"None know what lay in the dark deep,
old muck and mire their secrets keep.
How did things ever become this way,
my darling these lips can no longer say."
Max watched the streets slowly roll by as the slow constant motion of the truck lulled her into a thoughtful semi-aware state. Her mind drifted back over all the events of the past week again, refusing to let her rest as her mind kept trying to process and make sense of everything. Things became hardest at times like now, when she sat still long enough that it felt like she could feel every minute of the past six days and all of them weighed on her, crushing her strength from her body.
The truck's headlights illuminated scenes drifting past her window that looked like frames of some post-apocalyptic documentary film. She found herself recognizing streets or houses and trying to picture what they'd looked like just a couple days prior, it was harder to do than she thought it would be.
The drive across town to Blackwell's campus was slow going, even now further inland wreckage littered streets and yards. As they'd seen from the lighthouse cliff the further inland they got the number of actual ruined homes and buildings was considerably less. Junk and debris were still strewn everywhere but many homes and buildings stood strong, it was a welcome sight that provided a little more hope that everything wasn't lost.
Even still, an eerie feeling punctuated the neighbourhood scenes when they realized they'd seen no people or lights, no movement of any kind. Besides the light cast by Chloe's truck the only other light came from the school campus further in the distance and a full rising moon overhead.
Max glanced at Chloe who seemed more relaxed while she concentrated on the road, driving slow and cautiously.
Looking out the windshield Max could see the silhouette of Blackwell's main building where it was superimposed over the rising moon reminding her of some creepy scene from an old black and white horror movie.
Hello Castle Dracula.
It's nice to see Chloe more relaxed but her playing things slow and cautious is gonna take some getting used to.
Knowing that Joyce and David are safe prolly helped chill her out a lot.
The soft touch of Chloe's hand on her shoulder broke Max from her daydreaming and she looked over to see the blue-haired girl smiling at her. Max offered a small smile in return, briefly resting her cheek on Chloe's hand before looking out her window again. Neither said anything, they didn't need to. It was a strange feeling that in the middle of all of this chaos they'd felt like they'd finally found something they'd been looking for each other. Max still didn't understand a lot of the past week, but the look they'd just shared conveyed feelings without having to say a word.
At least that, Max understood, was something good.
The last stretch of road that climbed uphill to Blackwell's campus was almost clear of junk and the way the debris looked piled on either side of the road Max figured it had been cleared by people. Blackwell did indeed have electricity as the illumination that began to surround them as they approached seemed to indicate. Max thought if she hadn't known better it would look like any other evening around Blackwell.
That is until the truck crested the top of the hill.
There were no empty stalls in the parking areas and in fact almost every available space that could fit a vehicle had been filled with something. Parking had also overflowed along the sides of the road that ran between the football field and the front of the school leaving only a narrow single lane to drive through. The football field itself was also quickly being claimed for what looked like impromptu parking and camping areas. It was a crazy collection of everything on four wheels, some on two. RVs, trucks, cars and even motorcycles made the entire campus look like one of those weekend discount used car sale lots.
Here and there they saw people walking or standing near vehicles. Some by themselves and other smaller groups of people that Max presumed were families with expressions ranging from relaxed to grieving.
Both girls turned to look at each other with the same amazed expression. Max summed up the scene as she silently mouthed "wowser." with Chloe nodding in agreement.
Chloe drove slowly down the road as they passed in front of the main building until she found a spot to fit the truck into along the curb next to the football field.
As the truck rolled up to the curb and stopped next to the pool building Max noticed that while there were lights in the main school building only a few of the light poles around the campus grounds were lit. Any other light in the area was coming from people's vehicles, camping lanterns and other portable light sources.
The mechanical humming sounds of more than a few portable generators could be heard in the distance.
Chloe shut the truck off and turned to Max, "Well, whatcha think?"
Max considered it as she looked around.
"Heh, it looks like a mess? I don't really see anybody that looks like they're in charge or directing things. Actually most of these people look more lost than we are, so they prolly won't know much of anything that could help. Let's start inside by the Principal's offices first? If anyone is going to know anything I bet they'll be there."
Chloe nodded, "Sounds like a plan, let's go. Keep an eye out for David and mom too? They could be anywhere in all this."
Max nodded as they hopped out of the truck.
Chloe put the first aid box on the seat and Max dumped the raincoats on top of it. The whole area around the main building looked like loosely organized chaos, people came and went and like Max surmised they all looked just as lost as the next person.
The buildings themselves didn't look like they'd sustained much damage. Max noticed a few broken windows here and there but overall it looked like the old school shrugged off the worst of the storm's wrath. Most of the sidewalks had been cleared of major debris but there was still a lot scattered all across the lawns. While there were no major fallen trees it looked like many had given up branches and larger limbs which had landed about the grounds.
Max chuckled quietly under her breath, "If people thought Samuel was nuts before we're going to see him really loose it with all this mess."
Chloe was distracted as she looked around, "Sorry Max, what was that?"
Max inwardly berated herself for picking on him, she'd always liked Samuel. She admitted he was definitely weird, but not in a bad way and if she was being totally honest she considered herself fairly weird too.
Besides, who isn't weird in their own way, normal is boring.
I hope he's ok.
She glanced at Chloe, "Oh nothin, just thinking out loud."
They crossed the lawn next to the pool building passing a few people on the way but nobody paid them any attention. Max did notice a few Blackwell Security guards and people she recognized as faculty trying to direct people and make sense of all the chaos but she didn't see David among them.
At the thought, she involuntarily glanced at Chloe who had also been looking around, apparently for David and she frowned briefly before looking toward the front entrance.
Max reached up and gave her shoulder a light squeeze, "Hey, I bet he's with Principal Wells or helping organize things inside."
Chloe smiled, "Yeah, probably." and they continued towards the main entrance.
"Maxine…"
Max stopped suddenly as the mention of her least favorite name caught her attention.
"Chloe, come on you know I hate that. What do you-" but as she turned around Max saw the blue-haired girl standing a few paces behind her looking over towards the street and didn't seem to have called to her.
"Maxine…"
"Over here."
Max looked back toward the pool building and froze.
Across the lawn to the right side of the pool building a person stood staring in her direction. People walked past that area but no one seemed to pay them any mind, seemingly unconcerned with a person lurking in the shadows of a building. It was difficult to see much in the dim evening light. The figure was at the corner just back from the sidewalk where hardly any light would reach. Max couldn't tell at first whether it was a man or a woman but as her eyes adjusted to the dim light she could make out some details.
The figure looked like they had longer hair and bangs which hung forward hiding most of the face while hands were stuffed inside what Max guessed was a large dark colored hoodie or sweatshirt, baggy jeans or sweatpants completed the unremarkable look. It was hard to see who it might be or make out any details without getting closer but she felt compelled to find out, it was important.
A chill ran across her shoulders and she felt the hairs on the back of her neck bristle.
I won't be able to see, I won't know anything unless I get closer.
She also realized the voice that had called her she hadn't actually heard, more like she'd felt, or heard, it in her mind. While she acknowledged to herself how strange that was it also didn't disturb her the way it should have. It was no more concerning to her than if someone had called to her across a crowded room.
As she stood there staring she felt her gaze drawn to the darkened area where the face would be and the faintest highlights that she struggled to define. The longer she stared the harder it was to pull her gaze away. Tunnel vision slowly narrowed her focus down to just the figure and then only the area where the figure's face should be.
Finally under the mess of tangled hair she saw them, two eyes, large deep-blue and serene, that watched her from the depths of the shadowed face. Despite the heavy shadows she could see those eyes clearly. They seemed to have the faintest glow from within but shed no light across the figure's face.
What little Max could see helped define faint highlights of the face and cheekbones giving her the impression that the face belonged to a woman.
She concentrated harder struggling to recognize the person behind those eyes, she was certain she must know them. She had a lot of questions that she wanted answers to and oddly she felt this woman could give them to her.
She was sure of it.
All the answers to her questions about the storm, her powers, all of it, were in those eyes. She had only to look deeper to find them.
She began slowly walking back toward the pool building.
Again she heard the faint woman's voice as it whispered softly like a lover's kiss, it tickled her mind as she focused on those eyes. The voice was whispering words that were still too faint to make out.
As she concentrated she was aware of another voice, it was closer in her mind and clearer but it sounded small and frightened. It was begging her to look away, to run, but Max could neither stop nor turn around, she couldn't avert her gaze.
She didn't want to.
She felt a gentle sensation like the touch of warm fingers that slowly glided around and down her neck. Part of her knew she should be alarmed at the feeling but it was pleasant and combined with the excitement that she could finally get some answers made her ignore any sense of alarm. The fingers trailed across her shoulder blades and downward over the small of her back, curving over across her hips, their slightest pressure urging her forward. She felt the tension further drain from her body as another soothing sensation like liquid warmth washed over her face and tingled downward across her breasts. She exhaled, enjoying the feeling as it spread lower caressing her abdomen.
The smaller voice in her head now screamed at her to run but it was so faint, unimportant and far away.
A small excited gasp barely escaped her throat as the sensation spread completely over her thighs, it's gentle but consistent pull felt intimate and she no longer cared what the small distant voice screamed about.
The woman's smooth alluring voice in her head was clearer now and grew moreso the closer Max got to the figure.
A tight ache coiled in her stomach. As the distance between them lessened it grew more difficult for Max to remember the things she wanted to ask. She struggled to keep things straight in her mind but the only thing that seemed important now was to get to the woman, be close to her. Her other questions could wait, they would be answered once she was there. She needed to hurry.
She pulled at the buttons on her coat, the heavy clothing felt cumbersome and even though the night was cold she was sure she wouldn't need it. Her gaze was locked with those eyes and she could now hear the voice clearly as if it was whispered into her ear.
Maxine…
Truths to see.
Down in the dark.
The temple tells.
There in the dark.
Of Stillbrook.
Maxine…
Max?
"MAX?"
Chloe's face snapped into focus right in front of Max's as the whispers in her head vanished. With a rushing noise the sounds of the cacophony around the campus grounds filled her ears again. The memories of where she was and what they were doing all came flooding back to her like a wave.
The subtle sensual warmth she had felt vanished leaving behind only a slight embarrassment and confusion. She looked around quickly but no one seemed to have noticed, Chloe stood in front of her holding Max's shoulders and stared back at her in obvious worry.
Max leaned to one side to see past Chloe in the direction of the pool building but the corner was empty, no figure stood in the shadows. Chloe turned her head following Max's gaze and then turned back to look her in the eyes.
"Max are you ok? What the fuck is going on with you?"
Max shook her head, it felt thick and heavy and she was having trouble forming thoughts. Goosebumps lingered along her spine and her legs felt rubbery like she'd just run up several flights of stairs.
"I don't…there was a person, a woman I think. Chloe what," a few tears of frustration dripped down her cheeks as her fear and confusion got to her.
"FUCK!" she yelled at no one and grabbed Chloe in a tight hug, shaking in her arms.
Max's outburst caused two passers-by to turn their heads but they only offered sympathetic looks at the two girls holding each other. Chloe figured to them she and Max looked like just another two grieving storm victims and she offered them a joyless smile as she held the smaller girl tightly stroking her hair.
"Shhh shhh, it's ok Max, you're ok. I'm here alright. You kinda zombied off there for a minute but you're ok now." the faint quavering in Chloe's voice betrayed her uncertainty and deeper fears.
Max's voice was muffled slightly from being pressed against Chloe's chest, "I don't know what happened, there was this person over next to the pool building, I couldn't see their face and then I felt really fucking weird, like I wasn't in control."
Despite her obvious worry Chloe chuckled a little, "Man it's never a dull moment with you."
Max made a noise that Chloe hoped was a hoarse laugh before she straightened up separating from Chloe a little. Max wiped her eyes briefly and pointed, "She or whatever the fuck, was wearing like baggy clothes and had long hair so I couldn't see their face clearly but they were right over there Chlo. And I… think I could hear their voice in my head."
Chloe glanced over the area again but the corner next to the building was empty. The only people that were anywhere near that area looked normal and completely unconcerned with her or Max.
"Okay, well I don't see any creepy hippy ventriloquists hanging out now… I was just looking over at the football field and when I turned around you were kinda shuffling toward the fountain and tugging at the front of your jacket. I called your name a couple times and you didn't answer so I road-blocked you."
Max looked crestfallen, "You don't believe me."
Chloe stooped down a little in front of Max so she was looked directly into her eyes and gave her a reassuring smile.
"Hey, I DO believe you, I just don't see anyone like that now. But there are all sorts of weird and creepy people all over this place and the last few days with us have been everything but normal. So I've expanded my horizons on things I'll believe quite a lot. But if there is someone running around out here trying to fuck with your head then the sooner we find David and mom the better. C'mon, let's get inside, find mom and David and figure it out from there. Plus if we can get some food and some sleep I know we'll both feel way better. We'll figure this all out, together, ok?".
