Facing The Inevitable

A Pirate I Used To Know

I've never been more nervous than I am right now. My heart feels ready to leap out of my throat and onto Chloe's driveway and it's all I can do to keep breathing in and out, in and out.

I thought I'd fixed everything when I saved William. He was supposed to be on his way to catch the bus to pick Joyce up from the store, yet now he stood before me, only a little older but with the tired, stressed eyes of an insomniac.

And then he calls out to Chloe.

I expect a tall girl with a shock of blue hair and a pissed-off expression in response to my delay in visiting her to come strutting down the hall, but my heart drops as I see a figure in a wheelchair moving towards the door.

Oh my Lord...Chloe...

I barely recognize her. It's as if all the light and life has been drained out of her eyes and her skin is so pale it looks like porcelain - she looks like she's made of porcelain, about to crack and shatter into a billion pieces if I reach out simply to take her hand or touch her shoulder. Her naturally strawberry blonde hair framing her sad, worn face makes me want to cry because this isn't the Chloe I know. Maybe if I travel back again, hold my hand out and keep going until we're back in our old pirate fort with Bongo, maybe, just maybe none of this will ever have to happen. Maybe-

"Hey Max."

I look down at Chloe and reality punches me in the stomach once more...whatever reality I'm in anyway. She's smiling up at me and I try with every fibre of my being to force any kind of emotion other than shock or sadness to show on my face, but it's useless.

"Ch-Chloe...I'm so glad to s-see you," I finally manage to choke out.

"I'm glad you're here," she replies, moving her wheelchair so I can step inside her house. "I, er...I know it's weird seeing me like this."

Her voice is quieter and I notice her glancing at William, who gives me a somewhat reassuring smile and says,

"It means a lot to all of us that you'd come all this way to visit Chloe again. I'll leave you to it. You know what to do if you need anything, Chloe."

He pats her shoulder gently and walks into the living room.

"Listen Chloe, I-"

"Hold on, Max. I know Dad thinks he's giving us 'privacy' right now but I...well, I've got some shit I need to get off my chest and I haven't been to the beach in forever and a year, so..." says Chloe.

I nod and say, "I have so much I need to tell you too. You...you have no idea how happy I am that you're here, Chloe."

"You don't have to be nice to me just because my back's screwed. I'm still Chloe Price, believe it or not."

"As if I could ever mistake you for anyone else," I say with a hint of a smile. "You're priceless, Chloe. Uh...no pun intended."

"You're such a dork. That's why I love you though. Come on, let's get the Hell out of here before Mother Dearest starts interrogating you about Seattle," Chloe says, a smile creeping across her own face once more.

*

The next day is a blur and Chloe can't seem to stop reminiscing about our childhood, while Victoria blows up my phone.

Victoria: Mad Max u needed 2 be back at the dorm like yesterday where are u girl
Max: Visiting a friend, she's sick
Victoria: yeah, sick not dead, come on!!
Victoria: We got places to be. Maybe i should've listened to Court when she said not to let u in the vortex
Victoria: gotta go 2 class, bye felicia