Into The Vale of Shadows // Max Mayfield

II; xviii. goodbye

chapter eighteen
goodbye

     IT'S BEEN A hard three months for Max. Everyone seemed to have started moving on, like everything was back to how it was, but she still finds it hard to cope, she was still stuck to this fresh memory that had brought an immense feeling of sadness that stuck to her throughout the passed time. Sure she laughed and smiled, but it didn't feel the same. With Billy gone and Raven's lack of presence, she found it hard to feel a kind of happiness, only feeling this relieving emotion around the party.

     After Billy's death, everything in Max's life had changed. Her step father just turned into a full time drunk. He was leaving before waking hours in the morning, then coming home in the middle of the night, with his senses taken over by the spirit of alcohol. Max had barely saw him sober after Billy, he's either on drugs or under the influence of alcohol. He was an asshole, he'd became such a burden.

     Her mother too wasn't feeling well. With Neil under mourning, he had barely gone to work, spending each and every penny he had with drinking. So her mother had to work, leaving the house early, then coming home to a passed out Neil lying anywhere in the house except his bed. Max felt bad for her, so she did everything she can to help her mother, doing simple things like preparing dinner for her mother.

     Other than the Billy situation, there also was Raven.

     She had no idea where the girl was. The last time she saw Raven was two weeks ago before she was awoken.

     She used to visit Raven a lot. Max stayed beside Raven throughout the first month of her clinical coma, looking after her if someone wasn't available to do so. She'd sing songs for her, hold her hand, admire her for hours on end. Then feel guilt, she would blame herself, think that she was the reason why Raven lied motionless on that bed. Now she barely saw her best friend — she doesn't even know if they're best friends anymore. After what she did that night. It was fucked, she knows it and regrets it. She fucked up.

     She's had this thought that Sid and Robin also knew, for they had given her glances everytime she'd visit. They'd give her this look, like they want to push her away to protect Raven from the dangers she'd bring. It had hurt her. It's like they  don't want her near Raven.

     Max found herself inside the Byers' now empty living room, she sat beside Lucas, neatly placing the Byers' things inside a box. From across the room sat Dustin, looking at them with his face unamused as they sang the song Never Ending Story.

     "Turn around . . . Look at what you see . . . In her face . . . The mirror of your dreams! Rhymes that keep their secrets . . . Will unfold behind the clouds!"

     Though still hurt, she still tried to put a smile on her face to show to her friends. It was like reflex. She just doesn't want them to worry.

     "Wait, did we get the verse right?" she mocked, "It's 'unfold behind the clouds'?"

     "Yeah, but you're butchering it, so could you please stop," Dustin replied, annoyed by their silly antics.

     "So join in Dusty-bun," said Lucas, blowing Dustin a taunting kiss.

     "Yeah, come on, Dusty-bun. Why don't you join us?" Max added.