Max nodded meekly.
Chloe took her hand and lead them toward the front steps, they crossed the last few feet past the fountain, climbed the stairs and walked in the front doors of the main building. Max looked back toward the pool building one last time as the door closed but all that she saw were a few people wandering past that area while the faint echoes of a longing ache lingered in her stomach.
Now inside she turned her attention forward to see that the inside of Blackwell's main building was a picture of chaos.
The noise and commotion outside were nothing compared to what she saw in the main hall as disorganized jumbles of people stood everywhere. Max was reminded of a time in Seattle during a bad storm when she and her parents had driven to the airport to pick up her grandparents for the holiday. There had been so many flights canceled that people had been camped out all over in the waiting areas or wandering around, children were crying, people complaining and none of them with anywhere they could go.
The scene before them now wasn't any better.
A large group of people formed a line out the front office doors. Most looked disheveled, tired, scared or sad. Others headed down the far hallway past the trophy cases towards the gym while yet more people stood around talking or arguing. The air inside was stuffy, and all of the noise and conversations blended together in their ears to form a deafening din. Among the crowds Max recognized a few faces of teachers and office staff as they talked with people trying to calm them down and keep order; attempting to coordinate something resembling a plan it seemed. From the looks of everything they had their work cut out for them.
Looking at the long line of people coming out of the Principal's offices getting in there meant they would be waiting quite a while she guessed. As they were standing there trying to decide where to go they were bumped into and knocked around by people coming in the doors carrying all manner of things, folding tables, chairs, garbage bags stuffed with belongings. It looked like the set-up for some crazy flea market.
Max looked over the toward trophy cases that lined the wall of the hallway leading to the gym, a lady holding a clipboard stood by a large folding table near the cases.
Max's eyes brightened with recognition, "Chloe come on, over here!" and she pulled a startled Chloe with her as she pressed through the crowd to the table.
Max's science teacher Ms. Grant stood on the other side of a table on which hung a large handwritten sign declaring "Medical and First Aid Ahead". She had on a purple sweater and grey sweatpants with a pair of white running shoes. Despite her hasty wardrobe choices she still managed to look more put together than anyone else there which brought a small smile to Max's face.
Ms. Grant saw Max as soon as she stepped out of the crowd, "Oh Max, there you are!"
"Hi Ms. Grant, I'm so glad to see you're ok!"
Ms. Grant smiled, "Well I'm glad I'm ok too Max. I'm more relieved to see you both in one piece! You look alright, are you hurt?"
Max shook her head, "No we're ok, just tired. And confused. And trying to figure out what to do about anything."
Ms. Grant nodded, "Well I'm glad you're not hurt but I'm sorry to say you have those same feelings in common with everyone here Max. We're all a bit lost trying to figure out just what to do. Blackwell is a designated emergency shelter so we expected we might end up taking in some people. But it looks like we got all of Arcadia Bay dropping by looking for help! None of us were prepared for so many people. The community center was supposed to be another storm shelter but the word is it was wiped out in the storm. So, we're it."
Max frowned a little, "Yeah, we've noticed the chaos. Ms. Grant this is my um, my girlfriend, Chloe. We were wondering if you've seen her stepdad, David Madsen?"
Chloe cracked a big smile and suppressed the urge to tickle Max, instead she waved a hand up in greeting, "Hey!"
Ms. Grant's eyes got a little wider, followed with a large smile, "Oh! Well hello Chloe. I do remember you though, you used to attend classes here at Blackwell."
Chloe nodded, "Yeah, that was a couple years ago I'm surprised you remember me."
Ms. Grant chuckled, "Well Chloe I usually remember all of my students. Especially the ones during chemistry class that want to know how to mix their own hair dye or make a bomb out of household chemicals."
Max cracked a wry smile and lightly elbowed Chloe in the ribs, "Yeah, that sounds like her."
Chloe rolled her eyes prompting a laugh from Ms. Grant before she continued, "And to answer your question Max, yes I have seen David Madsen running around tonight. He has his hands full like the rest of us and I'm not sure where he's at right now but I am sure he'll be back through here at some point."
Chloe smiled as she grabbed Max's shoulder in excitement, "Dude they did make it for reals! If David is here then Joyce must be too!" she turned to Ms. Grant, "Did you see my mom with David? Her name is Joyce."
Ms. Grant shook her head, "Well now Chloe I do know of Joyce but I haven't seen her up here with Mr. Madsen yet. That's not to say she isn't around here somewhere, but with so many people I may be missing more faces than I see."
Chloe smiled, "No it's cool, she'll be here somewhere."
Ms. Grant seemed to consider something for a moment, "You may try checking in the front office, they may know more. And Max you should let them know you're here because their taking a headcount of students."
The girls looked back at the ever growing line outside the offices which now stretched around the corner and down the hallway well past the vending machines.
Ms. Grant followed their gazes and added, "Or…you both may be more comfortable up in your dorm Max and I can let the office know you're both here. Also if I see David or Joyce I'll let them know where you are."
Both girls smiled at her and Max gave her a hug, "Thank you so much Ms. Grant you rule!"
"Oooh well Max I'm glad you think so. Now if only the people that sign my paychecks thought so I'd be one happy ruler!"
Max grinned and they turned to make their way toward the front doors. Ms. Grant caught Max's arm briefly and smiled as Chloe continued ahead.
"Max, you take care of that girl now, she didn't always make the best choices but she has a good mind and a good heart. She needs someone like you."
Max beamed at her, "I will, we kinda take care of each other. It's a new thing we're trying out."
Ms. Grant chuckled and Max waved as she turned to catch up to Chloe. She watched Max hurry off and smiled as she thought out loud to herself, "They make a good pair. To be that young again oh what I'd give to go back. If only I could."
The girls emerged from the main building back onto the campus courtyard where immediately the open space and cool night air felt better. They chose the sidewalk close along the building doing their best to avoid people as they made their way over to the student dormitory building. Max's smile slipped from her face a little as she looked around while they walked but she didn't see anyone that resembled the woman from earlier. Inside where it was well lit and with so many people around it had been easy to push the strange encounter onto her list of fears and stuff it into the back of her mind.
Now, outside under the darkened sky the moonlight cast shadows that played tricks on her eyes and added to her growing anxiety. For a moment she thought about turning right around and going back in the building.
Come on Max, this is crazy. You've got yourself literally jumping at shadows now.
But that was REAL, I know it! I felt… it.
And Chloe believes me. I think.
No, she does. Or she wants to, but she didn't see it so once again I'm the only one who did.
If I never have anyone else who sees this shit how the hell am I supposed to know that I'm not going crazy or prove to anyone else that I'm not? If it's all just playing out in my head how would I know?
NO. I won't- I can't start thinking that way or I really will lose my mind.
Besides, Chloe said I was walking in the direction of the building and trying to take my coat off. And I kind of remember that, so some of it must be true, I hope.
And talking with Rachel, THAT was real, I have her earring to prove it! I just need to stay focused and get a grip. We'll head up to my room, maybe get some food and sleep, find David and Joyce…
I have to tell Chloe about Rachel, It's not fair to keep secrets from her like this when she's doing so much to try to help.
But later, once we get settled then I'll tell her.
Her focus was suddenly brought back to the present by Chloe who had slipped her hand into Max's and laced their fingers together causing the smaller girl to look over at her.
"What? Afraid I'm going to wander off?"
Chloe smiled, "Yeah dude, can't take my eyes off you for a second. Otherwise I might turn around and find you playing in traffic or doing laps butt naked in the fountain back there. Which come to think of it… could turn into a lot of fun."
Max grinned shaking her head.
Chloe's tone grew a little softer and more genuine "Or… maybe I just like the way your hand feels in mine," she finished sheepishly.
Max grinned, "Aw, look at your big mushy self," she gave Chloe's hand a squeeze, "Me too."
They swung their hands between them as the walked, after a few more paces Chloe snickered under her breath.
"Ok, what's so funny?" Max smirked.
Chloe tried to mimic Max's voice, "Hi Ms. Grant this is m-m-my um, my girlfriend Chloe."
Max coughed out a laugh, "Oh shut up, I did not stutter! And what's wrong with that?"
Chloe beamed, "Nuthin, I totally loved being introduced as your GF! I could just tell you had to 'um' think about it for 'um' a sec."
Max scrunched her mouth to the side, "You wench."
Chloe glanced at her, "Don't you mean 'um Wench'?"
Max grinned mischievously and pinched Chloe's waist making the taller girl jump.
"Yiah! Hey careful, you told Ms. Grant you'd look after me, not inflict bodily harm!"
Max looked surprised, "Just how the hell do you know that? About what Ms. Grant said?"
"I'm really good at listening when it's stuff I want to listen to," the punk answered with a shrug of her shoulders.
Max shook her head, "Yah, apparently. Sneaky girl, gonna have to keep both my eyes on you."
Chloe shot one eyebrow up "Well, if I'm keeping an eye on you and your keeping both your eyes on me who's going to make sure we don't walk into shit?"
"At least we'd have matching bruises," Max answered with a smirk.
Chloe leaned over to plant a kiss on Max's forehead as they rounded the corner out of sight, only their voices could be heard in the distance.
"Hey Max?"
"Yeah?"
"Go skinny dipping in the fountain with me later?"
"NO."
They crossed the breezeway hand-in-hand between the main building and the dorm grounds, rounding the corner and stepping through the gateway they were relieved to see there wasn't quite the chaos around the dorm building that there was elsewhere on campus.
There were still people in the courtyard area standing or sitting on benches talking quietly or heading off somewhere on some purpose. Max noticed there were a couple more Blackwell Security officers here currently trying to settle some heated argument between a two people. She felt a little better seeing them, maybe their presence would be enough to keep whoever that was from earlier away. She hoped maybe the reason there were fewer people here was because the staff were keeping the student dorm area for only the students.
I never knew Blackwell had so many security guys but I'm glad they're here.
So many people all over Blackwell, it wasn't even this crowded when mom and dad came with me for open house.
All these families too and they've got nowhere to go. If people don't get help soon there's going to be riots.
Maybe I should barricade my door tonight.
As if she had read Max's unspoken thoughts Chloe looked around apprehensively, "Dude, let's get to your room? I'm not digging being out here too much. You've already had a run-in with some creepy woman and everyone is all tense and on edge, you can feel it in the air. Some people are outright losing their shit. I'm not one to avoid some good anarchy, but just not right now."
Max nodded in agreement as they cut across the lawn of the dorms toward the front door.
They passed a man Max recognized as one of the football coaches where he stood talking with an older man, woman and another girl that Max knew as a student. There were only a couple of the lamps lit around the dorm lawn but they still did a decent job at pushing back the shadows which she was thankful for, she even noticed warm light glowing through a couple of the dorm room windows, including hers…
Did I leave my lights on? I didn't think I -
"Max!" a familiar voice shouted.
Max had been looking at the dorm windows as she walked so she barely had time to finish turning her head toward the owner of the voice before she was hug-tackled by an overjoyed Dana Ward. Max stumbled backwards from the impact and might have fallen had Chloe not turned quickly to steady them both.
Dana released her and stepped back a little "Oh my gods Max you're alive! I'm so glad you're ok!" she glanced between Chloe and Max, "Both of you!"
Max grinned as she recovered her balance. She noticed Dana had a small bandage on her forehead and her hair was pulled back into a ponytail. She had on a Blackwell hoodie, sweats and sneakers. Not her usual look and Max figured it was more a whatever-I-can-grab clothing choice. Her face looked tired but she also looked relieved.
Max smiled and introduced them, "I'm sorry, Dana Ward this is Chloe Price."
Chloe smiled "It's cool Max, we know each other." She gave a nonchalant wave to Dana "Hey Dana."
"Hey back at you! It's been awhile huh?" Dana smiled.
"Uh, yeah kinda," Chloe gave her an awkward smile as memories of her last year at Blackwell, the play, Rachel, all came to the front of her mind. She wasn't really sure what to say and a lot of it she didn't want to bring up, luckily Max spared her that.
"Dana it's good to see you, how are you holding up?" Max asked.
Dana sighed, "Max, it was horrible. Friday morning they made an announcement about the storm and canceled classes and the football game. Principal Wells called a campus curfew so we all pretty much just stayed in our rooms, then that storm came. Max it was the worst storm I've ever seen! The sky was totally black and I'll never forget that sound, like a gigantic train thundering overhead. The rain started pouring down but it was almost sideways cause of all the wind. There was lightning and thunder and other noises I can't even describe, it sounded like a war in Arcadia Bay. Even from my windows I could see it down on the beach, that giant tornado."
She stopped and took a breath as she tried to calm down and Max placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Dana, it's ok, we know."
