Chapter 14: A Grateful Universe
Max
July 25th, 2017
12:45 PM
High Providence, Meridian Prime
Ark of Genesis Pyramid
Losing Bryan was our greatest casualty yet in this journey and this war, but this was no time to mourn. This was every time to advance to the ark before Joanna, Alkaline, and Ares did. With the Dark Order defeated, half of Valor Team history, Chloe and Rachel checked out along with Frank and Kristine, David and Cayce separated from us as well as Cage and Heard, and now my uncle killed in action; the time of victory beckoned as our most desperate hour.
Alex and I traverse inside the pyramid, shimmying through small spaces just to proceed to our destination. Eventually, as we progress closer to the ark, we see a lake of water inside the center of the pyramid. An aqueduct is built inside, and another elevator lift is built in the center of the lake, which must take us higher up the pyramid where the ark would be.
Our visual is through a small crack in the small space. The two of us are witnessing Alkaline and one of his lieutenants named Tie, one we've seen with Alkaline before back in Greece. We take a second to stop and eavesdrop on their discussion. Alkaline and Tie themselves appear to be loading crated Dinn extracted from the water onto a small motor raft. As Bryan confirmed before he died, this is all part of their endgame.
Alkaline: Almost done here?
Tie: This is the last of it, sir.
Alkaline: Good, if we hurry, we can catch up with the others.
They were closer to getting to the ark themselves if they were almost done collecting their doses of Dinn. Alex and I had to make haste.
Max: We need to hurry, Alex. Before they –
I turn to my right and Alex isn't here. She ran off without me!
Max: Alex? Alex?!
David
July 25th, 2017
12:46 PM
High Providence, Meridian Prime
Ark of Genesis Pyramid
Cayce and I attempt to find our way back to Max, Alex, and Bryan. Maybe regroup with Cage and Heard as well. Before reaching the ark. It was a long way up the pyramid and a long way to the end of the war.
Cage: (comms) Cage to Madsen. I should apologize for what happened back there. Looks like my warhead did enough damage to bring that bridge down. Sorry, Commander.
David: Apology accepted, Captain. We should still proceed with the mission as planned.
Heard: (comms) Davey, Cayce, I think we found something you'd like to see.
David: What is it?
Heard: (comms) Looks like ConDef left behind one of their birds. And they've gotta a big ass gun installed with it.
David: What kind of big ass gun?
Heard: (comms) A rail gun by the looks of it. No joke.
Suddenly, a scream was heard from above us. It was that Chono Dragon. Ares's dragon flying near us.
Cayce: You better hold that thought, Heard. We got company.
The two of us train our rifles at the dragon. Landing in front of us on our ground. Ares himself was riding on it. The great god of war landed his dragon with its four big legs and Ares dismounted from his dragon's saddle. Ares walked in front of the Chrono Dragon and took a few steps toward us before the three of us exchanged words. Ares was armed with his Eternity Gauntlet with five of the six shards equipped. His big sword was sheathed behind his back as well. Cayce and I keep our guns aimed at him.
David: Oh, yeah. You're much more of an Ares.
Ares: I take it the Dark Order is dead. This day takes a heavy toll. Still, they accomplished their mission.
David: You may regret that. They brought you face-to-face with Chrysalis's finest.
Ares: Where do you think they brought you?
David: Let me guess, your home?
Ares: It was.
Ares activated the Reality Shard on his gauntlet. Projecting what High Providence used to be. On display with the Reality Shard's power; the buildings were more intact, locals crowded the streets, and the city was lit with lanterns. Given the city was built underground and the fire lanterns were its light source.
Ares: And it was beautiful. High Providence was like most cities. Too many mouths. Not enough to go around. A sanctuary built by my father Zeus. One he deemed untouchable. But when we faced extinction, I offered a solution.
David: Genocide?
Ares: At random. Just passionate and fair to rich and poor alike. They called me a madman. And what I predicted came to pass.
Ares deactivated his Reality Shard and the Shard's power disbanded the illusion. Back to the ruins of High Providence.
David: Congratulations, you're a prophet.
Ares: I'm a survivor.
Cayce: Who wants to murder trillions and poison an entire city with this…Dinn, Max talked about.
