Warren's soft voice wakes me up.
"I brought you two some breakfast… I figured that you wouldn't want to leave her alone and well, that you both were pretty hungry by now…"
"Thank you, Warren." Kate answers. "She's still asleep…"
I must have managed to fall asleep again after that horrible nightmare. Strange that it wasn't followed by more… Maybe the fatigue prevented me to dream again…
"How did the night go?"
"It was horrible… She must have had some horrible nightmares, around 4 she woke up, crying and panicking. She was so confused… Like she couldn't figure out what was a dream and what was reality…" Kate continues.
I feel bile rise in my throat as parts of the nightmares start to come back to me.
"Oh man…. That's horrible…" Warren answers. "Do you want to get some sleep now? You look pretty tired. I can stay here with her."
Oh no, I must have prevented Kate from falling asleep again…
It's quiet for a moment. "I didn't sleep a lot after she had woken up… I just sat beside her, holding her as she cried… It took a while before she fell asleep again and even after that, I didn't really wanted to go asleep. If she had more of those nightmares, I wanted to be there…"
Poor Kate… That was so sweet of her to stay awake.
"You can go to sleep now Kate, I'll watch over her."
"Yeah, okay… Thanks a lot Warren. Can I take some of the breakfast with me though? For when I wake up." Kate asks.
"Sure."
"Okay. Thanks again. I'll come back when I'm awake."
The door closes. I figure Kate's gone now. I can hear Warren walking over to my sofa and sitting down. A few moments later, I figure it's time for me to actually wake up.
I open my eyes and sit up in my bed. Warren's beside my bed immediately.
"Max… How are you doing?" he asks.
I don't really know what to say to that. "I guess I'm okay. Well, not really okay… I don't really know how to describe it..." That's true. What I do know is that I can feel it in my whole body. It aches. God Chloe…
"That's normal…" he answers. It's clear he doesn't really know what to say.
I move so he can sit down next to me.
"Do you want some breakfast?"
I want to say no but when my stomach growls, I nod.
He hands me the bag he brought and I take out a yoghurt. I don't feel like eating something heavy right now.
"How did you sleep? Kate said you had a nightmare…" Warren asks.
I look down. Parts of the nightmares flash before my eyes.
"Sorry I shouldn't have asked you…"
"No, it's okay," I say. "It's just not fun to remember my nightmares. They were horrible."
"I'm sorry."
"I know."
It's quiet for some time as I finish my yoghurt. I glance at Warren. With everything going on, I had almost forgotten that we had kissed… Almost… Well, he obviously doesn't remember that since it never happened, but I do. Now's not really the time though, still, I doubt the fact that I can completely put this out of my head. I bite my lip.
"Classes are suspended until Thursday probably. Well that's what the principal announced anyways."
It's kind of logical to have them suspend classes for a while when a student shoots an ex-student, whose the daughter of the head of security, on campus.
"Thought you might wanted to know…" he adds.
"Thanks yeah… Have you heard anything about Nathan?"
"Yeah, he was taken to a mental institution, turns out he had a lot of mental health problems but his father refused to help him… Maybe if they had done something about that… But that doesn't take away what happened. He still killed Chloe…" he sighs while rubbing his head.
I didn't want to hurt Kate or Rachel, or… didn't want to hurt anybody.
"I know…"
Our conversation is interrupted by my phone buzzing. I take it from my nightstand and see that it's my mom, calling me.
"It's my mom," I tell Warren.
"Oh," he replies.
I inhale deeply before I press the answer button and hold the phone against my ear. "Hi mom."
"Maxine, I'm sorry we haven't called you yet… We heard about Chloe…"
I swallow hard. "Yeah…" I say, unsure what to answer.
"Oh Maxine…" I hear her start to sob and my dad takes over. "Hi Max."
"Hey dad."
"We're really sorry to hear about Chloe… I can't imagine what you're going through right now. And poor Joyce…. It's just horrible…"
I feel a lump in my throat and I try to swallow it away. "I know."
It's quiet between us for a while until I hear my mom asking for the phone.
"We want to come to Arcadia Bay for the funeral, but your granddad is… he's not doing very good at the moment."
"Oh," I reply. "I didn't know…"
"It only happened 2 days ago, he had chest pains and got taken to the hospital. He will probably be okay, but he wants me to be there since there is no one else. We're really sorry."
"It's okay mom, really. I understand, and I know Joyce does too," I do understand. "I will give grandpa a call this week."
"That's great sweetie… We'll call Joyce as well. Do you have friends that can take care of you?"
"Yeah, I've got Kate and Warren. They take great care of me. I'll be okay mom."