Dana looked back and forth between them, "Gods Max, where were you guys? Security was coming through the hallways taking a roll call to see who was safe or missing. There were some students including you that they couldn't find, nobody knew where any of you were. A couple of us tried texting you and calling but you didn't answer."
Max shook her head, "I couldn't, my phone died," she glanced at Chloe, "I was with Chloe though, we found shelter and just decided it was safer to wait it out where we were."
Dana nodded, "Well, that was probably the smartest thing to do."
"Dana, what about the others," Max continued, "You said the security guys couldn't find some other students?"
Dana thought for a moment, "Two guys and also two girls from our hallway. I think Warren is one of them and no one has seen Brooke, Alyssa or Victoria since the storm started. When we tried to call and text you and you didn't respond one of the security guys kinda looked extra freaked out and left."
Max looked crestfallen, "Oh no. So no one knows where they are?"
Dana shook her head, "No. But hey, they probably held out somewhere like you guys did right? All these people around here didn't even start arriving until earlier this afternoon so they could still be on the way or sitting tight somewhere."
I hope you're right Dana. I hope it's not worse.
Chloe asked, "Dana, you said some security guy freaked out and left? What did he look like?"
Dana replied, "He's that head security guy, Mr. Madsen? Kinda tall, has a mustache and always looks pissed-off? He was wearing jeans and like a green shirt I think?"
Max stopped her, "Wait, you said he was wearing jeans, but it was Mr. Madsen, are you sure?"
Dana nodded "Yeah, but last night instead of a uniform he was wearing one of those ID badges that hang around your neck. I just figured maybe it was because he got called in to work with the storm and everything. He was with the other security guys, telling them what to do."
Chloe nodded, "That definitely sounds like David, but you said he was here then left? Do you know where he went?"
Dana shook her head, "No. But he came back later on and he was up on our floor with some woman. I think it might have been your mom? They both asked a couple of us if we'd seen or heard from you guys but no one knew anything to tell them."
Chloe got visibly excited, "Do you know where they went?"
Dana nodded, "Pretty sure they're still around. Mr. Madsen is here somewhere on campus I think, I saw him earlier this afternoon. The woman is probably still up in Max's room."
Chloe suddenly grabbed Dana in a hug and kissed her on the cheek, "Thank you Dana!" Chloe released the surprised girl just as suddenly and began running for the dorm entrance.
Caught a little off-guard Dana waved after an already distant Chloe, "You're uh…welcome! Talk later?"
Max smiled, "Sorry Dana, she gets like that. Thank you so much!"
Chloe yelled back already at the dorm entrance, "Max hurry!"
Dana smiled, "I know. No worries Max, I'm so glad you guys are OK. Later you're gonna have to tell me about the," she held her hands together and then pointed at Chloe and back at Max.
Max grinned at her as she ran to catch up with Chloe, "Ha nosy! And I will, promise!"
Max got to the door just as it finished swinging closed and Chloe's boots could be heard thumping up the stairs. Max hurried up after her and entered the girl's dorm floor, she wasn't sure what she'd expected but she hadn't expected this.
Things on her floor looked... normal.
If it wasn't for the chaos around the campus then the scene could have been from any regular day at Blackwell. There were a couple girls standing in the hallway chatting quietly but otherwise her floor looked like it always had, aside from the only decent light coming from a couple open dorm rooms. Normally the hallway lighting would have been on but with the power being out in town only a single set of emergency lights in the hallway added any extra light.
Slightly out of place too was a tall blue-haired girl standing in the middle of the hallway turning back and forth as she looked at all the doors, obviously lost.
In that moment Max was reminded of that Confused Travolta meme.
My reaction when, I'm the only punk on the floor with no clue.
Max giggled to herself as she walked towards Chloe who threw up her arms, "Max, where the hell is your room?"
"Slow down girl wonder, it's this way," Max lead Chloe down the hallway to her dorm room and reaching it they went in.
Joyce Price turned her head from where she sat on Max's couch, her eyes went wide as her face lit up, "Chloe! Max!"
"Mom!" Chloe stood in the doorway stunned.
Joyce had already jumped up from the couch and ran over to catch both girls in a big hug.
"Oh thank gods you're alright, you're both alright!" Joyce exclaimed joyfully hugging them tightly.
Chloe was smiling as she hugged her back, "We're fine mom, we're all ok now!"
Max was almost squashed between mother and daughter but loving every second, smiling as she looked up at them, "We are!"
I could totally die happy right here, right now, squished to death by Price love.
After a few moments Joyce released them and started to compose herself dabbing the corner of her eyes briefly.
"Well get in here both of you," she stepped back as the girls walked in and then shut the door, "Goodness look at the two of you! Your hair, clothes, you look like a couple of drowned rats," she shook her head but the affection in her voice was obvious.
Smiling, Chloe rolled her eyes, "Gee, thanks mom, glad to see you too."
Joyce playfully slapped her daughter on the shoulder, "Stop. I'm your mother, I can say these things. Both of you sit you must be exhausted, you look like you've been up for days."
The girls shared a knowing look before Max replied, "Yeah, it sure feels like it."
Joyce had a seat on Max's couch, "Max I hope you didn't mind me intruding like this. David let me in and said it was the best place to be in case one or both of you came back here first. Turns out he was right."
Chloe dropped onto the couch next to Joyce while Max put her bag and jacket on the floor and finally sat down on her bed to face them.
"Totally fine with it Joyce, my dorm is your, uh, home," Max replied.
Chloe reached for a large bandage covering Joyce's right forearm, "Mom, what happened to your arm?"
Joyce shooed away Chloe's hand from it and smiled at her, "It's nothing Chloe I'm fine. I got a little cut on my arm before we got out of the Two Whales."
Chloe smiled but her voice held concern, "Mom, where's David, what happened to you guys?"
Max listened as Joyce filled them both in.
She explained they'd been trying to weather the storm in the diner, that morning she and one other waitress were the only ones who'd come in to work. She was glad she had because there had been a few people that had wandered in from the elements, either for food or to use the phone.
But when things looked like they were going to go from bad to horrible she'd sent the other girl home, Joyce decided to stay in case Chloe came there looking for her.
When the storm became bad enough that staying outside was dangerous Frank, along with his dog Pompidou, had sought shelter inside because he said winds had begun rocking his RV back and forth. By Friday afternoon the storm's force had become deadly as people hurried to find cover. Sometime after that "a young boy" named Warren had come inside bringing with him another gentleman he'd helped and two girls named Alyssa and Brooke.
Frank and the other man had been banged up badly so Joyce had tended to them with what few medical supplies they could find.
Her voice took on a fearful tone as she recalled a couple times when she honestly thought they weren't going to make it.
At one point she said there had been a horrible crunching boom and they looked out the windows to see frighteningly large things being thrown around. Whales, trucks and train cars were being tossed around in the fierce winds. Seconds later there was a thunderous noise as one side of the Two Whales's ceiling caved in sending those who were standing to the floor. She said after the dust cleared everyone was still alright but the diner itself hadn't fared as well as a good portion of the front left side of the diner's roof had collapsed.
Then a few minutes later Joyce said her heart leapt into her throat again as a fiery flash from an explosion just in front of the diner lit up the darkness but she said whatever caused it didn't last long. Outside the sounds of thunderous destruction had continued with occasional glimpses of the devastation during some of the brighter lightning flashes. She said she honestly felt they were goners but she'd tried not to think about it and just focus on keeping Frank and the others comfortable.
"That is when he got there," Joyce said with awed affection in her voice, "Our David came in the back door like some kind of superhero!"
Chloe's eyes were wide with surprise as she glanced at Max who sat on the edge of her bed with her elbows on her knees, resting her head on her hands.
She smiled and winked at Chloe who cracked a small grin before turning her attention back to Joyce.
Joyce shook her head, a look of admiration and love as she described how David got them all out of there.
"He'd come down from Blackwell in one of the school's vans. He'd already been by our house looking for us and when he didn't find us he quickly grabbed whatever he could and made his way to the diner. While he was helping get everyone into the van I thought to leave notes for you two. I don't know why I did because honestly by that time in the storm the Two Whales was the last place I would have wanted you both to go, but it was all I could think to do at the time."
She paused as a wave of left-over emotion bled off. Chloe leaned over and hugged her, "It's ok mom. It worked, that's how we knew where to look for you guys."
Joyce smiled and nodded before she continued, "So, we all got in the van and David drove us out of there. It was scary. And that wind, my lord, it was pushing the van around like it was some little toy. It wasn't as bad once we got further inland among the houses but it was still incredibly strong. I've never been more afraid in my whole life."
Max cut in, "Joyce, you said Warren, Brooke and Alyssa were with you guys? Are they ok? They're friends of mine."
Joyce sounded reassuring, "Well Max, I'm sure they're alright but they didn't come with us to Blackwell."
Max's puzzled expression prompted Joyce to put her hands up in a 'slow-down' motion as she explained.
"Max it's ok, like I said I'm certain they're all fine. But after we left the diner Warren insisted we stop by his home because he was worried about his family. He said his house had one of those old bomb shelters that used to be built all over these parts. David protested at first because of all the damage everywhere he didn't think we'd be able to get there safely. But Warren's house was on the way to Blackwell and the boy was adamant, he wanted to be there with his family and make sure they were alright. The two girls, Brooke and Alyssa went with him. When we got them to his house they offered to put us all up but David wanted to get back here. He was sure you and Max would find your way here and I agreed. So don't worry yourself Max. When we left them they were going into the shelter in Warren's back yard so I'm sure they're fine."
Max relaxed a little.
At least they should be safe. Maybe Chloe and I can go looking for them tomorrow.
Chloe offered Max a sympathetic smile before turning back to Joyce, "So what happened then mom? You guys just came here?"
Joyce nodded, "David said we'd be safest here at Blackwell. He said it was far enough inland that the damage and danger would hopefully be minimal. Most of the buildings here are brick and stone and the school is furthest and highest from the shore so it stood the best chance of withstanding the storm. He also said that the campus has it's own emergency generators and water wells so with rationing we should be fine here until rescue services can arrive. So-" she raised her hands and dropped them onto her knees as she finished, "-here we are."
Chloe reached over and gave Joyce's hand a loving squeeze. Joyce smiled at her and then Max as she finished, "We got back here very early this morning. David spoke with Principal Wells, there are temporary medical and sleeping areas being set-up in the gymnasium. So Frank and his dog and the other man are there as far as I know. There are also people setting up small camps on the football field as I'm sure you saw. David talked to a couple of the security guards and after that we came up here. We asked a few of your dorm mates if they'd heard from you yet Max but they hadn't. David had to go back to the main building to help so we decided that I'd wait here. It seemed like the best place."
"Gods mom," Chloe's voice was full of relief as she wrapped Joyce in another big hug, "I didn't think I'd ever see you guys again."
Joyce returned the hug, "I'm just so grateful that you both are alive and made it here safely. I'm not even going to complain about what may have been lost in the house because I have my family here with me. As long as I have that everything else is trivial!"
Chloe smiled warmly, "Ok, well, what now?"
Joyce sat back a little and looked them both over with motherly appraisal, "Well, now would be a good time for you both to get yourselves cleaned up."
Max agreed with a nod of her head, "A hot shower does sound pretty amazing right now."
Joyce nodded at her, "Well you girls really should see to that, it seems like you could both use it and some clean clothes. David mentioned there would probably be rationing of things like water soon, so regular showers may become a luxury for a while. But, since nothing is official yet I highly suggest you girls take full advantage of some soap and warm water."
Chloe smirked sideways at Max, "Gee mom, please don't sugarcoat it, just tell us we smell like dirty socks and butts."
Max giggled. Joyce smirked before lightly smacking Chloe's shoulder, "Well I can see the storm did nothing to dampen that attitude of yours."
Chloe feigned exasperation before smiling at her.
Joyce continued, "And I'm not 'sugarcoating' anything Chloe. What I'm sayin is you two look like you've been through the wringer and a warm shower and some clean clothes would probably do you both a world of good."
Chloe simply smiled, "I know mom, it's cool."
Joyce stood up, "Well, now that I know you two are here safely I think I'm going to see if I can find you both some food and then make myself useful. I can't stand sitting still when there is so much that needs to be done. Oh, before I forget. David had grabbed some things from the house last night when he stopped there looking for us. What he brought from your room is over there Chloe."
Max caught Chloe's nervous expression and could only imagine what was going through her mind. She was pretty sure she knew.
Joyce apparently caught it too, "Oh don't worry Chloe, he didn't go through all of your stuff and maybe we're both better off not knowing. But frankly I'm surprised he even knew what to grab in that room of yours."
Chloe rolled her eyes at Joyce, finishing with a smirk. With everything that had happened she was just happy to hear her voice. So at this point no matter what Joyce would say Chloe would enjoy it all and keep smiling back at her.