Ares: The Dinn was a failsafe in my day. Extreme, but viable. Ezra Prescott tried using it against me and failed utterly. With all six shards, I could snap my fingers – they would all cease to exist and I call that…mercy.
David: And then what?
Ares: I finally rest. And watch the sunrise in a grateful universe. The hardest choices require the strongest will.
David: I think you'll find our will equal to yours.
Ares: You survived our first encounter in San Francisco. Our following in Beirut. Rest assured; you won't survive this one. I will leave you to my Chrono Dragon. While I slay the traveler.
Ares portals his way out of the area. The Chrono Dragon lets out a massive roar before we set our weapons free on it. And our fight begins.
Max
July 25th, 2017
12:49 PM
High Providence, Meridian Prime
Ark of Genesis Pyramid
I don't know where the fuck Alex went or why she'd run off without me, but rushing to the finish line wasn't going to bring Uncle Bryan back. Nor killing Joanna and Alkaline. As much as I'd like to, our priority was getting the codex to that ark and finishing this war for good.
I continue shimmying through the small rocky space and eventually find myself near where Alkaline and Tie were posted. I halted near a small opening where I could get out and eavesdrop some more. There, I heard the motor engine of a boat going off and it wasn't Alkaline's boat docked by the pier of the aqueduct. It was Alex speeding past Alkaline's position. Alex had just hijacked a boat herself without me. Heading for the big lift to the top of the pyramid. Alkaline and Tie witness Alex on her raft speeding towards the lift. I could see her going without me through the cracks in the space I shimmied through.
Joanna and Alkaline's other lieutenant enter the scene. Marching their way toward Alkaline and Tie. Joanna herself had bandages wrapped around her shoulder from the bullet she had taken from her niece hours earlier. Kristine had told me and the others what she had done to Joanna. She deserved no less.
Joanna: Alex just stole our goddamn boat! She's headed to the ark. Come on.
Joanna tried pulling Alkaline with her, but Alkaline brushed her off.
Alkaline: Let her. We're done.
Joanna: We're done?
Alkaline: The Dark Order's been decimated, most of my men down here are dead, and those who aren't are fighting for their lives back on the surface. Ares is already ahead of us. I say we let him end the war himself.
Joanna: (point at the lift) Can you see that? The end is literally in sight!
Alkaline: That maniac ancestor of yours has poisoned the entire water supply with Dinn. I'm not swimming my way to that lift.
Joanna: Elias, if you cut and run right now, not only will Ares have both our heads, but the loss of all your men; everything that we have done…is for nothing.
Alkaline: We have a good supply of Dinn already. I say that plus our lives are something. Besides, Max may still have the codex, but Ares is more than capable of killing Max herself just to get it.
Alkaline walks to the boat until Joanna talks more.
Joanna: No wonder so many of your men have died.
Alkaline: (turns back to Joanna) Excuse me?
Joanna: We're on the verge of making history here and you're just willing to walk off with a pittance, a fraction of what Alex is about to do at the ark?!
Alkaline: If she can walk away from that ark alive, she can. Hell, I say she's earned it. God knows you didn't.
Offended by Alkaline's words, Joanna slaps him. Alkaline rubs off the sting from his partner's slap.
Joanna: Now look, we can stand here and insult each other all day or we can finish what it is that we –
Alkaline strikes Joanna in the stomach before she completes her sentence. Then throws her down on the ground. Alkaline pulls out his sidearm and aims it at Joanna. Threatening her life with his handgun.
Alkaline: Oh, we're finishing it alright!
To Alkaline's surprise, Tie and Baluga aim their guns at their general. Tie aiming his rifle from the boat. Baluga aimed his next to Joanna's ground.
Baluga: Sorry, sir.
Joanna gets up and shakes off the sting from being punched by her partner. Feeling betrayed by his men, they appeared to be more loyal to Joanna than Alkaline himself. However, she was able to convince them so. Baluga gives Joanna a lift upwards. Taking her hand. Joanna explains herself.
Joanna: Yeah, the thing about mercenaries, Elias. Their loyalty is not earned. Its bought. Now, come on. Either we can finish this thing together…or we can just end it right here.
Feeling a mix of betrayal and reason, Alkaline concedes and puts his gun away. Back in its holster.
Alkaline: Let's go make history.
Joanna: Atta boy. By all means.
