kate was in that video thanks to Victoria.
Kate nodded. "They were nice to me." She assured. "They only asked me a few questions and then I was free." She let out a relieved breath. "I'm so happy your okay Max."
But I'm not...
"I'm glad you're fine too, Kate." Max says fluttering her eyes for a few seconds.
"Max you... you were unconscious for three days." Kate revealed shuddering. "We thought you would never wake up..."
"Three days?" Max repeats quietly. "It's Thursday?"
"Yes. We... didn't know what happened. The good news is the doctor said you're healthy, which... didn't make any sense." Kate gingerly takes ahold of Max's hand. "How're you feeling right now?"
Max wearily shifts her body. "I feel a little weak... and a little dizzy, too." She chuckles. "I guess that's what I get for skipping meals for three days."
Kate said nothing but sighed and leaned back against her seat. "Max... Mr. Jefferson got arrested on Monday."
Max internally smiled at the news that they nailed this sick fucker so quick and she can only hope that he is going to suffer so hard after everyone he has hurt and killed. But outside, Max acts out a shock silent gasp playing dumb. "What? What do you mean? W-what happen?" She never considers herself an actress, but she thinks she did a really good job.
"They said he..." Kate struggles to find words for a few seconds. "He was responsible for kidnapping girls. If that's true... I can't believe he would do something like that." She quickly forms a smile. "Don't worry about it, Max. It's just so great that you're awake, and she's going to be so happy that you are." Kate lets out a giggle. "And I think that's putting it mildly."
Max's brows arch up puzzled by what she meant.
Wha... what? Who is 'she'
Max sat up again. "Who are you talking about?" There were only two girls Max could think of that would visit her. Victoria... although they got off on a horrible start, Max can see that deep down Victoria has a good heart, so there might be a chance she would be here too.
Dana. It must be Dana. After all, she try to help Max after all.
Just before Kate was about to answer, the door to the room opened and a girl walked in with two yogurts. At first sight, Max was unsure who she was, but she looked so familiar with the long graceful dark blonde hair, hazel eyes and... the blue feather. Connecting all the pieces together, Max feels as if her heart stops and grips her sheets so hard to see who was before her eyes. She is completely paralyzed. This couldn't be real! It's impossible! She has to be dreaming! She has to!
The girl's clothing has an outgoing style to it with a black long sleeve crop top and a set of ripped jeans that suited her very well. It's a smooth mixture of a rugged grace that's unlike any other. Her skin has a smooth light tan complexion like she's just returned from the beach.
When the girl lays her eyes on Max, they widen like saucers and the two yogurts fell to the ground risking a potential mess. She has her hands over her gape mouth releasing a gleeful gasp. "Max!" Her voice is so angelic, Max felt sparks flickering in her heart.
Max, in total shock, forces out the name of the girl who she thought was impossible to be here. "R-Rachel?!" Her voice is cracking up and the tears were already falling feeling elated, distressed, nostalgia, scared, amazed, all of the Yin and Yang emotions were overwhelming her. Against all logic and understanding, Rachel Amber was here in flesh and not in some shallow grave!
Rachel, recognizing that Max was about to break down, was already walking towards her. But Max had other plans. She forces herself out of her bed and crashed her feet down to the floor planning to thrust into Rachel's arms, but her legs were like jello and so she crashed to the ground so hard. She underestimates how weak she truly is.
Forgetting that she's been hooked up to machines, one of them tips over.
"Max!" Rachel exclaims rushing over to her aid. "Stop! Stay there!"
Max ignores her pleas and rapidly crawls over to a crouching Rachel and throws herself into her squeezing her so tight. Her wires disconnected from her skin producing a horrific flatlining sound. "Oh my god, Rachel! It's you! It's really you!" Her sobs were that of joy and distraught, and the horrid memories of the junkyard came flooding back to her, which only made her wail so much more. Only this time, instead of the horrid odor, she could smell something of fresh jasmine through her smooth hair.
"I'm here, sweetie!" Rachel soothes her gently, though it was somewhat shaky. Her grip on the tiny girl increases. "It's okay! I'm right here! I'm here."
Max was letting the tears fall onto her black shirt. "I can't believe it's you! You're really here!" Her sobs wreck her body. "Please don't let this be a dream! Please, God no!"
As Max remained trapped in Rachel's grip sobbing her very soul out, she can feel a hand resting on the back of her head as it stroked her hair gently. She can hear Rachel's breath softly tickling her neck relaxing the anguished girl enough to hear that Rachel was whispering sweet nothings into her ear followed by a light rocking. In a manner of moments, an agonized Max is in a much more tranquil state with some of the aching in her heart evaporating and her body going limp.
After so much horror, sadness, and unbearable heartbreak, something truly amazing has happened. Amazing is an insult to this discovery but for Max, no other word can be found. Whether she messed up time so much or somehow ended up in an alternate reality, she finally met the incredible Rachel Amber.
And if this was a dream, she never wants to wake up.
With Max's body limp, Rachel delicately lifts the tiny girl up to her feet and places her back on the bed with Kate's aid.
"Lay down." Rachel instructs softly.
Max obeys and rests herself back onto the bed with the blankets over her while keeping her eyes on Rachel's assuring yet alarmed face. Max sinks into her pillow thinking that everything about Rachel is more the mesmerizing, it's real. Something no photographer could capture.
Rachel gives Max a small warm smile, and affectionately cups her cheek. Max returns the gesture with a trembling grin.
She's alive... Rachel's real...