The skies are still dark with rain but that's okay. They've found light that's more reliable than sunlight, maybe not as bright but just as warm, maybe even warmer. It has yet to stop pouring and they're both soaked to the bone so they head inside with the small fires in their hearts burning fiercely with every drop of rain. And with Max's arm wrapped protectively around Kate's shoulders while Kate's hand is on her waist, they know that it's a flame that won't die from any rain or storm, not if they could do anything about it.
They head inside after what feels like forever on that roof. Forever lasted approximately five minutes in real time and they're grateful that it didn't actually last forever. Even though they've only spent a few minutes there, they felt as if they aged years within those sparse minutes, perhaps even longer for Max. Small puddles form with each step they took and soaked as they are, it's not enough for them to drown but they look close to it. Thankfully no one's outside in hallway when they reach the girls' floor and so they reach Kate's room unimpeded. It's dark and bleak inside and honestly, the weather looks fairer than her room but the familiarity should be comforting enough. Max gently lets go of Kate but not without giving her one last reassuring squeeze.
"We should get out of these clothes before we get sick. I'll just head back to my room for a quick change but I promise I'll be back as soon as possible." Max tells her with a firm grip on her hands. As much as she doesn't want to leave her friend behind so soon, she doesn't want either of them to get sick too. So in her softest voice she asks, "Are you gonna be okay?"
Kate's lips tugs into a smile and it's as if a light flickers inside the room. Max realizes that she's seen her smile more often in these past minutes than the whole week. That fact alone breaks her heart but Kate's smile pieces it back together. "I will be thanks to you." She squeezes back her hands and the smile has yet to fade. "It's alright. I won't go anywhere."
"Promise?" Max's voice cracks and it almost sounds broken all over again but it isn't quite broken, at least not as broken as it was on the roof. It sounds like it's about to break, almost breaking, afraid of breaking. She looks up to her friend with eyes that are downright pleading and her hands hold hers tighter, so tight that her knuckles go white. She doesn't want to let go, doesn't want to take any chances of losing her again, doesn't want another repeat of the roof. The agony of that confrontation is still raw and it's an angry red wound that still burns and throbs with pain. She thinks that Kate feels worse, much worse, and she thinks that if she looks away for even a moment then she'd lose her in that same moment.
All it takes is a roof, a step, a moment spent without her.
And Kate holds her hands in the same way Max does and stares back with the same fear she has, and she understands. She's afraid too of losing herself in the moment again. Despite being in the safety of her room, she feels as if she's on the roof again. It's like she's on the edge where she's on solid ground but at the same time the ground is several lethal feet away with one wrong step, or a deliberate step. When she was up there, she could practically feel every droplet on her with sudden clarity and it felt nice, comforting even. Once upon a time, she considered that roof her salvation and the rain washing her of her sins. But not anymore. The roof is no more of a salvation than it is a mistake. Even if she knows she won't be returning anytime soon, it comes back to her instead. It haunts her, the memory still burning fresh, and she's not sure if she's that strong to fend it off.
"Promise." Kate still answers because even though she's afraid and unsure, Max has taught her that she's not alone. When she went up to the roof, it was as if she was the only person in the world but that's not true. There are other people out there, people that matter, like her father, like her sisters, like Max. Max didn't just stop her from jumping off the roof, she stopped her from ever trying again altogether. She knows she'll see the roof again whenever her eyes close but she also knows that she won't be seeing it with her own eyes for the rest of her life. "I promise that I won't do anything that will worry you while you're again, okay?"
Max searches her eyes for any sign that it's a fib. She sees exhaustion and fear but no hesitation. She knows better that Kate never lies and she never makes promises that she can't keep. Max trusts her more than anyone and fragile as Kate may be in her current state, Max wants to believe in her. So she lets out a heavy breath that she's been holding in and decides to take a risk. "Okay. I'll hold you to that." Her right hand fidgets. If anything happens, she still has a backup plan but she hopes that she won't have to resort to it. Max's thumbs rub Kate's knuckles affectionately before she finally lets go. "I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere without me."
Don't leave me again.
She bites her lip to stop herself. What Kate needs now is Max's trust and not her doubt so she holds back the words in order to smile painfully. Every step away from her is torture because it feels as though she's forcefully ripping herself away from her friend. She feels almost guilty as she walks away. It's as if she's abandoning her friend to a world that puts good people on roofs all over again. She knows that's not true and that Kate would never think of doing anything rash within minutes. Then again, Max never thought that Kate would ever jump off the roof. She tries not to overthink it and forces herself to reach the door. When she looks back, Kate is still there, still alive, and a knot in her chest loosens. She mumbles one last farewell and then she steps out, leaving Kate behind.
Welcome back to the dry land of shipwrecked alternative interior design.
Max greets in her tired inner voice as soon as she enters her room. She's obviously exhausted by everything that's happened if her feet dragging is any sign. She doesn't even make an effort to hurry to her desk but then again it probably wouldn't matter. She empties the contents of her bag on the desk and sorts out two piles: soaked and less soaked, probably salvageable. To her pleasant surprise, her camera's okay and for once she's glad that her bag has a universe of its own inside that burries whatever she needs deep enough to be annoying whenever she reaches in. As an added bonus, even her journal seems to be miraculously dry enough from the rain. Too bad she didn't count on her clumsiness to knock over an uncapped bottle of water on it.
Shit! Seriously, Max? Now this is just sad.
Her hands immediately pull out the journal even though the damage has been done. She flips through the pages and grimace over her messy writings turning into even messier writings as water mixes with ink and spreads. There should be something poetic about that but she couldn't care less since her journal is too ruined to write that in anymore. She's been in the rain longer than she's been in her room and already she messed up. Having given up, she puts the journal back and it soaks even further that it makes her groan in irritation.
No use crying over spilled milk or spilled water in this case. Can't I catch a break today? I guess the universe and me just have different opinions on how my day should go.
An annoyed sigh escapes her lips once again at the small tragedy. She's about to walk away and let the universe gloat its victory but an idea hits her. Her head whips back to the journal on her desk and she shakily pulls out her right hand, unsure. She stares at it and debates on trying out her crazy theory but then she realizes that she has nothing else to lose. It's about time for her to test something anyways.
Then again, maybe it's about time I tell the universe to have things go my way for once. Let's see if I can convince it with a sleight of hand...
Max's hand reaches forward experimentally as she holds her breath for something she only half expects to happen. It happens though. Time slows down and backpedals but not without effort. She can literally feel time ripping at the seams where it unwinds the knots it's supposedly made. She watches in awe as she sees blurred afterimages of her previous self, out of focus and out of time. The journal is in her past hands again and then back on the desk. She watches as water peels off from the pages and back into the bottle. And then she abruptly pulls back her hand. Time moves forward again. Her room lights for a flash of lightning but she pays it no heed. She's more concerned about the now dry journal which was soaked just before she rewound.
I can't believe it... only I CAN believe it. I have time powers and I can rewind time now. Actual rewind powers. This is insane. I'M going insane!
A shiver shakes through her frame and it snaps her back to her senses.