"Okay… We're very worried about you…. We know she was like your sister, and she was like a daughter to us… Even after those years, it's so hard for us, we just can't imagine what it's like for you. Please call us if you need to, we're always here for you okay Maxine?"
"I know that… Thank you mom. And dad. I'll be okay… It'll take some time but I'll be okay."
"Okay, well, goodbye sweetie, I love you."
"I love you too," I reply.
I hear the phone being moved. "Take care of yourself Maxine, I love you," my dad says.
"Love you too dad. Bye."
I sigh and put my phone down.
"You okay?" Warren asks.
"Yeah."
"Listen, if you want to do something, watch a movie, take a walk, or if you don't want to do anything, just tell me…" he suggests.
"Thanks but I don't really want to do anything right now." There's something I still have to do though. I still have to take revenge for Rachel. I have to report Jefferson to the police. For what he did to Rachel, Kate, all those other girls, and Nathan. All of them were used and abused by the man that's still walking around in this school. I think about how I should address this. In the timeline where I had sent David a text, he believed me and Jefferson got arrested. I don't really want David to ask me questions though…
I look at Warren. "Warren… I really appreciate what you and Kate do for me, but I'd like to be alone now."
He looks back at me. "Oh okay, I'll go then I guess." He stands up and opens the door. "Please call if you need to."
I nod. "I will, thank you."
He nods back. "Okay… I'll let Kate know too."
"Thank you."
He gives me a small smile and leaves.
I go sit at my deck and take a deep breath. I start up a computer and make a new e-mail address. I search David's e-mail address on the school website and write a mail similar to the text that I had sent him. After checking that it was definitely sent, I delete the e-mail address. I know that they can easily track my computer's IP, but I don't mind. I lay down on my bed. I just want Jefferson to get punished for what he did to them… For what he did to me.
My stomach churns as memories of my time in the dark room flash before my eyes. I felt so furious, but mixed with the drugs I was on it felt more like I had an angry fever or something. I was so close to being dead… What if I had died there? What if David was too late? Everyone would probably just have died from the storm, but what's even more ironic is that Jefferson probably would have survived, being in a bomb shelter on the moment that the tornado hit. Or maybe he was outside, burying me.
I open my eyes. I don't want to think about that. Then something occurs to me. Do I still have my powers? Or were they just triggered by Chloe's death in the bathroom? I can't test it though. If I start messing with time again, I might trigger another tornado, and I wouldn't know how to stop that one. I take my teddy bear and hug it tight.
I wonder if Chloe blames me for sacrificing her instead of Arcadia Bay. If she was sad or angry about that decision right before I went back in time.
There's so many more people in Arcadia Bay who should live… Way more than me…
Don't say that… I won't trade you.
You're not trading me. Maybe you've just been delaying my real destiny… Look at how many times I've almost died or actually died around you.
She was so brave and mature those final moments between us. It seemed like in those few minutes, she had accepted her fate and chose to do a final good deed. Save everyone instead of her.
I can't make this choice!
I couldn't make that choice. And I don't think I'll ever stop wondering if I made the right choice or not.
"Max…"
"If only Kate Marsh would have jumped off that roof… I could blame Miss Caulfield and finally get her kicked out of Blackwell…"
"You thought I was harassing Kate, but I was helping her!"
"Oh, oh, oh, Max, you're way more disturbed and dangerous than me…."
"Max I'm in a nightmare and I can't wake up... unless I put myself to sleep."
"Max?" I hear knocks on my door. I sit up and look around me, kind of confused. I rub my eyes. I don't remember when I had fallen asleep, but another nightmare? Will I ever be left alone?
"Max?" I get off my bed quickly and open the door. It's Kate and Warren.
"Sorry, I fell asleep," I apologize. Then I notice the troubled look on their faces.
Warren steps forward. "Sorry we disturbed you, but I figured you wanted to see this. Something's going on with Jefferson."
Finally, justice will be served. I take a jacket and follow them outside.
We walk over to the central school building, where there are police men standing everywhere. Kate and Warren stop walking, but I have to take a closer look. I walk forward with them following me until I'm right behind some policemen who won't let us go any further. The big, wooden entrance doors fly open and Jefferson is taken out, flanked by policemen and in handcuffs. He looks at the ground, but when he passes me he looks up. I look him straight in the eyes and I let him see it. That it was me. His expression stays the same however, and he continues walking. They step into a police car and drive away.
"Principal, what's going on! Why are they taking Mark?" Victoria calls out to principal Wells.
He looks horrible, which is understandable since he just discovered that he had hired a sick pervert. It takes a few moments to collect himself before he speaks. "This evening at 8 p.m. I will hold a conference for all students in the gym. There we will further assess the situation going on with mister Jefferson." Then he leaves together with a policeman.
