CHAPTER: TWO
Looking around Max could see all the destruction the storm had caused. Yet again she had found herself viewing the consequences of her choice, and it made her feel real un-easy to say the least. She had to make an extremely difficult decision, which still made her feel selfish. But it wasn't easy, even though she wants to tell herself it was, she doesn't let herself think it because it's not true. Choosing Chloe was so hard, but she just wanted to give up her powers and let any evidence of them to disappear. All they did was wear her out, and she was so tired. No more powers, just Chloe. That's all she came to realize she wanted.
Max hadn't tried to use her powers again. She decided even if she might still have them, she already fucked with time too much to risk it again. No more, not anymore, was she going to change what fate would decide from here on out. Now it was up to her to think ahead.
As the two best friends walked step in step towards the group of people ahead of them, some of the service people noticed. A young man, with brown eyes, and hair, who looked to be a firefighter walked over in their direction.
He stopped in front of them before speaking to them. They explained to him who they were and that they lived in Arcadia Bay. He went on to explain what was happening with search parties.
Max watched as the firefighter gestured to about 30 feet from them. Immediately Max understood what he was about to say, and so she tuned out, wanting to avoid the inevitable. She was wondering if Chloe was currently feeling the same way. So she gazed at her best friend who was staring ahead silently, watching as the man left, promising to return.
after a few moments of silence Chloe spoke,
"Man, this place is so depressing now...Well, it's not like it ever wasn't" she bursted out, surprisingly very calm, which caught Max slightly off guard. She hesitated and felt nervous, so she just looked straight ahead at the firefighter walking away.
"Are you okay Max?" Chloe asked with concern.
The man started talking to what looked to be some of his colleagues. Max halted, and then took a step back, trying to avoid Chloe's gaze. "I'm fine. Just nervous I guess." she spoke. She was unsure about releasing Chloe's hand or not, but she didn't want to let go.
Chloe didn't buy it, she knew something was bothering her childhood friend, but she didn't bring it up. "Well then Mad max, let's get to Blackwell and help as many people as we can." She smiled at her friend.
"Yeah." she agreed, without making eye contact, but she smiled too.
There were broken remains of a concrete wall next to them, so they decided to sit down, still holding onto the others hand. It felt like both of them were refusing to let go, afraid of losing each other and their friendship yet again. Max was happy just having Chloe next to her, and she was so grateful Chloe supported her final choice. They weren't going to be separated, not again.
Chloe looked over at her best friend, and smiled softly. She was content being with Max, and was glad that she was able to be alright with her friend's choice. Max looked tired still, and she was slowly starting to worry. Maybe it was nothing though, maybe the past week was just catching up with her friend.
"Max? Chloe asked for her attention, quietly, and Max almost didn't hear her speak.
"Yeah?" She turned slightly and looked at Chloe patiently.
"I was thinking about...checking the body bags? I mean...if my mother's dead, I just...want to know."
Max followed Chloe's gaze and saw the few rows of bodies, covered by a slick black, shiny material. There were probably only about 15 or so bodies there, maybe less. She was sure they would discover more though. It made her feel sick and uneasy, but Chloe was right, and they should. It's probably what the young firefighter was trying to tell them when she stopped listening.
"This way I can know if...I should look for her or not." She continued.
Max stood up, her hand still holding onto Chloe's tightly, almost desperately. "Let's go look." she replied quietly.
Chloe followed her best friend over to the bodies, and they were greeted by a man, an officer. He spoke calmly and precisely. "Are you looking for anyone in particular?" He asked them.
"Yes." Caulfield replied for her friend.
"We need help identifying the bodies. If you recognize any of them let me know."
Max nodded, and he lead them over to the first body, pulling the zipper down gently, and slowly. She didn't recognize the person, so she shook her head, and he moved on to the next.
The next was a woman, Max realized she was the homeless lady, that lived in Arcadia, and was often seen behind Two Whales. But she didn't know her name.
They continued, without a trace of anybody they knew. Eight bodies in, she was slightly unsure, feeling dizzy when they had first started, and it was getting gradually worse. The zipper was gently tugged downwards, and Max shocked, dropped Chloe's hand and covered her mouth in surprise. Chloe picked up on her friend's reaction immediately and so she put her arms around her, sheltering her so she didn't have to keep looking.