I guess I'll figure this out later. As much as I like the style of my clothes, they're not exactly sickness-proof when wet.
She peels off layers of soaked clothes and dries herself with a towel. There's no need for her to go outside later on since she'll be cutting the rest of her classes so she picks out something more comfortable.A hot shower sounds nice but she doesn't trust herself not to fall asleep after. Besides, she's so exhausted, she would probably pass out in the shower. An outfit change later, she dries the rest of herself while letting her thoughts wander.
Did today really happen? How much of it did I dream? There's the storm, the time powers, and then Kate... What if I'm still dreaming? Unless time powers are real and this is reality hard as it is to believe. Or maybe this is a nightmare... Except I'm awake. I don't know. I might be overthinking this, whatever THIS is. This is all too much for me to process.
There's just so much that has happened today, perhaps too much. She wants to sort everything out as soon as possible and at the same time, she also wants to set it aside for another day. Even when debating on something as important as the reality of time powers, she's still a procrastinator. She's still on the couch drying her hair when she hears a knock on the door. It's a soft knock that she hasn't heard of in a long while. It quickly wakes her up and pushes her feet forward.
"Hey, Kate." Max greets her as soon as she opens the door. She realizes that she may have spent too long on her hair and thinking. She smiles sheepish and apologetic. "Sorry if I was taking so long that you had to come get me."
"Oh, not at all." Kate answers lightly and there's a faint dusting of a blush on her face. Her hair is no longer in a bun and so it frames her whole face in a way that makes her blush glow warmly. "If anything, I was a bit impatient. Do you mind if I come in?"
"You're always welcome here." Max grins easily and lets her friend walk in before adding, "Welcome to my domain. Sit wherever you feel comfortable."
"I feel comfortable wherever as long as you're there." Kate answers so quickly, so casually, so genuinely, that it catches Max off guard.
There's pause in between and Max is pretty sure there's a blush somewhere in between too, most likely on her face. Her eyes look at anywhere but her friend and she says the first thing that she sees, "Well do you mind sharing the bed with Captain?"
"I would like that." Kate giggles as she takes a seat with her legs politely folded in contrast to Max who simply crosses her legs underneath.
The bed shifts and something else shifts as well. Whatever smile Kate had is taken away all too soon. Without her smile, Max sees just how much all of this has taken a toll on Kate. Her eyes are red-rimmed from crying on the roof, from crying even before that, from crying the whole week and then some. Her hair is still slightly damp and isn't even combed, a small detail that shows just how much she's let herself go. Her shoulders slump as if there's something physical weighing down on them. The burden she carries is far too great that it literally fills the air with a heaviness that makes it hard to breathe. Her body is curling in on itself and it reminds Max of how small animals would do the same to protect themselves. She's preparing herself for something that will hurt and that's the last thing that Max wants for Kate.
"Max, can we talk?" Kate finally asks and with every word, her tongue grows heavier in her mouth.
They're no longer on the roof but Max knows that whatever they'll talk about next will be just as important. She knows she can't screw up here. Just because they avoided that earlier crisis doesn't mean there won't be a next. And the last thing she wants is for, God forbid, for her to cause the next crisis. She tries to give out what she thinks is her most reassuring face. "I'm all ears, Kate."
"Thanks, Max. It's always nice to be heard and I'm grateful that you would hear me out." Kate's hands are clasped together too tightly like a prayer that's more desperate than it is spiritual. It prompts Max to reach out and her right hand stops Kate's from fidgeting. She smiles encouragingly and it gives Kate enough strength to find her words. "I... I really appreciate what you did for me on the roof." She starts and her sentences break afterwards, "I don't know what would have happened if... if..."
Max knows that what if all too well, in fact she's even seen it. Memories of a reality the never happened, or to be more precise, memories of a reality that were erased. She remembers watching Kate falling and how the ground caught her. She remembers seeing Kate fall all over again but this time from a different angle while on the roof. She remembers not accepting both of those realities and choosing one where she holds on to Kate instead and Kate holds back. Kate took that fall in an earlier reality and no amount of rewinding could erase Max's memories of it. To Max, it's not just a 'what if', it's already an 'if only' that's merely been overwritten.
Kate doesn't know this hidden truth but perhaps she gleams over it on Max's face. "I'm sorry. That's not exactly honest of me. We both know that I came up on that roof to..."
To take her last step in the school that posts videos of her rather than protect her. To bid farewell to a shitty world that calls her a viral slut. To finally go to sleep from a nightmare she can't wake up from. To die.
"To jump." She tucks her chin in shame and she has to take in a few more shaky breaths before she could continue. She has to continue it. Because the story doesn't end there. Max made sure that the story wouldn't end there. "But I didn't... You came and I didn't jump. I'm sure that if anyone else came, then I'd have jumped still." She's crying again and it's painful all the same yet different. It's not a cry for help like that on the desolate roof. It's a cry of relief in the room of her friend who reached out to her. "But it wasn't anyone else— it was you. You came for me, Max."
At this point, Max is crying alongside her but it's tame compared to Kate's sobs. It's quieter here inside her room with the roof above them rather than below. The noise of the rain is muffled to a fine static that's easy to tune out. It's safe here and it's also that same feeling of safety that makes them vulnerable. Kate is opening up and spilling whatever's left of the things she's been bottling up all this time. It's nowhere close to the bottle of water she spilled earlier. Kate is pouring out turbulent feelings that have been thrashing about inside her like dark murky waters. It's toxic for any person to keep and lethal enough to kill, and at one alternate reality it did kill her. In a way, this is a cleansing. She's purging out all of the murky water, the toxins, the demons. She's purging all of these and then some out of her system until all that's left is clear and peaceful waters. This is a cleansing that she thinks will free her of her own sin.
"When I was up on the roof, I felt so lost and alone. But when I saw hard you were trying, I knew that you cared. I've been so focused on what everyone else thinks of me that I lost sight of the only people that matter— the people I love and those that love me." Kate chokes on a sob that makes her voice break. There's something painfully beautiful about the way it breaks. "You reminded me that just when I needed it. You came for me and talked to me and..." Her voice is breaking but not broken. Not anymore. "You saved me, Max. And I'm just... thank you. Thank you so, so much... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry."
Max's right hand is still on Kate's clasped hands and with her left one, she pulls in her friend for a much needed embrace. Kate cries harder against Max's shoulder and she lets her. She lets her cry as much as she needed to while rubbing soothing circles on her back. Max lets some weight of her head fall on Kate's when she whispers softly, "There are people out there who I'd rather hear apologize than you." She pulls away slightly but only enough just so she could look Kate clearly in the eyes even though both of their visions are probably blurry through the tears. "But seriously, Kate. I'm taking your "thank you's" not your "sorry's". It's totally not your fault and you don't have to apologize to me for that. Ever." She insists and when Kate's eyes light up, Max knows that her words were heard too. "I actually want to thank you."
"Thank me...? For what? For getting you out from talking in class?" Kate quips and it feels like an eternity since she last spoke with humor.
"That too." Max chuckles lightly and then she adds on a more serious note, "I'm just glad that you decided to stick around. Sure I said some stuff up there, and I mean all of it... but you actually listened. I didn't save you alone, Kate. You chose to save yourself too."
