Hello, everyone!

So there was a contest a couple months back to write the last chapter of the Maximum Ride series, and I entered with the story below. Now that the winners have been picked, (and, sadly, I didn't win) I decided to post my entry. If you entered the contest and posted your entry here, leave me a link in a review so I can check it out!

Lots of love,
maximumFANGirl

Nature is amazing.

I know, I know: it isn't the Maximum Ride style to get all gushy, but it's true.

I was sitting up on a rock ledge, overhanging a lake and a little beach where my flock was playing, just like normal kids.

Well, if normal kids played by flying around in the air with buckets of water, trying to soak each other in the process.

Maybe that was just normal for us.

Still, being here was refreshing; the air was clean and the sun was bright enough that we'd all go home with tans—or sunburns.

I heard a beat of wings, and turned to see Fang land beside me on my perch.

"Okay, I admit that coming to the lake was a brilliant idea," I told him as he sat down beside me, folding his wings and dangling his legs over the ledge.

He arched his eyebrow. "Must've come from a brilliant person."

I shook my head, smiling. "Trust me, I know the guy. Brilliant is not the word you'd use to describe him."

"I agree," he said. "Genius is more like it."

"Maybe 'conceited' would be better," I mused.

"Incoming!" Nudge shouted as she, Angel, and Gazzy dumped buckets of water on Iggy, laughing.

"Guys!" Iggy complained from his beach towel. "I was sleeping!"

I laughed, watching them, and looked over at Fang. "I could get used to living somewhere like this." I pointed across the lake. "See? We could put our mansion right there."

Fang thought about it, faux-serious. "I think you're forgetting that we aren't filthy rich."

I drummed my fingers on the ground. "Well, we'll have to get rich, then."

Fang eyed me cautiously, like he did when I made a snap decision. "And how are we doing that?"

I waved my hand. "Oh, I don't know. I'll write a book or something."

"You know," Fang said playfully, "A best-selling book could turn into a series."

"Which would be adapted into a movie," I said.

"And then an animated TV-show."

I grinned. "And a Broadway play."

"Don't forget a manga."

"Or trading cards."

"Halloween costumes."

"Lunchboxes."

Fang grinned. "Life-size pillows."

I snorted with laughter. "The tagline? Curl up with Fang every night."

I couldn't remember the last time the two of us had laughed this hard, fighting to catch our breath and wiping the tears from our eyes.

Fang glanced at me once we'd quieted down. "Wait, why do you get to write the book that starts it all?"

I threw my hair back dramatically. "Isn't it obvious, Fang? I'm irresistible."

"Maybe 'conceited' would be a better word," Fang said, smirking.

I laughed again, thinking over the nonsense the two of us had come up with. Was any of it likely? No. But I knew we were headed somewhere big. And no matter where it was, I knew that we'd face it together: me, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, and Angel. As a flock. As a family.

Look out, world.

Here we come.