"Max… You Okay?" It Was Chloe. I'd Somehow Made My Way Unsteadily Through The Trees To Where She Sat.

"Max… you okay?" It was Chloe. I'd somehow made my way unsteadily through the trees to where she sat. A blue jay scratched at the ground nearby, its brilliant plumage matching her short blue-dyed hair. "No... I don't know," I replied, my voice cracking.

I stood on the bluff, letting the sea breeze fill my lungs as I gazed up the coastline, hoping for a glimpse of Arcadia Bay.

TV and rescue helicopters circled like gnats in the far distance.

All was quiet except for the wind and the faint rolling surf below. Even the animals had fallen silent.

I gasped in surprise as Chloe's arms encircled me from behind. Distracted as I was, I hadn't heard her come over. She let out a soft breath and rested her chin on my shoulder. "Thank you," she whispered.

****

I finished this a few years ago. Rough pencils with digital colours done in Sketchbook on my phone.

The mini story is from a fanfic I wrote in 2015 (kristos on ao3)