Joanna, Alkaline, Tie, and Baluga all hop onboard their speed raft. With their supply of Dinn loaded as well. Once they're all aboard, they drive their boat towards the lift to the top of the pyramid. Which is where I needed to be as well. With the coast clear, I step out of the space and my feet are on the pier. Allow me a better view of the lift. Alex and Joanna are now ahead of me and with the codex still with me, it was up to me now to get to that ark and finish this journey once and for all.
Max: Let's see what you have in store for us, Ezra Prescott.
There was another boat docked at the pier. I get on it and drive it to the lift as well. How convenient of them to leave one more boat for the guest of honor.
I dock the boat next to the lift. Then I start riding the lift once I see it descend back down from the top. Alex as well as Joanna and Alkaline must already be up there. Here's hoping Alex can handle them all by herself this time.
I get on the lift with my two feet. As soon as I'm on, the lift starts ascending a long, dark shaft towards my finish line to victory. Where I'd be able to insert the codex into the ark, be rid of Ares and his fallen, and end the war by my hand. Assuming Joanna and Alkaline can be dealt with. Whom I know won't go down without a fight.
Suddenly, I see an explosion above me that goes off from the top floor where the ark is. Either caused by Alex or our two enemies on top. Either way, it was a sign of danger.
Max: Holy shit! Alex…
As soon as the lift comes to a grinding halt and I'm on top of the pyramid, smoke, and fire are visible. I cough out the smoke a little. I get off the lift and see bodies lying down flatlined and covered in ash. It was Tie and Baluga. Maybe Alex set off the explosion to take them out? No sign of Joanna and her partner. If they're still alive, I had to be careful. Here's hoping Alex was still living as well.
Max: ConDef…
Down the hall littered with smoke and fire, I see a blue light at the end of it. It was the machine. The ark. Just less than a foot away from me. Where Alex had to be as well.
Max: Alex?! (coughs) Alex!
I walk into the room with the glowing machine. There it was. My golden ticket to finishing the war right here and right now. Still no sign of Alex or our adversaries. Didn't help that the smoke in the room was blocking my sight.
Max: Alex? (coughs) Alex…
I heard coughing that didn't belong to me. I raise my gun and then hear footsteps approaching me. A woman emerges out of the smoke. It was none other than Joanna Prescott here. Still wearing her bandage for her bullet wound and now bleeding from her left forehead and the corner locks of her hair sticking out like a sore thumb. She had her handgun aimed at me as well once our eyes locked on each other.
Joanna: Hey, Max.
Max: Where is Alex?
Joanna: Oh, she's right there.
Alex was lying down unconscious with a pillar of rubble trampled on her. Likely from the explosion.
Max: Alex?!
Joanna: Relax, she's alive. You know, this bitch nearly got us all killed.
Max: I'm getting her out of here.
Joanna: No, you're not.
Max: Joanna, if you activate that ark, it's over for us, okay? Ares doesn't care if you live or die. Billions are going to die including ConDef, alright? You're just a pawn. Just let me save sister.
Joanna: Sister, huh? You figured that one out, too. Too little, too late as usual. (laughs) After all she's done, the answer is no. How noble of you. Which in the end, matters none.
Max: We argue like this any longer and we're all dead. Ares is catching up to us and he'll kill us both for that ark. Is that what you want?
Joanna: That's not what I said. What do you think, Elias? (coughs)
Then Alkaline drops in on the party. Walking into the room behind me and armed with his handgun aimed at me as well. Beaten and bruised by the explosion like everyone else.
Joanna: Good to see you up and about. Be a dear and relieve Max there of her gun. The codex, too.
Alkaline: Hand them over.
Max: (turning to Alkaline) You really think you can trust her? Huh?
Alkaline: Not your concern.
Joanna: Now, why are you trying to instigate? Max, General Alkaline, and I are partners. I don't screw over my partners. Get over there.
I surrender my gun and the codex to Alkaline and he takes them from me. I take a few steps backward where Joanna orders me to while she and Alkaline have their pistols trained on me. Joanna takes the codex from Alkaline and stuffs it in her jacket pocket.
Joanna: You and your sister, though, right from the start, you took advantage of my generosity. You tried to cut me out and it's high time you learned –
Then to Joanna's surprise, Alkaline leans his gun against the back of Joanna's head. A pinch of betrayal stung the Prescott woman herself.