Joyce grinned and shook her head, "Anyway, your things are over there by Max's desk. You two get yourselves cleaned up and I'm going to go see if I can find you both something to eat. At my request David had talked to Principal Wells about me volunteering in the cafeteria. So starting tomorrow morning I'll be helping with dishing out food and finding ways to stretch what we have until more can be brought in. And since you two look like you haven't eaten in days I think the first food I dish out is going to be to you both."
Chloe got up from the couch and walked over to where her large sea bag sat on the floor and began looking through it.
Max smiled, "Joyce that's ok, we can find something to eat. You don't have to do that."
Joyce gave her a stern parental look, "Max please, 'something to eat' like what? That box of cookies over there? Or the vending machines down the hall? I may not be able to throw a four course meal together right now but I know I can find you both something better to eat than that! So you let me be a mother and get you both something that could pass for reasonable food."
Max blushed a little and smiled back, "Ok, thanks Joyce."
Chloe let out a small snort as she looked through her things, "Max, there is no point in arguing with her once she's set on something. Mind. Steel. Trap. Know what I mean?"
As Joyce strutted to the door she fired back, "Keep it up Chloe and you'll get dry bread and water when I come back."
Chloe grinned over her shoulder at her as Joyce stepped out of the room and closed the door.
"Well, at least I know where you get it from," Max snickered.
Chloe stopped and turned to look at her. "Really? You're gonna come at me like that? You're supposed to be on my side."
Max smiled back warmly, "Always."
Chloe smiled before turning back to her bag.
Max got up and walked over to plop down into her desk chair next to Chloe, "So, whatcha got? Anything good?"
Chloe laughed, "Oh yeah, totally. He grabbed my huge bag full of dirty laundry." She continued a verbal inventory as she dug through the bag, "Let's see, he stuffed my laptop and charger in here so that's cool I guess. OH, phone charger yes! Got a pair of sneakers, one of my hoodies, heh, toothbrush and toothpaste. I spose in his defense he didn't really know what to gra…oh man."
She stopped mid-sentence staring at something that she slowly and carefully lifted out from where it was half-wrapped in a t-shirt.
Max looked concerned, "Chlo, what is it?"
Chloe lifted the t-shirt up to where Max could see; nestled safely in the center was her snow doe globe. Max gave her a big smile.
After a moment Chloe spoke softly, "I love this little doe. It was a gift from my dad, I mean William, my dad. I would have never thought David would grab it out of all the other shit I had in my room. I mean it was up in my closet in a box. So he specifically chose to grab it."
Max put her hand on Chloe's shoulder "Maybe he did because he knew you loved it. He really does care about you a lot."
Chloe shook her head slowly, "Yeah maybe, I guess. I just didn't think he ever noticed shit like that."
Chloe handed the snow globe to Max who looked at it thoughtfully a moment.
"You know, I bet this would look really good right here." She stood up and leaned across to her small bookshelf by the window. She gently placed it on the top shelf and sat back smiling.
Chloe looked genuinely touched, "Thanks, it looks good there." She looked back down at her bag.
"Well I was hoping to find something in here that might pass for wearable. But I think wearing any of this stuff would have a hazmat team swarm my ass the second I leave the building."
Max scrunched up her face, pretending to be disgusted, "Yeah… Well, it's your lucky day cause I actually do my laundry, so I probably have something clean you can borrow."
Max grinned innocently as Chloe stuck her tongue out before she turned back to finish looking through her things.
"So, Suzy Homemaker, where does one do this thing you call 'laundry' in this establishment of higher learning?" Chloe quipped.
Max grinned, "It's in a room down the hall by the stairs, on the right in where the vending machines are. I can show you. If you're gonna do that though I'd do it soon cause if they start shutting stuff off like Joyce said then bye bye laundry prolly."
Chloe nodded while still picking through the bag, "Yeah, good point, but showers first."
She pulled out two more things from the bottom of the sea bag. Her small metal lockbox and a shoebox with the contents clearly labeled in marker on the side as 'Pictures'
Max grinned, "See? He cares."
Chloe looked up at the ceiling and blinked as she took a deep breath, "Ok, I must be way more tired and hungry than I thought cause all this shit is making me hella emo. So I think it's time to grab a sho - wait. Max? Did someone say something about cookies before?"
Max stared at her blankly for a moment before chuckling, "Yeah, like forever ago, glad you're finally keeping up with the conversation."
Chloe looked at her with a childlike expectant grin until finally Max shook her head and pointed to her closet where the cookie box sat.
Chloe got up and walked over to pick up the box reading the label out loud as she flipped it open.
"'Chocolate Coconut Bites'. Not big on coconut but beggars and choosers and all that, plus right now I'm so hungry I could eat cardboard and beg for seconds."
She popped an entire cookie in her mouth and grabbed another. Nodding at Max she tossed a cookie in her direction and Max awkwardly caught it.
Yes! The catch that won the game!
Max took a bite of the cookie and as she chewed and swallowed she could feel her stomach groan.
Ok, it has been way too long since I last ate. Kinda glad Joyce offered now.
As if agreeing with Max's inner thought Chloe groaned, "I can literally feel this cookie hit bottom, man I'm starving."
Max nodded at her as she finished chewing.
Chloe sat down across from her on the floor and leaned back against the couch. Bending forward she handed Max another cookie. As she leaned back her elbow bumped into something that made a loud metallic rattle. She cringed, giving Max an apologetic look before she turned her head to look at what she'd jostled.
"Dude! You didn't tell me you had a bunny!" Chloe's face lit up, "Aw, he's so cute!"
Max rolled her eyes smiling, "He is actually a she and her name is Alice. She's Kate's bunny. I'm taking care of her until Kate gets back.'
Chloe lightly scratched Alice's head through the cage bars with her finger making cooing noises, "Oooh, hullo Al-wice! you're such a cute bun-bun," she looked back at Max who was smiling ear to ear at her.
"What? I love animals," Chloe said defensively.
"You're adorable," Max chuckled, "You're like all rough looking on the outside but you're really all gooey inside."
Chloe shot back, "Hey, don't you be telling anyone my secret! I have an image to uphold."
Max put her hand on her chest "I solemnly swear your secret is safe with me."
Chloe nodded, "Uh huh, it better be. Anyway, it's cool that you're watching Kate's bunny for her, she's lucky to have a friend like you."
Max smiled, "Thanks."
"Hey, do you think she's hungry?", Chloe asked
Max looked thoughtful, "Well, I dunno Chloe. They're probably feeding her. Of course I've heard hospital food is never that great so Kate might not be eating as much, spose she could be hungry."
Chloe looked at her with a deadpan expression, "Har har. You know what I meant brat."
Max grinned, "Give her one of those," she pointed to a small bag of baby carrots on the floor next to the cage.
Chloe fished a carrot out of the bag and gave it to Alice who studied it for a few seconds before eagerly nibbling on it.
Chloe sat back against the couch again and looked around the room. As she did, her eyes began to light up as though she was finally seeing the room for the first time.
"Holy crap Max, your room is cool! Damn, what is all that?" Chloe got up and walked over to Max's bed looking at the wall of polaroids.
Max shook her head at the girl's obliviousness before getting up to stand next to her.
After a moment Max smirked, "I'm sorry, where are my manners now that we've both arrived," She made a grand gesture with her arms at various things in the room, "Welcome to my Blackwell dorm room Chloe Price. Here is my bed and couch, next we have a closet full of lovely clothes and some cookies and over there is a cute bunny next to a pile of your dirty laundry. Also please note where the door is in case you need to exit."
Chloe turned and tilted her head to one side giving Max slightly miffed look, "Ok smart ass, I am aware of my surroundings thanks."
"You do know that your mom was here right?" Max pointed to her couch.
Chloe shook her head, "Keep it up pint-size and you won't like what happens once you fall asleep."
Max snickered and Chloe winked at her before turning her attention back to the wall of photos, "Seriously though dude this is so sweet!"
As Chloe scanned the wall she noticed there were more than a few selfies of Max from various angles and places but there were also other shots. Some cool landscapes, some atmospheric pictures and nighttime shots. There were others of animals and people in different locations. The whole wall was totally Max and Chloe loved it.
Max made a sweeping motion at the wall with her arm, "And here we have the Max Caulfield Photo Memorial Wall!" she said with obvious exaggeration.
Chloe continued looking in awe at the wall but her voice was serious, "Dude, do not even joke right now. This is seriously amazeballs! These are all such sweet shots and you really need to give yourself more credit because you have real talent."
Max smiled a little at that, "Thanks though, I dunno, I never thought about them being 'good' or taking 'good' shots, it's always been just something I like to do. I see an image or scene I like and I automatically start setting up the shot in my head, it just feels normal to take a picture of it. When I got to Blackwell I put them all up as a reminder to myself; that even on shitty days I still have my photography and that it really means something to me, that it's important."
Chloe listened with a clear look of admiration as Max continued.
"It's kinda weird. I've loved taking pictures all my life. Since I was a kid I dreamed of being some famous photographer when I grew up. It just seemed so perfect to me, to be able to run around as an adult doing something I loved. Especially because most adults I saw all seemed to have jobs they hated. Photography makes me think about how we can experience things and kinda have this image in our minds of what it looked like, but our memories always seem to be out of focus and hard to picture the way things looked exactly. But with a picture it's like a perfect reminder of those experiences, a physical piece of that exact moment, so you can look at one and go 'yeah, that really happened.'"
Max sighed as her tone turned a little sullen, "But even though I dreamed about being a professional photographer most of the time it kinda felt like it would just be a hobby to me. I mean I could never see it happening, not really. Then suddenly one day I'm going to Blackwell for photography and studying with all these super-talented people and it starts to hit me, that maybe it could be something more to me than just some kid's hobby. It was such a cool thing to realize but it was also pretty scary."
She looked back at Chloe suddenly as if she'd just snapped out of a daydream before sitting down on the edge of her bed. Chloe joined her and placed a hand on Max's shoulder.
"Max, you have mad photo skills. It only seems scary because you're never really put yourself out there. I mean, I can tell you that your stuff is amazing but it's another thing when you put your work in front of people you barely know. That fear is normal. Plus if you think about it, you prolly have that fear because deep down you realize it really is important to you. If you didn't really care then you wouldn't give a shit what others thought. Like you said, more than just a hobby."
Max shrugged, "I guess. It's just the more I went to class and began looking at things seriously I felt like now there's all this pressure to take just the right shots and get everything perfect and always feeling like everyone was judging what I did."
She sighed as her shoulders slumped in frustration, "Part of me really wanted to enter the Everyday Heroes contest but when I looked at what I did it just looked like plain old boring crap and I figured everyone else was going to have way better shots. So why bother you know? Plus that way I didn't have to worry about people rejecting my stuff."
Chloe looked at her intently but her voice was warm, "I know believe me, I get that logic. It's safe but it's also kinda dumb."
Max pretended to huff and followed with a small smile.
Chloe raised her eyebrows and continued, "Remember I told you, you will get rejected before you get accepted. Every artist that's successful has taken a beating along the way. The only difference is they learned something from it then shrugged off the haters and kept going. You will too, I believe in you."
Max smiled wider at her, "Thanks for being in my corner coach."
Chloe smiled back, "Always! Team Max! As long as we have each other's backs there's nothing we can't handle!"
Max continued, "So, I guess that's why I did that," she inclined her head toward her wall of photos, "Because it reminds me that this is something real to me and not just some kid's day dream. That I'm really here at Blackwell seriously following something I love."
She looked down shyly at her feet for a few moments before finishing, "More than one thing actually," finally looking up at Chloe.
Chloe looked back at her. Her lips parted slightly as if she might say something but instead she suddenly leaned in to kiss Max, softly at first, unsure if this was the right moment.
Max dispelled her doubts by wrapping her arms around Chloe's waist and moving deeper into the kiss. Chloe moved her tongue testing to see what was alright or too far, she really had no idea what Max liked. It was intimidating and exciting at the same time, but Max didn't flinch or pull away as the heat of the kiss grew.
She felt Max's hands move down to her waist and then softly glide up under her shirt. Her hands were smooth and warm where they brushed Chloe's back sending shivers up into her neck and down through her hips. For a moment Chloe was surprised that Max wasn't as shy as she'd assumed but she liked this bolder side of her. Chloe slid her hands up to run her fingers gently through Max's hair and across her scalp.
Chloe wanted this, wanted her, so much she felt like she would fly out of her skin. She didn't want to freak Max out by being too aggressive or moving too fast but she was quickly losing the battle to take things slowly. After all the twisted bullshit of the last several days this felt so good, so normal and real. The subtle tension that had been between them finally uncoiling.
