What Remains of Elizabeth Clove | COMPLETED & IN EDITING

Chapter 9

Home was an unwelcoming and uninviting place, especially if you're me. Everything seemed darker and gloomier since Liz's death. 3 weeks without her and it just made me a more of a darker person. Thanks? If my depressing attitude wasn't enough, I had to deal with my mother's glares and constant screaming at me for no apparent reason. I swear even if I breathe wrong, she yells at me. It's ridiculous.

My dinner of chicken and rice laid cold in the front of me. Once again, I was late to dinner, Liz's notebook had made sure of that.

"Do you want something?" I asked my mom, who was glaring at me across the table, making it clear what she wanted. "Where were you Maxine?" My mother hissed in a very low and very dangerous tone.

The old mill, snooping around for answers.

"At Fiona's studying with Cam." I said, stuffing my mouth to avoid my habit of smirking of when I lied. Let me tell you cold food is delicious. "Fiona?" Her eyebrows raised. "Since when are you friends with the Massengale girl?" "And since when do have other friends beside Cam?" My dad added, and my mother hit him. "We're in the same math class." I said, actually telling the truth for once, which was a rarity these days. "Hmm." was all my mom had the ability to comment on the subject. She had nothing to use against me.

I swallowed my final piece of chicken. "I've got homework." I explained, leaving my mother alone with her thoughts to keep her company and the newspaper my father had to occupy him.

I had actually finished all of my homework in study hall. Homecoming was this week (two days to be precise), and homework wasn't necessarily a priority to any of the teachers.

I just needed an excuse to check my phone. It was vibrating like crazy in my back pocket. Something was either really important, or really wrong.

SPOILER ALERT: Something wasn't wrong

Cam: Hey everyone

Fiona: Hey

Chase: sup my dudes

Cam: We thought it'd be beneficial to create a group chat to gather all of the information we know about Liz

Victoria: And why, exactly, am I in this?

Max: You added Victoria?!

Victoria: What's that supposed to mean?

Max: Nothing

Cam: Nothing

Cam: She's essential to this. Liz knew her.

Cam: ish

Chase: dudes i already told u what i know

Max: This is a bad idea

Victoria: Agreed

Fiona: This is just if we find any new pieces of evidence we find, stuff that she left behind or stuff like that.

Fiona: We don't have to text on here 24/7, just when there's something new

Victoria: I'm putting you all on do not disturb.

Max: Bye then

I clicked my phone shut, laying back on my bed sheets. I felt like I knew nothing. My best friend used to be a rebellious vandal and a stoner, and had a secret life I knew nothing about. Suddenly, I had somehow become friends with the coolest guy in school, and became allies with my sworn enemy, all over one death. Liz dying was like a stone thrown in a lake- she created an irreversible ripple. I closed my eyes, trying to relax my racing brain.

My eyes shot open when I heard the knock on my window. I only rushed over to it when I saw the familiar blonde hair I had missed for 3, almost 4 weeks.

Elizabeth Clove was at my window.

"Let's go do something Max." She said, smirking as I opened the window. "You're... You're supposed to be dead." I said, my hands shaking. "Dude, what are you talking about? I'm right in front of you." She snorted. "Let's go before Mama Tyrant finds out." She punched my lower arm. "I don't understand." I touched her face. It certainly felt real. "Whatever, I'm dead, you're insane, c'mon." She grabbed my hand, pulling me outside my window.

What was going on?

"This is going to be so awesome." Liz squealed as she ran across my backyard and toward the woods. "What are we doing, exactly?" I said, trying to keep up. "There's a train!" She said excitedly. "We're gonna hitch a ride, like I promised." As she ran through the woods, I couldn't help but smile. My best friend was alive somehow, and we were going on an adventure, like the old days. It was always a fantasy of ours to ride a train and go to wherever it lead us, and leave this cursed town, together and forever.

"It's right here." She said, pointing to a slow moving train. "We gotta run." She instructed me, and quickly ran toward the train, myself sprinting behind her. Pulling herself in the car, she extended her hand out to me. Trusting her, I locked hands with her and allowed her to pull me up. She smiled at me. "Now we relax." she said, as I layed down on the box car's flooring. Liz's hair blew in the wind, the moonlight reflecting off of it. She looked beautiful. Then again, she always did. I was a wonder how she wasn't popular.

I guess she was in a sense, secretly.

"Where have you been?" I asked her, sitting up to face her. "You've completely abandoned me for the past 3 weeks." Liz laughed. "What are you talking about?" She looked at me like I was crazy. "I've been here.. What are you talking about?" I blinked. "No.. No you haven't. Liz, you're dead." Her eyes widened, and suddenly, we were standing in front of Byer's Bridge, Liz on her bike, and myself to the side, watching as I knew what was about to happen.

"Liz!" I screamed and I woke up as soon as she went flying into the river.

It was all fake. Everything I had believed to be true and happening was a lie, just a dream. Liz was still dead, and I was still stuck here, without a train to escape on.

•••

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A/N:

sorry if i trolled you guys lol. sorry for the chapters that i've posted are short, please leave theories, comments, or even critiques for me!!

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