WARNING: This chapter has implications of rape, abuse and drugs etc. Please don't read if you are triggered by these things, at the end of the chapter there are a few numbers you can ring if you need help with any of these things.

Chapter Four

Everything has changed again and I'm alone; more so than before, I want to go back home and I'm fighting the urge to see Warren again. This journey, on this bus, is worse than I remember, I'm jolted into the air as the bus speeds past the road bumps, making it impossible to sleep. I am overcome with this fatigue, this burning sensation that agonizes my cells into sleep. The edges of my sight are clouded with red and white, slowly creeping to the center of my vision and causing me to be temporarily blind. I have overused my power, great.

It's hard to keep the negativity, the poison that has seeped through my skin, away from my thoughts; I am alone again, with my power, like I was before. Except this time, Jefferson is still out there somewhere. I shudder, my body's natural and submissive reaction to Jefferson. I'm scared of him, it's taken me a long time to even think his name without the memories resurfacing. I'm not sure whether the thought of the monster, who's perspective is behind a camera frame, has made me cold or whether I'm ill; it's probably a concoction of the two.

Although it's uncomfortable, I rest my head against the window. Even now, I can hear the -

Click. Click. Click.

Burned. Burned. Bright light. Same old. Parched. Sweat.

I hadn't counted the time, which I had known was relatively short, that I had been in the torture room for but it felt like I had known this light for years. It fluctuated, spreading across my vision, as I tried to look past it and into the room. The door had slammed, I had heard a voice. "Bitch, stop crying!" A boy shouted, his voice wavering with emotion. I heard a smack. "You're so... God damn... annoying! Get. Off!"

"Nathan, please!" A girl. Help me, please. God, save us.

"Put her over there," the monster, who had just separated his prey, continued on his work. I could hear the click. More light, I suspect it was the flash.

To describe the feeling of the drugs they gave me, which coursed through my veins, is hard; it's almost as if you've taken heroine, you become entirely numb. I felt the numbness spreading through my limbs but I tried to fight it, I tried to hold onto the pain. I couldn't tell where or when they had touched me, positioned me for their sick photos. More importantly, I couldn't run if I was like this.

Before my eyes evolved to the room, there was a flash of blonde hair and I realized who I had been in the dark room with. Victoria. She was cowered, whimpering. There were worse things than the torture here; the humiliation and the shame was the thought that hurt me the most, their hands had defiled my body as they used me like a toy. They had photos of me. "Max? Why are you here?" Her voice was more of a mumble now, they had medicated her. "Please don't hit me!"

In Jefferson's photos displayed around Blackwell, I had always found themes of control and submission. Never had I suspected that in real life, Nathan was the man looming over the girl. Jefferson was the one who practiced this. Nathan raised his hand as if to hit Victoria, who had squirmed in front of me. With the last bit of effort I had, before I passed out, I threw myself in front of her.

A slap. More slaps. Touching my stomach, hands trailing down... Words. Horrible words. Submissive. Abused.

Click.

Click.

Click.

The cold air whips at my exposed skin, tightening my muscles as I try to protect myself from the winter's weather. Arcadia Bay was too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter; it swapped extremes each time another season invaded. I remember this year, Chloe had told me it was the coldest it had ever been. I make my way down the pavement, walking quickly to escape the environment's wrath. "Shit, it's freezing." I voice to myself, tricking my brain out of loneliness. "Shit, shit, shit."

I pull my hat further down, covering my eyes. This is going to be a long walk.

An explosion of color was across Chloe's clothes, lilac and sapphire has blended into a top I had bought her years and years ago. Her wet hair is similar to a hedgehog, spiked out in different directions. Wide eyes stare at me, she is surprised that I bothered to visit her. I had been a very, very bad friend. That's going to change now, Chloe, you'll never understand but I'll always be here. "Shit," is the first thing she says before a wide grin is across her face. "Max, you're here. Why? I mean not that I'm not happy you're here but, why? What's wrong?"

It should have been fine to say 'nothing is wrong, I just wanted to see you' but I couldn't help but divulge information onto my best friend. I parted my mouth, eager to tell her all that I knew. Then I saw the girl in the body bag animated and alive, her skin colored and her blood pumping. "You're Max, right?" She says and her voice is soft. "It's nice to meet you. I'm-"

"You're Rachel Amber." The girl who will go missing soon.

Both of the teenagers exchange a look before they focus their attention on me once again, they are confused. "I know it's sudden," I add. "But I need a place to stay because something in Arcadia Bay is going to happen and I need to stop it."

"Max, what are you talking about?" Chloe seems scared almost, vulnerable. Confused.

"I can tell you," I say. "But it's cold out here."

A/N:

For some reason the links hadn't showed up for the sites that I found but honestly it is so easy to find any site you want about any topic, I urge you if you or someone you know is in need to get help. You're not alone as cliche as that sounds.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed.