Life is Strange- A Proper Ending
"Max... it's time..." Chloe said to Max, trying to ease her thoughts.
"Chloe... I'm so, so sorry... I... I don't want to do this," Max said, hesitating to make either decision. The rain was beating down on both of them as the storm slowly drew closer and closer to Arcadia Bay.
Chloe pulled Max into what would be their last embrace, "I know, Max. But we have to. We have to save everybody, okay?" Chloe said, "And you'll make those fuckers pay for what they did to Rachel." Max just stared at Chloe, words failing her, "Being together this week... it was the best farewell gift I could have hoped for," Chloe was holding back the imminent tears, "you're my Hero, Max."
Max wasn't sure what to say, so she said nothing. Instead, she stepped closer to Chloe, her hands going to Chloe's face and she passionately kissed her best friend for the second and final time.
"I'll always love you... Now get out of here, please! Do it before I freak," Chloe said, stepping backward, away from Max, "and Max Caulfield? Don't you forget about me..."
"Never..." Max said as she turned around, photo in hand. At first, she only saw two options, but as she glanced down at the photo, a third choice came to mind, "Don't worry Chloe... I know exactly what to do..." she says, glancing back at Chloe briefly.
"Max? What do you mean?" Chloe asked, but to no avail. Max had already started to focus in on the picture so she could go back to the moment she got her powers.
Her camera snapped and the photo of the butterfly came out. Max ignored it, allowing it to drop to the floor and proceeded to acquire the hammer so she could hit the Fire Alarm. She then waited for Nathan and Chloe to show up. After a little bit, the door opened and Max ducked back behind the stall. Nathan's footsteps echoed through the girl's bathroom.
"It's cool Nathan..." he said to himself, sounding distressed and nervous. "Don't stress, you're okay, bro, just... count to three," he said, taking a breath, "don't be scared. You own this school... if I wanted, I could blow it up." He gave a short, maniacal sounding laugh, "You're the boss," he said as the door opened again. Max knew it to be Chloe, "So what do you want?" he asked her.
Max heard the door close as Chloe spoke, "I hope you checked the perimeter, as my step-ass would say." She quickly opened a few stalls before speaking again, "Now, let's talk bidness," she said. Max knew what was coming. It was inevitable.
"I got nothing for you," Nathan said simply.
"Wrong. You got hella cash," Chloe said, venom piercing her voice.
"That's my family, not me," he pointed out to her.
"Oh boo hoo, poor little rich kid. I know you been pumpin' drugs n' shit to kids around here..." Max really wished Chloe wouldn't antagonize Nathan, "I bet your respectable family would help me out if I went to them. Man, I can see the headlines now-"
"Leave them out of this, bitch," Nathan interrupts her.
Chloe continues on, "I can tell everybody Nathan Prescott is a punk ass who begs like a little girl and talks to himself-"
"You don't know who the fuck I am or who you're messing around with!" Nathan says, getting angry as he pulls out the handgun, aiming it at Chloe. The moment was fast approaching. Max had to calm her nerves. She quickly glanced back at the Fire Alarm.
"Where'd you get that? What are you doing?" Chloe asked in a panic, "come on, put that thing down!"
"Don't EVER tell me what to do. I'm so SICK of people trying to control me!" Nathan started getting louder.
"You are going to get in hella more trouble for this than drugs-"
"Nobody would ever even miss your 'punk ass' would they?" Nathan asked Chloe.
It was now or never. Max stepped back to the alarm and hit it, sounding the alarm throughout the school. Chloe kneed and shoved Nathan away from her when he became distracted, "Don't EVER touch me again, freak!" Chloe leaves the bathroom. Max waits for Nathan to leave so she can find David.
"Another shitty day..." Nathan says, grabbing the gun and leaving the bathroom as well.
'Perfect,' Max says to herself and follows Nathan out, 'Now to find David.' He finds her, however.
"Hey, do you hear that fire alarm? That means you should be outside," he says to her.