Joanna: What are you doing?
Alkaline: Now you give me your gun.
Joanna: (scoffs) Elias…
Alkaline cocks his pistol.
Alkaline: I won't ask you again.
Joanna surrenders her gun to her traitorous partner. Then turns around in disgust.
Joanna: You are being…profoundly stupid right now.
Joanna rubs the back of her head.
Alkaline: Look over there.
Joanna: Elias, stop screwing around –
Alkaline fires a bullet near Joanna's feet to keep her away.
Joanna: Jesus!
Alkaline: I said look!
Joanna and I turn to the direction Alkaline pointed. It was a couple of skeletal remains. Still wearing old clothing from the early nineteen-hundreds. With old pistols in their boned fingers as well. And swords pierced through their bodies. I knew who they were the second my eye caught them.
Joanna: Okay, it's a couple of skeletons. So what?
Alkaline: I don't know much about history as you girls, but I think those are your ancestors you're looking at.
Joanna: Oh, are they?
Max: It's Ezra and Jeremiah. They killed each other.
Joanna: Good for them. What's the point?
Alkaline: Everyone obsessed with this ark, gets what they deserve.
Alkaline started walking out of the room. To leave us both trapped inside.
Max: So, what? You're just leaving us here to die?
Alkaline: Oh, I'm just leaving. Whether you die or not, I really don't care.
Joanna: Elias, Ares will have your head for this!
Alkaline: He'd rather have yours. So long, Lady Joanna.
The general himself uses a lever to shut the door to the room. Trapping us here for good. The door shuts on us and Joanna furiously races for the door and slams her fist against it.
Joanna: Elias! Elias! You open this fucking door right now!
Max: Joanna, he's gone! Come on, give me a hand and we'll all get out of here.
I attempt to lift the fallen rubble off of Alex unconscious. But the debris was too heavy to lift out of the way for just one woman. Joanna wasn't moved by my compassion to get us all out of here.
Joanna: Oh, no. No, that won't work.
Max: Come on, help me with Alex and I'll help you open the door.
Joanna approaches Jeremiah's corpse to pull the sword out of it.
Joanna: No, I'm not going to be able to enjoy…(pulls the sword out)…activating that ark…finishing this war…knowing that you and your worthless sister are still sucking air.
I step away from Alex. Joanna walks closer and closer to me with her sword in hand. Ready to strike me with it?
Max: Alright, just…just calm down. You can practice your fencing when we get outside.
Joanna: Max, just shut up!
Joanna points her sword at me with its edge trained on me.
Max: Seriously, Joanna. This is insane. Even for you.
Joanna: You wanna hear insane? "Max Caulfield survived a freak twister storm in the small Oregon town of Arcadia Bay!"
Joanna swings her sword at me and I take evasive maneuvers.
Max: Ah, Jesus!
Joanna: "Max Caulfield, stood trial for allegedly causing the storm that ravaged her hometown!"
Joanna swings her sword at me again and I dodge out the way. Pleading for mercy.
Max: Goddammit! Come on, we can get out of here together!
Joanna: "Max Caulfield, prevailed as the savior of the Neo-Chrysalis attack in Portland. The hero of Triple Four!"
This time, Joanna swings her sword twice at me. I dodged both times.
Max: Come on, Joanna! Stop!
Joanna: "Max Caulfield is a legend." (laughs) You know, I shot the man who told me that.
Max: Look, I get it. You don't like me that much –
Joanna: You know, for all your greatness, Max, you have nothing. You are nothing. And I warned you to get out of my way.
Joanna continuously whacks her sword at me. I continuously evade. Until I time myself an opening where I counterblock one of her sword strikes. By holding her armed hand firmly in place and punching her across the cheek. Wrestling the grip of her sword around until I force her against the wall. Joanna headbutts me and pins me to the ground. Lowering her sword down my neck to end me. While I attempt to tug her lethal weapon away from me. Only with Joanna nearly winning against the struggle.
Joanna: I have sacrificed everything to find Ezra! And I'm not gonna let a couple of two-bit hipsters, your senile uncle, and your delinquent girlfriend take that away from me!
Max: Enough!
