[video] "special" gummy bears are now available!

[mypartnerincrime]

[When the video feed starts, Chloe is standing in the middle of her room, dressed in her ghost-makeshift costume. She sees herself in the mirror.]

Shit. Sorry, I forgot I was still wearing this. Hold on.

[She places her device on her bed while she removes her costume. The video captures the stuff on her bed, like a bowl filled with clear liquid, a few empty bottles and a bunch of the homemade gummy bears she and Max worked on earlier today.

Chloe picks up the device again and this time, she's no longer wearing a bedsheet. Her blue hair is slightly disheveled from removing her costume.]

Hey everybody. A lot of people don't know me-- and those who do might have forgotten about me because I've been kinda MIA over the past few months-- but my name's Chloe.

I heard this new event in Wonderland is coming up-- Summerween.

[Chloe makes a face.]

And even though the name is pretty... disgusting, free candy is always cool so I decided to join in the fun.

Before Max and I start going around trick-or-treating ourselves, I'll be in my room on the 3rd floor, giving out some special gummy bears.

[She points the device at the stuff on her bed.]

I'm already prepping the ingredients. Max and I made gummy bears in the kitchen although she doesn't know I smuggled a few packs on the way out. The bowl is filled with vodka by the way, in case you're wondering.

[Chloe points the device at her again.]

In a few minutes, I'll be rolling out some booze-flavored gummy bears so to those who want some, you can just knock on Room 308. Better get some now because I don't think Max is gonna let me take more of the gummy bears when she finds out what I'm planning to do with them.

[She chuckles then winks at the camera.]

Sorry Max. I just couldn't resist. Anyway, to everyone else, see y'all soon and happy trick-or-treating!

Comments

[mypartnerincrime]

[Chloe does not move. Her hands begin to sweat.

Don't fucking chicken out now, Chloe Price.

But she doesn't fire. Not yet.

She imagined this moment a thousand times in her head but somehow, things aren't going as planned. Chloe never thought Alex would admit to attacking Max; she thought he'd deny it until his dying breath. But no, here he is now, admitting that he fucked up, that he was wrong.

That's more than what most people are willing to do.

The seconds stretch, and her finger is still on the trigger. Chloe wants to protect Max. That's all she ever wanted to do... But what would Max want? Would she really want her best friend going around shooting people?

Probably not.

But I can't just let this go. I just can't. Look what happened to Rachel... I couldn't save her. I was too late. Chloe can't let anyone else in her life get hurt.

Because that'll hurt her too. And she doesn't want to get hurt. Ever again.

Her grip on the gun tightens.]

How can you make sure it doesn't happen again? You said it yourself. You're out of control.

[rosswood]

I was out of control. I got contingencies set up.

[It's a work in progress, but still, the point is - he knows. He doesn't want this happening. He doesn't want to end up killing one of the few people here who still give a crap about him. Is that selfish? Probably. So he's a selfish asshole. Tell him something he doesn't know.

She hasn't fired yet. That's...good, probably. What is he saying, of course it's good, it's good because he's not fucking dead.]

You know that lady, the one who put me down? Yeah, she'd do it again if I go off the rails. So would half a dozen others. So, uh, if you could just - maybe hold off on pulling that trigger until I actually do something sketchy?

[He gestures in her direction weakly.]

[mypartnerincrime]

[Chloe doesn't lower the gun but she loosens her grip just a little bit. Looks like this guy has made a number of enemies in Wonderland. Apparently, I'm not the worst person in this place. Congratulations to me.

She is torn between firing and letting him go. Really, she has every reason to just pull the trigger. But at the same time, she also has every reason not to... And both choices lead to Max.

If she kills Alex, then that's one less person who can hurt Max and Chloe would finally be able to do the one thing she's been wanting to do since Max returned to Arcadia Bay.

But will Max be happy with that? Will Max be happy, knowing that Chloe killed Alex? Probably not. Chloe saw how close Max and Alex are from her pictures. She highly doubts her best friend would be grateful if she shoots one of her friends in Wonderland.

Plus Alex has already been killed once thank you random lady. I guess that's enough punishment for him... for now.

After a minute of debating with herself, Chloe reluctantly lowers her gun.]

Fine. One more shot. But if you ever hurt Max again,

[She points the gun at him again.]

I'll be the first to put a bullet in your brains. Got that?

[rosswood]

[Oh thank fuck. Okay. Good. Talking this out like reasonable people.]

No, really?

[Alex do not sass the girl who literally just held a gun to you.]

I mean, sure - I guess I can trust that if I do anything funny, I got someone to stop me. So, you know, that's nice.

[His tone assumes that higher, brighter inflection of rampant sarcasm, but who cares? He just had a gun pointed at him, he's entitled to a little wind-down.

For some reason, he doesn't feel much like drinking anymore.]

If we're done here, I think I'm gonna go.

[mypartnerincrime]

[The gun is still in Chloe's hand and she squeezes the grip when Alex comments.]

You are a dick. I should have just shot you.

[His foot would have been an easy target.

Chloe is still blocking the doorway when Alex expresses his desire to leave. She doesn't move.]

Hang on. There's one more thing.

[rosswood]

[Fuck's sake. All right, she calls him a dick, fine. Nothing worse than what's been leveled at him in the past. He glares at her coldly, unflinching despite the way his heart's pounding in his chest.]

Don't have much of a choice, do I?

[He folds his arms, as if that would allow him any protection if she changes her mind and shoots him anyway.]

What.

[mypartnerincrime]

[Chloe glares back. Jesus. She's now beginning to regret not killing this guy.How on earth did Max end up friends with him?]

We don't tell Max about this. About any of this. She doesn't know that I know. Let's keep it that way.

[Max is probably better off not knowing that her best friend almost killed her other friend. One less thing to worry about.]

[rosswood]

Oh, okay. So we've progressed to blackmail now.

[That's how it is? He knows ways around that stipulation anyway. Hardly matters.]

Fine. Whatever makes you happy, hotshot.

[mypartnerincrime]

[Chloe is hating this guy more and more. It is taking every ounce of her self control to not just shoot him.]

Yes blackmail. Unless you want me to go back to trying to kill you?

[She slightly raises the gun.]

[rosswood]

I'm good, thanks.

[He sounds remarkably calm despite the threat. Jesus. He's not the smartest guy out there, he knows that, but even he wouldn't do something abominably stupid as this. And here he'd been looking forward to meeting this girl.

All he can say is that Max can make friends who are hell of a lot better for her than the pair of them.]

Lips sealed, got it. Now if you don't mind.

[He gestures at the door.]

[mypartnerincrime]

[Truth to be told, Chloe would probably be okay with Alex, if they met under different circumstances. But no. He tried to kill Max. Event or not, that changes things.

She steps aside, allowing Alex to exit the room but not taking her eyes off him.]

[rosswood]

See ya.

[He doesn't look back when he departs, even if he can feel her eyes on the back of his head. She can try to be threatening all she wants. She's a girl with a gun who's in over her head.]