Summary:

Max starts to enjoy her stay on the stable timeline. Her powers have altered, so the layer itself. Yet, something has happened, that turns her point of view upside down. Will she ever find out and or understand? Using her new powers may hurt over time...

Chapter 02 – Alternative Amnesia
Theme Song: Yung Sherman & Lil Sad – Hide Forever

I don't know how to tackle it but actually, my memory is completely busted that's for sure. I remember a few things, only. But everything, that I can recall, must've altered heavily. Swell! I must get up and interrupt that wonderful massage around my skull. Brooke was doing awesomely. I turn to her and say,

"I'll have a look around and see what's going on." – "Yeah I'll wait here for Warren. He's getting some attachment thingy for my drone," Brook answers.

What? Warren? Let's have a look on my phone again. Wasn't he supposed to spam my fricking phone right now? It should've blown already. Huh, he had never written a word to me… At the same time, I see Chloe's not deposited, either. Well, regarding this sinister amnesia as something new, I really start to believe, that a ton of things have changed. Must find out everything. I'll head to my dorm room first. On my way there, I see a crowd of students standing at the entrance. I try to edge my way through them. I see a lot of grumpy faces on my way in. How could it be, that everybody's so disturbed at the mere sight of me? Have I changed to a naughty minx just like Victoria has? Those boys and gals, they all share the same disgraceful look towards me. Mocking me… Well, this is, how Kate must've very likely felt. Taylor runs past me, almost nudging me away. Crying really loud and sobbing. Her eyes are filled with tears and almost falling to the ground in deep grief. One of the guys in Nathan's room shouts,

"Fuck! Get us the ambulance here!"

I squeeze myself through the crowd of gawking students. Finally, I've made it inside of Nathan's room. It's almost impossible to edge myself through the last row. I can't make it deeper inside of the room. The crowded students behave akin to a sturdy wall. I hope he didn't shoot Chloe just somewhere else. But considering her leaving the parking lot, she might be fine, after all.

"Fuck me! Nathan shot himself we need fucking help here!" The same guy screams out of the room. Although I hear his words, I'm certain that the students out of the last row can't hear it anymore. Guess, that the cry for help has suffocated amidst the crowd. I see Nathan's dead unmoving body lying on the ground. A puddle of blood grows around his head. A clean shot against the right temple. Alright Max, there's no need to stay at this place.

I clench my fist and pulse backwards in time. I'll never get used to the choking around my neck. It's disgusting and it damn hurts.

I'm back at the entrance of Blackwell. Huh? My music player is still blasting music into my ears? I thought I had moved backwards in time. The track should be back at the beginning. Still need to learn a lot more about my Einstein-Powers. I feel the paper ball in my pocket. I cramp it out to read its mean gossip. Maybe it also has changed… it really is changed…

"In your selfie-ish face!"

Oh, this is so obvious, they think they can mock me with this cheap stuff? I'll tear the sheet apart, then throw it in the next trash can. The door behind me opens. Warren pats my back. With his swollen face… and hurt barely anywhere I look at, I freeze in shock and step back a foot.

"Gosh Warren. Wha…" – "That was Nathan's creation… yesterday," Warren answers. I'm still shocked. What's wrong with this place? "You're not looking well, either. It's all this lunatic's fault!" He says to me "Brooke took care of me, she's my angel. I'll write you later Max," he adds with a faint smile and pats my shoulder. After that he turns around and heads to Brooke. Sigh, again I'm so sorry for him. Warren embraces Brooke, she cracks a smile as he opens his arms to embrace her. Really… deserved… she gives him a smooch on the left cheek, cute. Well, at least Brooke's not jealous on this delusive timeline. Seeing both hugging and swaying calms me. A gust of wind raises Brookes hair and slaps in Warren's face. She immediately apologizes and hugs him even stronger. Oh man, I hope this is the way, Warren is going to be happy with. Warren leaves her, says something I can't quite understand and points in the direction of the dorms. Apparently, he's coming back to her, soon for whatever doodad he gets to attach it to Brooke's drone. Anyway, I must find out a lot more.