What Max said is ironic because saving herself was the last thing on Kate's mind when she got on the roof. She knows for a fact that it took a certain friend to convince her that she was worth anything, much less saving. "There goes my guardian angel being modest again." God bless Max and her pure soul, Kate thinks as she smiles.
"Well it's part of the angel protocol to tell the truth." Max retorts playfully and they share a laugh that's warm and light. Whatever tension there was before seems almost non-existent. The heavy weights in their chests feel lighter with every bubbling laughter and their smiles shine brighter through the tears. They're laughing over nothing but it's something. It's little victories like these that let them know that they will get better.
Max has missed this, Kate laughing so carefree, she's missed this Kate. It's been so long since she's last seen Kate this happy that it makes Max even happier to have her back even if only in this moment.
I want this moment to last forever... and maybe with my time powers, it can but then it wouldn't be a moment anymore.
They settle down comfortably after their laughing fit. Kate is no longer tense and it shows. Her body isn't as stiff as when she came given how relaxed her shoulders are. Her clasped hands loosen enough like how one would pray when actually talking to God rather than shouting his name in vain. Her face is the picture of exhaustion but not of breaking down. She's starting to look better and Max thinks she is getting better. Kate's voice is softer now, less raw and hurt and broken, and more, well more Kate. "Is it alright if I ask you something though?"
"Anything." Max answers without missing a beat. She wants to add a joke in there but she saves it for later since this might turn out to be inappropriate for the topic.
"I know that you said a lot of things up there and I believe you when you say you meant all of them. But there's something in particular that stuck out to me..." Kate pauses, hesitates, something clouds over her face, it's gray like a premonition of a storm. She chews on her lower lip as she reconsiders on whether or not to go with her question. Her eyes meet with Max's accidentally and when she nods encouragingly, Kate decides to be honest and speak up, "What did you mean when you said you believed in miracles...? And how am I part of the reason why?"
Max is suddenly painfully aware of how this action will have consequences.
TELL THE TRUTH or HIDE THE TRUTH
Two choices appear before her and neither looks appealing. On one hand, she could finally let off her chest about her time powers and have someone else validate her that she's not crazy. She hasn't considered telling anyone else about it yet but if she had to choose a confidant then Kate would be her best choice. But then again, would Kate even believe her when even Max could hardly believe it herself? On the other hand, she could just make something up and stick to pretending that she's still a normal girl who totally does not have crazy time powers. Kate already has so much on her plate and she doesn't need any more bullshit to deal with. But then again, Kate also doesn't need a friend who straight up lies to her face. Whichever choice she goes with feels suspiciously like a trap. It's catch-22 all over again and Max has no time to think this over, she has to choose now.
I definitely walked into that one. Congratulations, Max you just played yourself... Argh! I know I said those in the spur of the moment but did I have to phrase it that way? Now what am I supposed to tell Kate? How do you expect me to answer that?
So she does what any normal teenager would be expected to do.
HIDE THE TRUTH
"Kate, this is you we're talking about." Max starts her elaborate redirection hoping she won't get caught in her white lie. "You're the nicest person that I know despite all the crap thrown at you. You always see the good in people even when they don't deserve it sometimes. You're such an amazing person and an even better friend. When I look at you, I think of how much you are a godsend and how lucky I am to have you." She finishes and it takes all of her willpower to not look away as she says all of this. Although everything she's said is true, she knows that this isn't an answer to what Kate asked for.
"Oh... Is that so...?" Kate replies with an unreadable expression. It's hard to tell whether or not she bought it, if anything she looks like she's still trying to read Max's. Max is still holding her breath as she meets Kate's scrutinizing gaze. They stare for seconds that seem to stretch forever until Kate's gaze falls first. "I guess I was too stupid to believe that you were different." She says with a heartbroken frown before she gets up to leave. Whatever eye contact they were having before is long over and now she doesn't even want to look at Max. "It was nice talking to you."
"W-Wait!" Max grabs onto Kate's wrist and winces at how she practically goes rigid upon touch. She already knows she fucked up and yet her mouth treacherously opens to drag herself deeper. "I don't understand. Is there something wrong with what I said?"
Kate turns her head slightly to look back at her but it doesn't last. She lets out an audible sigh, disappointment painfully clear in her breath. "It's okay, Max, you don't have to pretend anymore. I get it. If you don't want to tell me then... at least say so."
"But I just told you-"
"Stop!" Kate cut her off with a voice so sharp, Max could have sworn that it caused the slicing pain in her chest. It's so sharp that it could cut the sudden tension between them but it doesn't. In fact, the air between them grew thicker in an instant. But Kate does not use the same sharp voice to cut the suffocating air. Instead her voice is dull, soft, pleading, "Please don't make me hate you any more for this."
"I..." Max starts but doesn't finish her sentence. She knows when she's caught and she knows that whatever she'll say will only make this worse. She's said enough, she's said too much, so much that it's not enough to convince Kate otherwise.
"Don't you think I already deal with enough people pulling crap over my eyes?" Kate said, her voice finding its sharpness back again only this time there's an added venom to its edge. It cuts and burns and hurts, oh god how her words hurt, and it cuts with a precision deadly enough to kill. "I thought you were my friend, Max. I thought that it was okay if everyone else could be horrible to me since I know that they're just spouting lies. I know that now because you told me that. And I believed you because you were honest. You were supposed to stay real honest with me." She tugs her arm free and crosses it with her other. She meets eyes with Max only to drive her fury further. "You were the last person I expected to pull off something so low as to lie to my face. I guess I expected too much."
Kate doesn't even look back as she storms off and slams the door on her way out leaving Max alone and guilty over what she had done.
Well that completely went to shit. Nice going, Max. Now Kate hates you even more than the bullies. She's right. She deserves better and she doesn't deserve this bullshit— especially not from me.
Max is nowhere near happy with this outcome so she doesn't dwell too long in it. She doesn't even question her mind when her hand reaches forward to rewind time as if out of routine. Kate comes back through the door and walks backward until she's back sitting on the bed. Max watches her mouth move but her voice is muted and incomprehensible during the rewind. She's not sure when exactly to stop but she thinks she's close because she feels a migraine pounding and there are dark splotches forming in her vision. Not yet, just a little further.
When she pulls back her hand, time moves forward again, and she almost misses the lightning flash that lights up the whole room.
"What did you mean when you said you believed in miracles...? And how am I part of the reason why?"
TELL THE TRUTH
"Kate, I know this is going to sound crazy but I need you to trust me on this. I don't want to lie to you so I'm going to tell you the truth instead no matter how insane it sounds." Max starts her exposition on a ridiculous truth with utmost trepidation. "The truth is that I wasn't supposed to be able to stop you on the roof. It's just not physically possible for me to reach you by the time I got out of class. I didn't leave that early and I'm not that fast either. The truth is that I was only able to get to you because of some miracle... like sort of time travel miracle. The truth is that I rewound time." Max says it all in one hurried breath and then holds her next. She closes her eyes because she's terrified to see her friend's reaction and she doesn't want to confront her just yet.
