Life Is Strange: Final Destination

I Am Not A Robot

(I highly recommend you listen to Marina and the Diamonds' I Am Not A Robot in this chapter)

The next day Max, Chloe, Josh and Sophia skipped class. They sat in Max and Chloe's small living room.

"I'm confused. You two have time traveling powers? And you've seen your girlfriend die like 20 times?" Josh asked, looking at them obliviously.

"We're not dating." Chloe said quickly. She couldn't believe this was happening again.

"Not everyone you meet is gay Josh."  Sophia explained and Josh sighed.

"No. I mean, my sexuality doesn't matter right now. What matters is-" Chloe was caught off by a loud noise behind her. Blood had appeared on the window, dripping down slowly.

"What the hell?" Joshua sprang up, looking out the window.

"A bird just flew into the building!" He announced.

"So? It happens all the time. We live in Seattle J." His sister sat still, shaking her head.

"No... This can't be a coincidence." Chloe jumped to her feet, opening the door to the balcony.

There were a few dead birds on the ground below them, and even one on the railing.

"Max... It's happening again."

Max and Chloe had ran to the bedroom, leaving Sophie and Joshua to question what the hell was happening on their own.

"Listen Chloe. I had to rewind just now. Sophie, she... She had to watch her brother fall off of the damn balcony!" Max whispered.

"What the hell?! This is hella fucked up. It's all going to happen again. We have to tell people that a storm is coming!" Chloe panicked.

"Who's going to believe 2 high school students?! Not everyone is going to leave, which means not everyone is going to survive if there is another storm. The only way to save everyone is to let Josh die." Max raised her voice, but made sure her last sentence was very hushed. Chloe winced at the smaller girl. She had been yelling a lot lately.

"No. You saved me, gave me like, 100 chances. Josh deserves that too!"

"But way more people will die! I already have the death of Arcadia Bay on my shoulders, just so I could save you. I can't kill the whole of Seattle for some boy we just met!"

Chloe went to protest but was cut off.

This is bullshit! They deserve to live!

"IF we keep messing with time and fate, the whole world is going to end!  We're going to jump from town to town to help these, these time travelers, to save their loved ones, only to see another storm come and wreck their city. Besides, their loved ones are probably going to end up dying after the storm, just like you might. Because it's clearly what the universe wants. You've watched Final Destination right?" Max was rushing through her words, barely audible.

"Max, this isn't a fucking movie! Sure, it might seem like that, but it's changed. How many times have I died since we left Arcadia? None, right? Maybe I was meant to die in the bathroom, it's clear, considering the 'universe' tried to kill me so many times after that. But you saved me over and over. And if what you're saying is true, then it sounds like the storm was my final test, the last thing that was supposed to kill me. And since it didn't, maybe the universe has given up on trying to kill me for now."

She continued, making sure that Max couldn't get a breath in.

"You know how magic always comes with a price or whatever? Yeah, well, so did your power. The point of your power was obviously to save me. But the price of using it was the storm. Either you let me face my 'fate' and die in the storm, or we escape and Arcadia Bay is ruined. A life for a life. Or in this case, a whole town of lives. I guess the universe really wanted me dead if my life was worth the equivalence of hundreds of others. But you made that sacrifice already. Now I'm safe. No more deaths for me for a long time. Hell, maybe I'm even immortal now. That'd be hella fucking cool." I have to convince Max to give Josh a chance like she gave me.

"Chloe! It's not a fucking joke, okay?! Even if what you said is true, I'm still a selfish murderer. I killed hundreds of people just to save one person. Just because I love her. What kind of excuse is that? I'm not going to help other people murder thousands of people just so they can be selfish too."

Chloe scoffed. She refused to let this boy die!!! But there was a lot of children in Seattle...

"You realize half of the people are going to make the choice in the end to sacrifice their town just like you? If Sophie stays by Josh, whenever he's about to die, she can pause time and pull him away. Why the hell would the universe give people like you a power if you can't even use it without causing the apocalypse!? Maybe this is supposed to happen. Clearly the gods, or whatever, gave it to you guys so you can help give this world a dramatic and hella fucking crazy ending! Max, these people need your help to save their loved ones and solve their mysteries! Like you did with Rachel and I."

"You can't ignore this. It's not going to take back what you did to Arcadia Bay." Chloe continued.

Max spun around, then walked back to her, her face inches from Chloe's.

"What. The. Hell!? You're trying to make me feel guilty now?!!? You're going to use my mistake against me to guilt trip me into murdering a whole fucking town!? I am not helping you murder anyone. They can do it on their own, like you said. If the world is supposed to end, then it will, with or without me. Maybe what happened to Arcadia was supposed to happen, but that doesn't make me feel any less of a fucking murderer." 

Chloe grabbed Max's hands and she tried to shrink away, but Chloe kept her hold.

"So you're going to walk away? You're not going to show empathy for what they have to go through? You went through the same thing Maxine! You know exactly what situation they're in! Having to see a loved one die, multiple times in one day. Would you really go back in time again if you could kill me, just so you can save a town you never even liked? I love the Max that helps everyone at every extent. What happened to her?" Tears streamed down both of their faces.

I never thought Max would fight me like this.

"She became evil Chloe! I honestly don't know what to do with you anymore. You're just a constant reminder of what I've done! Perhaps if I could, I would go back. If I knew that I would feel like this. It's not worth the pain."

"I'm not worth the pain." Chloe stated, letting go of Max's hands. She walked to the bedroom door, her hand resting on the door knob.

Max doesn't even seem to acknowledge I have feelings anymore.

"I'm sorry. I take it back Che!  I want to stay with you! Please."

"Take back everything? Sure you do. You take back saying I make you feel guilty? That you wish you had let me die? Do you take back it all?" She snapped, bitterness clear in her voice.

"Che-"

"Somehow, I don't believe you. I might see you tonight. Sophia, Josh and I are going out to solve some issues. Don't wait up for me, I might stay the night."

And with that she was gone.