Truly, I can't tell how much things have changed on this layer. And I'm sure my powers must have changed, likewise. My head wants to explode! Now I'm not rewinding, I'm kind of pulsating in two directions. Past and future. I won't ever understand time-travelling shit, this way or another. What the heck! Here is plenty stuff to examine and to investigate further. I'm eager to know what'll happen if I jump forwards with another person's presence. Oh, am I joking about my cutthroat powers, now? I want to go back into class.

I clench my fist again, frightened to asphyxiate. I go back, far back. The tolling of the bell kills me. The choking likely breaks my neck.

During I've clenched my fist, I've felt the wish to go back into the classroom. I'm back in Jefferson's lesson. Okay, that means, I've got – if nothing else – some control over this pulse-technique, and yet… Jefferson keeps rambling, as always. Urgh shit!

Luckily my nose doesn't bleed this time. Good, what now? I have to observe this classroom for all important details and most importantly, changed details. What has changed? Stella picks her pen up, Victoria's phone starts vibrating. So far, so good. Wait! Kate's not looking sad and tired today. How? Oh my, what about Rachel? This timeline could be the most beautiful dream. I can't remember the posters but I know they were spread all over Blackwell. Chloe was working very hard to find her. Nice I remember another magnanimous emotion. Repentance… that's big of you…

I take my very first selfie in Jefferson's class, again. I can't remember most of my past, but this beginning feels like the inception of something wonderful. Ohno, Jefferson noticed my shot, again... Just when I thought, I can remember – at least – something.

"Now Max, since you've captured our interest and clearly want to join the conversation, can you please tell us the name of the process that gave birth to the first self-portraits?" Jefferson asks me.

Not this again!

"I did know! …But I kinda forgot." – "You either know this or not, Max," Jefferson answers bummed. Just shut the hell up you disgraceful gross prick! Jefferson continues and insists, "Is there anybody here who knows their stuff?" Yes, I do know my stuff a fucking lot more, than you. Although I've gotta admit, I lost almost all my memory.

Victoria kisses ass, again, and very nearly interrupts his question, "Louis Daguerre was a French painter who created 'daguerreotypes' a process that gave portraits a sharp reflective style, like a mirror." she looks at me and goes on, "Now you're totally buried in your Retro Zone. Sad, selfish psychoface!"

No matter, how harsh Victoria and all the others may've changed including their behavior towards me, I won't care. Kate seems to be fine, that's what is important. Now, I need to find out about Rachel. If there are no missing posters of her, this timeline is like heaven to me. I'm still feeling like I forgot a damn lot. I'm not in my 18-year young mind, that's what I can surely tell. Feeling older. However, all events with Chloe are after all partial present. The junk yard, the disabled alternate Chloe, – sigh – the storm… I just don't understand the thing that happened before Jefferson's class. What was before that?! I had cut through Chloe's throat and then felt her head on my chest as if it has happened just a second, ago.

Anyways, I'd never consider leaving this timeline, if all the people I care about are happy and hale. I start smiling, close my eyes, and all the sudden, the balled-up paper hits my face. Almost my left eye, to be exact. Why me? What the…

"Perfect hit in your selfiesh face!" Taylor laughs together with Victoria.

"Kids, please! Go do your pesky kindergarten-stuff somewhere else! I'm not here to nurture you, go solve your problems elsewhere!" Jefferson adds, while the school bell starts ringing. I take the paper and throw it inside the next trash can that I'll pass. Or no, let's keep it. Just in case. I need to pulse out of this room, but, my throat wouldn't handle this, if I tried. I need to get out of here surreptitiously. The normal way. I take my stuff off the table and try to abscond by giving Jefferfuck a wiiiiide berth.

