"Max?" A muffled voice called out to me in a great sleep. "Maximum Ride? Do you know the answer?"
"Voice?" I managed to mutter. Then I heard an unexpected reply, laughter. Shifting in the desk I was sleeping, as I sat up. "Huh?" I opened my eyes and memory flooded into me. I was in a desk. In a room filled with other kids my age. I was in a classroom, my classroom. And my teacher looked pretty angry.
"I will ask you once more, Maximum." Ms. Acosta –my teacher- pointed to the board. A problem so confusingly hard looked back at me. Okay, I bet you are wondering what is going on. Maximum Ride? In a classroom? Yep.
It is like this, the Voice in my head –Yes, you read that absolutely correct- told me that I still have to save the world and blah, blah, blah. So after helping good, non-white coat scientist with global warming, we ran out of things to do. Being mutant bird kids isn't that easy. –You read that correctly too- We have wings, and we can fly, joyous, huh? Not so much. But anyway, being the leader of the flock – five other mutant bird kids; Fang, Iggy, The Gasman, Nudge, and Angel- I decided we needed to settle down a bit before we go saving the world and whatnot. But it wasn't MY decision to go to school. I actually opposed it, but my mother -Dr. Martinez- said we should give it a chance, and of course, I couldn't refuse (Her cookies are the bomb!).
But anyway, here we are. Everything is normal, besides the avian DNA. And here I am getting in trouble for sleeping. Why wasn't I being alert as always lately? That's because we haven't seen Them –What is Them? Oh just evil people that want to kill, sell, and even torture us. Why? Because, we are valuable test tube experiments that are supposed to save the world one day. - Since before we started school, which was like two weeks ago. I know, I know, I should always be on the lookout, but maybe They are really gone. Maybe.
Back into present. The giant math problem told me that I needed another year of studying. "It has something to do with numbers," I said wisely, squinting at the board. Behind me, I heard Iggy –Flock member, in my grade, and age group- chuckle. I tried to keep back a smile as I heard this, "Right?" Iggy must've felt some angry vibes coming from Ms. Acosta, because he shut up right away. Felt, not seen. I forgot to mention Iggy is blind.
On the other hand, Fang, - who is also in the flock, and is the same age as me – gave me a side glance. He isn't much of a talker but he knew that I was in trouble, and it didn't come as
such a surprise. It was… normal for me to get into trouble. He merely brushed his messy black hair out of his dark eyes, and sat back in his seat.
I looked up finally to Ms. Acosta, who looked very pissed. "Office," She muttered to me, "Now." And of course, her being my teacher, she doesn't mind putting me on the spot. She hates me that way.
I gave a hidden smile, and cursed her under my breath as I walked to the door. I totally knew my way to the office by now, and I was okay with being sent there. Less time with Ms. Acosta equals happiness for me.
Slipping my thumbs into my front uniformed pockets, I looked around the empty hallway. I smiled to myself for the alone-time as I walked. I hardly ever get it, but it is kind of lonely when I do. Being with somebody your whole life is like a lifestyle or hobby, and for me, it was the flock.
Inside my head I gave myself a list of items to think about; 1. Where are They? 2. What are the younger flock members doing? 3. Wonder what Fang was thinking. Wow. I don't even know how number three came up, but I decided to leave it unanswered until I answered one and two.
Where are They? Hmmm…. Very good question. For all I know they could be watching me. Right now. That thought made me do a quick 360. Nothing. Well, they could be anywhere, and I will never know by staying here. Maybe the flock and I have overstayed our welcome at this place. Well I will certainly talk to the flock about that later.
Number two, what are Angel, Nudge, and The Gasman doing. Angel, being such an angelic six year old mind reader, was probably answering every question correctly by reading her teachers mind. Nudge…. Nudge was most likely sent to the office a long time ago for excessive talking. And Gazzy, without Iggy, was creating blue-prints for future schemes for blowing something up. Or so I think. I had to smile at myself for these thoughts, they are trouble-makers. Maybe I taught them too much of what I know.
