Kate was unconscious at the side of the road. Well, it could be assumed that others may have had knowledge. However they were all too busy running as fast they could away from Blackwell Academy. Walking right past the perfectly mistreated student. Oh, what person would go back to save someone everyone bullied? Each passing day grew worse and worse for Kate. This may be her final one. Perhaps it would be…

But it wouldn't be, because Victoria acknowledged that there was some growing up to be done. Massive amounts of guilt stirred in the puddle of her mind. It was murky within the cell of regret that entrapped her. "Get up, okay?" Victoria said lowly, afraid that the eight-legged demons scampering across the area would catch on. Unholy feelings of fucked-upness tormented Victoria. Unresponsive girls at the side of the road didn't make that any better. "Kate, please… if you're hearing this…" Quietly whimpering at the side of the road, Victoria hesitated at the idea of lifting Kate out of the area.

Beings of pure darkness fell from the trees and ate their brethren. Fear threatened to forcefully eject Victoria from the situation. Victoria wouldn't let it. Live or die, she would try to save Kate. It was the only thing she could live with. Only reason why she would even try to was because she was almost certain that she'd never be able to get out of this situation alive anyways. Part of Victoria was convinced this had been a dream. Footfalls interrupted her train of thought and even breathing. "I know that I've been a real shitlord to you over these totally bunk past few days. But I won't let you die here." Whispered Victoria longingly.

Then the subspace threatened to swallow Victoria up as darkness seemed to suck objects downwards. Entire plots of land sucked down by the vacuum that was the subspace. "Okay, I know I called you OOGLY before, but shit Kate! We're gonna die if you don't get up!" Tears ran down her cheeks as the subspace prepared to swallow them up. Life began to flash before Victoria's eyes. Returning to consciousness, Kate screeched out at the sight of the darkness.

"Where am I? Is this some Vortex Club prank of yours?" She faltered. But Victoria's desperate shake of the head said enough. Kate slowly got up from her feet and immediately froze in place. Her heart was beating faster with every passing moment. Noticing the eight-legged demons, Kate frowned and began to shuffle in place. Victoria frantically looked around. Kate reached down and removed one of her shoes. Then she chucked it as far as she could, taking Victoria's hand and running in the opposite direction. Demons of darkness screeched and began to lunge towards them.

Kate heard Riverside literally playing inside her head. It soothed her. Immediately after she heard it in her head, Victoria said, "Do you hear that too?" Both girls looked at each other intensely. A record player appeared to float behind them with a ghostly aura surrounding it. Somehow they both felt like it wasn't one of the evils this crazy eruption of unreality released. It was something good, because of how it followed them and changed its music. Just now it began playing a rendition of an older title Victoria knew as a child.

"I… Victoria, we have to keep going!" Kate reminded her, realizing that there was no time to stop for nostalgia. Or anything for that matter. Snapping out of it, Victoria began to run with Kate again and a sudden explosion stopped them both in their tracks. There was nowhere to go - Blackwell was destroyed, demons were behind them, and they were all alone. It was until they heard Brooke's voice that they were ready to give up.

"Boy, I didn't think either of you were going to make it out alive. Alyssa said she didn't see you directly leave campus, but-"

"We weren't ON campus, so you can eat shit!" Victoria hissed. Brooke smiled fiercely as if proving she'd last longer in this confrontation.

"Okay. Well, we thought you guys would like to know that we've got a vehicle - but there's not a lot of room. So you'll have to squeeze in where some people put their legs." Brooke said. "I guess we could have one of you do that and put the other in the trunk. That's… an option." Neither of the girls seemed to want to go in the trunk. Victoria looked at Alyssa and Stella. Stella looked drained of energy. Alyssa looked like much of her emotions were being kept inside. Soon enough, all attention went to the floating record player behind them - that played music that was never even on records.

"What's that thing?" Asked a panicked Stella. All of the other girls seemed to group next to her in fear. Kate and Victoria smiled at each other briefly, after having caught a glimpse of the other glancing at them. It wasn't an evil being. Internally the two of them established that.

"Juke." Kate murmurs aloud, expecting only Victoria to hear it. Maniacal laughter ensued. Anything that could divert someone's thoughts from the events of today would make them laugh. Kate almost felt like she could forgive Victoria. After the dream she had, all the signs pointed to Victoria's redemption. If Victoria had apologized and didn't act like that again, the only dislikable aspects of her would be her pretentiousness and bieber cut.

"Juke is a disgusting name. Evaluate it for a moment - because that's a god-damn record player!" Giggled Victoria. The two of them believed this bonding was unforgiven. Shouldn't the two of them be on bad terms? Victoria did just try to save Kate Marsh's life. Successfully, too. Whether or not it was Kate's wits that actually got them away from whatever those things were. Also, her willingness to throw her shoe away like that. Victoria would never do that.

"I'm not the killing type. I couldn't kill to win a war." The record player sang out specific lyrics from the Amanda Palmer song. Reassuring lyrics to comfort the group and convince them that they were safe with "Juke". Stella's eyes lit up with wonder. No matter how terrifying all of this has been, it's also been a bit beautiful. Awe filled the hearts of the teenagers as they all bonded over the moment together.

"I like that song." Victoria admitted.

"Doesn't everyone?" Asked Alyssa.

"Not I." Disagreed Brooke.

Laughter grew loud and a more upbeat instrumental thing played on the record player. Or whatever it was. Lighthearted moments on a day like this were a thing to behold. Present to your friends in a golden box and brag about. Victoria was happy to know these people didn't question her being with Kate. Courtney and Taylor definitely would've questioned it. Then, right then, it began to snow outside. "Holy shit, it's like a Christmas miracle!" Victoria yelled.

"I know that I'm lucky to even be alive. So we should all remember who kept us safe." Kate reminded them.

"Yeah, my drone. Speaking of, I think that's him right over there!" Happily gushed Brooke.

Alyssa let out a sigh and stared out at the sky. Tonight lasted forever, didn't it?