"Mr. Madsen, there is something really important that I have to tell you. It concerned," her voice goes a little low, "the Prescott's."
Instead of dismissing what she is saying he looks at her curiously, "What about them?" before Max can say anything further, Principal Wells interrupts them.
"Thank you, Mr. Madsen, the situation is under control. There is no emergency here. Leave Ms. Caulfield alone and please turn off that alarm, since that's your job," he says.
"Of course," he says to Wells. Before walking off, he looks back at Max, "Meet me out in front of the girl's dormitory in 10 minutes."
"Okay," she says he walks off. She goes to head outside, but Wells stops her.
"Hold on Max, come back here," she doesn't even know why she bothered trying to leave. She steps back to standing in front of Wells, "You look a little stressed out. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine Principal Wells, never better actually," she says honestly with a smile on her face.
"Well that's great to hear Max, but I get the feeling something is on your mind. You can talk to me, you know. Or maybe you've done something wrong and are smiling about it? Well, Max? Talk to me," he says. She mentally punches him in the face for being persistent.
"Nothing is wrong Principal Wells. I've done nothing to jeopardize my Scholarship either. I want to be here at Blackwell and I wouldn't do anything to compromise that," she says, mostly honest.
He just sighs, "Well if you insist, Max. Go on and join your classmates outside now."
She nods and makes her way outside. When she does she gets a text from Warren asking her to bring him his flash drive. She tells him she will when she has a moment to go get it. She goes to in front of the Girl's Dorm and waits for David to show up. She figures it's probably best to think of her words carefully and not risk rewinding since that is probably what caused the storm in the first place. A few minutes later, David arrives, "Alright Max, what is it you have on the Prescott's?"
"I overheard Nathan talking to himself about doing things in a Dark Room under his family's farmhouse. Please, you have to believe me. Something is obviously not right with him and I know Principal Wells won't do anything, you're the only one I trust to get it done."
"You trust me? Why?" he asks, being skeptical.
"I know you're Chloe's step-dad, and I know you care about her and Joyce. You'd do whatever you can to keep them safe," she tells him.
He ponders his words, "You're right. I would do anything, alright I check it out. I knew there was something off about him, thank you for helping me confirm it," he says, walking off. Max then goes to retrieve Warren's Flash drive. She sees Kate and goes to talk to her.
"Hey Kate, I have something I need to say. Any later will be too late," she says.
"Okay? What is it, Max?" Kate says, confused.
"I'm so sorry for not being a better friend to you. I've been the worst friend in the world to you and that's not okay. I want you to know, that I'm always, always, going to be there when you need me. Don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise. I'll be here for you, whenever you need me. I'm just a phone call or text message away in the event I'm not around. I want to be that friend you need right now if you'll let me?"
Kate was speechless. She felt relieved and happy, "Oh Max," she says, standing up, "that's what I needed to hear. You've made me feel the best I have since... well..."
"Don't even bring it up. If anyone gives you shit for it, I'll take them down a notch," Max says, which prompts Kate to embrace her.
"Thank you, Max. Don't ever tell yourself you aren't a good friend because, to me, you are the best."
"Anytime Kate. Anytime," she holds her for a few more seconds until Kate pulls back, smiling.
Max nods and goes to make her way past Victoria by simply ignoring her and stepping past her before she can get a word in. She goes to Dana's room and knocks on the door, "Who is it?"
"It's Max, I need the flash drive, Dana," she says, in a rush.
"Hang on one sec," she goes to open the door but Juliet beats her to it and locks her inside. Max still doesn't understand how she managed that.
'Dammit, Juliet.' "Was that really necessary Juliet?"
"Considering that Dana has been sexting Zachary, then yeah, it is. Why do you care?"
"Because..." Max had forgotten about this incident, honestly, "well actually I can kinda understand knowing why now, but she didn't, Victoria did, and I can prove it wasn't Dana," Dana was listening to everything they said.