"I see you, Max Caulfield. Don't even think about leaving here until we talk about your entry." I'm a failure. I apathetically respond "I've got no time for this Mister Jefferson. I'm not doing too great!" – "This will have consequences Max."

Yes sure, shitface I already figured that! Strange how everything has altered here. I think this place bears another sort of flow. Consequences… will they still occur the same? I'm leaving the classroom. Welcome to the real world, right? Zachary is having an argument with Juliet. Miss Grant leaves her Classroom, maybe concerned about the surveillance issue, right? Some stranger leans against the lockers, not blending in with the others. Obviously anxious and nervous. I've never seen him anywhere here before. Avoiding to make eye contact with the others. He listens to music similar to metal. Oh yeah, great idea! I take my in-ear headphones and re-escape. What song will I play… Hm. Let's take, "Shall We? by Tides From Nebula". A very motivating song yet mysterious song. Let's see, what's happening down the floor.

Logan still bullies poor Daniel together with that other random bozo. Presumably, not everything's changed to the better. The stranger also observes the bullying, stares sadly to the ground and clenches his first infuriated. He heads back to Miss Grants classroom. No missing person poster on the first double door. I leave the building, since Nathan doesn't flee to the girl's restroom.

Outside on campus I can't find one single poster showing Rachel missing. Score! No matter what I have made to fix this, it's a relieve. Let's have a look on some more black boards. I walk to one of them next to the Blackwell fountain. All posters are showing the same events, clubs, otters, bigfoots, et cetera. Whoa, music by Amon Tobin on the next Vortex-Club Party? Hell yes, I will go there just for his mind-blowing music! But hey, no missing posters of Rachel Amber, thus far... Considering all this something strange must've happened that fixed it all. Fuck why can't I just remember one bit of this? Was that all just a bad dream, before, or did I manipulate the correct polaroid image, that changed every-fucking-thing to the better? Changes after changes, inside of decisions over choices and blah blah blah.

I hurry to Evan. I remember him owning photographs of Rachel. Wow, where's his portfolio? I pause my music player and stuff it back inside of the bag.

"Hey, Evan. Where's your portfolio?" – "Wow, Max! You actually make some use of your voice. Well, still need a model for my portfolio…," Evan answers surprised. Okay that's odd. If Rachel survived, she'd definitely be in his portfolio. "How 'bout Rachel?" – "Rachel… who?" he responds as if I've said something totally misplaced. He's so talented, I can't imagine him not knowing Rachel Amber. Could it be, that she's dead, already, but never met Chloe? That would explain a lot… and it would be terrible. Speaking of the devil, Nathan has just nudged me to the ground. I fall down, my head smashes against the stony ground. Yeesh, that hurt. I hear a loud beep in my right ear. Evan shouts something at Nathan and kneels down, to help me get up again. The beeping has almost faded entirely. I must pulse backwards and find out more things, before the shot bangs and resounds through campus. Evan's hand grabs my wrist…

While he's helping me to get up, I clench the other fist to pulse forwards. The choke's not too horrible, this time.

Shit no! I wanted it to move backwards! What the hell? I'm in Nathan's room together with Evan. He let go off my hand and screams, "Holy shit Max. What the fuck are you doing?" Evan flinches and slumps on Nathan's bed. I've moved him with my pulse? I jinxed us... Nathan himself hasn't noticed us, yet. And he never will. Shooting himself in the head, blood paints the wall and partially splashed in my face, too. Yuck! The sound of humming whales fills this seemingly dead room with some life. Nathan instantly dies and falls to the ground to bleed out there. The shot has made both my ears deaf for a second. I hear students screaming from the outside. At the foot of the bed I sight Nathan. His right hand jiggles one last time. Creepy!

