Chapter 14 +25 BONUS The world around Maxwell was dead silent - so quiet , it felt like death itself had swallowed everything whole . Maxwell stumbled forward , face pale as paper , but his eyes - his eyes burned red , bloodshot , like a wounded beast cornered with no way out . His steps were unsteady , hands trembling , lips drained of all color . The moment his mind fully registered that this ... this could be Zoey - his throat locked . A thousand words fought to burst free , but not a single one made it out . It felt like someone had ripped his spine straight from his back . His knees gave out , slamming into the muddy ground . For a long time , he just knelt there , staring at the faded photo on the tombstone . But something in his eyes shifted , darkened . And then , he turned . Without thinking , without hesitating , he began to dig . Rain started falling . He couldn't see anything clearly through it . His fingernails tore open . Blood mixed with mud . Flesh split . But the pain didn't register . Not even a little . It was a madman's night . But somehow ... somehow , he really did it . With nothing but broken fingers and sheer desperation , he clawed Zoey's body out . Nancy hadn't even bothered to give her a coffin . His hands fumbled through the soaked earth until they brushed something cold - small , delicate fingers , stiff as ice . " Zoey ... " His voice came out cracked . He pulled her into his arms , holding her against his chest . The dam broke . Grief hit him like a tidal wave , suffocating , crushing . His heart hurt so much he couldn't even breathe . " No ... no ... this isn't real ... " Zoey ... you're so cold ... it's freezing here , isn't it .... " Zoey ... please ... say something ... just ... say something ... " The corpse - half - burned , half - decayed - lay limp in his arms . But to him ... it was her . It was still her . His eyes darkened , taking on something dangerously fragile , dangerously broken . In his mind , her body seemed ... whole . Alive . He whispered softly , " Zoey ... you're being naughty again ... look at you ... grown as you are ... getting yourself so dirty ... I'll clean you up ... okay ? " As if no one else existed in the world , he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and carefully , carefully began to wipe her down The smell . The rotted skin . The gruesome mess she'd become . None of it mattered . His hands were painstakingly gentle . As though afraid he'd hurt her . As though this ... this broken , decaying body was the most precious thing in the world . But as soon as the cloth brushed her skin .... Flesh - fragile , ruined - peeled away . Just the lightest touch , and skin came off like wet paper . Flesh tore like frayed fabric , slipping away with the rain . Maxwell froze For a long moment , he didn't move . Then he bent down , slowly , and started picking up each piece . His voice trembled , breaking apart . 1/3 Chapter 14 +25 BONUS " Zoey ... are you mad at me ... ? Is that it ... ? You're mad because ... because I came too late ... ? Zoey ... " His mind broke . His thoughts collapsed into static and pain . Nothing was left but this crushing emptiness . He sat there through the entire night . When Nancy realized Maxwell hadn't come home , she wasn't immediately suspicious . But as the night dragged on ... and on ... her nerves started to fray . She paced the villa back and forth , calling his phone over and over . No one answered . Her hands tightened around the phone . Her chest clenched . Had he found out ? " No. No , impossible . How could he find out ? I'm scaring myself , It's impossible ... " But the panic gnawed at her . For three hours she waited , until - at 4 a.m. - she couldn't take it anymore . She called Dr. Willow . Dr. Willow had no idea where Maxwell had gone . But deep down ... something told him . Somewhere in his gut , he knew that Maxwell had found Zoey . He didn't explain , nor did he hesitate . He just grabbed his coat and left for the cemetery . The ground was still damp . Fog clung to the air . " Mr. Porter ? " Dr. Willow's voice echoed into the mist . " Mr. Porter ! " And then he saw Maxwell , collapsed there , soaked to the bone . Maxwell sat , cradling something in his arms , wearing a smile - an innocent , childlike smile . " Dr. Willow ... I found Zoey . But ... I don't think she forgives me . " Dr. Willow's stomach twisted . His gaze fell to the bundle in Maxwell's arms . Zoey's corpse . His legs buckled . He dropped to the ground with a sharp gasp . " Mr. Porter ... ! " But Maxwell only blinked at him , puzzled . " What's wrong ? Dr. Willow ... come help me ... Zoey's cold ... she's really , really cold ... help me ... get her warm ... 11 There were no words . No language for this kind of horror . Even Dr. Willow - who had seen death , illness , madness - felt the chill crawl up his spine . Forcing himself to breathe , he steadied his voice . } " Mr. Porter ... let's ... let's go home first , okay ? Let's take her home . You said it yourself ... you finally found her . " Maxwell nodded like a child But the moment he stood , his vision spun . Darkness closed in . His body collapsed , utterly spent after nearly two days of madness . As he slipped into unconsciousness , he muttered , " Dr. Willow ... remember ... take Zoey home ... She's cold ... make sure ... you keep her warm ... " Dr. Willow gritted his teeth , prying the corpse from Maxwell's rigid hands . It took everything in him to do it . 2/3 Chapter 14 : +25 BONUS This couldn't go on . That very night , he arranged for Zoey's body to be cremated . And as he stood over Maxwell's unconscious body , watching the man's brows furrow even in sleep , Dr. Willow could only sigh " Mr. Porter ... " he murmured . " From now on ... it's all up to you . "