Disclaimer: I do not own Life is Strange.
Previously on a Butterfly Life's Strange Effect...
Now can you give me an example of a photographer who perfectly captured the human..." crap I fell asleep in Mr. Jefferson's class! I slept late last night trying to study for today's general recitation but I ended up videocalling with Chloe all night. "Now Max, can you please tell us the name of the process that gave birth to the first self-portraits?"
"I uhm..."
bell rings* well saved by luck. "Hey Kate. I'm sorry I missed our last two tea sessions for the past weeks."
"Whoa, Max-alert, tell me everything!" Chloe said as she now drags me to the door to leave.
"Yo Chloe, Max, come to thrash?"
"Okay hold on met me get my camera."
"Chloe!" Justin's scream didn't sound so friendly. He sounded desperate and devastated. So I allowed my eyes to search for Cloe and right in front of me I see Chloe lying lifeless on the solid ground with red liquid all over her. The huge trick had stopped too late. "CHLOE!"
«« REWIND «« what the oddballs is going on? "Did you know that truck was going to come?" she asked me. I don't know how to explain it. I had a premonition that it was going to happen so I was able to stop it? "W- What are you talking about? I'm a geek but not /that/ of a genius."
"You're right. The Old Maximillian has no way of telling what the future holds."
a story based on Life is Strange
written by Storm Caulfield (StormAnimeFFWriter)
in collaboration with Jessi Tayylor (Jade Tales)
presents
a Butterfly Life's Strange Effect
[Episode 2] Moving Forward in Time
[Girls' Dormitories, Room 219]
I can't believe I was able to take real awesome shots of Justin, Trevor and Chloe. They are monsters with that skateboard! Moreover, I'm really surprised to see Chloe in action, she's really good with that noseslide trick than Trevor. I can't believe I call myself her friend and not know she's/this/cool.
I reach for my journal on the bedside table and then groped for the glue on my drawers. I rest my back on the wall as I picture the empty pages of my journal. I can imagine in my head which corners I will be putting the photos on so I do it as I imagined it. I chose 3 of the best pics out of the 10 shots I had earlier. One where Chloe flips over Trevor who did a tre flip but accidentally injured his crotch in the process. The second photo is where Justin and Chloe are facing each other and jumps in the last second before they ram into each other. A perfect shot of their high-five midair. And I guess the last photo would be Chloe doing that sick noseslide at the parking lot.
I chuckle at the memories of not long ago. Fun times worth reminiscing when I'm sad. I put my journal away and gathered the rest of the unchosen photos, where one of them is a selfie of me when I tested the camera. Well, my smile looks okay. Not that dorky I suppose. But I can't help staring at the background though, it looks like I also got a clean shot of Victoria and Taylor refusing to give a flyer to Alyssa. Victoria's rude expression is captured so clearly.
On my right, whoa hold on! Is that... I could be imagining so I rub my eyes. No I am not. I really am staring at the glimpse of Nathan Prescott, Zach and Logan facing forward - looking down on Kate - while Kate Marsh is facing them. Her back is the only thing seen on this photo. How the hell did this happen? She was just right at the classroom when I left?
She looked really troubled about something earlier. And she wanted to tell me but I chose to go with Chloe. Great Max, such a friend you are. You did not even hear her SOS. Maybe I should go talk to her, but I need a pretty convincing excuse that I stopped by coincidence. So I looked around my room to find anything useful.
‹Guitar› I don't think I can jam with her today. I heard she broke her violin.
‹Laptop - Use› Come on Max, don't be such a wuss. Don't chat her up, talk to her in person!
‹Book› Yes of course! I borrowed Kate's October Country. I haven't finished it yet but I can pretend to and then I can return the book to her as an excuse to talk to her. Wise move Max. Now let's go to her room!
[Girls' Dormitory]
I walked over to Kate's room and I knocked over and over. She doesn't seem to be around? Or maybe she's asleep? Or... with the Vortex Club peeps? No. Don't overthink it Max, Kate is not that kind of person.
"Max hi! Good thing I saw you before I trespass," I turn to Dana who seemed excited to see me. Hmm, I wonder why. Wait, did she say 'trespass'? "I wanted to borrow your flashdrive. If you don't mind."
"Uhm sure, what for?"
"Just going to copy some rock new songs from Juliet. She knows someone who can burn CDs to give us new tracks for the next Vortex Club party." she explained more than she should say. Not that I care what the Vortex Club plans on doing with their parties. "So we cool?"
"Yeah sure. Just grab it in my room." I give her permission - so she won't be trespassing - to my room. "By the way, have you seen Kate around? I haven't seen her since Mr. Jefferson's class." might as well ask Dana now that she's here. She might know some things.
"She left 5 minutes ago. I think it had something to do with that secret letters she's been receiving from a certain someone." she said, giggling at the last part. "Who knew someone would hit on her."