It can't believe it… Nathan seriously committed suicide. His hatred against himself was even more intense on this layer of time. Seems as if my altered choices intensified his frustration. Or it is just the fact that Chloe didn't follow him. Well, enough deep thoughts. Back to reality…

He's left the door open, readied the gun to his skull and pulled the trigger. He has killed himself right in front of the projection of helpless and bonded girls. Disgusting blood on a wall with disgusting images.

A clear shot through his head. Whales keep singing in his painted room. The walls are entirely tinted red. The mindset of a killer, whose only target was… himself. A devotion to… Max why aren't you shocked anymore? A young student with severe mental issues shoots himself in front of you involving Evan, another student, and you Max, you begin with crappy philosophy? The question is: Must Nathan die so that the truth behind Mr. Jefferson and his atrocious deeds can be revealed? Will Chloe's Stepdad find out about everything? David was the better detective, to be honest. Well was he, or is he? Does he exist here?

I hear Evan whining and trembling with fear. Yes Even, be grateful to own another gift. Well, after all this, I'll have a quick look. No last letter, no excuses, no nothing. Nothing suspicious on his email account, either. Evan quivers, so that Nathan's bed quivers along with him. Okay, Nathan… just killed himself. Yeah, at least he hasn't killed my blue-haired angel. Wait a minute! She wasn't blue-haired at the parking lot. She dyed hers red. I slowly figure, that I am the one with horrible amnesia, and not she! I turn around and look into Evan's pale face. He's in a deep state of shock. Let's move backwards, shall we?

I pulse back in time and position while touching Evans shoulder. Hopefully, Evan will be reset to the bench, where he was resting, before. The choking on my neck is the worst. I can't describe its strangling pressure, that almost breaks my neck. The bell and sound of whales creeps me out. Where does it come from?

I'm back at Blackwell's entrance. I fall to my knees and start coughing. Swallowing hurts my throat. Tears press themselves out of my eyes because the gorge hurts! I raise my head to look after Evan while grabbling my own throat. He has been reset to his bench. As if all that has never happened… Sigh. A few minutes, ago, I was slowly beginning to enjoy myself on this timeline and now, complexity of literally everything has completely evolved. I rub my right hand through my face. No blood from Nathan. Finally, something pleasant… although I'm still feeling Chloe's head on my chest. The phantom imprinting… Wherever I might be, I need to find my answers, as quick as possible! Warren leaves Blackwell behind me, too. I look at him. I get up again, quitting the coughing. Warren pats on my back.

"That was Nathan creation… yesterday," Warren says to me, sadly. I don't get it. "You're not looking well, either Max. It's all that lunatic's fault!" He says to me wiping away one tear from my cheek "Brooke took care of me, she's my angel. I'll write you later Max," he adds. I can't respond. He's going to Brooke, again. I understand, it doesn't take too long and he leaves her to walk to the dorms. That's why Brooke was able to take care of me instead. Gosh, I can't keep track of this mess. I think, I'd better go to the girl's dorm and forget about everything that has ever happened. I can talk to Chloe, later. I'm starting to get the feeling, that she'll be fine. I walk past Evan and enter the path to the girls' dorm. Evan doesn't recognize me or raise his head as I pass him. His memory is rinsed by rewind-powers. Hmm, should also work as a commercial, shouldn't it?

I pull my player out of the endless depths of my bag and hit resume. I want to cut myself off this planet. Hide everything I know, forever. Even from myself. If all this is real, my responsibility must be greater, likewise. First my rewind-powers allowed me to keep objects with me. But now, I can also move persons in time and position. Phew, I need a break. I better pay my own room a visit.

Let's find out, what's at stake. Outside the dorms are Logan and Zachary. Catch the football. The no-brainer's greatest occupation. Talking about Logan, wasn't he bullying Daniel a few minutes, before? Anyway, I'm the sicko who lost track of everything. Alyssa reads her stuff on the bench. Her colored strand has remained the same. I enter the dorms, Samuel starts his paintjob. Victoria, Taylor and Courtney aren't waiting on the stairs. Cool, so I needn't break Samuel's paint bucket. I hear the bang of Nathan's gun. Samuel startles on the ladder and quietly talks to himself, "Huh? Oh please kids, don't do silly things."