Right before Joanna can cut my neck open or behead me, I roll her out of the way to break free of her grasp. I turn to see Ezra's corpse next to me and with quick thinking, I pull out the sword that was plunged into Ezra's remains. Joanna stakes another strike at me with her sword and I instantly counterstrike with my sword that clings to Joanna's. The two of us stand our ground. Our swords crossed with each other and armed in our hands. Ready for the fight of our lives.
Joanna: You care…about that parade of losers so much…I'm going to make sure they join you.
Max: En garde, bitch.
Joanna: That's the spirit. Do you know how to sword fight?
Max: Yeah, I stick you with the sharp end, right?
Joanna: Oh, this should be fun.
And that's when our duel begins.
David
July 25th, 2017
12:55 PM
High Providence, Meridian Prime
Ark of Genesis Pyramid
Cayce and I ran for our lives away from Ares's Chrono Dragon he had left down here for us to kill us. The massive winged animal had chased us from where Ares left it to the pyramid, we found ourselves back to. There was a big ladder built on the walls of the pyramid and the two of us started climbing on it.
David: Cayce, we gotta climb!
As the two of us rapidly climb upward, so does the Chrono Dragon beneath us. Using its clawed feet to gain on us. Breath fire underneath us that nearly burns our skins to death. Don't know much about animal instincts, much less fantasy creatures turned reality; but the dragon itself could instead use its wings to fly over us and black our path upwards. I pray it doesn't think like that. Where the Caulfields are and what they're doing now, I also pray to god they've found their way to the ark to finish the job as well.
Me and Cayce make it to the top of one floor on the pyramid and start running upwards towards the next ladder. As we do, the dragon uses one of its feet to smash apart the floor behind us just to bring us down. We needed to run faster.
David: Hurry! He'll take us down with him!
Then suddenly, the dragon flies between us and blocks our path with two of its feet. Ready to breathe fire on us. We raise our rifles and shoot its mouth apart before letting out its fire. Its mouth is glowing orange as it is. Once enough bullets hit the mouth and tongue, the dragon is stunning and moves its legs upward. Allowing us to continue running.
We then climb up another ladder. The dragon climbs below us to continue chasing us. Like King Kong climbing the Empire State.
Cayce: That is one angry son of a bitch!
David: This is the dragon Chronos briefed us about!
Cayce: Jesus H. Christ! And Caulfield encountered this thing before and lived?!
Cayce and I make it to the top of the next floor on the pyramid. Which takes us to a lift of some kind that gets us to the top of the pyramid quicker. We get on the platform. Not that it was the best idea as any with the Chrono Dragon still on our tail, but it was no use debating about it. The lift takes us upward as both our feet are grounded on it. Taking us as far away from the Chrono Dragon as the lift possibly can.
Max
July 25th, 2017
12:57 PM
High Providence, Meridian Prime
Ark of Genesis Pyramid
Joanna and I clash our swords one on one. We fight fiercely in our duel. At times, I was able to use my time shield to block any of Joanna's attacks I couldn't parry. Other times, I'd be able to stun Joanna out of the way and kick her backward. Leaving her vulnerable for me to come at her with my sword for a blow. Only to be parried afterward. Perhaps Joanna has had more fencing lessons than I have.
This wasn't Chloe and I playing pirates and fighting with plastic toy swords in our backyard. This was real life. Must have been our Ezra and Jeremiah mutinied each other and how they fought to the death a century ago in this same room. History repeats itself a century later.
Joanna: Come on, quite prolonging the inevitable. My arm's getting tired.
I continue my duel to the death with Joanna. With a few clings crossing our swords, Joanna manages to trip me back to the ground. We then lock swords as Joanna pins me.
Joanna: This…might hurt a little.
Max: Get off!
I kick Joanna backward. Then slash her abdomen apart. Making another flesh wound next to her bandaged bullet wound. Joanna pressured her laceration for a second as it bled through her coat. Before we return to our feet and continue fighting.
Joanna: Come on, legend!
Joanna lets out her battle cry. Fighting more ferociously this time. As I parry each of Joanna's swings, I use my time shield to my advantage so I can get the upper hand again. We then lock swords again as I start pushing Joanna towards the wall with all my muscles.
Joanna: Now that's the Max Caulfield I hear so much about.