She moved her hands down the brunette's shoulders and along her sides to her waist, slowly slipping her hands under Max's shirt and gently pressing her palms against her stomach. A small gasp escaped from Max's lips as she tensed a little under her touch. Chloe continued to slowly slide her palms up over Max's ribs and the smaller girl relaxed again and began leaning into Chloe. With Max leading Chloe leaned backwards to lower them both onto the bed as Max climbed on top of her. They looked at each other and smiled.
Suddenly a loud knocking on the door scared them both rigid.
Eyes wide and gasping sharply in unison they quickly glanced at the door, then scrambled to separate and sit back up.
Max tried to climb off Chloe and scoot backwards off the bed as she was pulling her shirt back down but a few years of avoiding being caught had Chloe reacting much quicker. She bent her knees sliding her feet up at the same time as she boosted herself onto her elbows preparing to swing her legs out onto the floor to standing. It would have worked if Max had been reacting as fast.
Before Max could fully sit up Chloe's knees thumped into her butt sending her catapulting forward into Chloe who at the same time had leaned up and met Max's nose with her forehead. The smaller girl let out a squeak of pain as she put her hand to her nose and rolled sideways off the bed, landing with a thump.
Chloe gasped, "Shit, oh shit no, fuck Max I'm sorry!"
As the third knock had barely finished the door was already opening as David's voice called out.
"Chloe? Max? Are you in, oh…"
David had stepped into the doorway just as they were almost situated again.
Almost.
David paused as he tried to make sense out of the scene before him. Max was now sitting flat on the floor with her legs straight in front of her and holding her nose, her messed up hair framed a face that wore a startled, pained expression.
Chloe who sat on the edge of the bed looked mostly like herself but was staring at Max when David first entered and now turned to face David as her expression went from chagrined to an exaggerated innocent grin.
David wasn't exactly sure when he'd just seen or walked into, but he knew that look on Chloe's face too well.
Still unsure if they'd been fast enough Chloe stood up followed by Max. They tried to look natural but to David they still wore expressions of people who had been unexpectedly caught in the middle of something they didn't want to be caught at. Chloe saw the expression on David's face go from mild surprise to awkward confusion but the look faded quickly to be replaced with one of complete relief as he looked at her.
Chloe groaned inwardly.
Nope shit. Too slow and SO busted.
Wait, why is he looking at me like that?
Caught almost literally with her pants down Chloe's mouth began throwing out words before her brain could filter any of them.
"David! Hi! You're ok! From the storm I mean. So how's it going? Um, this is Max, have you guys met?" she laughed nervously as she gestured at Max.
Max still holding her nose let out a small groan and rolled her eyes as she listened to Chloe commit verbal suicide.
Chloe brought her arms up in exasperation as she continued,"Wait, Ha! Duh, I mean, of course you guys have met! Like a couple times right? And, this is her room, which you already knew. The hell am I talking about? So I, I mean we um…"
As Max listened to the verbal wreckage tumble from Chloe's mouth her mind pictured a blindfolded drunken monkey maiming itself as it tried to swing a sword.
Not only did you fail to parry away David's suspicions but you also managed to fumble and fall on your own sword.
Bravo Chlo.
Max tried to hide a smirk at the mental image as she took her hand away from her nose. She was relieved to see no blood as she walked over to her couch and sat down, trying to hide her growing blush.
Chloe realizing it was probably pointless to continue sighed and dropped the act, "Yeah, we were just waiting for Mom and -"
She was cut short as David stepped over to her and embraced her in a big hug, "You're alright! Thank God you're alright Chloe!" His gruff voice quavering with emotion.
Max suppressed a startled laugh as she watched a look of abject shock come over Chloe's face. She stood there rigid with arms straight out behind David looking every bit like she'd just been hugged by a cactus. She looked over at Max, mouth partially open in shock as her eyes pleaded with Max for what to do.
Max smiled back at her and inclined her head at David, indicating for Chloe to hug him back.
Chloe quickly and subtlety shook her head, her eyes and expression conveying the nonverbal message 'What?! Are you nuts!?'
Still smiling, Max rolled her eyes before answering back with a harder stare at the disarmed girl. She widened her eyes and nodded her head at David more sharply, staring at Chloe she silently mouthed 'Hug him Chlo!'
Chloe shot Max an irritated hopeless look. She slowly brought her arms together behind her stepfather in a loose hug. As though she expected that mere contact might make them both explode.
David spoke again, his softer, relief-filled tone so unlike his normal voice, "Oh it's so good to see you! Both of you! You're alright! Your mom and I were so worried. We kept trying to call you but couldn't get through. With the storm…" He let the thought trail off.
Max watched Chloe's well honed hard edge slowly soften on her face as the shock and tension melted from her expression, she closed her eyes and tightened her arms in a genuine hug. Max smiled as she watched them both.
I am SO never letting her forget this moment.
Something clicked in her mind, an old habit that she'd given up on. But now the idea was framed in her eyes right in front of her. She carefully reached over next to her bed, grabbed her camera bag and fished out her camera. Stepping back to the couch she brought it up to her eye.
The look on her face, the photos on the wall behind them, the string of lights, it's perfect.
The sound of the camera's flash snapping didn't even seem to phase Chloe or David and like that, the moment was frozen in time. Max pulled the Polaroid from the front of the camera and waved it a couple times in the air before looking at it and smiled.
I love it.
She placed it and her camera on the small table next to her couch and sat back down. After a few more moments David slowly released Chloe and straightened up clearing his throat. Chloe straightened up and looked at him with an expression of awkward admiration as though seeing someone for the first time.
David was clearly unprepared for his own emotional reaction and was struggling to put his normal mask back in place.
Chloe shook her head as she watched him flounder. She saw his expression start to change back, taking on it's old familiar hard edge.
She'd only gotten to see this side of him once before, during his and Joyce's wedding and now he was being genuinely nice towards her? She wasn't going to that go.
She reached out and squeezed his hand, new affection clear in her voice, "David, I'm really glad to see you too. I was afraid you might not make it. But both you and mom are ok, everything is going to be alright now."
She watched his mask slip from his grasp, watched as it shattered on the floor.
David looked back at her and smiled the biggest smile Chloe had ever seen and she wasn't about to let him forget that either.
She nodded at him as she pointed casually at his face, "That's a good look for you dude, you should wear it more often."
David laughed and Max and Chloe joined in as the remaining tension in the room dissolved.
David cleared his throat, "Well, thanks Chloe. With Joyce and now the two of you both here I think maybe I'll be doing that. So are you both ok? Did you get hurt?" He made a point of looking directly at Max, at her face.
Both girls shook their heads with Max answering for both of them, "No, but thank you David. I think we're just tired, hungry and kinda overwhelmed."
Chloe nodded in consensus.
David continued, "Well, yeah, there is a lot of that going around unfortunately. But we can take care of most of those things. I talked with Joyce on her way to the cafeteria, she's going to see about some food for you both. I wanted to stop up and see how you were doing and let you know what's what."
Chloe sat back on Max's bed. Max leaned back on the couch and David took a seat next to her turning slightly so he could face both of them.
"So, I'm not sure what's going to be done yet about water, power and all that. Principal Wells is having a meeting with some of us later to discuss our options and try to come up with some kind of plan. Since Blackwell is one of the few places intact yet we've become sort of the official gathering place for storm survivors. We had a designated emergency procedure plan in place but it was never designed for so many people so we're all going to have to get creative. Blackwell has it's own emergency power and fresh water well, so we have some resources we can provide to people for a little while. Depending on how many people find their way here, that may not last long though."
Max hesitated and finally asked "David, how many? How many people are there so far?"
"Well, there's no accurate count yet but a couple hundred so far I'd guess. We've started trying to keep records of names but it's too early to know. I imagine those who had their own shelters hunkered down there to ride out the storm. But something tells me we may have even more survivors arriving soon. We received word that at least one of the other designated emergency shelters, the one at the community center, didn't survive. So people that would have gone there are also finding their way here." David answered.
Chloe replied to David but smiled at Max, she knew what was going through the brunette's head, "That's good news though right? I mean it sucks that they don't have anywhere else to go but at least they're alive?" Max smiled a little at that.
David nodded, "Yeah you're right. They at least have their lives, everything else can be rebuilt. But it's going to be rough for awhile before emergency and relief services can get here to help everyone. Word is the main roads both up and down the coast are either damaged or blocked by storm debris, we'll need some serious equipment and manpower to make them passable. So until then we'll just have to make due. Joyce said she suggested showers to you both and I agree, best get it done now. Oh and Chloe, I didn't know everything to grab from your room so I gave it my best guess. I hope it's ok. If you want to clean up your clothes I'd do that tonight too, laundry use along with showers will most likely be rationed soon to try and conserve resources."
Chloe smiled at him, "David it's cool, you grabbed all the right things. Thank you."
David smiled and nodded before continuing, "So as you both saw things look like a refugee camp and we're struggling to figure out where to put everyone and just what the hell to do. We're setting up emergency medical and shelter areas in the main building. There is talk about temporarily housing people in some of the classrooms too, wherever we can find space."
Max gave him a wary look of concern which he seemed to interpret.
"Don't worry Max, the dorms are still for students only. Many of your classmates are still here, most from out of town as you probably know. So they don't have a home or family close by and we're not about to kick them out of their own rooms."
Comforted, Max continued to listen.
"There will be at least one guard assigned specifically to the dorms to make sure things stay that way. But please, do me and your mom a favor?" as he looked specifically at Chloe, "Please, stay in here at night? Please? With everything going on the way it is right now it's dangerous to be out when you don't have to. Most of the people are here for help, just good people who are lost and confused. But emotions are running high and there is a lot of tension in the air too. So at least at night we know you'll be safe in here and it will be one less thing for us to worry about. And Chloe before you say it, I'm not just singling you out, we've asked the same thing of every other student here."
Chloe hesitated a moment before replying. David's voice wasn't lecturing or abrasive, it held genuine care and concern. She smiled at him, "It's cool, Max and I can hang here for now."
Max smiled and nodded.
David let out a sigh of relief, "Thank you. Honestly sitting here with you both feels like the first few minutes I've had to breathe since this all started. First that stuff with Mark Jefferson, then the storm itself and now all of this at Blackwell. I think I need to stand up and get back out there. If I sit here too long I may not get back up," he finished with a chuckle.
Chloe noticed the change to Max's face the second David had mentioned Mark Jefferson. Thursday night Max had started to tell her a little bit of what happened in another timeline with her, in Jefferson's Dark Room. She'd tried to get more details but Max hadn't wanted to talk too much about it and Chloe hadn't pushed further. Max talked about other things instead, her powers and how she thought things worked.
Now at the mention of Jefferson's name the small brunette's face grew slightly pale, her eyes had a hunted look behind them.
Max's voice sounded anxious as she spoke, "David? Do you know what happened to him? Mark Jefferson?"
David's expression was stern, "He's sitting in a cell before his trial, which I'm sure will be a very big deal. So don't worry Max, he's not even in Arcadia Bay. Because of the amount of evidence and crimes he's facing he was turned over to state police early Friday morning. I don't need to go into detail, you both have already seen that damned room so based on what was found down there he's got a lot he's going to answer for. Plus you both told us right where to find poor Rachel so, well let's just say he's not getting away with anything," He stopped talking about the part concerning Rachel after seeing the expression on Chloe's face drop. After a few moments of silence he continued.
"But Thursday night I went with three officers to the junkyard and from there we went to the old farmstead you girls told me about. We caught that sick son-of-a-bitch inside his weird photo studio, bunker or whatever the hell it was. Even being caught down there he still tried to play it off. Acting all smug and polite but then when he realized his bullshit wasn't going to work he tried to make a break for it, if you can believe that."
Chloe was caught up in the memories of her dream and before she could catch herself she blurted out excitedly, "Yeah! But then you snapped with all your badass martial arts and totally kicked his ass!"
She watched as both David and Max looked at her, their fading smiles replaced with puzzled looks.
"Chloe how do you know there was a fight?" David looked confused.
Chloe's mind froze as she realized too late what she'd just said. She hadn't even told Max about her bizarre dream yet and tried to keep her expression calm while inwardly berating herself for the slip.
Stammering she tried to play it off, "Well it's just that, I… I mean, of course you did right? Cause like, he's a scumbag so he'd totally try to run like you said and it makes sense you'd stop him."
Max watched Chloe squirm, still puzzled and not realizing exactly what was going on, but she backed her up anyway.
"Yeah David. Chloe and I were talking about it on Thursday night after we'd told you everything. We figured he'd try to run instead of just turning himself in. Since you've got more combat training and stuff we knew you'd probably be the one who have the best chance stopping him."
Grateful for the backup Chloe played along, "Exactly, we figured you'd be the one to take him out if he tried anything," she then pointed to her face indicating David's black eye and bruised jaw, "Plus, it looks like you took one for the team during the fight?"
