Life is Strange: My Unusual Journey

Chapter 25 of my Life is Strange novelization, enjoy.

Now thinks get harder, Episode 5, this episode was a bitch to write and I fear that's come across, I did my best, just please bear with me on it, sadly there wasn't much chance or hope for me in correcting any of it beyond what I have, hope you still enjoy.

Reviews

Boris Yeltsin: Thanks :)
Marina Ka-Fai: Yeah, well, things are getting pretty intense, hmm, yeah, I kinda got that feeling too, especially after her talk with Max mere moments before it.
Wolfgirl2013: Yeah, you said it :)

Now onto the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Life is Strange or its characters.

Polarized – Entering Hell

I groaned softly as I felt myself returning to consciousness; something felt wrong, I couldn't move, things seemed too bright. Slowly realization came to me as I remembered what had happened before.

'No, no, Chloe, she...she can't be dead...' My thoughts were sluggish too, but recovering. 'Everything, everything was, God I was wrong, we were wrong...Jefferson, but how, how could he be…?'

Finally my vision cleared and I realized things now with startling clarity. I froze, terror gripping me as I looked around wildly. I now knew why I couldn't move and now realized just why the realization of Jefferson being the one behind this was such a scary thought.

I was in the Dark Room, in the very area that had been set up for a photo-shoot. I continued to look around, I couldn't see anyone else, it was exactly the way it looked last time, with a few differences. One I saw a very familiar jacket lying across the back sofa facing the photo-shoot area, it was Nathan's.

I wondered where he was, I had a very bad feeling about this.

'Oh of course, right out of reach.' I thought bitterly as I saw, lying in the centre of the sofa, was a cell phone.

I couldn't reach it of course, as I was seated on a chair which had been set up, I was tightly strapped to it, my wrists bound to each armrest, my ankles to the front legs. My grey hoodie had been removed and, along with my bag, phone and even my journal, had been placed in a small corner of the room, again teasing me by being out of reach.

I struggled against my bonds, but they did not seem to give, I was stuck, I had a nasty feeling that nothing good awaited me here. I only had hazy memories of what had happened to me, my head was still swimming and I felt a little sick.

'I must have been drugged more than once...But, how do I, what am I going to do?' I wondered, worriedly.

I noticed a trolley nearby, on it I could see a syringe and a folder of some sort, it looked like photos. I wondered if maybe I could use them, despite what happened last time. But again, they were out of reach. I looked around panicked and, in fear, did the only thing I could do.

"Is anyone out there, help, please, someone, HELP ME!" I called out, but there was no answer.

I cringed, wondering what was happening, where was Jefferson anyway? I looked around again, still in terror and froze, to my left, on the floor, her wrists and ankles tightly bound with tape, out cold, was Victoria.

"Victoria!" I cried out, but she did not respond. 'Oh shit, I...I warned her about Nathan, and she went to Jefferson for help, when he was the one...God, this is my fault.'

I tried again. "Victoria, wake up, please!"

But she was still out cold. There was nothing I could do. I groaned, I had to try something and right now, that trolley seemed my only chance. I struggled again, my bonds seemed pretty solid but then, as if by some miracle, my right leg came free. I let out a sigh of relief, despite the fear still holding me.

This was my chance, my only chance, I moved as much as I could, stretching my free leg out to hook my foot around the trolley and pulled it towards me. I did my best to ignore the syringe, or the bottles on it which contained what I guessed was the drug that had been used on me and all those other girls. My mind flashed to Kate and Rachel, the only ones I knew, they had gone through this themselves. I could only imagine how they must have felt.

'I understand now, why Kate felt the way she did...I can barely remember what happened to me...Neither she nor Rachel were fully conscious in this room...But why am I…?'

I halted that train of thought, not wanting to dwell on what might be happening elsewhere. One thing did get my attention though, the sound of a loud booming noise from above, like thunder. I shuddered.

My thoughts suddenly took another worrying turn. 'Is this...Is it Friday now, is, is that...the tornado?'

It was a worrying thought, but not one I could do much about just now. I was right when I noted earlier that the objects on top of the folder were photos. Photos of me, just like the ones of Kate and Rachel, drugged, bound and altogether obscene, despite the fact I was clothed, as I was now.

"God no..." I whispered in shock. 'This is too horrible, can't believe I'm looking at myself like this. I...I swore I'd never do this again, but I need to know and maybe, maybe make some change, anything that could give me an edge.'

So I focused my power on the photo, sure enough it began to blur and I focused, working to try and cast my mind into it again. Finally, after some effort I succeeded, trying hard to control my revulsion as I heard the echoes of Jefferson's voice as I did so. There was that familiar sharp tug and everything went black.

When I recovered I felt woozy, no doubt how I felt at the actual time. I was lying on the floor of the Dark Room photo studio, my wrists and ankles bound with tape, just like how Victoria's were.

I suddenly realized one horrible fact, Kate had actually been given a blessing in disguise, by being drugged the way she was, she did not remember this, I was making myself remember it and God, the horror I was already feeling, carried over from my previous self, was only amplified.

I heard the click of a camera and sure enough, there he was, Mark Jefferson, kneeling down, taking pictures of me in this state, smirking, wearing a pair of surgical gloves too I couldn't help but note.

"Oh yes, that's it, excellent Max, excellent." He was saying, sounding very different to what I was used to.

He continued to take the photos as I tried to move, but my body in this reality was still deeply affected by the drugs and barely responded.

Jefferson smiled. "Ah, you're awake, good...But quite there, excellent. I find the slightly conscious model is the best...Allows me to capture, that moment...Yes, so pure...just what I need Max."

"No..." I mumbled, my voice slurred.