I finally pin Joanna to the wall with my sword against her throat. Her sword was at her throat as well with both our swords still locked on. Joanna pleaded for mercy.
Joanna: Alright, alright.
Max: We're done here. I'm taking my sister and we're leaving. Then I'm taking that codex, activating that ark, and finishing this war myself. You wanna die by Ares's hand, you be my guest. You're just a glorified stooge who deserves no less.
Joanna: You got me.
Joanna then kicks me in the groin and knocks me in the head. Disarming me from my sword as well as I falter back on the floor. Joanna then trains her sword's edge back on me.
Joanna: You know what, Max? Underneath all the bravado, you're just a sad little girl…with delusions of grandeur. Who, by the way, can't fence for shit. So long, Maxine Caulfield.
Alex: Max!
I turned to Alex who had regained consciousness but was still pinned by the rubble. Alex slides me back my sword and I catch it instantly. That is when Joanna returns her sword swinging to me. I crawl backward as we resume clashing swords. Joanna's sword swung at me like a sledgehammer to a nail. As I parry her attacks per usual.
Joanna: You don't know when to give up, do you? That's good. Don't hand it to me.
We lock swords again. Joanna pushed my sword with hers against my neck to try and kill me. I attempt to push backward in the struggle.
Joanna: I've had everything handed to me…on a fucking silver platter.
We break our lock. Then continue to clash with one final push.
Joanna: Everything – except – this!
The heaviest of Joanna's swings finally breaks my sword in half. Leaving me defenseless against the lady herself. Before striking me down, she has her sword near my chin again.
Joanna: I've earned this. (feeling a stab behind her) All of it! (stabbed in the back)
Suddenly, another sword pierces across Joanna's stomach. A much larger sword than hers. It was Lord Ares stabbing her across the back with his large Olympian sword. Ares brushes Joanna to the side after impaling her. Sheathing his sword with her blood on it as well.
Ares: You've earned none of it, Lady Joanna.
As Joanna bleeds to death on the floor next to me, Ares walks between us. Using the Space Shard on his gauntlet to summon the codex out of Joanna's pocket. Stepping close to the ark's machine where he would place the codex himself.
Ares: Fitting I would find the two Caulfields here. Pity my high loyalist could not be rid of them herself.
Joanna: (coughing blood) My lord…I was this close…I had Max under my heel…just please…(coughs). Let me finish it myself…
Ares: It is too late for that now. Your chance to prove yourself to me has passed.
Joanna: Please…I served you loyally…
Ares: You've served me well.
Ares then uses the Space Shard to break more rubble off the ceiling. Rock and stone start cracking apart from the shard's energy. Then a pile of rubble comes raining down on Joanna as she looks up in terror. I roll out the way to avoid the debris and then the debris collapses onto Joanna. Smashing her body apart like a bug and killing her instantly. I could see Joanna's arm sticking out of the rubble. The bitch was dead at last. Hell, hath no fury like the Prescott woman scorned.
Alex and I turn to Ares. Alex was still pinned by her fallen object. I'm still on the floor. Witnessing Ares's long-awaited move.
Ares: Before I kill you both, it's time you witness the true power of the Ark of Genesis. The power of balance to the universe. The power of the shards, the codex, and the ark combined as one.
Max and Alex: No!
That is when Ares inserts the codex into the machine to use at his own will. That is when the disaster begins.
Max
September 1st, 2013
2:30 PM
Arcadia Bay, Oregon
Blackwell Academy
My bus comes to a stop at the bus stop next to Blackwell Academy. I get off the bus and my transportation leaves. I stare at my new boarding school. My new home away from home located in my very first hometown of Arcadia Bay. The school itself looks more like a college than a high school. Regardless, it was the nicest one I've seen yet. Much nicer than Cleveland from Seattle.
I walk up the small steps into the courtyard. Some students and staff I hardly knew yet occupied the outdoor area. A big bronze statue of the school's founder, Jeremiah Blackwell, was built in the center of the area. Over a fountain of water, too. Displays of artwork from Mark Jefferson, the school's idol, and my selling point in coming here, were set up in the area, too.
My first stop would be the principal's office to be interviewed. Then my dorm room I would be staying over for the school year. I walk inside the building to the office with my bag held around my shoulder and my traveling bags I drag on the ground with my two hands. While holding a map of the campus grounds to show me where I needed to be.
