Coming Home

The Sufferer and the Witnesses

After the line died, there was complete silence.

For about two seconds.

Then there was a mad dash. Warren fished his keys out of his pocket and rushed to the door, while Max grabbed her phone off of the bed and raced to the door.

Kate sat for those two seconds, very confused. After the flurry of movement, adrenaline surged through the girl and she found herself racing too. "Who exactly is Chloe?"

"A friend," answered Max. Panic was evident in her voice.

"I'm coming," Kate said with steely determination. After learning about how loved she was by her friends, she wanted to stick with them as much as she could. She wouldn't abandon them.

They raced out of the dorms. Max nearly trucked over Brooke trying to get to the door.

"Watch where you're going, Max," she growled.

"Oh, sorry…" she muttered back. She tried to slide past the girl but her hand on Max's wrist stopped her.

"Max, wait, I actually need to talk to you."

"It'll have to wait," she said. She tried to shove herself out of Brooke's grasp but she kept a tight hold on her wrist, "You're going to the junkyard aren't you?"

Max stopped struggling, "You guys go on ahead."

Warren and Kate looked at each other, then looked back at the two. "I'll go start my car. Come to the parking lot as soon as you can." Warren opened the door for Kate and then they were gone.

"I'll make it as quick as I can," Brooke said with a serious face. "I woke up at dawn to fly the drone and study the strange weather. I saw Nathan walking to the parking lot. He had some weird shit with him in a bag. You know how he talks to himself a lot right? He was saying something about the "junkyard" and "dosage". He even said your name. I don't know what you're in a hurry for, and frankly I dont want to know. Just be careful."

"Uh, thanks Brooke," she replied. Despite herself, she felt her nosiness peak. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Yesterday, after I saw you kissing Warren, I got pissed. It was more jealousy anyway." Brooke kinda gave a half-shrug before continuing in her blunt style. "But I've been friends with Warren ever since we were freshmen. And I have never seen him so happy the way he was yesterday. To be honest, I don't know what he even sees in you. But you do make him happy, that's what counts."

"Uh, thanks?"

"You're welcome. We'll probably never be close friends, Max, or hang out or anything, but as long as you don't break his heart, I want us to be friends."

"I don't intend on ever doing that."

"I'm sure you don't. But even the best hearts do go awry. Just take care of him, okay? For a genius, he is an idiot."

"I will. I promise."

A moment of understanding passed between the two. "Good," Brooke replied.

"Thanks for the help. Sorry, Brooke, but I've gotta go."

"I figured. I do too. I'll see you around, I guess."