David's puzzled look was replaced with mild irritation as he recalled the scuffle with Jefferson. He reached up to his face, "Oh, yeah well, I did actually heh. Still feel like an idiot too. You know, there was a second when it started that I just, froze? I knew what I wanted to do I just, I couldn't get myself to move. I know how stupid that must sound."
He then shook his head dismissively while he smiled at both girls, "I'm sorry Chloe, I didn't mean to sound suspicious. You both followed the evidence and collected all that great intel so I shouldn't be surprised that you'd guess other things too."
Max smiled as she looked from Chloe to David, "You helped us get there David, you already had a lot of clues."
David shook his head, "Yeah, I knew something was up but I could never connect the rest of the pieces. I wasn't happy that you went into my files and I probably don't want to know how you both found some of that other info. But in the end you provided the missing pieces the police and I needed. So I suppose it's a fair trade off," he finished with a half-chuckle. After sitting quietly for a moment he looked at Chloe.
"Chloe. I am sorry about Rachel. She didn't deserve that. I know how upset you were when she disappeared on you. Honestly at first I thought she'd run off somewhere and I didn't think much on it. You'd know it wasn't the first time she'd taken off on a whim. But as time went on and I found more things that didn't add up I'd hoped it would turn out that she really had just taken off. Chloe I just… I should have been more supportive and understanding towards you because I know you two were close. I didn't know how to talk to you about it and without any solid proof of anything I didn't want to scare you."
Chloe hadn't been expecting Rachel being brought up this much, or David's sympathy. Both caught her off guard. When she answered him her voice was a quieter but not bitter.
"It's ok David. I guess I spose thought the same things. I felt at the thought that she'd left town and didn't take me along, didn't even say goodbye. But the longer it got with no calls or anything I started to get really pissed. Deep down I know I was scared, but it was easier to be mad at her being out there without me than to imagine worse shit."
David smiled sympathetically and Max nodded, looking hopefully at Chloe. She didn't want to see her slip into a funk again and she knew it was going to take time but she'd gotten really used to seeing her more upbeat and laughing. After a moment Chloe managed a small smile back.
They all sat quietly for a few moments before David's voice broke the silence, "Well I think things are going to be ok though, we're all in the middle of a tough fight, but we have each other. I've already seen some very inspiring things from people around here so I think everyone is going to pull together to get through this," he smiled big, "And I have my family with me, I can't ask for anything better!"
Chloe smiled at him, nodding her head.
With that David stood up, "Well, like I said before, I'd better get up and keep moving. Otherwise Max you may have to put up with me passing out on your very comfortable couch here."
This time it was Chloe who walked over and wrapped David a hug. He was caught off guard for only a moment before he hugged her back.
When Chloe let go she looked at him, "Thank you, for saving mom."
David looked like his emotions might get the better of him again so he simply smiled and put his hand affectionately on her shoulder before turning to leave.
Max stood up as David was leaving "Thank you David, for everything."
David smiled and nodded at her as he turned for the door then paused as though he remembered something, "Oh and Max?"
"Yeah?"
David turned his head toward her grinning "You may want to keep your door locked, even if you're in here? With so many people wandering around you wouldn't want anyone just walking in at the wrong moment, that could be embarrassing -" he grinned wider, "and painful," he finished by tapping his nose.
Max felt her ears and face grow red hot as she stood there frozen in place. Chloe barely managed to stifle a surprised laugh, clamping her lips together and turning her head.
David chuckled, nodded to them both and left, closing the door behind him.
Chloe burst out laughing.
Max's expression was a mix of shock and embarrassment.
"Chloe!"
Chloe doubled-over and kept laughing.
Max walked over and dropped onto her bed, "Chloe?"
Chloe looked down at Max trying hard to stop laughing, instead she snickered through her teeth waving her hands in front of her.
Max's shoulders slumped forward, her tone sounded defeated, "Chloe, I think maybe he knows. Or at least saw enough to really suspect something."
Chloe took a breath and sat down on the bed next to Max, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes.
"Oh there's no 'maybe' there Max, he definitely knows!"
Max dropped her face into her hands, "Oh my gods, that did not just happen."
Chloe tried to comfort her as her laughter died down, "Dude, look. David has been head of Blackwell Security for a couple years now. Keys to everywhere, have to do patrols and shit day and night, odd hours. So think about it, do you really think this is the worst strange he's walked in on?"
Max groaned with her face still in her hands, "Uuugh, not helping."
Chloe rolled her eyes, "Now who's being overdramatic? C'mon he really took it well you have to admit," she lightly tugged at Max's hands trying to uncover her face.
Max dropped her hands into her lap, "If there ever was a list of reasons to rewind and do something over, this is definitely in the top ten."
Chloe looked sideways at her, "Max? Don't you dare."
"Huh, what?" Max turned to look at her.
Chloe was smiling but her eyes had a hard stare that reminded Max a lot of Joyce when she was being serious. Chloe cocked one eyebrow up as if waiting for an answer.
Max sighed as she caught Chloe's meaning, "Don't worry Chlo, I'm not. I mean I won't. I can't..." her voice barely above a whisper on the last two words.
Chloe relaxed, "You swear? Cause those kind of moments don't happen, like hardly ever, for me. I don't care about if he saw anything or not Max. I don't want to lose those few minutes when he actually felt more like a dad and less like a prison guard. Especially after you basically forced me into that hug and it still turned out so rad."
Max smiled, "You won't loose them, swear to dog. And I didn't force anything, that was all you. And him. That look on your face at first though, all 'Oh my gods nooo Max please I'll die!', too cute. Besides, I don't even want to think about messing with time and you're right, it's not like David is going to run all over campus announcing it. He prolly has way more important stuff to worry about anyway."
Chloe snorted, "But it'd be hella funny seeing him do that right? 'The Man Who Cried Gay!'" she waved her hands dramatically.
They both snickered until Chloe looked at her, "Dude, it really doesn't matter. They were going to find out eventually anyway right? From us? And did he seem to care? Hell he was poking fun about busting us."
"Yeah, but it might have been nice to tell them on our own time. It just seems like things are moving so fast. Gods, of all the people to walk in!" Max dropped her head into her hands again at let out an exasperated giggle.
After a moment she looked up at Chloe and smiled "You know, I guess it really doesn't bother me. I think what bugs me a little is that he DID catch us before we had a chance to talk to him and Joyce. But I actually feel kinda good that he does know. I don't want us to have to hide like some secret or something."
Chloe gave her a sly look, "You know, sometimes sneaking around can be a lot of fun though."
Max pursed her lips sideways in thought, "Naw, this way there's no having to worry or keep track of what version of what story we told to who or any of that craziness."
Chloe grinned at her like a Cheshire cat, "So then, out without a doubt!"
Max snorted, "Yeah, no thanks to your epic fail of a verbal smokescreen!" and shoved her leg playfully mimicking her voice "Oh hi David! Have you met Max? Oh wait, duh of course you have, boy am I a dork ha, uh hahahah."
Chloe returned a shove to Max's shoulder and chuckled, "Hey! At least I tried something."
"Well, I might have tried to talk us out of it if someone hadn't went all Mortal Kombat on my nose," Max snarked.
Chloe's looked guilty as she reached up to lightly touch the smaller girl's nose, "Shit Max, I'm so sorry about that. Is it ok?"
Max sighed but smiled, "It's ok, I'll survive."
Chloe paused a moment before a small grin broke through, followed by a short laugh. Max glanced at her and Chloe held her nose and made a nasally squeaking noise.
Max huffed, "Oh, my pain is funny to you huh? 'Everyone smack the little chick around, she makes funny noises.' Is that what you're into?" she finished with a grin.
Chloe raised her eyebrows as if considering it, "Well, I never considered myself a dom, but I'm always open to trying new things if you are?"
Max stuck her tongue out as Chloe finished, "Seriously though I'm really sorry about your nose, but that squeak was hella funny dude. Sounded like a Pikachu getting gut-punched."
Max pouted, "Hey, you suck. It hurt. It was a squeak of anguish. You'd do the same."
Chloe shook her head, "Naw dude, I don't squeak. I swear, a lot. Like, George Carlin's Seven Dirty Words on a loop."
Max giggled, "Ok, well let's agree that if we ever get into serious trouble that requires believable explanation, I will be the one doing the talking."
As she looked at Chloe again she became aware of how close the other girl's face was to hers, her lips.
Chloe smiled, "Fair enough. Seriously though, are you ok?" she reached up to lightly touch Max's nose then trailing her fingertips across her cheek.
Max nodded slowly as her face drifted closer, "I'll live."
Their faces were close enough for Chloe to feel Max's breath on her lips and all her focus shrank to the small brunette who faced her.,"Max, you know your door still isn't locked right?"
"Uh huh…" Max's reply was barely above a whisper as her lips began to brush against Chloe's.
Somewhere down the hallway the noise of a slamming door made them both jump. Exhaling, they smiled at each while chuckling nervously.
Chloe leaned in, tipping her forehead to rest against the brunette's, "Max?"
"Yes, huh?" her voice faint and dreamy.
Chloe took a deep breath, her tone soft and sincere "Listen, I want this too. Like, really bad. I feel like this is where I want things to go with us. So I can't believe I'm the one who's putting on the brakes here. But Joyce could be on her way back up any minute and we're setting ourselves up for 'Surprise We're Gay Part Two'. And I... I just don't want to have to worry about any distractions. I didn't used to care about being busted with certain things, shit I think I even got a rush from the tension. But with us I don't want to have to think about anything else but you."
Max didn't say anything as she looked back into her eyes and Chloe was afraid maybe she shouldn't have said anything after all. Maybe Max had built up the courage to drop her inhibitions and Chloe just slammed the door in her face.
As she returned her gaze she caught a familiar glimmer in Max's eyes that she'd started noticing lately. She didn't know exactly what Max was thinking but Chloe really loved the way that look made her feel.
Max finally chuckled and nodded, exhaling again as she tried to down from her euphoria.
"I know, me too. Plus Joyce would probably freak and drop our food."
"Or throw it at us," Chloe said flatly.
Max shot her a worried look until Chloe cracked a smile, "Dude, I'm kidding. If anything I expected David to be the one who would have an issue with everything. Mom will be fine, trust me."
Max straightened up sighing heavily, "Ok. Even though you think Joyce will be cool I want us to tell her on our own time."
"Instead of her walking in on us doing a page from the Karma Sutra." Chloe quipped.
Max rolled her eyes but grinned anyway, "Actions are louder than words. Or a picture is worth a thousand of them."
"Oh Wait!" Chloe said excitedly, "We could just take pictures of us doing it and pass them around, save time having to explain. If someone gives us that 'Hmm' look, we just hand them a picture and keep walking, 'nuff said."
Max crinkled her brow, "Ew no. Also porn isn't allowed at Blackwell."
"Fuck that, it's a brave new Blackwell," Chloe countered, "Besides, this place is considered an art school and my way would be considered art."
Max thought about it, "Well, nude photography is an accepted art expression."
Chloe snorted, "It would definitely be a way to avoid that awkward part of the conversation where people are all like 'Are you sure?' or 'Well, how do you know?'. Just hand them a picture, point to it and wink. I guaran-fuckin-tee there would be no doubt in their mind that we've transcended friendship."
They laughed for a moment until Max spoke.
"So ok then, showers? But we're going to continue this conversation later young lady. You're not getting away that easy."
Chloe's demeanor turned serious, "Max, I'm not going anywhere. And I don't want to 'get away', not anymore. Honestly there isn't anywhere else I want to be."
"I know. Me either," Max smiled and got up. Walking over to her closet she grabbed her shower bag and plucked a towel from her closet shelf, she turned and handed the items to Chloe, "Here, you can use my stuff."
Chloe shook her head, "Naw it's cool, you go first. I want to finish cleaning up my crap over there."
Max hesitated, "You sure?"
Chloe gave her a reassuring smile, "Totally. Go get your soap on. I'll chill here for a bit."
Max nodded, "Ok, but no guarantees there's any hot water when I'm done," she joked as she grabbed a tee shirt and sweats from her closet.
Chloe smiled at her as Max stepped out the door, "Hurry back."
Max smiled back, "I will."
The door closed and Chloe was alone.
Chloe sat back down on Max's bed and looked around the room. Drawing in a slow deep breath she held it for a couple seconds before exhaling.
Some psychiatrist she'd been sent to a couple years ago had told her that deep breaths are supposed to help you calm your shit.
Admittedly not in those exact words. As Chloe thought back on that she remembered thinking the guy was mostly full of crap. It had only worked a couple of times and she wasn't entirely sure the breathing had anything to do with it. But other times during really bad anxiety attacks it just made her feel like she was suffocating, no matter how much air she'd try to suck in. So she'd stopped following that advice pretty fast.