‹Logan› It could be Logan, but I doubt he's got guts to write a beautiful letter.
‹Zach› Don't be an idiot to ask about that Max. He's Juliet's boyfriend!
"Is it Nathan Prescott?" I asked just to be sure and Dana clapped her hands as if I just won.
"Nathan Prescott!" she said like announcing the correct answer. "He's been asking Juliet through Zach to give the letters to Kate. Although I don't know what it's really about, I just want to assume it's a love letter." that information is more than enough Dana. "But if you hurry, you might even make that camera of yours useful," she eyed my polaroid, "and take a shot."
"Alright, thank you, Dana." I say and hurried to leave the dormitory.
As soon as I exited, I almost slipped at the stairs. Thank goodness I recovered my balance. On my right, standing beside the ladder that Samuel climbed where Kate and Nathan talking to each other. My stare must be so obvious that Nathan shoots me a glare so I walk away into the bench and I sit beside Alyssa. Not near my hearing range, I can't hear them talking. Crap.
[Nathan's POV]
"I'm really thankful for the invitation Nathan, but I can't go. Max made a promise to be there for our tea session." this blonde whore keeps on telling me the same freakin' excuse. It's not like the vintage hipster is even giving any sort of commitment to these lame tea sessions I keep on hearing about. Not that I care.
"Is she really going this time? Or are you just making excuses?" I ask her. I'm sure this church girl wouldn't lie. I stare at her, waiting for her answer. She keeps doing that! Looking at me with furrowed brows and sad face, her gaze always make me look like a freakin' bad guy! It's not that I give a crap about her attending my party. I just happen to get wasted, lose a bet and now those two turfs think I'm a wuss. I don't even remember what happened, but Victoria told me I announced to the guys that I was able to convince the church girl to attend one Vortex Club party and that she'd drink with us. Hell, that sounds unrealistic coming from me!
I can't believe I've been stuck in thought for so long and yet there she is, still no answer. She's wasting my freakin' time!
Max Caulfield leaves the dormitory, she's staring at me like I am about to do something bad to this blonde whore. What the hell is she staring at! Good she walks away. I don't have time for this. I wish this boring conversation would just end.
"I want to believe she's coming. I know Max is a little busy lately but there's still hope." Nonsense. Nonsense. Nonsense... If I wear to listen to her talk, it might as well be all about her giving and agreeing to come with me already. Otherwise, this should just stop.
How do I leave without looking like she turned me down? Screw this! Freakin' slut! »» FORWARD »» what the hell?! Why is she moving weirdly? And why am I not hearing a word she says? Hey! Stop doing that it's freakin' strange!
I grab her by the shoulder to make her stop moving in an unusual way and she looked me in the eyes full of fear. Oh good, she stopped that weird movement. But the next thing I know is that a bucket of paint falls on her head and she falls on the ground. Her injured head draws out blood that mixes with the white paint. Son of a...!
"Oh no, Samual did not mean anything!" that creep hurriedly climbs down the ladder to see what was going on.
I had nothing to do with this! I turn to my surroundings to see who are the witnesses. Not that I plan to kill any of them. But there I see Victoria standing at the far end holding a camera. A little bit in front there's that fatso Alyssa and the hipster Max Caulfield. Zach and Logan are standing at the far end on my right. They can't pin this on me! This is an accident!
"Kate!" Max shouts as she ran towards us. I ignore her and turn back to Kate who was still breathing. Breathe darn it! Don't die!
[Max POV]
No Kate! I can't believe this is happening! If this is a premonition, now is the time that it goes back to normal so I can stop it! I knew that Nathan Prescott was up to no good! How dare he!
As I ran towards them and stretch out my hand, «« REWIND «« suddenly everything started to move backwards in a really fast way. Does this mean the premonition is over? No wait, if it's a premonition, why does it seem like everything is going backwards?
They're standing again. Talking. Is this really just a normal premonition or am I actually rewinding time? Either way, both statement is hard to explain. I have to stop this!
[Nathan POV]
"I'm really thankful for the invitation Nathan, but I can't go. Max made a promise to be there for our tea session." this blonde whore keeps on telling me the same freakin' excuse. It's not like- why do I have this odd feeling that we already had this conversation? Nah, this is the first time I talked to her today. My first attempt to convince her to go to one of my parties personally.
"Is she really going this time? Or are you just making excuses?" I ask her. I'm sure this church girl wouldn't lie. WAIT A FREAKIN' MINUTE! I really KNOW that I had this conversation before! Did I dream about it? No that would be disgusting to think about. It's like I know what she's going to say and do and that she will... "Kate,"
"I'm not making excuses Nathan."
