I flapped my wings violently, trying to stay afloat as my heart sank in my chest. Tears streamed from my eyes and all I wanted to do was crawl into Max's arms and cry.
But I couldn't because she was gone with everyone else. They had captured Max and the rest of the flock and taken them away in a blue van without a license plate.
I had tried to follow but the Flyboys came after me. They had guns and I'm SO not bulletproof. They had followed me for hours, but somehow I managed to get away.
Now the van was long gone and the tracks were washed away from the rain. I was cold, wet, and dirty. I was hungry and tired. But most of all I was alone. I had nowhere to go and no one to turn to.
I had no idea where Max was. I had no clue where anyone was. I had no home, no family.
I dropped to a nearby tree and landed clumsily. I held on to the branch and sobbed for what could have been minutes or hours.
Finally, I had no more tears to shed and I could think clearly again. I needed to find help from somewhere. Fang's blog? I could try, but I doubted I would get much information and I didn't have Fang's password. If Nudge was here…but Nudge wasn't here and I wasn't going to start on that. I needed to be brave.
But how could I be? It had all been my fault in the first place. If I hadn't begged Max to take me to the concert in Seattle, if I hadn't used the Bambi eyes to make them say yes, then they would still be here.
Get it together Angel. Stop being a baby! Max has saved your butt so many times; something had to rub off on you.
I tried to think of some sort of plan. Maybe Fang's blog wasn't such a bad idea. I could talk to the kids and find out if they knew anything about where the flock might be. I wouldn't tell any of them where I was or where I was going because that would just lead them to me.
I realized then that I didn't know who had taken the flock. It could have been the School or even Itex.
But then it could have been anybody that wanted to use us for bad things. I shivered just thinking about what they could be doing to the flock right now.
And they would all blame me because it was, of course, entirely my fault. I had been the one to suggest it. I had been the one to convince Max to let us go. And it was me who had wanted to get closer to the stage. If I hadn't gotten closer and gotten lost in the crowd, we could have been out of there and flying away before the Flyboys could get anywhere near us.
But no. I had to insist on getting closer to the stage. I had to let go of Max's hand and push my way through, even though I knew it was a bad idea. I had to choose then to be rebellious.
Stop it Angel you don't have time for this. You need to come up with a plan and find out who took your flock, where they are, what they are doing and why, how to get the flock out, and when it would be the right time to strike.
I shook my head. I couldn't think straight on an empty stomach. I needed to find some food. I balanced on the branch for a moment and then pushed off into the sky. I flew above the trees and raced over the forest, looking for an empty house where I could hopefully get some food.
Then I saw one. A three story white house with one side made entirely of glass. I flew around it a few times and looked for an open window, and when I found none, I settled for breaking in through the front door. It's a good thing Iggy taught me how to pick locks when we were living with Anne.
I pulled the pick out of my loosely bound bun and quickly set to my task. It took only and minute to unlock and then I went inside.
Everything was white from the walls to the couch to the floor to the piano. But their designer house held no interest for me. I wanted the food. I rushed to the kitchen and opened the fridge, only to find that there was none.
What kind of house had a fridge and a fully furnished house and kitchen, but no food? Had someone raided them before I got here? If so, then why was the place spotless? Or was this like a summer getaway for the family? Maybe they cleaned it out for the winter and then came back and furnished it in the summer?
I sighed. This was just my luck. Find the perfect house to break into and steal food from, only to find that there's no food.
I perked up. Maybe I could get some use from this after all. I ran up the stairs and found a fully furnished bathroom on the second floor. I closed and locked the door before turning on the hot water and taking a warm shower. Nothing like a warm shower to calm your nerves and help you think. Once I was done, I wrapped one of the decorative towels around me. (I hoped they didn't mind.)
I pulled back on my dirty clothes and went back downstairs. I had to get out of here, just in case there were people residing here. And I needed to eat anyway, so there was no way I could stay here.
I heard a noise outside and I quickly stopped, staying still and listening with my mind.
Someone broke into our house! The nerve of those idiots!
They scratched up my lock! That was an antique 17th century lock! How dare they!
What…I'm hearing my thoughts echo. I'm hearing everyone's thoughts echo. Well, except for Bella's but still! That can't be! Unless….
I had to get out of there. Now! I turned and raced back up the stairs where I spread my wings and flew at deadly speed through the hall, into a room, and was about to crash through a window when I felt something cold and heavy pin me to the ground.
I screamed and trashed, trying desperately to somehow get away. But it was no use and thrashing only hurt me. Whatever was on me was rock-solid and deadly. When I realized I was trapped and it was over, I began to sob.
The thing above me shifted as I cried, still pinning me down, but trying to make me feel more comfortable. "It's alright. Please, don't cry. Hey, It's okay. Calm down, alright."
Then I felt cool arms pick me up and hold me to close. I heard a soft, soothing voice. The kind that every kid pictures his or her mom to be like. I looked up at the woman with the heart shaped face and the golden eyes. She had a warm smile and she looked down at me with such love and concern that it just made me start crying all over again.
She held me to her and rubbed my back, right between my wings, in soothing circles. She whispered soothing words into my ear and I could hear everyone around me sending me soothing thoughts. I could feel the calm wash over me and I knew that it wasn't me who was calm, but someone else who was calming me down against my will. It made me angry, but I couldn't be angry because all I felt was calm. It engulfed me and, soon, I was fast asleep in the golden-eyed woman's arms.