This time however it felt alright as she took another slow deep breath and exhaled. She felt like her mind had been running non-stop since Thursday or pretty much since hooking up with Max again on Monday. But there were moments early in the week that she'd been able to shut her mind down, at least for a little bit. It was the second half of the week that had been the hard press.
She smiled to herself as she remembered Tuesday night after they'd come back from their Blackwell raid and late night swim. Now that had been a fun night, she'd actually slept better that night than she had for a couple years.
When Max was sleeping next to her.
The sudden realization made her pause a moment, it really made a lot of sense now that she thought about it.
She leaned all the way backwards on the bed until her head lay against the wall and her feet touched the floor. Taking another deep breath she blew it out forcefully at Max's paper lantern lights where they hung above the bed. As they swayed back and forth the scattered light cast odd patterns over the bed and walls. The patterns were almost mesmerizing and she found her thoughts floating through the events of the last few days.
She remembered how weird it felt Wednesday morning when she'd woken up and realized that she actually had slept.
Her usual nighttime routine would find her either lying awake staring at her ceiling in thought, surfing the net, watching a show or listening to music, anything to keep from sleeping. She'd end up passing out for only a couple hours and wake to the birds and the morning sun. That was the usual plan, just a couple hours was good. On nights where she actually fell asleep for too long those were never good nights. The nightmares ranged from annoying to truly horrible. She felt almost like her mind was punishing her for daring to get more than 2 hours of sleep.
So she realized she'd forgotten what it felt like to get real solid sleep, that strange out-of-time feeling you get when you close your eyes and then suddenly it's morning and you actually feel pretty good.
Stranger still was that she'd woken up next to Max. Not like they hadn't crashed together plenty of times when they were kids. But those were different times and neither of them were kids anymore. She remembered the way everything smelled that morning most of all. The faint smoke smell that lingered over her clothes, almost over-powered by the smell of chlorine from the pool. Mixed in with those was the smell of sun-warmed fabric wafting from her flag hanging in her open window and carried by the morning breeze, like clothes fresh out of the dryer. She remembered looking over at Max laying next to her, the way her hair smelled even after the chlorine. Now every time she smelled chlorine she'd probably think of Max, she smirked at the thought. That morning she'd felt good too, really good. Better than she had in a long damn time.
Next her thoughts drifted to Thursday when they'd told David everything they'd learned about Rachel, The Dark Room, Jefferson and Nathan, all of it. Everything except Max's powers, they agreed it might be a little too much for David to buy into.
Chloe remembered telling Max it would be a waste of time, that David would probably just blow them off, so she'd been shocked when he actually took them seriously. David had insisted they stay in the house the rest of the night and Chloe for once had been in total agreement.
So she and Max had hung out in Chloe's house the rest of that night. They'd made a pizza and watched TV for a bit. Later they'd tried to crash but neither of them had been able to sleep with everything on their minds. It was cool in a way, despite the fucked-up reasons that brought them to that point, hanging out with Max had felt like old times. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed that.
So they sat up most of the night, just talking and trying to feel like things were normal. They'd avoided talking about any of the Jefferson and Nathan shit and instead talked about what each of them had been up to over the last five years, new friends they'd met and places they'd been.
Max had tried to explain her powers too and Chloe thought she understood for the most part. The way Max had broken it down made it easy, she was good at explaining it. So there were a few ways she'd found she could manipulate time.
The first she'd called her 'rewind'. She said it was the first thing she remembered being able to do. She'd described how things had played out by the lighthouse the first time. She also said she'd been alone, that Chloe wasn't there. But the storm was. She'd felt that was so important at the time.
Max's words from Friday night tumbled through Chloe's mind.
"Remember how I told you that before I saved you I saw that storm? The storm was here with me at this spot and you weren't here Chlo, you weren't. I was alone."
Chloe sighed heavily.
But I was there this time Max. You're not alone now.
Max said she'd watched a small fishing boat pinwheel through the air, slamming into the lighthouse and how the top of the lighthouse had come crashing down onto her. Max had said she was sure she would have been killed except for that rewind.
Chloe recalled their near miss on that same spot Friday night, the event had played out just like Max had described.
Well almost the same, except this time Chloe had saved her, she'd saved them both. The thought made her happy and proud in a way. Not out of hubris but instead that she felt she was finally able to help out, make some kind of difference to Max.
What a difference right? Go me.
Max had told Chloe she owed discovering her rewind power to her. Chloe had to admit she was flattered a little by that, though she wasn't convinced she was the cause. Max was special, there was no doubt in Chloe's mind and for whatever reason Max had been given an amazing, or terrible, gift.
Chloe had asked her if she felt anything, like pain, mostly because of the nosebleeds she'd seen her get. Max said that normally it wasn't painful, more like her arm would tingle and the sensation would grow to a strong steady vibration. She said the closest thing it felt like was like trying to hold onto an off-balanced clothes washer while it spun. She had to concentrate on the vibration as everything in the world would lose focus and blur around her. She felt a pressure in her mind but unlike a headache, it wasn't in her skull, it felt like it was actually inside her mind. Then she'd form a picture of where she wanted to go back to and it just happened.
Chloe had patiently listened and mostly understood but figured it was probably one of those things that you actually had to experience to really understand.
Max said that the day she saved Kate she'd accidentally found a way to stop time completely, but still move around. It was a lot more draining than regular rewinds and incredibly hard to hold on to. She said it started out the same as a rewind with the vibrations in her mind but this time instead of picturing where she wanted to be she had to concentrate on just holding the vibrations as steady as she could.
Chloe had given her a puzzled look which prompted Max to tell her to imagine holding that same clothes washer from moving at all, it was incredibly difficult. The effort she had compared to what it would feel like if you stood in a rushing river holding a huge board that you tried to use to push the water back on itself. She said that had caused physical pain and sapped her energy like nothing else she'd experienced. She mentioned seeing white light flashing across her vision accompanied by spikes of pain in her mind while everything around her came to a stand still. Every step moving around was a struggle, like walking underwater against the current.
The third thing Max had discovered was the one that she hesitated talking about. Mostly because she'd told Chloe how she'd discovered it the first time and what had happened when she went back.
The photo jump.
That Max had done for her.
She said that one was also different because instead of the pressure in her mind, it was her own concentration she had to fight with.
It seemed she could use any photo that she was in like a kind of bookmark for that moment in time. By concentrating on it she could jump into that point in the past, into herself at that time. She didn't know if it worked with any photo but not being sure where she'd end up if she wasn't in the picture was enough to keep her from even trying.
Earlier in the week Chloe had completely flipped her shit when she and Max had uncovered the fact that Rachel had been seeing Frank. Chloe had been so pissed she'd lashed out at Max and despite everything that had happened since then she still felt a little bad about it.
Max told her she'd tried to go back to the day William died, to save him and change everything for Chloe for the better. She'd said she actually made it back in time to their childhood, to that day. But even though she prevented William's death she said when she'd returned to the 'new' present the changes in that reality had been horrible, she said she'd screwed up everything and made it worse.
Chloe breathed deep and exhaled slowly again, coughing a little.
Shit Max, I was such a selfish ass I didn't see it sooner, see you sooner.
All those things you tried to do for me only to have them turn out the way they did, I can't imagine what that must have been like.
After "Professor Caulfield's" impromptu time\space lecture they'd both been mentally exhausted enough that they'd crashed on Chloe's bed again.
Friday had come too soon and that entire day felt like one big blur, like a month's worth of days smashed into one. Thinking back on it Chloe only had moments of clarity here and there on Friday with the strongest memories being morning and then later that afternoon and evening.
Friday morning…
She remembered that most vividly and laughed a little at herself.
That morning she'd been woken by strong gusts of wind blowing in her windows and when she'd opened her eyes she'd found she was laying up against Max with her arm draped over the smaller girl, the smell of Max's hair and her familiar warmth had soaked over her.
Her first instinct was to pull away and quickly move for fear of upsetting and driving her friend away. Sleeping in the same bed was one thing. Sleeping in the same bed while spooning your best friend kinda went a little beyond a certain boundary.
She hadn't been sure yet how Max felt about her then, but the position definitely wasn't one of those Chloe would have called 'two friends just having a sleepover.'
Oh yeah, we're just friends who have intimate and suggestive conversation, occasional flirtatious contact and glances and oh yeah, kisses and spooning.
What's the problem with that? Yeah, totes casual right?
Chloe wasn't even sure how they'd ended up like that because when they'd crashed they had each been on opposite sides of Chloe's bed. She figured sometime in the night her subconscious must have gotten tired of waiting and decided to escalate things, much to Chloe's shock.
So she'd laid there not even sure if Max was awake yet. Her mind frantically bouncing between wanting to stay right there enjoying the closeness but then worrying that if Max didn't like it she'd end up making the friendship awkward and weird or killing it altogether. And if Max wasn't awake yet and Chloe moved that might wake her up. Before she'd had a chance to drive herself completely nuts deciding what to do, she'd felt Max stir and yawn.
What happened next was the last thing Chloe had expected.
Max had turned over in place so she faced Chloe who had by then taken her arm back and tried to act casual even though she was still inches away.
Max had presented her with a soft, sleepy smile, "G'morning Chlo," she'd said.
Chloe remembered saying hi awkwardly but internally worrying that the next words Max would say would be about why was Chloe so close and what about boundaries and that would have been the end of that. Max's closeness as she faced her had been an exercise in torturous restraint as Chloe recalled the physical ache she'd felt as she held back.
But Max never said a word about it.
She'd simply smiled back at her and then said she was hungry. Chloe remembered saying 'cool' or something like that, then they'd noticed the wind outside as it rattled against the house and stirred through Chloe's bedroom. But Max hadn't freaked on her and didn't seem to mind at all.
Chloe smiled up at the ceiling and wondered how things might have gone differently that morning if she hadn't moved her arm away.
Heh, I guess I know now why she didn't flip out on me. I wonder what she was thinking, I'll have to ask her about it sometime.
She felt bad about having to interrupt things with Max earlier, really bad actually. The first time was on David.
But the second time, that was on her.
When she thought it over again she found she wasn't kidding herself. She really didn't want to worry about anyone walking in on them or any other interruptions. She used to get a rush off of shit like that. That subtle anxiety that you might be caught in the middle of something illicit used to amplify the whole thing for her.
But with Max it was different. Chloe wanted to be able to focus on just her, nothing else, no other worries. She wanted the world to fuck off for a few hours so they could have some normal time to themselves, was that really too much to ask?
Is there a metaphysical equivalent to hanging a sock on the doorknob to the Universe?
Something that clearly says "Nope, busy right now, can ya fuck off for a few hours? Thanks."
The honest truth to herself was that she realized it was important to her what Max thought about her and she didn't want anything feeling weird for either of them. It felt like a long time since Chloe had really cared what anyone thought about her or that she'd cared about anyone else's feelings for that matter.
She smiled to herself.
Well, she took it the right way at least.
Maybe I should have just gone with it, Max didn't seem too concerned.
But I was.
Oh holy shit WOW.
"AUGH! I need to get the fuck out of my own head!" Chloe blurted out as she opened her eyes extra wide before rubbing them and then her temples.
I actually just yelled that, shit. I need to chill.
She got up off the bed and walked over to Max's closet to hang her jacket on a hook there. Taking her beanie off she tossed it across the room onto her laundry pile and scratched at her scalp.
Yeah, a hot shower is gonna feel so damn good.
She dug out her pack of cigarettes only to find that sometime during them weathering the storm and all the other craziness her remaining cigs had become a crushed and tattered mess. She dug around in the pack until she found one that might pass for useable. After trying to straighten it out she put it between her lips and glancing down she noticed Max's old acoustic guitar where it sat propped against the couch. She realized she didn't even know that Max played, she didn't remember her mentioning it but she wondered if Max would play for her.
As she bent forward to lightly pluck at the strings tobacco began to fall to the floor in front of her as her tattered cigarette disintegrated.
Well fuck. So much for that.
Too bad Max doesn't smoke, she'd have something stashed here I bet. I'm kinda glad she doesn't though.
Heh, I probably shouldn't either.
She glanced down at the crumpled pack of cigarettes in her hand with a sigh as she took the ruined cigarette out of her mouth and walked over to Max's desk dropping the whole mess in the trashcan. Letting out an exasperated huff she sat down on the couch next to Alice's cage.
Glancing over at the small bunny she noticed she'd eaten most of her carrot and seemed to be dozing.
"Hey Al, don't spose you've got any smokes or booze stashed in there?"
Alice responded by opening her eyes briefly, sniffing the air and closing them again.
"Yeah, didn't think so. Mommy Kate prolly wouldn't put up with that shit huh? Don't sweat it, you're still cool in my book."
She looked over at the windows.
Holy shit. I'm talking to a rabbit.