"Max. shh. it's okay." She tried to reassure her. but Max looked worried and distraught.
"Warren..." Max choked. She was being rocked on her feet by her best friend, in attempt to comfort her.
She felt dismay, she felt like it was her fault. She wasn't that close to Warren but he was her friend, and it really hurt that he was gone. She wondered if she could've done more, said more. She wondered if she was a good friend. But Max knew if she told Chloe that, she would deny it to every extent.
Max stood up straight and wiped her eyes, looking up at Chloe softly. Taking deep breaths, she took her time to recover and then they turned back to the officer.
None of the rest of the bodies they knew the names, or rarely the faces of. Max felt relieved that for now, there was no one else that they knew lying there. And she was sure Chloe felt the same.
They went back to where they were sitting before and quietly sat down. Chloe was holding onto Max, with her arm around the brunette's shoulder and was keeping her close. It was a huge relief to Max. She felt supported and loved, and understood. Chloe was her weight, when she was around Max felt balanced, and secure. She felt like she needed her.
They sat together for the next half hour. Chloe kept Max really close to her, while Max lay her head on her shoulder. They both were deadly silent, except a couple words now and then. The sky was slightly cloudy, and the winds would cause shivers through their spines. Around them it wasn't quiet, there was all to often chatter and noise from the searchers. If they found a survivor or a body. Sometimes they didn't find anything at all.
Chloe couldn't stop thinking about her mother. She wanted Max to be with her, to be her support, while she looks for Joyce. But Chloe decided it might be best if they both split up. Victoria needs help as soon as possible, and Chloe couldn't live with herself if her mother could've been saved sooner, and she wasn't there.
So she looked over at Max, who was resting on her shoulder. She smiled softly, and was so relieved Max was with her, so content.
The young firefighter walked back over to the best friends, and he was followed by two others. Max stood up straight to listen to what they were about to say.
The firefighter gestured to his colleague on his right, while he explained that Max could go with him to Blackwell, and that they're leading a search team there now. "There's a search team heading down the street as well." he pointed in the direction of the lighthouse, and Two Whales. And continued to explain that he's going to lead a search team at the hospital.
Chloe grabbed Max's arm gently before she could stand up. "I'm going to look at Two Whales. If my mom's alive..."
Max nodded at her best friend. They both stood up, and embraced quietly before they would go their separate ways. Nothing needed to be said, Max already knew what was being implied and she could tell by the worried look on Chloe's face.
Hesitantly Chloe kissed Max on the cheek quickly before jogging off in the other direction without looking back. She could visually see Max's reaction clear in her mind and didn't need her eyes to know how confused, and embarrassed...and cute, she looked in shock at what just had happened.
As Max followed the firefighter to group up with the others helping in the search she thought about Chloe. She didn't want to split up, she wanted to stay together. Max was afraid that Chloe was going to need her, and deep down she felt like she was afraid something would happen to her best friend again.
But it was the most logical thing to split up, and to go with different search teams. Victoria needs her help, and definitely there are others that do too.
She trailed behind the man, until they came upon a group of other service people. She introduced herself to them, and watched as they gathered supplies and loaded them into a vehicle. The firefighter she came with offered her a seat in one of the vans. Max nervously crawled in and took the furthest seat. The van could seat seven people, like most do, but the back was being used to hold equipment.
She listened and watched as the other service team members got in, and started up the vehicle, the engine sounded smooth and completely different to Chloe's truck, which had it's own cough of a roar. It was unfamiliar and also un-settling but she had no clue why.
So she decided to gaze outside of the window, something she likes to do a lot. She loves the scenery and watching birds fly by, but this was different. she watched as they drove past fallen trees, passing by rubble and remains of businesses and homes. It made her quite said to see all of the houses belonging to familes gone and destroyed. She could make out other service people searching through the debris. Did she really do the right thing? She started to feel sick and lightheaded, and ultimately guilty about her choice. She left Chloe behind and didn't even call, returned without saying a word, and caused her home town to be hit with a tornado, only to decided her best friend was more important than Arcadia Bay.
The photographer started to sweat, feeling ill, she took deep breaths to calm herself down. The firefighter next to her asked if she was alright, and she just nodded silently as they came to a stop.
