Partners in Crime - Max Mayfield

To The Departed Ones

Max quickly opens her bag and pulls out a handful of letters from her bag. There were all address to several people. Her aunt, her grandmother, and a few others. Though she stops and stares down as she places the last letter on the table. 

Mom

She taps her finger against the coffee table, exhaling softly as she pulls herself away. She picks up her bag and stands up, noticing someone outside in the backyard. Hanging up the laundry, was her mother. Max stares for a moment, wrestling with the internal conflict of walking up to her and talking to her.

'It's probably another illusion by that creep.'

'But it might be the last time I ever talk to her..or see her. She deserves an explanation..of sorts.'

Max opens and closes the door, walking down the steps into the backyard where her mom hums a soft melody. "Mom" Max calls out and she snaps out of what she was doing, turning towards her daughter. "Hey, sweetie. I thought you were with your friends today." "Yeah..I was..I am." Max walks up to her mother "Shouldn't you be at work?" Max's mother smiles "Oh, Mr. Bradley let me off early. So," she looks at the laundry "just catching up on some chores." Max opens her mouth to speak, mulling over her words before she says them. "Um, I..I left some letters inside. For you..and Granny and Uncle Jack..and Dad. If you can find him." Max's mother gives her a look of confusion. "Letters..I..I don't understand." 

She wasn't prepared for this. The confrontation, the dread, and realization of what was going to be happening so soon. "Um..I..I just-" She stops and steadies herself "With all the murders and everything, I.." A weary look crosses her mother's face "I know it's stupid, but I just started to think..

"What if something happens to me?"

"Max, baby, nothing is going to happen to you." Her mother tells her, blissfully unaware of how close the ice cold hands of death were around Max's body. "I know but..if..if it did, I just..there's so many things I want to say, and need to say.." Max begins to choke up, tears bubbling to the surface of her eyes. "Just promise you'll get the letters out?" "Max, you're scaring me." "I'm not trying to scare you." "Is something going on?" Her mother asks and Max quickly denies it. "Is it baby?" Her mother's voice was shaking and Max wanted to do nothing but tell her. 

To explain the nightmares, to explain why Billy died, and..

To tell her that she was next 

But she shakes that thought out of her head. "No. No, you're right. I'm sure I'll be fine. I'm just being silly." Max's mother's emotions boil over and she brings her daughter into a hug. "Oh sweetie.." Max's own emotions boil over and she starts to cry as she hugs her mother. "Nothing is going to happen to you, baby." 

The sky begins to darken and the distant sound of thunder rips through the air. "I promise.."

"Nothing you don't deserve." Her voice muddles with an otherworldly voice: deep, dark, and full of malevolent malice. The sky continues to dark and Max opens her eyes, staring in shock at the line of clothes, drenched in blood. She tries to remove herself from her mom but her mother's grip doesn't budge. 

In fact, her grip around Max seems to tighten. "Mom, let go of me." Max calls out but she refuses to let go. "Mom? Let go."