"I don't remember you saying that in our previous conversation." crap! Did I say that aloud? Now she's staring at me like I'm some sort of weirdo. The more I talk to her, the more I just humiliate myself. This whole deal is nothing but crap! "Forget that," just walk away Nathan, walk away to end this freakin' conversation already! »» FORWARD »»
"Kate Look out!" Max screamed. Kate and I looked up to see that bucket of paint fall right at her and she falls down unconscious, earning a serious head and probably a face injury. And then that creep would probably-
"Oh no, Samual did not mean anything!"
How did I predict that was going to happen?! What the hell?! Am I sick? Is it the meds? Am I losing it?
[Max POV]
Why is it happening so fast? If what I can do is not premonition but a rewind, then I should be able to go back and warn Kate earlier than this. I should be able to do that. But how did I-
"What did you do Nathan?" Logan asked with a grin as he and Zach approach their pal. "You trying to kill the church girl?"
"I didn't do no crap, dumbass!"
Oh my gosh, Nathan just punched him in the face! And now the boys are fighting with Samuel in between. Kate needs help and this is all that they're doing?! Two against one, they beat Nathan and pushes him towards me. "STOP!" I extend my hand forward to protect myself from Nathan. «« REWIND «« His back hits my chest, darn that hurts, I use my other hand to grab him by his jacket to push him away while everything started moving backwards once more.
"What the hell, it's happening again?" Nathan spoke. Is he seeing what I'm seeing? He snatched my right hand and stared at me. "Are you the one behind this, Max Caulfield?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." I am not going to tell him anything. Maybe if it were Chloe or Warren who found out about these odd powers, I'd be open to share. But not Nathan. But the big question is... why in the world is Nathan unaffected by the rewind?
We had a short staredown until we heard Kate's voice. "Nathan?" Of course! I have to stop it before it happens again!
"Kate, over here!" I call out to her and Kate sees me and Nathan. She had a confused look on her face when she saw us together. Now is not the time to concoct conspiracies in your head Kate, get out there! "Please-"
As I watch the bucket fall from the top once more, Nathan was just as fast to dash towards Kate and to tackle her to the ground just in time before the bucket lands on her head. The paint splashes on the lawn and stained the grass and Nathan's jacket while I stood frozen at the quick turn of events.
"Oh no, Samuel didn't mean to do anything!" poor Samuel climbed down the ladder again to check if the students are alright.
Zach and Logan hurried to come and so did Victoria. Move your legs as well Max! So I run to check on them. When Nathan slowly got up, we all halted our movements to give them space.
"You still alive, Marsh?" he asked and Kate nods, still trembling. She must be in shock at what happened. Me too. "Good." he said and recovered his breath as he moved away from her to sit down and take a breather.
Samuel helped Kate sit up while the three flocks around Nathan Prescott. Alyssa and I goes to Kate to see if she were alright but she could not peel her eyes off Nathan. "It's probably a really rude question but, are you alright?" I ask and she nods.
"It's a shocker isn't it? What Nathan Prescott did." Alyssa spoke about the elephant in the room.
"He saved my life." Kate said, still in shock. I can see her whole body was still shivering.
No doubt he /did/ saved your life. "Yes he did." I agree.
This power that I have, if it's even called a power, it's dangerous. It involves time and it involves altering someone's past. Twice now I used it to save people. I used it to save Chloe from that accident and I used it to save Kate from receiving a head trauma. But I also caused Nathan Prescott to change somehow? I don't know if it's the effect of altering time but what I /do/ know is I need to be very careful. Nathan also was unaffected by the rewind the third time. Maybe I am limited to only use the rewind twice. If I use it more than that someone could be unaffected by it.
Alyssa and I helped Kate up as she approaches Nathan. Zach and Logan stopped their laughs and stared at Kate. Victoria seemed to stand quiet as well, raising her camera instead.
[Nathan POV]
What is that slut standing there for? What does she want? Is this all it will take for her to finally come to one of my parties and end this stupid deal I have with the turfs?
"Nathan," Kate calls me by my name. For some reason, the way she called me had hooked me into looking her in the eyes. I could not explain the tone of her voice but it's not calling me casually. "Thank you for saving my life. Thank you very much." I feel weird. I feel disgusting. To be thanked sincerely by someone who I was planning to prank. I can feel the sincerity from where I sit. My heart is reacting to her words.
I can't explain it, but the feeling is mutual to how my heart would react whenever I would receive emails from my sister. I feel calm. I feel safe. I feel peace.
Enough with that crap, the girl is waiting for you to say- holy crap she falls! I immediately crouched to catch her when she falls on her knees. That fat ass and hipster Caulfield failed to catch her in time. And now Kate just starts crying for no particular reason. Girls are freakin' weird. But for some reason... this moment is something that I don't want to skip. As much as possible I wish time were slow.
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Thank you very much for reading guys! Sorry if there are OOCs, I tried. Anyway, feedback is always appreciated. Hope to hear from you guys!