Max pulled the sliding door open and stepped cautiously out of the van. The firefighter followed after her, and explained to her that they have to walk the rest of the way because of the debris. She nodded her head again and watched as they pulled out some of the equipment. She could see Blackwell right ahead, it wasn't far, like a minute walk. But Max felt a pit on her stomach when she saw how bad things were. The whole front of the building was collapsed, along with the side building holding the swimming pool. Trees were torn down, and bricks were lying everywhere.
She walked up to the front of the school cautiously and carefully, keeping her eye out for anything, or anyone. The front steps were still slightly intact, and so she slowly trotted up them, reaching the top in horror. It was worse than she thought she saw, and again she was feeling ill.
Just as she gathered her surroundings Max noticed someone on ground about 20 feet away. She rushed towards the figure hoping that they were okay. As she got closer and closer she realized they weren't moving. And when she got there, she identified him. It was Justin, and he was completely still. Max quickly checked his breathing and his pulse, before slumping down on the ground and accepting that he was gone. She stood up when some of the searchers got close.
"Body over here!" Max called out, watching as they rushed over and moments later someone came with a stretcher. Her gazed followed Justin as they carried him away, until he was out of sight.
Max looked in the direction of the dormitories and assumed that would be the best place to look for Victoria, so she headed on her way. Walking past branches, and bricks covering the cold ground, she shivered as she could hear someone call out about another body behind her. Max wondered if she knew them, and dreaded the idea of turning around to find out.
Chloe walked step in step behind the service woman leading the search team down the street. She kept an eye out everywhere she looked, just in case she saw anyone. She breathed deeply and looked up at the lighthouse, thinking about what seemed forever ago now. When Max tore the photo she wasn't sure how to feel, but now she realizes she's grateful to still be alive.
She felt breathless ever since the storm ended, it was constant and it wouldn't calm or go away. She wasn't sure what it was, or why it was there. Maybe it was relief? She didn't know, she had zero clues.
As they continued on their march down the cement road looking for anyone who could be alive, Chloe felt her mind drifting off. She kept thinking about Max, and she kept thinking about Joyce, even David. She was so nervous that her mother would be hurt, and she didn't want to stop at places beforehand, even though it's important to search all of the area. Chloe needed to go ahead because she knew where her mother would be, alive or not, that has to be where she is.
Instead of warning the woman leading the search she waited till their backs were turned and started running down the road, she was patient earlier but her anxious thoughts were getting the better of her. She just couldn't live with herself if she could've saved her mother sooner, there was so much she had to say, and so much more she wanted to make up for. She felt like a terrible daughter, and after everything she had done to her mother, it only led up to guilt.
Maybe, just maybe there was a chance. Maybe she would be ok, maybe somehow things would be alright again, they could all be a family again. No more fighting, no more worrying. After everything Chloe went through she was so tired of herself. Tired and sad that she hurt so many around her. She was so angry and pissed off at the world, at karma, at herself, that she let it get to the better of her. Now she realizes how stupid and obnoxious that was, but if it weren't for Max, things would be so different.
Maybe she wouldn't be running as fast as she can to Two Whales with desperate hope that her mother is alive, even after telling herself she wouldn't get her hopes up. But if she was going to live, it would be with Max, because she makes her happy again, brings her hope, takes the load off her shoulders. She's just there, next to Chloe smiling and waiting, waiting to capture the perfect shot, or joke about how things turned out. Something about that was worth living for, something like that was worth fighting for, it's what she needed all this time, Max was her push to change, her rock.
Aaa so this took a really long time because I kind of hated the first chapter but I think this turned out better, actually way better and I hope you all like it too, when I tried to start it off I had no idea how and I was having a hard time writing it, so I kind of put it off/gave up on it,
I'm going to try to do the next chapter sort of soon if I can, rn I need to look for a job and I have a lot of other things to do, hopefully this is a good length though! idk why it says it's shorter than the first chapter I thought it'd be longer ? but I'll post it with this many words anyways because you all have been wanting more so here you go! :0
also Warren is dead because A. in the Bae over Bay ending we see Warren's car flipped over and what looks to be him underneath and B. I can't write his character I'm sorry ! He's way to hard for me to understand/write. '^-^
Reviews and Advice are greatly appreciated !