"Oh... I see..." Kate replies with a vagueness that could be interpreted either way. Max isn't all that happy when her pessimistic brain guesses right. "Is this a joke to you, Max?" Kate asks her levelly with more than just the slightest hint of offense seeping in her tone. Unlike her earlier outburst, this time her anger is a cold fury and Max is reminded of how frost bites are just as deadly as burning flames.
"W-What? No!" Her eyes open wide and immediately winces at the sight of Kate's glare. Max's heart is beating so fast in her throat that her mouth opens before she could consider her words, "Of course I'm not joking you. Why would you say that?"
"Well why would you say that?" Kate shoots back at her as she crosses her arms in disapproval. There's a scowl on her lips and Max thinks that Kate might look even angrier now than she was before with how her skin prickles and burns at her friend's furious glare. "Max, I just tried to kill myself! I'm still fresh from that... that experience." She swallows thickly but spite still fills her mouth as she spouts, "And yet here I am opening up myself to you again... And you want to talk about something as fictional and irrelevant as time travel?"
"I'm so sorry. I know it's kind of insensitive to bring up now but I wouldn't do this if it wasn't relevant." Max explains, practically pleads, she just wants Kate to understand that she doesn't understand this either. But most of all, she just wants her to know that she's telling the truth no matter how unbelievable it is. She looks at Kate expectantly and asks, even begs, "You don't think I'm lying, do you?"
"I think you're trying too hard to tell me something." Kate answers evenly. It's not a "Yes, you're a lying scumbag" but it's not a "No, I 100% believe you" either. At least she doesn't look as betrayed as in Max's previous choice. As to whether that's a good thing or not, Kate still has yet to decide on that. She's obviously confused by Max's words and maybe she's trying but she just can't wrap her head around it that easily. "I just don't understand why you would resort to making up such story."
"But it's true!" Max objects and she curses at how fake that sounds like but it's the whole truth. She thinks of the hardest time she had to prove she was telling the truth and she thinks that experience doesn't even come close to her difficulty now. "I'm already telling you the truth so why won't you believe me?"
"Max, I believe in a lot of things. I believe in a God that put me on the roof and I believe that God also sent you to me..." Kate pauses as if to let that sink in, mostly to herself. "I also believe in you." She admits and there's an indescribable look that dances across her face for a moment. It's haunting in a beautiful way because of how fleeting it is. It only lasts for a moment. Then she shakes it away along with whatever leftover trust there is. "But rewinding time? Even I know my faith's limits."
Kate storms off again and slams the door on her way out a second time leaving Max alone and frustrated over what she had done.
Fuck, that could have gone better. Not only does Kate think I'm crazy, she won't even talk to me anymore. The worst part is that I can't even blame her. Even I find it hard to believe me.
Max has now seen the immediate outcome of both choices and they're both fucking terrible not just to her but to Kate too. They both suck and she refuses to choose either.
This is impossible! Whichever I choose, I'm screwed and Kate's going to want nothing to do with me. But I still have to choose between the two... or at least rewind and do something else. There has got to be a better option than these. Focus, Max. There must be something else that you can do.
Or so she wants to believe that. This isn't permanent not when her time powers have a say in this. She can still fix this. She can still rewind this and try again for a third time and maybe even more if she fucks that up still. The problem is that she still doesn't know what to do on her third try. She's still emotionally exhausted from her two earlier runs to think of anything worth noting. With every second that passes, she gets more worried that she might have already passed the time limit for a rewind. She doesn't know just how far she can rewind but she thinks there's a limit and she can't afford to miss that. She wracks at her brain to come up with a solution, any solution at all at this rate.
Nothing I say is right. Is there even a right answer? Wait... that's it! Maybe there isn't a right answer... at least not in words. This whole time I've been trying to solve this with words when I should have backed it up with actions instead. It's the same as when we were on the roof. Kate listened to me because I said the right words with the right actions as proof. So this time I should do the same. I know how to handle this now. Kind of. Maybe. I'm still not sure over the details but I'll work it out as I go along.
Max holds out her hand for what she hopes would be the last time for this conversation. What is it that they say, third times the charm? Somewhere outside, lightning strikes the same place twice and the room is lit for a second time.
"What did you mean when you said you believed in miracles...? And how am I part of the reason why?"
TELL THE TRUTH or HIDE THE TRUTH or ...
But now Max knows there's a third option and she only prays that it's the best one.
SHOW THE TRUTH
"What if I told you that we can make a miracle happen?" Max starts and this time she sounds more confident than in any of her previous runs. She wants to believe in this one, not just because she'll be too emotionally exhausted to try again a fourth time, but also because this actually has a winning chance. She's still terrified over how Kate will take this but at least she's confident enough to muster a smile. "Right here, right now, let's make a miracle happen." She pauses to stare in Kate's eyes, this time not backing down. Her eyes crinkle at the corners with mirth. "So will you help me?"
"You're full of crap, Max." Kate answers and although it's structurally mean, the way she says it is playful, lighthearted, trusting. "But you're a good friend and I believe in you." It's the most positive reaction that she's offered so far and skeptic as she is, at least she's not angry. She's calmly accomodating and hopefully she'll be open-minded enough to some not so fictional science fiction. "So what can I do to help?"
It's a stark opposite to the usual rejection. They're making progress, she thinks and she hopes that she can keep up this momentum. "Think of a number, any number or even a set of numbers, and don't tell me." Max instructs her and gives her just enough time to think. "Do you have one already?"
"I may have one... or two in mind." Kate says with a small smile.
"Added complexity, nice touch. I appreciate your effort in trying to throw me off." Audience participation, check. So far so good. "Alright, now tell me what your number is and why you picked it out."
Kate giggles at first and then shoots her a dubious look. "Max, even I know better than to tell you that. Aren't you supposed to guess what my number is?"
"Actually, I never told you what the trick is about." Max corrects her, almost falters after losing momentum, but then she catches her confidence before it falls out of existence again. If Kate is going to believe in her then Max has to believe in this too. She amps up her charm. "Just trust me on this, okay?"
It's an honest request and one that Kate doesn't deny her of. "It's 11:28 from the Gospel of Matthew, my favorite Bible verse." She kindly informs her and there's a fond smile on her lips. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
"Thank you for sharing that with me. That's such a nice verse." Max says right before she raises her hand to rewind.
"I may have one... or two in mind."
"Matthew 11:28, come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest." Max cuts in without missing a beat. Her smile widens at the same time that Kate's eyes widen like saucers. She chuckles, "Aw, that's so like you to pick a Bible verse."
Meanwhile Kate is still beside herself surprised. "That IS my number but how did you know that?"
Max doesn't even hesitate this time. She's more confident than ever. And cocky. Mostly cocky at pulling off that stunt because it is admittedly an awesome confidence booster. Her words come out so smooth and naturally that Max is even inclined to believe in herself. "Easy. You told me in the future and then I just rewound time to tell you before you could even tell me."
And of course, Kate isn't that easily convinced though and not so surprisingly, she has theories of her own other than science fiction. "Or you could have seen the notes in my Bible and guessed that I would go for that. Highly unlikely but not improbable."