He laughed softly. "Yes, well, this is way it happens, you just got too nosy, Max. You and your little friend, sorry about her by the way..."

I flinched upon hearing that. "Chloe..."

The word was choked and I could feel the tears, but Jefferson was still lost in what I could only describe as madness.

He merely nodded and continued, ignoring my tears.

"Right Chloe, honestly, though, don't worry about her. She wouldn't have been of use here anyway, I had enough of those faux-punk sluts in my Seattle days." He remarked savagely. "She was already destroying herself, it was a favour when I killed her, or rather, when Nathan killed her."

I couldn't believe this, that was his game, he thought I was so out of it I'd believe his words, that Nathan killed Chloe. But I remembered, I remembered seeing Jefferson, I remember him pulling the trigger. I wept openly and Jefferson's persona suddenly changed.

"Fuck, Max, STAY STILL and stop that!" He yelled, finally he sighed. "You're ruining the shot...I guess, you need another dose."

I panicked at that, he was going to drug me again. "No!"

He pulled the trolley closer and readied the syringe for use and then turned to me.

"You brought this upon yourself Max, understand." He growled before bending down.

I reacted the only way I could, noting my legs weren't bound. My movements were sluggish still however and instead of kicking Jefferson I kicked the trolley. I heard him yelling and realized what I'd done, one of the drug bottles had been open and had spilled.

"No, you bitch, you ruined my photos!" He yelled. "Urgh, now I'll have to start all over again...Well, as I always say, always take the shot."

I cried out and tried to struggle, but to little avail and soon found myself passing out as I was injected once again.

I found myself passing through that passage again, seeing events change as photos, blurring and altering to suit the differences made. But this one was short and I was soon back where I started, sitting strapped to the chair, my right leg still free, the trolley in front of me.

'Oh Jesus, I can't believe that happened, so sick...' I thought, in deep revulsion.

I was then momentarily distracted however, by the sound of a soft moan next to me. Victoria was waking up.

"Victoria, hey, Victoria." I spoke quickly, afraid Jefferson would come back any minute. "It's Max. Can you hear me?"

She mumbled a little but then her eyes cleared and were instantly filled with fear. "Max...Oh God, where, where are we? What's happening?"

She was panicking; I was terrified myself, but I forced myself to stay calm, if we both lost our heads it wouldn't do us any favours.

"You've been drugged, like Kate." I explained as calmly as I could. "...And me, do you remember how you got here?"

She whimpered and began stammering. "No...I don't know..."

But then she stopped, as if it suddenly dawned on her.

"Wait, you warned me, you warned me about Nathan." She said; I instantly felt guilty at that. "Then I went to Jefferson for help and he was acting so weird. That's the last thing I remember and...I can't move my hands...Help me Max!"

She was growing even more desperate, which wasn't helping, but I couldn't blame her.

It was disheartening, but right before Victoria began breaking down.

"Please, Max, I'm sorry for everything." She pleaded, actually crying.

I did my best however, to remain calm. "Listen carefully; Mark Jefferson kidnapped us, he's using Nathan as well. Jefferson is very dangerous so we have to get out of here before he comes back."

"Max..." Victoria sobbed. "I just can't believe this is real, I don't want to die like this, I'm only eighteen..."

Her voice shook and I cringed, trying to stay strong, despite my own fears.

I spoke firmly. "Just hold on Victoria, nobody is going to die, anymore."

She seemed to calm down, but then looked at me, with accusation in her eyes.

"Max, what's going on?" She queried. "I thought you said Nathan was dangerous but it was actually Mark? Mr. Jefferson?"

I sighed and admitted the truth. "I was wrong. I should've known Nathan couldn't do all this on his own."

"Do what?" Victoria blurted out. "What's going to happen to us, oh please, get us out of here."

I took a deep breath and replied. "I'm not going to let that asshole get away with this. I just, I need you to be strong I can't do this alone. We need to act while we're clear-headed, if he doses us again, we'll forget everything."

Despite my words, I was afraid, afraid that there actually was nothing we could do.

After a short silence, Victoria spoke in reply to what I said.

Victoria bowed her head and replied sadly. "I'm not strong Max, look at me, look what I did to Kate Marsh. Now she's in the hospital and I'm here."

"We're both here, okay." I told her, as soothingly as I could. I actually couldn't believe I was the calmer, more confident one between us this time around.

She sighed. "I just can't believe this is happening. That Jefferson would do this to me...to us..."

"Victoria." I remained firm. "We will find a way to escape, I promise."

"Max..." She replied, her voice actually hopeful. "I believe you."

I bit my lip, maybe I shouldn't have said that, but then, instead of my usual nervousness, I felt a surge of confidence, now I had to get free.

To save myself and Victoria; to find a way to stop this tornado and to save Chloe. I looked for any clue that could help. The trolley was the only thing in reach, but I had already seen the photo on it and I couldn't bear to go through that again. But I noticed, when I looked at it, right away something was different.

'Those are the photos Jefferson took of me, ruined...I must have done that, so something has changed, but what…?' I thought desperately. 'God, this is awful, can't believe this, so much happening, so...disgusting, but I have to keep going...even thought I can't go through that again...'

It was then I finally noticed a new photo. One of me bathed in a red light, sitting strapped to the very chair I was strapped to just now.

Instantly my heart leapt. 'Oh, I definitely look more awake in this photo, I could use this one, this might give me the chance I need.'

It was a long shot, but it was my only choice.

So I focused on the photo and began trying desperately to once more use that power. Despite knowing the risks, despite the growing pain in my head that came from overusing my powers.

'This might work, please let it work.'

I focused hard and soon, the picture blurred and began to come back into focus again. Once it did, I felt that tug again and was once more pulled into the past.

End of chapter, hope you enjoyed it, read and review please.