Hellions of Arcadia

Chapter 14: Distorted Reality

Max

I wake up on the couch alone, Chloe's gone. A small note rests on the table in front of where I'm curled on the couch with a blanket, she went out grocery shopping to clear her mind, and I could call Lena if I had any problems, anyway.

My head feels heavy, and my eyelids have a hard time staying open. How long was I asleep for? The sun outside had set, it isn't mid afternoon anymore, it's almost completely black out there. It was freezing in the apartment, once I take the blanket off of my shoulders.

The apartment is so quiet that my ears are ringing, it usually has this effect whenever Chloe is gone, she really has a way of making a room a lot louder. The first thing I start to notice is that I'm starving, when was the last time I ate? Probably yesterday.

I dig around in the fridge to find an adequate meal, but of course, it's empty. That's probably why Chloe went out grocery shopping. The only thing in there is a jar of canned oysters. Chloe's oysters, as she always pointed out, but I didn't care, because it's not like I would want to eat them anyway.

Throw them out.

I let out an audible sigh. Why can't that freaky Chloe voice leave me alone for just a day?

Because I don't want to.

It's been with me for four years, and I don't even know why, I guess I've just come to live with it, probably having to do with my rewind powers and how they're connected to Chloe, because I used them to save her, over, and over again. All her voice does is just sit around and mock me, or it mocks Chloe, which is odd, because isn't it supposed to be Chloe?

Don't talk about me like I'm not here, dude.

I ignore her voice again, last thing I want to do is talk to some ghostly version of my girlfriend's voice in my head.

Huffing and closing the fridge door, I leave the kitchen, I know I'll have to wait until Chloe is home to be able to eat anything. She better be quick, because I can only last so long without food, she knows that.

I know Chloe is upset with that, you don't need an expert to figure that out. But it's not like I'm controlling what's happening to me, I don't want this to happen. Everything was perfect, for a few years I really felt like we had gotten away with it, that we stared death right in the face, and won.

But now I know that everything really does have consequences, and death really doesn't like it when you tempt it. I rub my face out of pure habit and sigh, this isn't something we can avoid, delusions and blackouts were happening more often for me now, and something tells me they won't just stop.

Chloe can't see that, though. She isn't me, she can't see inside my mind, she can't truly know what is happening. It's so unfair that she judges me for my actions, without even knowing the fully story. She isn't me, she can't decide for me.

It's Chloe's, fault.

I try to swat the voice away, but it burns a hole in my chest. It starts a fire from my head to my toes and I can't do anything about it. This all can't be Chloe's fault, can it? She didn't want any of this to happen more than I did. So I can't just start blaming all of this on Chloe.

But who else are you blaming it on? It can't be yourself. And what has she done for you, huh? She should be so grateful that you spared her life, she should be on her knees!

You know, I've had about enough of your crap. You have been in my head for years now, and nothing good has come out of it. I thought you'd be with Chloe, on her side, since you are her, right?

No, I'm not!

A jolt of pain shoots through my skull. I guess Chloe doesn't like being called Chloe, then. I prepare myself for another jolt, another round with the bickering voice. But it doesn't come back.