Life is Stranger

Blackhell

Author's note: Warning - this chapter is quite dark and contains explicit and graphic descriptions of unpleasant, distasteful and upsetting situations. Not for the squeamish, easily offended or faint of heart.

Chloe knew instantly where she was – the girl's dorm at Blackwell. Except that wasn't where she was. Not at all. Chloe knew that this place wasn't the dorm. It wasn't even Blackwell. It wasn't anywhere.

"Oh shit." she muttered quietly to herself.

The corridor was illuminated only by flickering candles which were littered randomly along the edges near the walls. There was nothing but pitch blackness through the window at the far end. A small board leant against the wall immediately in front of her and to her left. It was thronged by candles. They were surrounding a teddy bear seated on the floor. 'Captain? Fuck! What the hell is this?'

Chloe cautiously walked forwards and bent down to pick up the soft toy...and froze. The board was a memorial. A memorial to Max. 'What...the...fuck? This can't be real...can it? How can she be dead? No. No way. Chill, Chloe. This place is nowhere. Nothing here is real. Where the fucking hell am I?'

On the left side of the memorial there was a framed photo of Max. A solitary blue flower was nestled in her hair. She was smiling the sweetest of smiles. 'She looks so happy.'

Lying in front of the photograph was what appeared to be the very same flower from Max's hair. A card lay next to it. Chloe picked it up and opened it. She recognised the handwriting inside immediately. It was her own. "Max. I love you with all my heart. I can't go on without you. I'm sorry. See you soon my perfect little Angel. Love, your Chloe. xxxxx"

'Oh man. This card...it's a...it's a suicide note. My suicide note. I'm going to kill myself? Again? Is this how it ends? But how can it? Why would I do that? Even if Max does get killed, I can just go back and stop it from happening. Just what in the fucking hell is this supposed to mean?'

Above the memorial there was a sign which read "NO BOYS ALLOWED". The centre word had been crossed out with a red marker and "DYKES" was written above it. "Yeah? That so? Really? I don't fucking think so. Fuck you."

Immediately to the right of the sign was a small flyer attached to the wall.

THE END IS NOW

Are you still ignoring the warnings?

Did you feel her pain?

Witness her torture?

See her die?

The signs are upon you.

Behold, The Reaper is coming,

with chariots like a whirlwind.

The Reaper will bring down death from the sky,

and destruction from the sea.

For with wind and with wave,

The Reaper will execute its purpose,

and many will be those slain by The Reaper.

As with the sign, each instance of "Reaper" had been struck through in the same red ink. But not with a cross. Here it had been replaced by "Shepherd". Chloe read on to the bottom of the page.

Arcadia Bay is the final battleground.

Ground zero.