Yeah Prescott, now this 'accident' has happened to you instead. To you instead of whoever could've been your inadvertent target. On the way to my room, everything on the floor has remained the same. Okay, even the spread-out toilet paper roll on the bottom… Love to the detail, indeed. Whoever meddled with time inside of this dimension, it had to be a ton of work and maybe even fun.

As I reach my door, I'll have a quick look on Kate's slate. She mentions a psalm from the holy bible. Kate isn't bullied, I deduce. It somehow is uncommon to me, that she's not suffering, for any longer. I turn around and face my slate.

"BEWARE: Selfiesh Zombie" it says with a pair of tired bloodshot eyes representing the two o-letters. Around the text, I can see that someone erased the multiple time. Apparently, they've failed to erase this message. They'll always find another victim, won't they? Turning off the music player, I enter my room to face the next big shock. Who the fuck rampaged through my room? I chuck my bag on the sofa. Home, sweet home. My fucking… doom… All my stuff has been thrown around. My wall of polaroid photos has been messed up and dispersed all over the room. On the wall, it says, "Go fuck yourselfie!" What a coincidence, yet again. Déjà-vu. I almost missed Victoria's retarded comments, but a vandalized room is too much. Dammit, the strings of my guitar are cut.

I'll sit down on my bed. Where's my teddy? Gosh, they tore his head off and impaled him on Lisa's stick. Lisa is also trampled dead. Oh man. If I was Poison Ivy… oh, my mother has just messaged me. Let's have a look,

"Hi honey Your principal sent me an email saying that he is concerned about your attitude and behavior that you are not fitting in well and hiding in your dorm I know it's hard to be away from home even if you are all grown-up now. But you are there to change the world with your camera please call me soon to chat we miss you! Xxoo mommy"

Hell! No periods anywhere! Same damn message, but, totally different world. Maybe I'll write a thesis about "alternate changes" in place of analogue photography. Occurrences and events which remain the same over and over, although everything, – surrounding it – changes. I look away from my phone. There is one question that gnaws in my mind. How do I look like? I face the mirror, which has a big crack in the top right corner, now.

I see myself in the reflection. I look more akin to a dead body. Deathly pale… By just looking in my own reflection I start to realize, that I'm the one, who is the bullied. A giant red bruise circuits around my neck. The strength in my legs languishes.

Falling to the ground, I notice an ugly sound of a bell. I black out for one moment.

I can't see a thing. A fierce, pure tone fades, a knocking becomes louder. It is Kate. For no apparent reason, I've changed my position onto my chair facing the desk. Strange…, blacking out for one second and bam, you are somewhere else. My stereo plays "Yung Sherman and Lil Sad – Hide Forever". Cool, another song that perfectly blends with my midlife-crisis-situation. Whatever incantation made my stereo play this song, it's terrific.

Kate slowly approaches me. She really looks concerned. What about the balled-up paper? I might show it to her. Wait, where is it? Dammit! Another error, again. I knew this pulsing-rewinding-story is my next calamity.

I clench my fist and try to move far backwards and keep my position. My head almost explodes. The strangle on my throat feels like it wants to cut through.

I'm back on my chair. My head terribly aches. Is this how a hangover feels like? A knocking on my doorstep becomes louder. My brain can't handle the pain. Nosebleeds all over again, fuck... So… is that it? What's the intention of this bell-signal? My blood drips on my first selfie from Jefferson's lesson. I don't get it. The paper ball vanishes but the polaroid remains. Oh swell, the blood seeps into the polaroid. It's ruined. On my first run-through, I spilled soda on Kate's book and now I spoil my very first selfie. Sweeping!

Kate approaches me again. As my head's not clear, I'll try to answer as short as possible. Damn, my blood keeps running.

