Living Art

by

Krrimarte

Fang:

Max doesn't know that I notice it and I'd rather keep it that way. If she thinks she's being sneaky, she's less likely to slip up and mention something about it in front of the flock. It's not like it's something that I'm ashamed of or anything, but I would like to keep it as private as possible. To be honest, I really don't want Iggy and Gazzy to crack jokes about it.

To say that I draw is an understatement. What I do is more like plucking moments out of time and forcing them to take form on paper. I don't know what she thinks of my skill, but seeing how she continues to sneak off with my sketch-book at every opportunity, I can safely assume that she likes what she sees.

I sign and date my latest drawing. A quick glance tells me that Max isn't looking, so I loudly slam the book shut. Now that I have her attention, I make a show of carelessly putting the book away, causing it to fall out of the bag and onto the ground.

As if she's on a timer, I hear Nudge say, " Fang, can you come here? I want your opinion on something." I stand up and walk over to where she is laying down, reviewing the three- dimensional blueprint.

It's just a matter of time before Max take advantage of this distraction and will disappear unannounced. I look up form the laptop a few minutes later to discover that both M ax and my sketch-book are missing. I smirk to myself and go back to the debate that I was having with Nudge.

Almost an hour later, Max quietly plops down beside us. Even though she is participating in the conversation, she barely says anything. Obviously something has bothered her. It's not exactly the reaction that I was hoping for.

Lather that night everybody else is asleep and I'm on watch. As I usually do, I reach into my bag and pull out my other sketch-book. This is where I keep my better stuff, but Max has never seen it.

With a sigh I draw here face. In this portrait she is tired and stressed, which make her seem far older then she really is. The areas around her eyes suggest a hint a puzzling expression. On closer inspection, I realize that it is something akin to disappointment. I sign and date the page with a worried sigh.

As I slide this notebook into by bag, I decide to pull out the one that Max had looked at earlier. I wonder what upset her so much? I stare at the cover for a while before flipping it open to the last page.

The antics I captured in this one still make me grin. I try to make all of the memories in this book something that Max would like to see so It's mostly the mild chaos of the flock.

This one features Iggy and Gazzy as they demonstrate how to build a bomb in their own unique way. Comically, they are pretending that they are building their bombs in Frankenstein's lab. Gazzy mimics Max's authoritative voice, "I said no more bombs!" Iggy looks over his shoulder bug-eyed. "How does she always know?" he stage whispered. Gazzy shrugs, "Angel probably told her." Angel sticks her tongue out at her brother and Nudge laughs.

I turn the page expecting to face an empty page, but to my surprise, I see a letter in Max's neatest chicken scratch.

"Fang,

I've been looking at these portraits in admiration for a while now. It gives me an opportunity to see

what it is you see everyday through your dark eyes.

I just have to ask you one thing; Why am I never in any of the pictures? Is is because you never

see me, or do you not think it's worth the effort?

I'm sorry that I intruded in your private world. I won't be doing it again. I just thought it was kind of

sad that you titled the book "My Family" and I'm not in it.

Max. "

I re-read the letter and sigh. Of course she doesn't understand; how could she? I don't even really get it. An idea comes to me and I reach into my bag and pull out the three other notebooks. Carefully, I lay them out beside the watch point. Here goes nothing...

Quietly, I creep over to where Max is sleeping. "Hey Max, it's your watch." I whisper.

Max gets up and staggers to the watch point. I shake my head and claim her abandoned spot. I might as well attempt to fall asleep.