Prologue

Have I ever said that I really hate my life sometimes? I haven't? Okay, I hate my life sometimes.

Sometimes is just the most absolutely positively horrible thing in the world. More worse when Gazzy cuts the cheese, or if an Eraser asked me to message his feet. And trust me; their feet are even worse than their smell. Just imagine stinky sweaty feet times, oh, about a thousand. My life sometimes is the worst thing in the entire world.

There now you know.

So, now you probably want an explanation for my long painful wrath. Well, you see the Flock and I are sort of in a little predicament with are favorite peeps in the world. The School. And all the people- excuse me, evil scientists in it.

Chapter 1

"Max?" Angel whispered, crawling beside me.

I wrapped my arm around her to keep her small body warm.

It was night time and I was on my watch. Everyone else was asleep except for me, and well, now Angel. Every now and then Fang would stir awake, look at me and then fall back asleep.

We had found a nice cave in the middle of a forest, so it wasn't like one of those cave's that are in the side of a cliff or mountain. It's one of those that are built in a mountain, but at the bottom on the ground. I think I like these kinds more. I mean sure it's more likely for a person to find it, but it's not as obvious for Erasers, or Flyboys, or anything else the sick, twisted scientist could think up. We would be covered from the sky, were we're most likely to be. The cool thing about this cave though, was that there was a big clearing in front of it with a canopy of trees covering the top.

"What is it Angel?" I asked her stroking her soft blonde curls

"I feel weird." She said frowning and rubbed her head. Her blue eyes were troubled.

I kept my face straight but on the inside I was screaming. Angel never said that she was feeling bad or was hurting, none of us did. Angel was too strong to admit that even though she's only six- oops… seven.

"What do you mean? Are you hurt?" I asked her turning her to face me so I could look her over.

"No, no. Not like that." She said, blushing slightly, "I just feel…like something's going to happen."

"Something bad or something good?"

"I don't know." She said frowning again, "That's the thing, I can't tell which one."

She looked frustrated that she couldn't figure it out. I pulled her into my lap and held her close.

"It'll be okay." I hushed her, "We'll get through it. Whatever 'it' is."

She looked up at me and smiled, "Okay."

"Go back to sleep Ang, you need your rest."

"K, goodnight Max." she kissed my cheek and hopped out of my lap

"Night." I whispered as she laid down quietly next to Nudge.

I looked around the cave at my Flock to see if they were all still here. Just in case.

Gazzy was lying on his back, his feet and arms up in the air, mumbling something about potatoes taking over the world.

Hmmm…

Nudge and Angel were curled up in a corner. Angel was facing towards Nudge, who had her arm over Angel. Nudge usually takes my place whenever I get up for my watch.

Iggy was lying on his stomach with his arms and legs spread out, like how you would make a snow angel except he was on his stomach. His face was smushed against the blanket he was laying on.

Lastly, was Fang. He was lying on his side using one arm as a pillow and the other was dangling across his torso. He looked peaceful in his sleep; there wasn't any mask of protection on his face. You could see what he was feeling in his dream. Curiosity, pain, anger, happiness?

I shook my head and looked turned to look out towards the clearing. Fang was a hard book to read. Like one of those medieval one's were all the words end with "ith" like "Were is my cheeseburger-ith?"

Ha, except I doubt they had cheeseburgers back then. Now, hotdogs. That's a different story.

Crack!

My head snapped towards the sound almost instantly. I didn't see anything at first, but when I swept the area over again I saw a bush shake a little.

Crack!

I stood up and watched as the bush shook again and then freeze almost immediately.

Someone was here.

I slowly backed away from the front of the cave and made my way to were Fang was sleeping. My eyes didn't leave the bush. Something or mainly someone was here. I knew it. I had that feeling in the pit of my stomach.

When I reached Fang I slowly kneeled down in front of him, my body still facing the clearing. I reached behind me and silently tapped him on the arm. I heard him stir soundlessly and I knew he was asking what was wrong from the feeling of eyes on the back of my head.

"The bush." I said through unmoving lips. I spoke so quietly that only Fang could hear. Gazzy, who was three feet away, wouldn't even be able to hear if he was awake. "It's moving. Someone's here."

I felt Fang touch my arm and we both stood up. He came to stand beside me and I could feel the tension in his body.

We watched the bush move again, and I felt Fang become even tenser if possible.

"We need to leave." He whispered. I could feel his hot breath in my ear.

I nodded and we started waking the kids up.

They all woke silently as they were taught. They could tell by Fangs and my tight face that someone was here or something was going on. Angel looked at me and I nodded to her.

Can you hear anyone?

I saw her face scrunch up in concentration for a minute. My heart was pounding loudly in my chest the whole time. When she finally opened her eyes I felt my stomach drop. I saw the answer.

Someone was here.

"Erasers." Angel mouthed

I felt my eyes widen a little. I thought they were dead. We all did.

"How many are there?" I asked her

She shrugged.

I sighed

"Max," Fang said, "It doesn't matter how many just that there are some. We have to leave now."

I nodded, "Okay when I give the signal Up and Away. K?"

"What's the signal?" Gazzy asked

"Umm," I thought for a minute, "Go?"

"Oh okay." He smiled and looked proud that he knew

"Go?" I heard Iggy whisper to Fang

"Now." I hissed at them and opened my wings, I was about to take off when I noticed I didn't hear anyone else open their wings except Fang.

"Wasn't the signal 'go'?" Nudge asked looking confused, "You said 'now'."

I groaned, "Fine, GO!"

They smiled and took off faster than human avianly possible.

It's a good thing too. Cuz, that's when we were bombed with Erasers.

"GO!" I yelled, trying to gain altitude. I was still lower than the others. I didn't want to use my super speed because I might accidently end up in China.

"Hurry Max!" Fang yelled down at me.

I turned around to look at how many Erasers there were and I swear my eyes turned as big as dinner plates. There had to be at least two hundred, full blown, wing powered, 100% Erasers charging right towards me.

Forget about China. If I land there I'll fly right back.

I poured on the speed and stopped whenever I was in front of my flock.

"Come on!" I yelled my mind racketing for ideas.

That's when I felt it.

It felt like fire burning inside my stomach, lava bursting through the hole in a volcano. The pain was nearly unbearable.

I was shot, and not just anywhere, but right in the gut. I gripped my stomach and felt myself turn on my back and then wind was blowing my hair back.

My eyes fluttered close. I tried to keep them open, but all I saw was the ground speeding towards me.

I faintly heard someone yell my name and then more yelling, but I was too far gone to reply.

Then I felt my body collide into the ground.

Crap. I'm so dead.

Literally.