She's a cutie though.
Besides who cares, I used to talk to Bongo all the time too, big whoop.
And that was before I started smoking weed so…wait a sec.
She slid forward off the couch to a kneeling position on the floor next to her small boxes. Flipping open the metal one she shuffled through the items on top before finding what she sought underneath.
There you are! Please don't be empty, please don't be empty…
She took out an old sky blue makeup compact and clicked the lid open, a satisfied smile spread across her face.
The inside of the compact had been cleaned out and in the center were tucked five small joints.
Aw hell yes emergency stash! Thank you Chloe.
She took one out placing it between her lips, snapped the compact closed and stuffed it in her pocket. She walked over and dug her lighter out of her jacket pocket, after flicking it a few times a flame sprung to life. Bright red-orange flared briefly from the end of the rolled paper as she inhaled deeply feeling the smoke slip down into her lungs.
Oh shit!
She fought to keep from exhaling as she ran to the window and opened it. Leaning over she exhaled out the window coughing a little.
She shook her head at herself thinking of Max getting mad at her for blazing up in her dorm. Looking at a small box fan Max had sitting on the window sill gave her an idea. She opened the window wider and turned the box fan around so it was aimed out the window, then flipped the fan dial to low.
Heh, perfect.
After a couple more drags she began to feel herself relax, the tension in her nerves bleeding away. The moon was out tonight and although it was breezy the sky was mostly clear so the moonlight illuminated the courtyard and surrounding areas. The temperature had indeed dropped, autumn was here. Aside from the handful of people that came and went in the courtyard below nothing else seemed out of place. Wind gusted through the window briefly making the little fan hum with the strain and a chill breeze blew across Chloe's face.
Max stepped into the hallway closing her door behind her.
It was the silence in the hallway struck her first and she stood there for a moment just listening. On any normal night there would be sounds of life. Muffled music or TV sounds coming through the walls, people talking and laughing, doors opening and closing so it never felt lonely or abandoned like it did now. As she thought about those differences she felt there was a poem or something in all of it but descriptive writing was never her strongest skill.
Moonlight spilled in through the window at her end of the hallway and combined with the pools of light cast by the emergency lighting gave enough illumination to make walking the hallway safe.
But not any less creepy.
She instinctively reached for her phone so she could use it's light but sighed in irritation as she remembered it was back in her room and dead.
Ok, come on Max, you're fine. It's not like you can't see and don't know where you are.
It's the same hallway you've walked a hundred times and it shouldn't even bother me.
Though it still does…
I need to chill, David said there's a security guard downstairs by the door and only students are allowed in here.
Plus think how good that shower is going to feel.
And food and sleep!
OK.
She exhaled a deep breath and forced herself to focus on those things as she walked down the hallway toward the showers. Passing by Kate's door she paused. Someone had removed the yellow tape from the door and she noticed several people had written different well-wishes on her note board.
Max looked over the messages, protectively checking if anyone had written anything nasty but to her relief they were all nice thoughts for Kate. She tucked her things under one arm so she could write easier. She drew a small picture of a bunny rabbit in the corner with the caption 'I carrot for you and hop you'll be back soon! - Alice'
She reread it and smiled.
It's cheesy but I don't care, it'll make Kate smile and she already knows I'm a dork anyway.
I hope she's ok.
She should be though, the hospital where she's at isn't even in Arcadia Bay so I'm sure she's fine.
I wish I could call her to let her know we're all ok, poor thing will be worried sick if the news has started talking about the storm.
The storm…
She gave her head an irritated shake pushing the ugly thoughts from her mind and walked down the hallway turning the corner to the showers.
And plowed right into someone.
Gasping she stumbled backwards dropping everything she was carrying in the process.
The unfortunate person, who happened to also be one of Blackwell's security guards immediately began apologizing, "Oh shit! I mean, shoot, I- oh damnit excuse me! I'm sorry that was my fault!"
Max could feel her heart hammering in her chest as she looked at the security guard who seemed almost as shocked as she was.
With a stream of apologies the guard helped her pick her things back up. He told her he was finishing his rounds and would be right downstairs if she needed anything. Max smiled awkwardly and thanked him as she entered the bathrooms.
Once inside she let out an exasperated sigh which echoed through the tile-covered bathroom.
Really Max?
REALLY?
If I don't calm the hell down I won't have to worry about anything cause I'll keel over from a heart attack.
"UGH!" her outburst came out louder than she intended.
She glanced around the room, thankfully it was empty, all the shower curtains were pulled open. It looked like it had been recently cleaned, even the website address that Victoria had written on one of the mirrors and Max had subsequently smeared off, was gone. She picked the shower stall furthest from the door and set her things on the small bench inside, a soft hiss filled the room as she turned on the water.
As she watched the water spray down the tile wall she was suddenly hit by an odd jumble of emotions. She felt like crying, then laughing, then screaming until she couldn't breathe and she closed her eyes taking in deep breaths as the steam from the warm water began to fill the air.
Chill. Come on now, shower, food, sleep. Just three things, easy.
She stripped off her clothes and dumped them in a pile outside the stall, it wasn't like there'd be a flood of people coming through here anyway and the stall already felt too cramped. Pulling the curtain closed she stepped into the warm spray letting it wash over her face, hair and shoulders as it cascaded over the rest of her body.
Ooooohoooo man! Best. Shower. EVER.
She could feel the tension and anxiety draining away as the warm water ran over her and the light flowery scent of her shower soap filled her nose. The water was relaxing to the point of making her a little woozy. She took her time thoroughly enjoying the longest shower she'd taken in ages, breathing in the steam felt wonderful and her mind wandered.
At one point she thought back to the night she and Chloe had broken-into the Blackwell pool, soaking in that warm water sounded so good right now, just spreading out and floating in that beautiful warm heavily-chlorinated water.
Well, technically it wasn't breaking-in as Chloe had said.
Because they'd had the keys to let themselves in.
That Chloe had stolen.
Max laughed at the memory.
What a dork.
I bet if I asked, Chloe would be -
Huh?
Is that…someone crying?
She paused and listened for a moment but the hissing noise from the running water did a good job obscuring any sound. She had finished rinsing anyway so she turned the water off and listened. She couldn't hear it now, in fact it was so quiet she could hear the hissing ring of silence, punctuated only by water dripping in her shower drain.
She wrote it off as her ears and tired brain playing tricks on her. She finished drying herself and her hair, opted to just put on her oversized t-shirt and after gathering her things up she walked back to her room.
Her door stood open and light from within spilled into the hallway. Her ears picked up an all too familiar sound that made her stop just short of the doorway and smile. Leaning against the wall she listened for a moment enjoying the wonderful sounds of normality.
"Mom this looks great! Max is gonna flip, thank you!"
"Well you both look like you could use the food so I brought a little extra to be sure. Now what about laundry, did you get it started yet?"
"Not yet mom, we will."
"Ok, because I can smell the smoke on your clothes in here already."
"Yes mom."
Max clearly pictured Chloe's eyes rolling just then.
"And sleeping, have you both thought how to work that out? Are you going to take the couch?"
"Mom it's ok, we'll figure it out."
"Because you are tall and that couch might be a little small for you. Maybe I could talk to David about finding an air mattress or -"
"MOM. Really, it's cool, we got it ok? Compared to what I slept on last night even Max's rug on the floor would be a huge improvement."
Max had to stifle a snicker as she listened to them go back and forth.
I'm enjoying this way too much. I should probably step in and rescue Chloe.
Or maybe it's Joyce that needs rescuing…
"Yes and maybe if she's comfortable she won't snore like a freight train," Max smiled as she stepped into the room, "Hi again Joyce."
Chloe looked slightly put out, "I don't snore."
Max snorted, "Oh you SO do."
"Alright hush the both of you," Joyce grinned as she shook her head, "Well I'll let you two figure it out then and on my way out I'll start your laundry for you."
Both girls protested almost in unison with Max finishing, "Joyce you don't have to do all that."
Joyce raised an eyebrow followed by a smirk, "I said I'd start it, but you two can finish it. I'm just going to throw things in on my way out."
Max gave Joyce a big hug, joined by Chloe as they said their goodnights. They gathered up their clothes to be washed and Max told Joyce where to go down the hallway for the laundry room.
Max closed her door and joined Chloe by the desk where Joyce had set the tray of food.
"Wowser," Max said.
Chloe glanced at her with a shrug, "Turn my mom loose in a fully stocked industrial-size kitchen and this is what happens."
The large cafeteria tray was piled full. There were four turkey, cheese and lettuce sandwiches on whole grain bread, two cups of tomato soup that were still steaming, two apples and bananas, two bottles of water and two brownies wrapped in plastic wrap.
"This is like almost overboard. I mean, look at all this." Max was impressed.
"I know. I have been, ever since she brought it in here. But she made me wait to eat until you came back from your hour-long spa session," Chloe snarked.
Max grinned, "It's wasn't an hour, but I made sure to leave you some hot water."
"I am in your debit Ms. Caulfield, now come on, let's destroy some food."
They sat cross-legged on Max's bed talking and eating for the better part of an hour. To Chloe's surprise Max ate both of her sandwiches and soup but decided to leave her fruit and brownie for breakfast. Chloe ate everything but her fruit and afterwards headed off to the shower.
Max sat on the edge of her bed looking around her room.
Same room, same school, same me.
Everything feels so different though.
She sighed and stood up, she had a few things to do before sleep and she was afraid if she stayed on the bed Chloe would find her passed out there when she got back.
She dug her phone out of her bag and plugged it in, setting it on her nightstand next to her bed; she then found Chloe's phone and charger and did the same for her. She sat down at her desk briefly to try and check her email and Facebook feed for messages even though she knew it was probably futile. As expected she couldn't get any internet connection. She got up and walked over to the window.
Why is my fan blowing out the window?
She clicked the dial to off and looked out the window. There weren't any people in the courtyard anymore and she figured it must be late night, was it midnight yet? The heaters in her room had done a good job keeping up with the open window but now that Max was standing in front of it she could feel the cold night air on her arms and legs.
I should be dead tired but I feel like I need to be doing…something? Anything?
I don't know.
I love quiet nights like this so I should be more than ready to crash but all I feel is anxious, like I should be running off somewhere.
She closed her window and checked on Alice briefly but the bunny was still fast asleep. She decided to grab one of her photography books and climb in bed to read while she waited for Chloe to return.
Chloe walked back into Max's room rubbing her hair with a towel.
"Hey I put all our stuff in the dryer on my way back so it should be done by morning and dude I gotta say that was the best… oh."
Max was laying in bed flat on her back on top of her covers. It looked like maybe she had been reading, she was leaning back against a couple pillows and one of her books lay open on her chest. But Max, with her head lolled to the side facing Chloe hadn't heard anything because she was fast asleep. Chloe quietly closed and locked the door and stood there watching Max.
"Oh damn, my heart can't take the cute…" she said softly to herself.
She set her things down on the floor and gently took Max's book, placing it on the desk. She then clicked the power strip next to the bed to turn the lights off and climbed carefully onto Max's bed, moving over and behind the smaller girl who stirred a little.
"Chloe?"
"I guess you better hope it's me huh?"
Max smiled at that and moved so they could pull the comforter up over themselves.
Chloe tucked up against her and draped her arm over Max's side, "You cool with this?"
The smile in Max's voice was obvious, "Yes, very cool. Good night Chlo."
Chloe brushed her fingers through Max's hair, "G'night Max."
A/N: Well hello there!
Bet maybe you thought I was dead? Well luckily for me that isn't the case. Though it would immediately wipe out my student loan debt so BONUS. There really is a bright side to everything.
But that old saying about never saying never, never loses relevance apparently hah. So here we are much further into the year than I'd wanted but it is what it is and I'm just gonna roll with it.
Just a couple things quick so I don't ramble forever. This chapter was extremely dialogue-heavy, like I actually think that's all it is but that's alright. I had some conversations that needed to happen and finally poked the plot a little in a (small) forward-ish direction. I'm pretty comfortable with most of the voices I've given the main characters and the places they've gotten to so it's time throw the new set of challenges at them and see what happens. This means some actual plot may indeed happen. *gasp*
Second thing, Life Is Strange 2, or Season 2 or whatever Dontnod ends up titling it as, is actually happening! So if you hadn't heard that yet then SURPRISE!
Little is known about the sequel other than it is happening and has been in the works since they released the Life Is Strange limited edition. Also as the devs previously stated will feature a new cast of characters. I've seen people both for and against new characters. Personally I like to have faith in Dontnod's creativity so I'm excited to see what they come up with.
Does this change Wonderland or the direction I want to go? Nope. The story will continue, simple as that.
So I hope you enjoy this latest chapter and as always, THANK YOU for reading!
Be well and I'll see you again for Chapter 9!
