Forever Yours

Disclaimer

Sorry. I don't own any part of Maximum Ride. Wish I did, but I don't.

Prologue

Max's POV

I woke up, groggy and confused beyond belief. I tottered to my feet and rubbed my eyes. The room was spinning. I clutched my head to try and get rid of this weird haziness. Suddenly, I got a blow to the back so hard; I collapsed and hit my head on the hard dirt.

I groaned. A rough voice laughed wickedly and the owner of the voice stooped down to meet my eyes. Two eyes glistened with anticipation. "Hello, Max." said Ari.

Well, if the shot to the back hadn't made me wake up, this sure did. My eyes shot open. "Ari?" I said, shocked. He chuckled and stood up. "Didn't expect it, did ya?" I heard his voice from my side and I tried to turn myself over to face him. He kicked me in the stomach with a hard boot. My breath was gone with a soft whoosh. I coughed and pulled myself up to a kneel.

Come ON Max! Wake up! GET UP! My mind screamed at me. My whole body felt like concrete. I felt so helpless. Ari laughed again and said, "So, having some trouble getting up? You think you're so good now? Well now let's see who has the upper HAND!" With his last shouting word, he picked me up by the back of my shirt and chucked me against the wall. Where was I anyway? I opened my eyes wider and say it. The yard at the school.

Ari grinned at me, his fangs glistening, too big for his mouth. I finally found the strength to stand up. I tasted blood in my mouth. Ari sat down a few yards away and laughed. Not evilly, but happily. He grinned and said, "This time, Max, I'm going to take my time. I'm not going to lose my cool like all the other times." I responded snidely, "You can't lose what you never had." Ari snarled and came charging at me, slamming into me like a freight train.

He hoisted me up by my shirt again and said, "Boy do I have a surprise for you." He pulled something shiny out of his pocket. A razor. He wanted to cut off my wings. I know that Ari hated me, envied me, and resented me. But I never knew that his hate had lurked this much. I tried to scream but my voice was so little, it hardly made a noise. "No, Ari, you can't. No…" my voice trailed off. The drugs were still going strong. My eyes fluttered and I felt it. The dull, ripping pain in my back.

After ten minutes of pulling, pushing, cutting, I was set down heavily on the ground. Feathers covered the ground around me. Something warm seeped down my back. Blood. I couldn't find my voice. I felt like I wasn't in my body anymore. I heard Ari's distant voice. "Oh my gosh, is that all blood?" I wanted to shout, "Of course you IDIOT!" but I couldn't. My vision became foggy. I saw Ari on the ground in front of me. "Max? Stop kidding. You can get up now. You're okay, right? Come on Max, get up. Please Max. Get up!" His voice turned from muttering to shouting. Everything started fading fast. And then, all was black as I floated in a dreamless, breathless sleep.