"Fair enough." Max shrugs and gives her that. It's a fairly arbitrary number but not one she couldn't have guessed. She may have peeked at Kate's Bible once or twice although she knows her memory isn't that amazing. Besides, getting it right once is hardly a statistically significant sample. "So how about we try that again? This time think of a number that even I won't know. Ready?"
It takes a while before Kate replies which just shows how much effort she's putting into this. If only Max isn't so terrified at the idea that their friendship hangs on this then she would have been having fun like Kate is. "I think I have something that even you will have a hard time to guess."
"Okay, now tell me what it is and why." Max instructs her bluntly.
"I thought you were supposed to guess it." Kate giggles, thinking that her friend must be joking.
She's not. She's also terrible at acting like she tried. "Well you were right. It's just too hard for me to think of. I'm absolutely stumped."
"You're not even trying, Max." Kate lightly nudges her on the shoulder. "And for your information, the answer is thirteen which is how old I was when I was baptized."
"Huh, you're right. I actually did not know that. Thanks again for telling me, Kate." Max smiles before she raises her hand to rewind once again.
"I think I have something that even you will have a hard time to guess."
"Thirteen. The age where you got baptized." Max doesn't even pull back the triumphant grin on her face. "And unless I zoned out on it, I'm pretty sure you never told me that. Heck, I didn't even know that your religion isn't the one that baptizes at birth. Between the two of us, I'm actually the surprised one here."
Kate blinks and she opens her mouth to say something but closes it instead. She does this a few more times, starting sentences but never finishing them. She's absolutely flabbergasted. "How did you... How did you do that?"
"Like I said, time powers." Max reiterates with a smirk. Okay so maybe now she's enjoying this, just a little. "You told me in the future and I just went back to one up you— only to prove my point, I assure you."
"Time powers?" Kate repeats in disbelief. She doesn't sound any less skeptic than before. "Are you sure you're not a mind reader? As ridiculous as that sounds, it's surely more plausible than time travel."
Max simply raises one hand and puts the other over her heart with an innocent look. "Even I can't possibly read minds, as equally awesome as that sounds, I do not possess that mind-blowing power." She wags her eyebrows at the pun. It was just too good to pass. She chuckles, "Sorry to disappoint you but I'm not a psychic. I'm only human you know."
The sarcasm isn't lost to Kate who rolls her eyes. "Right, a human that just so happens to have time powers."
"I see you're not convinced yet." There's a little thrill that runs up Max's spine when Kate nods.
She just successfully pulled off two rewinds and it is doing wonders to her self-esteem. In the back of her mind, she might even admit that she's starting to enjoy this. This is the stuff of sci-fi films she's watched and she's actually living it. And besides, when else is she going to have this chance to show-off? Definitely not another unless she wants to be burned at the stake for witchcraft. Wait, wrong era. Worst case scenario is that she'll be placed in an asylum and next worst case is that all of her friends and family would stay away from her and her supposedly hallucinations. Right now, Kate isn't rejecting her just yet and Max thinks that she's close to accepting this unbelievable truth. Just one more push in the right direction.
Max can't help but feel giddy over something that she feels she's been waiting her whole lifetime for a chance to say, "How about I predict what happens?"
Had it been asked in any other way and any other time, Kate would have assumed that Max was joking. In all of those cases, she would still give Max the chance to prove it. "Alright then... you have my undivided attention."
"Thanks, Kate. Let me just brush up on my future knowledge." Max announces and quickly goes to check what's happening outside of her window. It's still raining and she worries that maybe this was a wrong choice because nothing seems to happen at first. And then as if prompted, a series of noteworthy events happen one after the other. When she thinks she's seen enough, she goes back to sit beside Kate who has been waiting patiently this whole time. She smiles at her reassuringly before she raises her hand to rewind.
"Alright then... you have my undivided attention."
This time there's a slight delay before the dark splotches in her vision clears and a dull headache thrums lowly underneath her skull.
Ow, my head hurts. Figures that time powers would have consequences. I mean, if it's too good to be true then it's probably not. Maybe this is a sign that I'm overdoing it. I should take notes of this later and see if it happens again.
She sucks in a shaky breath to steady herself. Her smile comes out a few degrees off but she's just grateful that Kate doesn't notice her sudden discomfort. Thankfully her voice doesn't sound as weak as she feels. "If you check my window, you can confirm my predictions for me." She suggests and waits for Kate to be in position before enumerating, "Logan is an idiot to agree to play ball in this rain and Zach is an even bigger idiot who will fumble it. Brooke will run through in her usual hoodie and she almost slides at the corner. David will look out creepily from behind one of the trees on the left, do NOT make eye contact. And lastly, Samuel will come out from the right in a yellow raincoat then takes the long route out."
Seconds after she says this, Kate looks back at her, breathless. "You were right." She starts, her mouth agape and maybe so is her mind. Max is no psychic but she likes to think that she just had Kate's mind blown. "Everything you said did happen. I can't believe it but at the same time, I can't deny it either. I just saw it all with my own eyes." The truth hits her hard and it shakes her and everything that she believes in or what's left of it. "This is..." She starts but again her mind can't keep up with the facts. "This is unbelievable."
"No my dear, this is time travel. Or more specifically, time rewind. And you better believe it." Max quips back with a calm that's nowhere near the roaring cheers inside of her.
I think I finally did it! Kate is starting to believe me now! This is awesome! We're awesome! I can't believe I actually have someone to talk to about this now. This is so totally worth all those rewinds. I'm a human time machine and I have a friend who believes that. Can this get any better?
It's the achievement of a lifetime and it puts her on a high that she's never quite felt before. In a fit of temporal invincibility, she wants to see if she could push it higher. Just as soon as the idea strikes her, she's suddenly reminded of the headache from before and it lingers along with her indecision. But the phantom pain isn't strong enough to change her mind. She wants to own this all time high. "And for my grand finale, I'll be needing an assistant." She declares with the same grandeur and audacity as any stage magician only it's not magic that she'll be performing but it's just as bewildering. She stands up to take a notepad and pen from her desk. Max can practically taste the excitement sizzling in her mouth. "Care to volunteer in today's second miracle?"
Meanwhile, Kate is still dealing with the shocking revelation of time travel that it causes a lag in her reply. She blinks, processing, "Second? When was the first?"
There's a moment wherein Max hesitates. Does she really want to walk into this one so soon after she just narrowly dodged the last one? She could rewind now and rephrase her invitation. No memory and no harm done. It startles her of how easily the thought came into her mind as if rewinding time has always been a norm and not something that just started today. It hasn't even been a full day yet and already she's become reliant on it. She doesn't want it to become a habit though. Aside from emergencies and this one exception where she's trying to prove her powers, she doesn't want to abuse it. What was it again, with great power comes great responsibility?
So she looks at Kate head on and answers honestly, "The first was when I was talking to you on the roof."
The answer hangs in the air like a stop sign and for the longest moment, Max wills herself to not regret it without hearing Kate's thoughts first. Kate is uncharacteristically quiet and her gaze is haunting as it stares back. She's there in the room and at the same time she looks as if she's back on the roof again. And then something flickers behind her eyes, it's bright and hopeful, and it reaches her lips with a smile. "Well if that was a miracle then I look forward to seeing the next one."