I have a seat in the principal's office. Principal Raymond Wells was his name. A tall and bald dark-skinned man wearing a jacket and tie. The typical wear for principals. Maybe this principal wouldn't be as intimidating as Principal Joanna Prescott. Or maybe he would be.
Principal Wells himself reads through my resume and profile on his desk as the interview begins.
Wells: Maxine Emily Caulfield. Born September 21st, 1995. Here in Arcadia Bay. Moved to Seattle at the age of twelve. Attended Cleveland High from freshman to junior year. And now you're being transferred here at Blackwell Academy. Why come here? From a nice city in Washington?
Max: Same reason every other art student comes here. Mark Jefferson. Other than that, there's nothing else to it.
Wells: I understand you were involved in an incident at a history museum in Seattle. To which you were suspended for and placed under house arrest as well. May I assume that's another reason?
Max: May I assume I won't be attending here because of that?
Wells: Nonsense. Here at Blackwell Academy, we believe in rehabilitation for all students. I've had my plentiful share of troublesome students at this school, but they have always been given second chances. Provided they don't squander those chances either. Consider this your chance for atonement as an exemplary student at Blackwell Academy. Right now, I already see a bright future in you, Maxine. A bright future.
Max: Max. Never Maxine.
Wells then lends me the keys to my dorm.
Wells: Here are the keys to your room stationed at the Prescott Dormitory. Room two-nineteen. I hope your tenure at Blackwell is a pleasant one.
I enter Room 219 as Well says to. The room is nothing but a blank slate. Just a plain old desk and a bed to sleep in. An empty canvas for me to put all my stuff in. I start emptying my traveling bags. Hanging up my clothes in the small closet, organize my school supplies on the desk; including my Polaroid and laptop, and put other personal belongings in my drawer. I even placed the pictures I took with my camera up on the wall next to my bed. I also hang up my lantern lights over my bed as well.
When I got to the photo of Alex and me, the one we took at the Roland Estate five years ago, I paused. It was the first picture I ever took with the Polaroid camera I brought here. The same camera I had found at the estate as well. As my birthday gift from Alex when we broke in. I hesitate to put it up on the wall. Such a cute moment from back then, but also a reminder of how I let Alex die in those sewers and wasn't capable of talking her out of breaking into that museum. I decided to keep it off the wall and put it back in the bag.
Then I get to my photocopy of Chloe and I as the Arcadia Bay pirates. Another relic of the past I had to leave behind and an echo of simpler times from when I first lived in this town. As well as a reminder of any attempt of mine that could get me back in touch with Chloe again if she still lives here. It felt like Millenia since I ever spoke to her again. Not since William's funeral where I left her behind unfairly.
The picture was too big to display on my wall collection. So, I chose to put it in the drawer instead. Then I sit down on my bed for a minute to think about what to do next in my room before classes begin tomorrow. Then a girl is at my doorstep saying hi to me.
Girl: Hey, s-sorry if I'm intruding. You must be the new girl. Could I come in?
Max: Sure.
The girl sits down next to me and introduces herself.
Girl: I'm Kate. Kate Marsh. My dorm is just a few rooms down.
Max: Max. Max Caulfield.
We shake hands.
Max: What are you doing here, Kate?
Kate: Thought I might come in here and say hi to you, Max. I haven't made too many friends here at school. So, I decided to drop in and make a new one here.
Max: I know how that feels. This wouldn't be my first move.
Kate: Where are you from exactly?
Max: I'm from Seattle. I originally lived here in Arcadia Bay before my family and I left for Seattle. My parents decided to send me here to finish my education.
Kate: Any other reasons for coming back here?
Max: I have my reasons. Mark Jefferson mainly.
Kate: Yeah, that's the usual reason for everybody. We had an honor student here who went missing months ago. Her name was Rachel. No one's seen her since. Everyone liked her here. Now all we see of her is just missing person's posters.
Max: I'm sorry to hear that. Hey, you wouldn't happen to know anyone named Chloe, right? Chloe Price? I think she may have gone to school here after I left town.
Kate: Chloe? I – I think it rings a bell. Sort of. If she had come to school here, I wouldn't have seen her here.
Max: Thanks anyway. I think I'll find my own ways to see her again.