"Really? Be my guest. If you can find proof, then go get it," Juliet says to which Max walks to Victoria's room, prints the email and brings it back to Juliet.
"See?"
"Wow... you were right Max... god... how could I be such a fool?"
"Don't worry, Victoria is manipulative and controlling. She can get her way easily from my experience."
"Yeah..." Juliet opens Dana's door. Dana walks out looking rather pissed, "I'm an asshole. I'm sorry, Dana."
"You are, and I hope so. You really think I'd mess around with Zachary?" she asks.
"No. But I get stupid jealous. I owe you dinner. Still, love me?" Juliet asks, hoping to get back on Dana's good side.
"And you do my laundry," she says, agreeing to Juliet's proposition.
Juliet makes to leave but Max decides to say something, "Hey Juliet," she turns to Max, "I know you have no reason to believe me, and it's your choice whether you do or not, but Zach really isn't a great guy. All I'm saying is if he did this once, then he is capable of doing so again."
"I'll keep it in mind, and thanks, Max. You're like the Blackwell Ninja. Now I'm going to see what Zach has to say about Victoria," she says taking her leave.
"You set me free! Thank you. Warren's flash drive is on my desk," she says, welcoming Max into her room. She steps in and grabs the flash drive without hesitation and turns back to Dana. She doesn't have to get caught snooping and rewind to say what she needs to.
"Hey Dana," she says as a conversation starter.
"Seriously, thanks again. I can't believe Juliet locked me in my own room. Real mature."
"Dana, don't freak out, but I heard a rumor that you're um..." Max's voice drops to a whisper, "pregnant."
"What!? Who told you I was pregnant?" she asks, freaking out anyway.
"No one in particular. I just overheard it while I was on my way to Photography earlier. I don't know who said it, though, they acted like it was total bullshit as if they weren't wholly convinced it was true. I just wanted you to know..." Max said.
"It's like a goddamn reality show around here... can you keep a secret, Max?" Dana asked her.
"Of course I can Dana, you can trust me," Max said, offering a bit of comfort.
"I was pregnant... was..." Dana said with emphasis.
"Oh, oh..." Max said, catching on.
"Yeah... the fucking deadbeat of a father will be throwing passes at the game this Friday. I never should've listened to that idiot..."
"Well... it's over now Dana. And like I said, I won't tell a soul."
"I believe you. Now you might wanna get that drive to Warren before he starts freaking out about where you might be. He'll find any excuse to bug you," she says winking at Max.
"Yeah, I know..." Max heads out of the room, but before leaving the dorm she makes her way back to Kate's Slate beside her room and erases what is there. She writes a thoughtful message instead of a Peace Sign and signs her first name. 'There. Maybe this will offer some more comfort to Kate.' She makes her way out of the dorms and sees Alyssa sitting where she was before she walked in. Max quickly hurries to her and tells her to duck. The football that would've hit her smashes into a window.
"Wow, thanks, Max," short and to the point. That's Alyssa for you. Max quickly hurries to where she remembers David harassing Kate. Fortunately, he isn't, probably due to the info she gave him a little while ago. Kate isn't here either, however. She wonders where she might be. For now, she has to return the Flash drive to Warren. She just hopes Nathan doesn't show up.
When Max steps into the parking lot she sees Warren sitting against his car. Before she talks to him, though, she sees Juliet and goes to talk to her. As she gets closer, she hears Juliet talking to herself, "I don't get it... how could Zach and Victoria do that to me?"
"Hi Juliet, how are you doing?" Max asks her.
"Oh... Hey, Max. Sorry, I'm still screwed up," she said, looking down. Emotionally, not physically.
"I'm sorry you had to find out about Zach that way..." Max said to her.
"It was better I found out sooner than later. Now that skank Victoria... she won't be laughing behind my back any more thanks to you Max."
"Have you talked to Zach yet?"
"Mr. Badass Football Hero is such a chickenshit. He said he sexted Victoria as a joke," Juliet said, getting a little angry.