Max wants to tell her that her smile is an absolute godsend and she's staring at a miracle right now. She doesn't say this though, not out loud at least. Instead she smiles back. "You have no idea how happy I am to hear you believe again."
"Only because a certain angel has restored my faith." Kate hums knowingly.
"Oh! Uhh, um... so I guess you calling me an angel is a thing now. Oh, geez." A blush quickly blossoms on Max's face and her friend giggles at her expense. She doesn't mind though, if anything, she's ecstatic to hear Kate's laughter and dignity is a small price to pay. She's not willing to lose that much though because she has to keep some for herself. Moving on, she clears her throat and hands the key items to her friend. "Okay so let's do something different this time. I need you to write anything on this notepad and sign it. Anything at all. The important part is that you sign it after." She turns her back on her soon after to avoid peeking.
"I think I can manage that. Just give me a minute or two." It takes longer for Kate to think of what to write than the actual writing. She hears the squeaks of the marker on paper and at some point, the strokes are too fast for her that she loses count. She's kind of excited over what Kate wrote despite how nervous she is over if this works out. Sure, part of this experiment is for show and tell, but the other part of it is actually for a legit experiment. A spur of the moment experiment maybe but an experiment nonetheless. It has her restlessly waiting until Kate finally finishes with an announcement, "There, all done."
"Okay I'm going to turn around now." Which she does and notices that Kate has taken the extra measure to keep the pad and its content just out of sight. It only piques Max's interest even more. "Is it alright if I see it?" She asks more out of innocent curiosity rather than for the purpose of the experiment itself.
"Sure, as long as it's part of the miracle." When Max nods albeit too eagerly, Kate doesn't even hesitate to tear the sheet off the notepad and hand it over to her with a shy smile.
It's a doe. That's what Max sees at first but upon closer inspection, she confirms that while it is a doe, it is also so much more than that. It's like watching a photo develop right in front of her. Details become more crisp the longer she stares at it. It's a doodle of a doe in that tale telling cheerful cartoon character style that she knows is specifically Kate's. The doe is standing on its hind legs which are wearing jeans and sneakers. It's also wearing a hoodie and an undershirt and if she squints hard enough, she sees a suspiciously familiar print. Coincidentally, it also has freckles on its face. Double coincidence is the vintage camera that it's holding. Who uses polaroid cameras anymore in this day and age, right? Okay but seriously, she knows better that Kate is a believer of fate rather than of coincidences. It puts a smile on Max's face that she suspects might be permanent. Of all the things Kate could draw, she drew this.
Wowsers, I can't believe that Kate would draw this. I mean, I didn't even ask her to draw, I just told her to write anything. Of course she just had to decide to draw instead. I won't lie, this little guy is cute, definitely cuter than me. This makes me ridiculously happy.
"Kate this is..." She starts and she doesn't know where to begin. She wants to shower her with praises and probably squeeze in a vow of eternal gratitude and unconditional love somewhere in between but all that comes out is a sound that's a mix between a choke and a sob or maybe a pterodactyl screech that got cut off. Whatever, she's just too happy to use words, okay? An ecstatic squeal may have possibly escaped from her. The next comprehensible sentence that comes out of her mouth is a question, "Is this supposed to be me?"
A stupid question really but at least it earns a chortle from Kate. "Oh, was it not that obvious?"
"I know, just checking." Max rubs the back of her head out of embarrassment. That drawing has made her suddenly self-conscious but not enough to be bothered. If anything, it's flattered her beyond belief. And has she already mentioned that she's just so stupidly happy over it? Yeah, maybe not enough. She's fricking happy about it okay. "It's just... wowsers. You know what? Maybe you should pinch me so I know I'm not dreaming."
Kate just shakes her head at how ridiculous Max is reacting over this. "You're in disbelief over a doodle? How do you think I feel when I found out that you have time powers."
"That's a good analogy and all but listen." Max leans in as if sharing a secret except she doesn't whisper. She doesn't lower her voice at all. If anything, she sounds even prouder. "Between the time powers and your drawing, you do know that I'd choose your drawing any day."
"Stop it, Max." Kate playfully shoves her away with a snort. "Now you're just overselling it."
She places a hand over her chest and dramatically gasps as if offended at the false accusation. "I'm serious. You have no idea how happy I am that you drew this. I mean, have you seen this little guy? Absolutely adorbs. Look at her and tell me she's not cute. I dare you." She insists and Kate just laughs at her antics. It then suddenly strikes Max that she may have spent too much time here even though she's going to have to rewind this. She has half the mind to forego the experiment altogether but surprisingly, the other more logical half wins so she wraps up the discussion. "I LOVE it. I absolutely adore her. Is it okay if I hold onto this and never let it go?"
"Max, I drew that for you. You don't need my permission for that. It's yours." She gives her approval anyways.
"Thank you. I'm definitely keeping this and I'm going to fangirl over it all over again." Max gives her a quick hug and then turns around. With the drawing safely secured in her left hand, she then raises her other hand to rewind.
"I think I can manage that. Just give me a minute or two."
When Max ends the rewind, there's a strong headache throbbing inside her head that feels one sledgehammer away from a migraine. She has to blink a few times until her vision finally clears. She can hear the pen strokes of Kate from behind her and it soothes her demanding pain. When the headache subsides enough for her to be able to hear herself think, she remembers the whole point of the rewind. Her eyes drop down towards what may or may not exist. She doesn't know how to feel when she sees the same drawing is still in her hand— a leftover object from the future that she managed to carry with her to the past or present depending on the perspective.
So that actually worked. I don't know what I was expecting. At least that explains why I still have my things with me when I rewind. Actually, no it does not explain anything. I'm a walking time paradox! Nothing that happens during a rewind makes sense. But I guess it's useful to know that I can carry stuff with me. Again, doesn't explain anything but it's cool to know.
"There, all done." Kate's voice interrupts her thoughts and brings her back to reality.
Max shakes her head to clear her thoughts before turning around. By then she's recovered enough to find the energy to smile again and it becomes especially cheeky when she shows the piece of paper with a strikingly similar doodle and signature on it. "Okay, one miracle coming right up! How about we compare notes?"
"Max that's...!" An audible gasp fills in the pause and it leaves Kate's mouth hanging in complete shock. She's staring at Max's paper and then at her own. She even pulls up her own drawing next to it and checks for any signs of forgery even though she knows that Max isn't that good to have pulled it off, no offense. It's a carbon copy just as much as it is a contradiction. That copy shouldn't exist, it's literally impossible for it to exist and yet Max holds it as if it's been there all along. "I just drew this now. There's no way you could have... Is that... is that from the future?"
Something shifts inside Kate's mind until finally every piece in the puzzle fits and so everything falls into place. And the unbelievable is more fact than fiction.
"You were telling the truth." She says awestruck in an almost reverent whisper. It comes out soft like a secret, a truth that only exists between the two of them. The loud earth shattering boom of the revelation still echoes inside her head and her whisper is just an aftershock. It shakes Kate to the core and her hands literally tremble with the knowledge. "So you do have time powers?"