"What the hell man…" Warren says.
"I want to go," I tell them.
"Me too… He was our teacher, and it must be bad…" Kate says.
Warren goes to grab some sandwiches for us and we eat them in silence outside. I glance at Kate. She doesn't know it yet, but this will be a hard evening for her. They'll probably want to question her as well. I start to wonder why the police haven't already taken her with them, but they probably didn't investigate all the files yet. Arresting Jefferson had to be their primary goal.
Despite us arriving at the gym 15 minutes early, it's almost entirely full. Everyone is talking about Jefferson, and why such a great teacher was taken away by the police.
We find some spots at the back rows, and after a few minutes the principal and David walk in. Poor David, he probably wants to be with Joyce now… Yet another thing that's my fault.
Principal Wells looks at the piece of paper that is in his hand. "Dear students and teachers. I know you are all curious so I will just start immediately. Today, former art teacher Mark Jefferson, was found guilty of kidnapping, murder and abuse."
A lot of people gasp and express their feelings of outrage, shock and anger.
"That can't be true!" someone yells.
The principal gestures everyone to calm down and stay quiet. "Today, the police found a bomb shelter owned by the Prescott family under an old barn. Inside was a photo studio and evidence that he kidnapped young girls, took pictures of them and released them. There was also evidence found that he was the one that killed Rachel Amber."
I feel Kate tense next to me as more gasps, murmurs and yells sound through the gym.
"He killed Rachel?" I hear Justin say, who's sitting right in front of me.
"What does Nathan have to do with this?" someone yells from the other side of the gym.
I want to yell that it was Nathan that has killed Rachel, but I can't. And I'm not sure I want to. The longer Jefferson is in jail, the better.
"It's not sure what Nathan's relationship is with all of this, there is still a lot of searching being done as we speak. It's possible he had nothing to do with this." Principal Wells explains. "Now there will be counselors available during the whole week, starting now so if you want to speak to anyone about this, please do. If you think you have more information to provide, please see mister Madsen or one of the police officers that will be on campus for their investigation. Classes are suspended until at least Monday. This will be a hard evening for a lot of you, but know that there is help available. That is all."
People don't immediately start move when he says that. People are talking to each other, crying or just sitting there, numbly.
"I feel sick, I have to go outside," Kate says. I feel so bad for her.
We stand up and leave, together with a number of other people. When we're outside, Kate runs to the nearest trash can and throws up. I run behind her and put my arm around her shoulder. When Kate is done, Warren hands her a bottle of water. She drinks and then she sits down on the grass and cries.
Warren looks at me with a horrified look. I think he figured out why she reacts this way.
Kate is one of his victims.
"I can't believe it was him…." She sobs. "I trusted him, how could he do this to me?"
"We all trusted him," I say as tears start to well up. "We all did."
I blink furiously so I don't start to cry too, but the memories of my time in the dark room keep on flashing before my eyes.
"I tried so hard to remember, but I couldn't… I still can't! Why can't I remember anything?" Kate sobs. "I only remember waking up in a bright and white room… And I think Nathan was there too."
"Kate, you should go to the police," Warren says. "You have to tell them what you remember, it doesn't matter if it's not everything… They will be happy you want to help." He puts a hand on her shoulder.
She looks at him and then at me. "Do you agree Max?"
I nod immediately. "Yes, of course."
She thinks for some time and nods. "Okay. I'll make sure that he pays for what he has done."
I give her a hug. "You are so brave for doing this."
She almost smiles and returns my hug. "Thank you."
"We'll walk you there," Warren says.
When we leave her with an officer we promise her that we will wait until it's over.
"This is one fucked up week, and it's not even halfway done…" Warren sighs.
"I know," I answer. This week is very fucked up.
Warren rubs his head. "Poor Kate, I mean, she doesn't even remember what happened to her, that must be horrible…." After some thinking, he adds, "Well, maybe remembering everything wouldn't be great either…"
I don't say anything. I don't know what I'd prefer...
"And to think that it was Jefferson, who knew that guy was such a pervert…"
"No one did. That's why he got away with it for so long," I reply.
It's quiet for some time. I notice I'm getting drowsy. "I guess Kate and I both won't have a good night's sleep."
Warren looks at me. "I'm afraid not… I wish I could do something to help."
I look back at him. "I know, but I don't think there is anything."
After a while, Kate comes back out, and her eyes are red and puffy. I give her a hug and we leave together. Warren walks us to my dorm room, and makes me promise again to call if we need him. Then, he leaves and Kate and I prepare for the night.
"I'm not getting any sleep…" Kate sighs. "But I'm so tired."
"I know the feeling. But we have to try," I tell her. We give each other one last hug, and then we just try to sleep.