Do I even want to answer number three? Yeah, I guess so. Fang probably thinks I am stupid or something. He gave me a weird look before I was sent out of the classroom. Maybe he thinks I am doing a bad job of leading? Uhhh, what do I care? I don't care what Fang thinks. He can think what he wants. I clenched my fists as I reached the office door. I know I am jumping to
conclusions, but, how can I be so sure? He has been acting strange lately. He has been giving me weird looks, and saying weird things, and – I just need to stop thinking about him. What he thinks is his business. Pull yourself together, Max!
I was greeted by yet another angry voice as I entered the office, "Ahh," The voice of the assistant principal said, "Miss Ride. So great of you to finally join me. Take a seat."
I did as I was instructed, "I told you, Sheryl," I smiled as she, too, sat down. "Call me Max."
Sheryl cleared her throat, "And you would do good to call me Mrs. Martin." She frowned.
"Okay 'Mrs. Martin," I gave her a wink as I used air quotes around Mrs. Martin. "What is this all about, why am I here?"
She rubbed her temples and sighed, "Maximum –"
"Max," I corrected much like she had done to me.
"Max, you aren't doing as well as the school wide district needs." She continued.
I began to stand up, "So I need to get better?" I smiled, "I can go back now?"
"Not quite," Sheryl looked up at me seriously. "You are on the verge of failing and suspension; doesn't that worry you in the least bit?"
"Look Sheryl-" I started haughtily.
"Mrs. Martin," She corrected me, much like I done to her.
"I don't care if you call yourself Elmo." I clenched my teeth and walked up to her desk, "I don't care if I am not doing as well as the district wants, I don't care if I fail, and I was seriously hoping for suspension."
"Maximum, you really don't seem to understand-" She tried putting in professionally before I cut her off.
"I understand perfectly well," I hissed, "I just don't think you understand. I can get out of this place any minute I want to. Nothing is keeping me here."
Mrs. Martin opened her mouth to say something, but I already knew. I was going to get suspended, but instead I made it my decision to leave. "I am leaving." I muttered, grabbing my backpack and heading to the hallway.
'How would the others take this?' I wondered. We only got here not to long ago, and I knew how some of them despised moving around. Then again, none of them liked school all to well. I waited for the school bell to ring and release my fellow family members – Not really, but they feel like family – to come out of their classes.
Fang and Iggy were the first ones. "So what happened?" Fang asked in a calm tone of voice. Angel, The Gasman, and Nudge began running towards us.
"I got us suspended." I rolled my eyes as I leaned on the campus tree. We normally waited on campus and talked until just about everyone left, we would then fly home to Dr. Martinez.
It hit the flock like a pile of bricks. Not. Everyone actually looked a bit happier. Iggy shrugged, "It was bound to happen." He frowned, "Show of hands to everyone who didn't know that Max was going to get us suspended someday."
I gave him a playful punch, "Shuddup, Ig." He smiled, which made me smile. "I am smiling, Iggy." I said –As I told you, Iggy is blind, keep that in mind.-
"Where are we going now?" Angel looked up at me, her blue eyes shined and her blonde curls bounced on her shoulders with each movement. I couldn't help but to give a smile.
"Well I was thinking –" I began, but something thankfully interrupted me. I didn't have a plan yet. But the thing that did interrupt me startled us, a scream. We all quickly did a turn to see a similar uniformed schoolgirl screaming and pointing in the sky. She got everyone else's attention, and what she was pointing to didn't look so good.
They were here. It was Them. These particular minions were Erasers no doubt but they looked even more terrible then before. They could fly, and fly pretty darn well at that. They were basically like a wolf with wings. A vicious, man-eating, hungry wolf.
Nudge, The Gasman, and Iggy already had their wings at ready. "Finally," I heard Gasman say as he cracked his knuckles and looked up at them evilly. There was about thirty of them, and I could already tell this was going to be a hell of a battle.