Afterwards: A Life Is Strange Fan-Fiction <A Choice Story>

Chapter 16

I should go check out that noise. What if it is another person? I make my way over to the right side of the ruined dormitory.

Crash. There's another loud noise from over there. It sounds like an animal, maybe a raccoon going through the trash or something. I hope it's not dangerous. I don't want to hurt the little guy, but I don't want him to hurt me. I walk around the corner to the right side of the dormitory.

"Holy shit, Rachel?!" Chloe wasn't lying. Rachel Amber is standing right in front of me. She looks so real, but I don't understand. I thought she was dead. She just stands there and looks at me. "Rachel?" I say again in shock more than anything, but also to get her to say something. She just stands there still, just staring at me. This is super fucking weird. Am I dreaming? Or did I hit my head on something? She tilts her head a little and slowly blinks. "Were-were you the one making all that noise?" She nods her head yes, then starts to run away. This is so fucking confusing. I should probably chase after her. I run behind her. She runs back behind the ruined building and then into a small opening in the rubble. I guess there was an opening back here all along. I rush into it, just a few feet from Rachel. She turns around and smiles at me, then runs into a room that isn't completely caved in. I follow her into the room, and see that she's looking through some ruined dressers. What the hell is even happening? "Rachel, why won't you say anything?" She doesn't even turn back to look at me. She just keeps looking through the dressers. She picks something up and stands up. She walks over to me.

"Here. Use this for Chloe's wound, and tell her I'm looking out for her." She walks towards the opening in the rubble. "Max, be careful." She runs outside. What the actual fuck?! How did she know my name? What did she mean she was looking out for Chloe? And why did she tell me to be careful? I run outside. She's gone. What is Chloe going to think of this? I walk around to the front of the school and climb up the rubble. I see Chloe smoking a cigarette and staring off into the distance. She looks like she's really stressed out. I walk up next to her and sit down.

"I've got that shirt you needed." I say while starting to tie it around Chloe's cut.

"Thanks Max. I'm glad someone's looking out for me."

"I saw Rachel." I blurt out randomly. "She said she's looking out for you. She's the one who got the shirt." She freezes and looks at me.

"Max that's not funny."

"I'm not lying Chloe! She was down there and I followed her into the dormitory! Then she led me into one of the rooms and she found the shirt for you. She said she was looking out for you."

"So do you believe me now? I saw Rachel and I ran after her, same as you."

"Yes, I believe you one hundred percent." I say while finishing up tying the knot on Chloe's knee. "I just don't understand it though." It's so hard to even think straight with all of this weird stuff happening.

"She must be alive. It's the only explanation!" Chloe sounds like she's getting excited. It's the most reasonable explanation, that's for sure. But I could believe something crazy, like she's a spirit or something. After all, I can time travel, so anything can be possible.

"Yeah, maybe." I respond. Even if she isn't, we did just see her, so that has to count for something. "So how's your leg feeling?"

"It doesn't sting as much, but it still kind of hurts." She sucks into her cigarette. It didn't look like it was infected or anything when I tied the t-shirt around it. Of course, what do I know, I'm not a doctor.

"That's good." I say. We both look into the distant town, ruined by the tornado, but still looking beautiful in its own way.

"...You know, you patched my leg up pretty good. You should totally be a doctor, then we could be rich!" She says while throwing her hands in the air.

"Two things. One, why would I give any of my money to you?" I ask jokingly. "And two, I don't even want to be a doctor, I want to be a photographer." She looks off into the town and then back to me, then puffs in on her cigarette.

"I'm not a photographer or anything, but this looks like a good photo op." She says. "C'mon, get your camera out!" She smiles.

"Alright, hold on." I open my bag and pull the camera out. "It should have enough film." I hold it out in front of my face. Chloe moves her head in right next to mine.

"Alright, in 3...2...1..." I press the button and the flash hits our eyes. The picture prints out.

"I hope I didn't blink during the photo." She says. I pull the picture out. "That looks really nice, but then again, I'm not a photographer, so I don't know."

"It really does look nice. The ruined Arcadia Bay is sad, but it does kind of look beautiful. Am I a bad person for thinking that?"

"I don't know. There is some sort of serenity here, you know?"

"Well of course you think that, you find the junkyard serene." I found it kind of serene myself. I don't know what, but there was just something about it.

"It is my home away from hell." There is no home anymore. Now it's just hell. Chloe might be right about leaving. I mean, the school is completely destroyed, and Joyce is...in a better place. We really have no reason to stay. I put the camera and the picture in my bag. Chloe and I stare off into Arcadia Bay.

"This has been really crazy, Chloe. Just, this whole week. I never would have even imagined that reuniting with you would cause me to have time traveling powers."

"Yeah, but this week has been some of the most fun I've ever had." She says. It has been pretty fun being with Chloe after so long. Some of the riskier things we did, like breaking into Blackwell, was definitely fun, even though I thought we would get caught the whole time.

"It definitely is fun being back with you again Chloe. It's like we're pirates again." She smiles.

"Damn, the last time we were pirates was years ago." I laugh.

"Yeah, it's been a while." We both just sit there, silently staring out at the bay. I can't believe this all happened, and it's all because of me.

"We should get back to the pirate ship. This place is kind of bringing me down." We get up and start climbing down the rubble. We walk towards the courtyard in front of the school.

"Shit! Chloe, is that who I think it is?"

"It looks like it. Frank's here."
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