Complete Chaos

053

They were at the cemetery.

Max got out of the car with a letter in hand. Lucas got out of the car as well.

From where Julia was sitting, she couldn't hear what they were talking about, but by the facial expression and the way Max looked down after Lucas said something, she knew the conversation was intense.

Max stormed off, walking deeper into the graveyard.

With Melody in her arms, Julia walked toward the boys. "I'll be back," she told Steve, slightly brushing her hand on his shoulder. Steve's sight was on Julia and his daughter.

Julia walked toward Kimberly's tombstone. Max was sitting crisscrossed three headstones diagonally from her. Julia stood in front of her friend's tombstone. The grass around had grown since the last time she visited.

Julia placed Melody on the grass; she sat close to her. "Hi, Kim. I didn't bring flowers this time." The breeze hit her face, blowing her hair back.

Melody played with the grass with her hands pulling it and throwing it in front of her, falling on her feet.

"Melody said her first word," she said excitedly. Her hands rested on her knees. "It wasn't your name, sorry." A faint smile spread on her face.

She glanced at Melody, watching her, making sure she was safe. Her daughter was playing with the soil. Shoving her little fingers into the little hole; she had created by pulling the grass. Seeing that Melody wasn't eating the dirt, Julia continued to let her play.

She looked back at the tombstone "so I have news," she said, moving her fingers through the growing grass.

"I saw Eddie again." She could practically hear what Kimberly would have told her. "I haven't talked to him, though. I don't really know what to say."

She exhaled and said, "He's in trouble, and I want to help." She twirled the grass around her finger.

The sound of a clock could be heard far away.

"Not only is he in trouble, but Max is too. And I'm scared something is going to happen to them. Something like what happened to you last year."

She closed her eyes, and memories of that day flashed into her brain. Her heart picked up rapidly. The chime of a clock could be heard closer.

"Sometimes I have dreams about that day. There have been a few where they end up different. They end up happy with you alive." She smiled sadly.

Julia took a deep breath and opened her eyes. "I know I can't bring you back, and I shouldn't live in the past. I'm trying, some days are harder than others, but Melody is doing a good job of keeping me busy."

Melody moved her tiny hand with dirt on her fingertips and placed it on top of Julia's hand. Julia smiled at her daughter and cleaned Melody's fingers the best she could.

"I love you, Kimberly Bell, and miss you deeply."

The chime of a clock stopped. The wind blew on her face, drying a single tear from her face. She hadn't even realized she was starting to cry.

"Max," she heard Steve yell. She turned her head in the direction where Steve was running toward Max.

Steve kneeled beside Max, clapping close to her face trying to wake her up. "Guys," he yelled for the boys.

"Max," she whispered the girl's name, fear forming inside of her. Julia got up and picked up Melody. Within seconds she was by Billy's tombstone.

Her eyes were completely white, she was unresponsive, and her hands were on her lap.  

"Come on, wake up," Lucas said desperately. 

"Can you hear me? Max," Steve yelled.

Julia grabbed Max's shoulder gently. Her body was consumed with fear; she couldn't imagine what Max must be going through. Julia said the girl's name, but there was no response.

Steve pulled Dustin's jacket, getting him closer to him, and said, "Call Nancy and Robin! Go get 'em! Call Nancy and Robin! Go!"

Dustin ran back to the car. He tripped on his own two feet but quickly got up and ran.

Within a few minutes he ran back to the group holding a walkman and cassette tape in his hands.  "What's her favorite song," Dustin asked, dropping what he was holding.

"Why," Lucas asked. Julia wondered how that was important in moments like this.

"Robin said if she listens," he said quickly, out of breath. "It's too much to explain now. What's her favorite song!"

They all went through the different cassettes. "Lucas, which one is it," Dustin asked his friend. 

"What's her favorite song," Steve asked no one in particular. Julia didn't know which one was her favorite song.

"It's right here! Got it," Lucas said, his hands shaking as he grabbed it. "Okay, headphones!" Lucas clicked on the play button. It wasn't working.

Max's body was no longer on the grass; her body was floating. Max's hands were on her side, her chin was raised, and her face pointed to the sky.

At first, Melody was intrigued seeing how the girl was up in the air. It reminded her of the small creatures she saw a few days back, but instead of bringing her happiness and curiosity, she was afraid she saw how her parents were reacting.

Their faces were worried, everyone was yelling, and she felt scared like never before.

She had been frightened before, like when her father played a scary game with her called peekaboo.

Without a warning, her father would disappear from her sight one second, he was there, and the next gone.

She would get scared and worried that one of her favorite people were gone and left her in the room alone, but then like magic, he would appear with a bright smile on his face.

She hated that game, but this wasn't a game. It was something else her small brain couldn't quite comprehend. Her brain wasn't fully developed to understand, and she began to cry.

Max opened her eyes and gasped for air, and then her body fell to the ground. She hyperventilated and looked around in panic.

Lucas held her in his arms. "It's okay," he whispered in her ear.

Dustin was on Lucas' right side, his arm on Max's shoulder. Steve was on Lucas' left side, and Julia was next to Steve, trying to console their crying daughter. She hugged her tightly and rocked her back and forth.

"I thought we lost you," Lucas said to Max.

"I'm still here," Max said, out of breath, not letting go of Lucas.