"I do. That's what I've been trying to tell you this whole time and I'm so relieved that you finally believe me." Max seconds and it looks like Kate wants a more in-depth explanation but Max has other things she wants to talk about right now. "But more importantly, listen to this. I know I said this before but technically you haven't heard it yet and even then I'd still say this again." She proudly holds up the first copy of the drawing. "I love LOVE this. She's cute and beautiful and I want you to know how much I love her. I'm so happy that you thought of drawing this for me. Thank you and PS- I love this so much."
For a moment, she thinks she may just have blinded Kate with her unadulterated adoration for her single piece of art. She didn't know it was possible but Kate looks even more stunned than before. "Max, you just basically proved to me that you can rewind time and your main concern is my validation on that spur of the moment drawing?" She chuckles at the sheer absurdity of her sentence but then again, stranger things have happened today. "God bless you, Max."
"Always. When with you." She answers all too readily and its effect is instantaneous as Kate smiles in such a brilliant way that the whole room seems to light up. Max doesn't even think. She's too busy admiring her friend's radiance to notice her hands moving on their own as if on autopilot. It's one of those moments where time doesn't slow down but instead it happens in a blink. It happens quickly, unknowingly, almost naturally. She grabs something that just so happens to be within reach and before she realizes it, her eyes are looking through the viewfinder.
In one moment, her finger presses down on a button and this time her camera's flash lights up the room.
It's just one surprise after another for Kate. She just might be getting the hang of this because this time she doesn't even lag when a blush returns with full force. She doesn't spend time to be embarrassed before she immediately retaliates, "Don't you dare keep that photo, Max Caulfield. Hand me my shame right this instant." She tries to reach for the photo but Max is quick to dodge. And since she knows that Max has time powers, she knows for a fact that Max will stop at nothing to keep that photo if she wants it. So she gives up early this time but not for lack of trying, and not without a groan. "I can't believe you just took a photo of me when I look like a mess."
"You look like an angel." Max corrects her and she says this even before she sees the photo develop. When the photo actually shows, she doesn't change her mind one bit. Instead it just reinforces her opinion about Kate being an angel— which is a fact by the way.
In the photo, she's framed by the window upon which raindrops are trickling. The lighting in the room makes everything look dark and bleak. Everything except for Kate. Kate who is smiling and who is absolutely radiating sunlight. Her hair is down and unruly past her shoulders which is a contrast to her usual uptight bun. It's a nice change that only seems to add to the essense of the shot. She's unguarded and vulnerable and yet she looks so free. In a way, Kate's right. She looks like a mess. She looks like an absolute mess what with the uncombed hair and dark eyebags. But despite all this, she still smiles. In spite of all the shit she had been through, she can still smile and its light overpowers the darkness any day. She looks like a mess— a beautiful mess.
"I'm keeping this." Max says in a tone that tells Kate she won't approve otherwise.
Kate knows she's defeated but that doesn't mean she has to be happy about it. She pouts. "That's not exactly fair of you. Now you have a drawing by me AND a photo of me."
"You also have the same drawing with you." Max points out as if it makes any difference in the negotiation.
"But I'm still left with one less photo. Come on, Max. You have to give me something to work with or else I'll have to find one on my own." Her eyes scan the room and Max thinks that Kate might actually pluck one from her selfie wall. She doesn't though. In an odd turn of events, she goes for the desk instead and pulls out a photo that she's almost forgotten of. It's the blue butterfly photo, the one where she's partially reflected on the glass window, the same one that she took before Kate stormed out and ended up on the roof. It's actually a cool shot if only the context wasn't so haunting. And it just so happens that Kate is oblivious to just how much memories is attached to this photo. "This is a nice shot..." She says in an awestruck tone.
Max is less enthusiastic about this and more guilt ridden if she had to describe her feeling. "Yeah, that's back when I was too busy trying to take this shot instead of backing you up when you were upset talking to Mr. Jefferson... Sorry." The guilt gnaws at her even after everything and so her eyes don't quite meet with her friend's.
But Kate doesn't want any of that. She places a hand on Max's cheek and her touch is so achingly gentle that it lifts her gaze. Kate smiles again and its lightness lifts Max's spirits. "It's alright, you don't have to apologize every time. If anyone has earned their forgiveness then it's you, Max." She means every word of it and judging from the way that Max leans into her touch, she knows that she's understood. She takes in one whole breath before returning her attention back to the photo in her other hand. "I like it. It's beautiful and filled with memories... Can I have this?"
"Maybe..." Max pretends to consider it even though she'll agree to it anyway. "If it tips the scale enough."
"You drive a hard bargain. But it's a deal." Kate tucks in the photo in her breast pocket where her copy of the drawing is safely stored. "We can call it even with this."
"Awesome. I think we just set the record for best example of the law of equivalent exchange." Max quips and she even has a follow up joke for that one but it ends up getting shelved instead when a headache hammers its way in from nowhere. "...Ugh!" Her eyes shut involuntarily and a hand is already on her head trying to squeeze the pain away.
"Max! What's happening? Are you okay?" Kate has her hand on her shoulder, ready to catch her should anything happen. Unlike Max, she has her eyes wide open, searching for any sign that could allude to the source of her friend's symptoms and for any way to stop them.
"Yeah, I'm fine..." Max mumbles through the pain. Her vision is still too blurry to see anything but she doesn't need to see to know how worried Kate must be over her. She tries to brush it off as one of those lightheaded spells. "Just got dizzy all of a sudden that's all."
"Are you sure? That's a little bit too sudden if you ask me. Aren't you pushing yourself too much?" Kate's relieved to hear that her friend is coherent enough even though she's skeptic over just how fine she claims to be. Her worries are well founded because not long after, she gasps sharply, "Max! Your nose is bleeding!"
That raises the alarm bells inside of Max's head and it practically wakes her up as her vision miraculously clears. Something's wrong. Something warm is dripping just beneath her nose and a shaky hand reaches out to touch it. Her finger is stained red and it fills her stomach with ice cold dread. She does her best at not showing it. "Huh, that's never happened before." She casually states and wipes off the rest of the blood with the back of her hand. Nothing more flows down so she takes that as a good sign and plays it as cool as possible despite her hand shaking just a bit. "But I'm sure it's nothing... maybe. Don't worry too much about me, Kate. I feel fine. A little lightheaded but nothing serious. I'm fine."
It's obvious that Kate wants to argue on that but she bites her lips quiet. "Alright, if you say so..." She concedes for now but not without warning. "But hold back on the time travel for now. We don't know yet what effect it has on you and your body."
"That's sound advice. I hear that." Max says and she doesn't get a chance to say anything more.
The migraine is back with a vengeance so strong that she could practically feel a sledgehammer wrecking havoc inside her head. It's like a storm, violent, furious, relentless; a natural phenomena that she is utterly helpless against. She shuts her eyes so tightly that she starts seeing colors on the back of her eyelids. The pain is excruciatingly unbearable and it overpowers all of her senses. The room hardly exists anymore when all she could register is groundbreaking blows that threaten to break her skull. She feels as if it's already cracked her head at some point. It's all too much for her to handle and she can feel the tears prickle her eyes. She feels it on her cheeks, her face, and everywhere else. She doesn't know when or how but she feels her body wet, soaked, and is getting wetter by the second.