"Hi, Max…," she starts off.
Me: "Oh… Hey, Kate."
Kate: "Max, listen to me."
Me frightened: "I…I am."
Kate: "Always remember that you're not alone. I've got your back, no matter what happens. God will guide us, and a lot of other people, too. We all care, we're all here for you. You need to know that."
Me, totally stunned: "I'm… glad to see you like… Kate… you're great. I… I don't know what to say…"
Kate smiles: "That's okay, neither do I. Maybe…".
Me, jumping at her: "…we could both use a hug? Aww. …you always know the right thing to do!"

Embracing her I feel Kate's bony body. On the other hand, she has become a lot stronger. For some reason, I start to try cry in an instant. Kate leans back to look in my face, with a soft smile… I cry with stutters, "This is my fault. All of it. I turned this entire world upside down. This won't solve things!"

Kate's mouth opens. Apparently intrigued by my despicable looking face. I see a wide stain of blood on her shoulder. I must remove it! Yet, I cannot pulse back, it would literally kill me. Deal with it Max!

"Christ, Max. Hopefully, I'm not too late," Kate wonders and looks on her shoulder briefly "I actually came here to tell you, that Mr. Jefferson asked, to see you again at six, since you slept through his entire course, today," she adds. "I slept through the entirety of class?" I ask with irritation. "Yeah, only God knows why those nasty girls treat you like the devil. I'd also look like you, if I was in your situation!" Kate answers. This day is getting weirder and weirder. And yet, I haven't found out, what's going on. "After all, the new student from abroad seems to really be a sensible person." she continues. New what? No! I've got no space for this in my mind. I stammer, "Stop it Kate! Please hug me again!"

My heart loudly cries for more. She instantly embraces me again. Her tight hold makes me forget about the phantom pain on the chest a bit. The song has just finished. A mellow noise remains. "Don't let go," I tell her with wobbly voice. I hear students scream. They obviously crowded themselves around Nathan's corpse. Together with Kate, we are far away from him. We are in our own hell. Well, Kate pays me the visit in my own hell. I hear the clicking-sound of a shutter. Victoria has taken a picture of Kate and me. I forgot to close the door behind so it obviously was opened the whole time.

"Aww, the nun taking care of the selfie. … too cute," she ridicules us. "Don't you want to go to the others and enjoy a better disgusting view?" Kate aggressively snaps back. Victoria leaves without commenting. "You know about Nathan?" I whisper to Kate. "I prayed for him, already. May God forgive for his sins. Yesterday, he threatened me to burn all my drawings with the bible, for no reason. After that he totaled Warren, 'coz he was 'in his way' in front of you. And a minute, ago, I crossed your room and thought that… I thought… you deserve better…!" she answers determined. I hugged her tighter. I see, Nathan's suicide bummed her, however she tries to play the strong person in front of me.

"Would you mind me, if I asked you something?" – "Do you have any other choice?" I answer still crying a bit. "Shall we go to the police? It's not funny, what happened at the party. It's dangerous, y'know?" – "Enough! Please stop it Kate!" I don't believe it. I fucking hate this dimension. I don't belong here. If there is a video about me, too… I swear to God, I won't abide. This is, how she had to have felt, when I was talking to her. Humiliated, devastated, drowning in remorse.

I've actually totally forgot to think about Chloe. I hope, she's still fine. After all, I begin to think that I am running out of odds. Victoria passes my room crying. Yeah, hopefully this has taught you a serious lesson! Kate smiles at me and says, "Hey Max, I'll help you pinning back all your photos to the wall, ok?" I carefully chuckle and nod, while the last tears leave my eyes. "I've never seen you smiling. It's… saccharine. Oh please, do this more often!" Kate bursts with pleasure. Even though, I wanna hide forever and fade away, she gives me some fresh energy. And for right now, I'm a bit glad about my vexing amnesia.