Life is Stranger

Tears and Blood

Tears streamed down the blue-haired girl's cheeks. Max held Chloe's hands and kissed them away. "It's okay Chloe. Everything's going to be okay. It hasn't happened yet. And it's not going to. I'm never leaving you."

"I know, but it has happened Max. It just happened for me. I was there, and I couldn't stop it. I failed you. Max I'm so sorry. I was the one who dragged you back into all this shit. Nobody, especially you, should have to go through that. You have no idea what hell I went through to get back here. I can't let you die. You bought me back here and I can't lose you again. I won't."

"What do you mean, Chloe? What did you do? What exactly happened?"

"I don't know Max. Man, my head is fucking throbbing. It's all drifting away, even as I'm talking to you now. You know how you wake up from a dream, and the memory of it begins to fade? It's sorta like that. Except this was no dream. In a few minutes, I probably won't remember any of it. Like I said, it keeps blinding me. It's really hard to remember anything. Every time I try to think about it, the thoughts just slip away, as if it doesn't want me to think about it. I feel like I'm trying to catch fog. It's trying to hide. But I'll never forget watching you die. Never. Max, it was just horrible. Please, don't make me describe it. Please Max. I can't. I love you, and just the thought of you dy..." Chloe broke down completely.

Max embraced her. "God Chloe. That must have been...that must have been awful for you, I'm...I'm so sorry that I asked you that. You've been through so much. I...I..."

"It was worse for you. But I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that it never happens. You have to believe me. I don't even care if I die. Without you, I'm dead anyway. Max, I can't live without you. And I don't want to. If it does kill you, it won't have to hunt me down any more – I'll just stop running. I'll let it kill me."

"Chloe, you've got to stop thinking that way. I'm not. Listen to me. This thing, whatever it is, has made a mistake – it's been found out. We know that it's coming. Its greatest weapon is the element of surprise, and it has lost it. We have the upper hand. We can beat it. The important thing is that we're together again. Right here and now. We aren't going to run from it – it's going to run from us. Together, we are going to send it straight back to whatever hell it crawled out of. With its tail between its goddamn legs. It is no match for us. Do you hear me? Chloe? Do you believe me?"

"I'll always believe you Max."

"And I'll always believe you Chloe, no matter what. Let's show this fucking thing just what us pirates are capable of. Amirite?"

"Yes. You're right. We'll stay together. And stay alive. Both of us."

"That's more like it. How long before it gets here? How long do we have?"

"I don't know exactly, but I think we've got some time at least."

"Good. So now we just need to figure out what to do. You're the butterfly – you have powers. They have to be the key. You can fly. You travelled through time once so mayb..."

"Not once Max. Twice. I've travelled through time twice. But I didn't do it. I was taken there. Again. And I was pulled back. I have no control over it. None."

"What! Why didn't you tell me? Chloe!"

"I have told you. Haven't you been listening? I said that was no dream. It was real Max. All too fucking real. It was the future. I was in the future. Our future. I was actually there."

"Oh man. No wonder you freaked out. Chloe?"

"Yeah?"

"I know this is going to be rough, but you need to think really hard about what happened. Was there anything that you saw that could help us? Does it have a weakness? Anything we can exploit when the time comes? Quick, before you forget."

Chloe's brow furrowed in concentration. "Fuck! Nothing. It's all drifting away. Fuckfuckfuck! You devious, slippery douchebag of a bastard. Don't you dare try to crawl away from me, asshole. I'm gonna get you, you fucker! I fucking promise you."

"Never mind. And chill out Chloe. Raging isn't going to help, is it? You need to calm down and think clearly. Do you have any other powers? Something you've forgotten? Think Chloe. Stop stumbling around in the dark."

"Sorry Max. I just hate the fucking thing. So fucking much. I just can't bear the thought of anyone hurting you."

"If we can't figure things out, then nobody will. There must be something. All this weird shit that's happened to us has got to be something to do with that thing. The butterfly, the doe, your dad, your powers. It all has to be connected somehow. We just need to join the dots. Like I said before, that day you jumped, you were saved for a reason. I said that reason was us, but now I think there's more to it than that - only we can stop this thing. Me and you. Arcadia Bay needs us. And we need Arcadia Bay. It is our home. I know you can feel that. Think back Chloe. Something happened, long ago. You did something once – something awesome. What was it? Please try and remember Chloe. You have to."

"I don't know what you're talking abou..."

"Yes you do. Come on Chloe. You're beginning to remember. You know you can do this, don't you?"

"I think...I can't...damn it this hurts...it's...make me a star!"

"...me a star." Max finished the sentence with her.

"Oh man. My head. Jesus. Thanks Max. I couldn't have done that without you. But how the fuck did you know?"

"I didn't. Not until just now. You had to remember it, not me...Chloe...your nose...it's bleeding."

"Shit!"

Max grabbed a tissue and held it under Chloe's nose. "Not backwards. Tilt your head forwards. Dork."

"Your bedside manner could do with some work, Dr Caulfield."

"What about when I'm in bed? How do I rate there?" said Max with a coy smile.

"Amazeballs!"

"You're not too bad yourself, Price."

"Thanks Caulfield. I think it's slowing down. Man, this fucking thing really doesn't want me to remember, does it?"

"No. It so does not. But you did. Do you realise what just happened? Do you know what we just did? We just beat it Chloe. It isn't invincible.  But we are. We are awesome."

"Yes, we are. How'd you like them apples, fucker? You might have bloodied my nose, but we just bloodied yours too. Does it fucking hurt, douchebag? Bring it on you bastard – we're taking you down. Me and Max."

"Chloe?"

"Hmmmm?"

"I'm sure we'll win, but just in..."

"Now who's thinking negative?"

"No. I'm not thinking negative at all. But I just want you to know something."

"Okay. Shoot."

"Chloe, this time we've had together has been so special. I'll always remember it. If this thing does kill me, we'll always have this time together. It can't take that away from us. I can't be without you. If I had to face the rest of my life alone, I'd trade all of the days from this one until the day I died for these moments here with you. And if there is anything beyond this world, I'll wait there for you. I love you with all my heart Chloe."

"Oh Max."

"Let's not waste a single second of our time together. I love you. Love me. Let's love each other."