It's only when she opens her eyes that she realizes that the storm is no longer inside her head.
What the fuck? I'm back at the lighthouse again! And is it just me or is the storm stronger than I remember?
The storm is so loud that it easily overpowers the one in the back of her head. The pain is instead replaced with a sharp sense of urgency. She doesn't understand why any of this is happening but she knows better than to just stand still. She's back on the same dirt path again, struggling against even more violent winds that almost sweeps her off and heavy downpour that's enough to drown in. Falling trees and rolling logs almost finish her off if it wasn't for her time powers saving her. Against all odds, she reaches the foot of the lighthouse. The same destructive scenery greets her, a hurricane of death and destruction is on a path towards her hometown. She doesn't understand why she has to see this again when she notices the newspaper caught on the corner of the board map.
If this is today's date then... the storm is this Friday?! That's way too soon! Oh no, this can't be real. This can't happen. The storm can't come! No one's going to survive this!
Max doesn't even have the time to panic about it when flying shrapnel fills her vision.
"No!" She screams before she could even realize that she's back in the safety of her room. Her heart is racing as if she's just run a marathon or faced a storm in this case. Her body is still pumping adrenaline from what she just had to go through and the shock overpowers her system. The world as she knows it has been shaken, the ground beneath her feet shifts, and her knees collapse on her.
"Max!" Kate's shout barely reaches her ears which are still ringing. She's also on the floor with her, her hands are on Max's shoulders, holding her tightly and also shaking her with great urgency. Kate's shakes are nothing compared to the magnitude of the earth shattering vision of that hurricane. "Are you okay? Can you hear me?"
"I... I had a vision. It felt so real only I know for a fact that it is REAL or at least it WILL BE." Max talks hurriedly as if she's literally running out of time. Everything is happening so fast and so soon, she's terrified that no amount of rewinding could give her the time she needs, they need, time that the whole town needs. "Kate there's something important that you need to know. There's a storm and it's coming to wipe out Arcadia Bay this Friday. I'm not making this up, you have to believe me."
"Max, you're disoriented and mumbling but I'm glad that you're back." She pulls her in for a quick hug but the worry creasing her forehead doesn't go away. She looks terrified as well but more for Max's sake than her panicked ramblings. "It's not that I don't believe you, I just want to be certain about a few things first. Are you sure about what you saw? There hasn't been any storm warnings this week."
"That's because this storm is different!" Max wants to shout but it gets caught in her throat instead.
There's a sinking feeling in her chest and she feels as if she's swallowed stones because she knows that it's more than gravity that's keeping her on the ground right now. The truth that she isn't supposed to know weighs heavy on her unlike any burden. It haunts her conscience and drags her back to the storm. And if a storm could happen on Friday then what's stopping anything else from happening? Sirens are ringing inside her head. Something is off and she doesn't know what but she just knows it. Something's wrong. A lightning bolt strikes too close to them and there's no delay when the thunder roars angrily. It's louder than any wake up call and it forcibly grabs their attention as well as their fears. It's darker outside now than it was before, ominous, and rain is pouring in buckets. Something's wrong. Something red stains her vision.
Everything about this is wrong. "Are you seeing what I'm seeing, Max?" Kate's voice comes out disbelieving but it's a different kind of skepticism. Unlike her honest confusion with Max's powers, this disbelief is strangled with fear. She sounds like she wants to reject what's happening but she can't. No matter how much she wants to look away, she can't.
"The rain is... red?" It's red, it's unbelievable, it's happening, and it's so so wrong. Max immediately stands up to get a closer look but not daring to open the window and touch the ominous liquid. She peers out to survey the area only to confirm that the red droplets on her window is just as haunting as the red puddles outside. She checks her phone and sees her social media blow up with news of this unnatural phenomena happening elsewhere in Arcadia Bay. It's not just some localized prank, it's happening everywhere, it's an actual freak weather. "Holy shit. This is real. It's red rain."
"I have a seriously bad feeling about this. In the Bible, nothing good comes out of water turning red unless it's served in a cup." Which is Kate language for them being basically screwed. This bloodrain has her so disturbed that she refrains from going near the window let alone touch it. Her mouth is a thin grim line. "It's a bad omen— a warning of divine proportions."
"Or of a storm coming." Max takes this opportunity to drive her point. There's no way that this freak rain or that storm is not related. Something is definitely wrong with Arcadia Bay and it's only rippling across them now.
"Max, tell me everything. Start from the beginning." Kate asks her with a face that knows no doubt. Underneath her tone of concrete determination is the unshakable foundation of trust she has for her friend. It keeps their feet on solid ground and gives them both the strength necessary to overcome this. "If the weather's anything related to your powers then we shouldn't ignore your vision. We need to figure this out."
"Together." It's a promise. It's a mutual pact to solve this mystery signed with their friendship. There's no way that Kate's going to abandon her on this and Max doesn't have plans to go solo either. God, she's so grateful that she doesn't have to deal with this alone. "I'm so glad you have my back on this, Kate."
"Even angels need angels, Max." Kate says knowingly with an earnest smile. "Someone has to look out for you. You offered to share my burdens and now it's my turn to share in yours."
"Kate, have I ever told you that you are a godsend?" Max wants to cry out in relief and perhaps a few tears escape her eyes.
"I could say the same about you." Kate retorts in good nature as she reaches out to hold Max's trembling hand. They're calloused and reassuring and warm, and their warmth spreads until it reaches her chest where it lingers. It's a gentle reminder for them to take it slow and just breathe. They needed this, this soothing sensation, this comfort. "I'd like to believe that God gave you these powers for a reason."
"Me too." Max turns her hand over to hold Kate's better and it sends waves of comfort that ripples across both of them. Full disclosure, she's absolutely terrified by all of this but with Kate holding onto her like this, she feels just a bit braver. "Let's go find out that reason, partner."
They're going to save Arcadia Bay and maybe in the process, they can save themselves too.
A/N
If this were the game then that concludes Episode 1. Is it too late to regret not using a 2nd person POV? Because I'm torn between rewriting everything (including 1st chapter) and being too lazy to be bothered to rewrite. I really enjoyed trying to mimic the gameplay feel (maybe a little too much) and I think that 2nd person POV will add even more authenticity. Oh well, I'll just let this haunt me for the rest of my life :)
There's supposed to be an investigation episode after but I might skip it mostly because 1) it's tedious and long and I don't have any ideas for it yet; 2) I don't have any ideas for it yet because it's tedious and long. I'm aware that it is important and integral (because how am I supposed to write the nightmare sequence at the end with nothing to flashback on?) but I'm not sure if I can commit to a full length investigation episode.
If you're interested in this and have any ideas you'd like to share, please drop review or PM. I'd really like to have someone to bounce ideas with and talk to OR ELSE! If no one's alive then I guess I'll just skip to the alternate timeline episode (and never write the ending because I can't write an ending without the middle.)