voyager // max mayfield

FOURTEEN: BILLY'S GRAVE

For the entirety of the drive, Eve could not stop thinking about the trance Max was in, and about how she couldn't get her out of it. It was hard to see someone you cared about completely unresponsive, but seemingly awake.

It also worried her that Max had another hallucination - and according to what was seen from Chrissy and Fred - three hallucinations and it's over.

One more and Max was gone.

She had never felt so far from Max in such close proximity - sat looking out the front window as Max kept her view out of the side window. It was clear no one really knew what to say, and at this point, everyone was fearing the worst - there were no words for comfort, and there were no words that were gonna make this situation go away.

There are so many things she had wished she dared to say earlier, to fix everything before it got this bad - but the timer was running out, and Eve knew if there was ever a time to shout 'I'm here' from the rooftops, it would have to be now.

She didn't say anything verbally, not wanting Steve, Lucas, or Dustin to hear, but she did, ever so slowly, move her head to rest on Max's shoulder, closing her eyes.

Max felt a little tickle on her neck from a few of Eve's stray hairs, and found herself, for the first time in twenty-four hours, smiling lightly. She moved her own head to rest on top of Eve's sighing out, before moving her right hand to gently hold onto Eve's left.

Eve kept her eyes closed as this happened, just breathing the moment in, terrified this was the last time she would ever be able to do it.

"Turn here," Max spoke, breaking through the silence of the car.

"Here?" Dustin asked, a little confused, seeing the sign that the area was a graveyard - a little ironic considering Max's situation. Part of him thought it was a sick joke.

Max just nodded her head, not enough to move Eve's own, but enough for Dustin to get the message.

Steve turned then, moving the car into Roane Hill Cemetery.

The Cemetery where Billy was buried.

As soon as the car was stopped, Max was out of the door, making Eve's head fall as her heart raced, too scared to let Max out of her sight.

"Max, wait!" Eve called, jumping out of the car too, and running after Max. Max turned at the sound of her voice.

"Eve, please, just wait in the car," Max pleaded, but Eve shook her head.

"Just, wait," Eve said, moving to stand in front of Max, "Do you think this is the best idea? I know Billy's buried here, and after what happened at your home... maybe I was wrong, maybe this stuff is triggering it to happen faster."

"I'm not here because of your theory," Max told her, "I'm here because I want to be. I'm fine. Just wait in the car."

"You're not fine," Eve shakes her head as she speaks.

"I mean, as fine as someone who's hurtling towards a gruesome death can be," Max rephrases as if it's something to laugh about - but neither of the girls are laughing, the whole situation is terrifying.