"Fuck him. Like I said earlier, if he did it once, he is capable of doing so again. If he actually cared as much as may say, then he wouldn't have done this to you in the first place. I can't tell you what to do, but... just keep it in mind," Max says, hoping Juliet listens.
"I will Max," she lets out a laugh after she looks at Warren, "I think Warren wants your attention."
"Yeah, I've noticed. I need to talk to him about that anyway... see you, Juliet."
"See you around Max," Juliet says, managing a wink at her.
Max walks towards Warren, flash drive in hand. When she gets close enough she sees Warren go to hug her. She remembers seeing him do so before, but since she was focused on getting the drive, it caught her off guard so she ignored it. This time, however, she actually accepts the hug, "Hey Max, how are you?"
"I'm good Warren," she says pulling back from it. She knows Warren wouldn't be the one to let go first, "Oh, here is your drive."
"Thanks," he catches his car out of the corner of his eye, "hey check out my new wheels."
"Yeah I noticed it, it's nice... affordable car. I don't know about a Hatchback, though."
"Oh, you wound me with your words, madam..." he feigns injury, "now we can go to the drive-in. There is one in Newberg-"
"Warren, hold on a sec," she interrupts him.
"What is it, Max?"
"I need to say something before I go too long without doing so. I didn't want to hurt you, but I can't find any other way to say this without being blunt. We're just friends, okay? You're a good guy, Warren, but you'll be that guy for a girl that isn't me," Max tells him.
"Okay," he says, looking defeated.
"I also can think of one girl that tries to get your attention the same way you try to get mine," Max purposefully let's slip.
"Who?" he asks, maybe a bit too eagerly.
"Brooke."
"Brooke? Really?"
"Yeah. Whenever I converse with her, she can't help but always bring you up. It's kinda cute," she says with a smile.
"Alright, thanks for telling me, Max, before I got in too deep with... well... you know."
"I know Warren," Max says as she sees Nathan walking towards them, "fuck me..."
"Max Caulfield right?"
She is tempted to be sarcastic, "Who wants to know?"
He just ignores her words, "You're one of Jefferson's photo groupies..."
"Sometimes, yeah."
Nathan doesn't seem amused, "Whatthefuckever. I know you like to take pictures, especially when you're hiding out in the bathrooms."
"Max, what's he-"
"Shut the fuck up," he tells Warren before turning his attention back to Max, "You best tell me what you saw. Now!"
'Oh, the temptation to be sarcastic is strong.' "Nothing. I never saw you enter any bathroom. I'd be foolish otherwise," she says, hoping he catches on to her words.
"Don't get coy with me bitch," Oh well, Max tried. "Do you have any idea who I am?"
"Only that you're Nathan Prescott whose family has a lot of money," she says and he grabs her by the throat, choking her.
"You're goddamn right I'm Nathan Prescott! And never forget that Max Caulfield."
"Let go..." she grabs his wrist and tries to push him off, "you're... hurting me..." he throws Max behind him and to the ground just as Chloe is leaving in her truck. She comes to a sudden stop and Max stands up. It's at that moment that Warren tackles Nathan. Max looks back at Warren, "Warren!"
"Wait, Max?" Chloe asks.
Max looks back at her, "Chloe…" she looks back and sees Nathan push Warren off.
"Max get in!" she says opening the door and Max hurries inside. Nathan kicks the door closed.
"Get your punk asses out of there now! Don't even try to run! Nobody messes with me! NOBODY!" Max watches them until they are out of sight. She saw Security arriving after they left.
"Oh my god... Chloe, you have no idea how thankful I am that you showed up..." Max says as they drive down the road.
"Oh, hi to you too Max. Glad to know you're still alive after all these fucking years," she says, venom in her voice.
"Chloe I'll explain everything later, but it has to be later. No sooner. I am the worst friend for never calling or texting you."
"Ya think?"
"It works both ways, though, Chloe. You could've also texted me."
"Yes because I was in such a talkative mood after my father died."
"I'm sorry I couldn't control when my parents moved... if I had any say I would've stayed..."
Chloe looks over at Max, then looks back at the road, not saying anything. A few moments are spent in silence. Max checks her camera and sighs in frustration.
"What's up?"
"My fucking camera is broke because of Nathan..."
"Asshole. My step-dad should have some tools for you to fix it."
"I hope so..." she says, already knowing he does. She also knows she won't be able to fix it, but Chloe will most likely still end up giving her Williams old camera.
"Don't look so down. I'm sure you'll be able to fix it," Chloe's demeanor has changed. It makes Max smile.
"Oh, I don't mean to be nosey, you know I am nosey, but I saw those flyers of Rachel Amber in the back of your truck," Chloe's eyes widen.
"What do you know about Rachel?"
"Just what I've heard around school, and I'm sure most of it is bullshit from jealous people."
"You're goddamn right it's bullshit!"
"How long has she been missing?" Max asked, already knowing.
"Since April. She's been missing for Six fucking months... she was my Angel, Max..." Chloe says, her hands gripping the steering wheel tight.
Max wants to tell Chloe, but she has to know the storm isn't going to happen. The first sign of it happened when it snowed in an impossible condition. If it doesn't snow, then everything will be safe. The rest of the ride is spent in silence.
They eventually arrive at Chloe's and both head inside and up to Chloe's room.
"Nice to see you still live in the same home," Max said as a conversation starter.
"Yeah. So many great fucking memories here," Chloe says in response.
'Wow. I didn't realize before, but William dying has turned Chloe into quite the pessimist. Of course, Rachel disappearing because of Jefferson and Nathan didn't help. I need to be more careful about what I say. I can't rewind to fix my wording.' "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that..." she said, feeling a bit timid.
"Don't be, shit happens." Max just shuffles back and forth for a moment.
"Oh um... wh-where are the tools?" Max asks, a little embarrassed that she had forgotten.
"Should be downstairs in the garage with my step-prick's stuff," she replies.
"Alright, thanks," she says, heading down to get them. She wished Chloe would be a bit nicer to him. Then again, Max does remember that David doesn't give her a reason to think otherwise. She goes and scoots the flattened cardboard under the table once she gets to the garage and turns on the machine so they fall. She pulls the cardboard back out and takes the time to think since she doesn't want to arrive back too quickly. She thinks about how she will go about telling Chloe the truth. She also wonders how long it'll be before Nathan and Jefferson are in custody and tried for their crimes. She wonders if David will be coming back to his home since Max gave him the info.
When she looks at the time on her phone, she realizes that it's been 10 minutes since she found the tools. She rubs her eyes and makes her way back up to Chloe's room. When she opens the door, she sees Chloe has lit a joint in her room. She doesn't know why she is surprised as this happened before as well, "About damn time, I thought you got lost.
"I had trouble finding them, and when I did, I had trouble reaching them."
"Figures they'd have been up high. It never fails when you need something, it's always out of reach. You can use my desk."
"Alright, thanks, Chloe," Max says as she makes room on the table.
"Of course," she says.
After roughly 45 minutes of working on it, Max gave up. After she got started, she felt like she could actually fix it this time, but no luck, "This isn't working... I don't have the expertise to fix this stupid thing..." Max says, exasperated, dropping the tiny tools onto the desk.
Chloe looks at Max and gets off her bed, "Hold on." She rummages through a shelf and pulls out William's camera, "I know it was your birthday last month..." she reveals the camera.
"Chloe this is-"
"My dad's camera. Take it," she says, urging Max to take the camera.
"Chloe... I can't take this..."
"Of course you can. I'm not putting it to use. He'd want you to have it."
"Chloe..." even though Max experiences this before, she was speechless.
"Hey, come on, take it."
Max looks up at Chloe, "Thank you... truly."
"Don't get all fucking sappy and emotional," Chloe goes and turns on her stereo, "come on, I'm feeling like fucking dancing." Chloe starts to dance to the music playing. "Come on, dance hippie, show me those moves!" Chloe says jumping up onto her bed. The entire thing gets Max laughing, which brings a smile to Chloe's face. Max uses her new camera to take a picture of Chloe. "Come on, shake that bony white ass!" Chloe says to which Max starts doing an awkward dance which Chloe finds to be cute.
Max and Chloe dance for a little longer before Chloe has to take five. David never showed. To Max, that meant he was busy working to bring the Prescott's and Jefferson down. "That was..." Max starts, completely out of breath, "that was fun..."
"And exhausting. I haven't danced like that in months..."
"I haven't danced like that at all..."
That gets Chloe laughing, "Not even while in Seattle?"
"No. Never had a reason to."
"Well, you do now. Hey, you wanna go somewhere?" Chloe asks randomly.
"By somewhere... do you mean the-"
"Yeah. I haven't been up there since you left since... you know... it was our place..."
"I'd love to go back and see if it's changed any," Max says.
"Alright, then let's get outta this shithole," Chloe says, walking out of her room. Max follows suit and they get into Chloe's truck.
The drive to the Lighthouse has a comfortable silence about it. When they arrive Chloe steps out, Max a second later, and they both head up to the hill. Max, still out of breath, has trouble keeping up with Chloe.
"Come on, Max, keep up."
"I don't... have the stamina... that you do..." she says, taking deep breaths.
Chloe just laughs and continues up to the Lighthouse. When Max finally gets up the hill she sees Chloe sitting on the bench and the sunset just beyond her. 'Moment of truth.' Max walks up and sits beside Chloe. Chloe doesn't say anything at first.
"It's so weird being back up here... almost surreal."
"It is weird, isn't it? Almost like it's still Five years ago..."
"Chloe..."
"Don't say it."
"Say what?"
" 'Sorry.' You always say that, especially when you don't have to, which is most of the time."
"Oh... I do don't I?"
Chloe smiles, "Yeah, but it's fine."
Max looks at her phone. 'It should be the time for the snow to start falling if it does start. I didn't black out and have that vision either. Maybe I really did change the past without consequence this time...'
"What's the matter? You got somewhere to be?" Chloe asks, bringing Max out of her thoughts.
"No... just... thinking..."
"About?" Chloe asks.
"Something."
"Like?"
"Really, Chloe?"
"What? I wanna know."
"Not... not yet..."
"Oh come on dude, really?"
"Yes, really. It's important that I tell you another time that isn't this moment."
"Really, Max?"
"What? I can't," Max says, ending the topic.
"You're such a killjoy..." Chloe huffs, crossing her arms.
"You'll be fine..." Max says, checking her phone again.
"Dude, you sure you don't have anywhere to be?"
"Do you trust me?" Max asks.
"What?"
"I know that's an outrageous thing to ask you of all people, but do you trust me?" she asks again.
"I mean... I don't know, Max..."
"I wouldn't trust me either if I was in your position... so I don't blame you if you don't believe what I'm about to tell you..." she says, leaning forward onto her knees.
"Tell me what?"
"In a minute. I need to be sure first before I say anything..." Max says, allowing a few minutes to pass. Nothing happens. No vision, no snow, nothing. 'Here goes nothing.' "Alright Chloe, this will be the most unbelievable thing you'll have ever heard to date."
"Alright? Out with it then," Chloe says.
"Okay..." Max says, not sure where to start. "I can, or could, rewind time. I know how that sounds, but let me speak before you say anything..." Chloe nods. "I don't wanna test it and risk it to see if I can or not, otherwise there will be a giant storm that comes to rip Arcadia Bay apart."
"Good," Chloe says.
"Chloe!"
"Sorry, okay continue."
"It has to do with the fact that I rewound time to stop Nathan from shooting you in the bathroom. Then your step-dad stopped me outside the bathroom after I sounded the alarm. I told him I saw Nathan with a gun, and since Mr. Madsen is suspicious of Nathan anyway, I knew it'd get his attention so I met with him outside of the Girl's Dormitory and gave him the location of the Darkroom that Kate, Rachel, and so many other girls were taken to..." Max stops to wipe her eyes at the thought of Kate and Rachel being helpless in there, "And Rachel she-..." Max is having the hardest time saying it. She starts to cry as she says the next few words, "She's gone, Chloe... Rachel is gone from this world..." Max puts her hands against her face as she sobs beside Chloe. Chloe is in shock at the sudden news. She knew Max wouldn't cry for no reason.
After a moment, Max calms herself enough to talk in coherent sentences, "Nathan and Jefferson get girls under the farmhouse after Nathan drugs them and takes them there. Then Jefferson places them in different poses and takes sick photos of them. Tomorrow we'd be going to the junkyard to take shots at bottles with David's gun that you took from him. Then, Frank would show up asking you where his money is and it'd get really bad. I ended up saving you by almost shooting Frank, but the gun was empty.
"The truth about Nathan... he's being manipulated and controlled by Jefferson because his father neglects him. I know you don't want to believe that, but it's the truth. His father doesn't help the situation. I also went back in time to 2008 using a photo... I managed to let William live, but I changed so much... and so did you... I was friends with Victoria, Nathan, and pretty much everyone in the Vortex Club. You were..." Max goes quiet for a moment, "you were in a car crash and permanently paralyzed from the waist down... William and Joyce couldn't afford your medical bills so Joyce had to get a second job working for Sean Prescott...
"In the end, you asked me to end your life so your parents didn't have to suffer any longer. I went back to 2008 again and allowed William to die... it was so painful knowing I had to let him die. Thursday came and we went looking for Nathan as we thought he killed Rachel. Then Jefferson, pretending to be Nathan, lured us back to where Rachel was buried. He shot you and kidnapped me, taking me to the Darkroom. It was so scary... Jefferson had killed Nathan then...
"I went back several times until Friday eventually came and the Storm arrived. At first, I only saw two options, let you die, or let Arcadia Bay and everyone in it die. As we parted from... um... I saw another option present itself, and now here we are. The first indication of the Storm was that it snowed this evening. The following day a Solar Eclipse happened out of nowhere. On Wednesday... dead Whales cover the beach. Thursday night there are two moons. Then Friday... well... So that's it. That's all I have to say. I sound like a crazy person, I know, but I'm not making any of it up, I swear to you, Chloe."
Chloe processes everything Max has said, taking several minutes to sort through it all. "Rachel's dead..." Chloe starts to break down.
"I'm so sorry Chloe... I'm so, so sorry..."
"It's not..." Chloe wipes her teary eyes, "it's not your fault, Max... you sound serious about all of this. I-I... as far-fetched as literally everything you said sounds, I believe you, Max. I believe every word. Where is-... where is Rachel's body?"
"Don't worry, David will find her. He did in one time line, he will again."
"But where?"
"The Junkyard..."
"Oh god... Rachel..." Chloe starts to cry again. Max sits there, quietly and depressed.
The following day, police arrive at Blackwell and arrest Nathan, who gives up Jefferson once at the station. The police return and arrest Jefferson as he tries to leave the school grounds. Max is standing with Kate both times to watch the events unfold. Max told Kate she'd be a better friend, and that's exactly what she's gonna do. Rachel's body is found and recovered. A funeral and burial scheduled for Friday morning into the afternoon. Max and Chloe were both dressed in black dresses. Chloe made an exception to wearing a dress to the funeral. Chloe broke down twice on Friday. When she saw Rachel in the casket and when Rachel was being lowered into the ground.
Max looked out and saw clear skies. Even in this dark time, she smiled. She had changed history and didn't put anyone at risk. She held onto Chloe as she cried. The moment might've been dark, but the future was bright.