This is a short story that I felt like writing.

Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride or any music by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.

**I know**

I am Maximum Ride. This is all I know about my past. The only thing I own in this world is my name. I am 15 years old and live with my father Jeb and my brother Ari. I love Ari and am his protector. What do I protect him from? I protect him from pain. I protect him from evil. I protect him from Jeb. As long as I'm alive, Jeb shall not lay a single finger on Ari. Ari is 11 years old and has yet to learn what true happiness is. He's only met fake happiness because in this cruel world of ours the only thing that exists is fear. Fear of pain, fear of evil, fear of Jeb. But I am his shield. I am a weak shield that cannot protect him from all the pain, but I can keep enough of it away so he can live. If anyone is to survive, if anyone is to escape from this hell, it will be Ari. If he doesn't escape, I will die trying. How naïve I was once. I've already come close to losing him. I used to think that if I died trying to help him escape everything would be alright, but that is not so. For if I die trying, my little brother will die from the blow that his shield could not protect him from. If I were to die, Ari would be completely exposed to all of the evil that is Jeb.

**Today**

Today Ari was starting school. Today was the day that Ari would escape. He had signed up for chorus. He was talented with a beautiful voice that any artist would kill for. You didn't need any instruments when Ari was singing. Today was the first of many days when he could be free of evil. In this school, Jeb could not get him. The school helped fortify the shield that I was. Even though we were in different schools, I knew that he was safe from him. Even though I knew he was safe, I couldn't help but worry about him. I was heading to first period algebra when I glanced at the clock. Right now Ari will be walking down to the gym to dress out and play dodge ball. I sat down in my seat which was in the back, closest to the door. Next to me sat my two best friends. They were cousins but lived under the same roof. We have been neighbors for 17 years. I don't remember anything before the age of 5 because that was when Jeb pushed me out the window. When he saw that I was still alive, he ran to his car intending to run me over. He lost control of the car and crashed into my friends' living room. They were both in the kitchen but suffered from minor injuries while I had a broken arm, three broken ribs, a fractured ankle, a dislocated shoulder, and a concussion. If I hadn't fallen close to where the accident happened I would not have been found by their mother. Jeb would have let me die and I wouldn't be here to protect Ari.

Fang and Iggy are also 17 but I am older than them by a few months. Iggy is the youngest of the three. Fang has dark hair and eyes and his skin is an olive tone. Iggy is strawberry blonde, has blue eyes, and pale skin. They both know what it is that I live through.

It's dark. I can't feel anything. Where am I? Daddy had been drunk and was mad. Daddy was mad. I covered my head with my small bruised arms but this only made him madder. Daddy is mad! He hit me with his fists and I fell. He started kicking me with his boots. They felt heavy. He picked me up by my hair.
It's dark.

"Scream!" he said to me. Daddy stop, it hurts!

He threw me against the wall and I yelped in pain.

"Daddy I can't see you! It's spinning!" I said quietly. He heard me and threw me the keys to the medicine cabinet. I couldn't catch them. He slapped me across the face and left, taking the keys. He came back with a pointy thing and stuck it in my arm. Then he left. DADDY IS MAD!

"I do this because I love you Maximum" he said as he left.

It's dark. I can't feel anything. At first I was happy that I couldn't feel the gash on my face, the bruises on my small body, or the raging headache but then I got scared. I can't see! I can't feel anything! I'd rather feel pain than nothing at all! Later he came in. He was carrying something in his arms.

"Maimum, this is Ari. Take care of him. Keep him quiet or I will hurt him." He said to me.

I looked at the baby and felt something in me change. I knew then that I would never let him hurt him. He was my brother. Jeb will never hurt Ari.

I was scared. Today I was starting kindergarten. My best friends Fang and Iggy were in my class. Even though we were so small, we understood a lot.

"Max, the teacher is really nice. Tell her that your dad hurts you. She can help!" said Fang

"Max please. She is really nice, Fang is right, she can help. She will take you away from Jeb and keep you safe" begged Iggy.

"Are you sure?" I asked them. When they nodded I went up tp the teacher amd told her. She said that she would help.

When I got home, Jeb was in the kitchen with Ari. My eyes opened in horror. Daddy had a knife.

"Maximum, why did you lie to your teacher? Why did you tell her I hurt you? If you ever tell anyone that I hurt you, Ari will get it!" He screamed at me.

"No daddy! I'm sorry. I won't do it again. Please! Don't hurt him!" I pleaded.

"This is so you won't forget" with that said he cut Ari.

"NO!" I cried out. I lunged for Ari and quickly took him upstairs to bandage his wound. He was only one year old. As I was wrapping the gauze around his arm, I could hear daddy- no JEB's laughter over Ari's cries.

The next day I pleaded Fang and Iggy to never tell anyone about what Jeb does. They swore it to me after I told them what had happened. They knew that Ari was my life.

I snapped out of the flashback. It was the end of the day and I was heading to Ari's school with Fang and Iggy. There was a talent show for the middle schoolers. They did this on the first day of school every year.

"Go on ahead and find a seat. Iggy and I need to do something first" said Fang.

"Umm ok" I replied uncertainly. He and Iggy gave me a hug and Fang gave me a kiss on the cheek that made me blush.

I sat down as the show started. I had seen Jeb enter as well and he sat a few rows behind me. Ari came on stage.

"Welcome to the talent show. My name is Ari Ride and I am performing this song with two high school students. I dedicate this song to my father and my beloved sister. Max, I love you, this is for you" Ari said. He sounds so sincere. The lights turned off and there was a spotlight on Ari. His backup singers also had lights on them as well. I couldn't believe it! Fang and Iggy! Fang started singing with the music turned down really low. Fang can sing?

Hey girl, you know, you drive me crazy Fang likes me? His head nods as if answering my question.
One look puts the rhythm in my hand He is looking into my eyes.
Still I'll never understand why you hang around You didn't understand at first.
I see what's goin' down I told you about Ari.

Cover up with make-up in the mirror Iggy sings with pain in his eyes
Tell yourself it's never gonna happen again I did think that in the beginning
You cry alone and then he swears he loves you Iggy was my shoulder to cry on.

Do you feel like a man, when you push her around? Ari looks at Jeb
Do you feel better now, as she falls to the ground? A look of disgust on his face
Well I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's going to end Ari's expression is of confidence
As your lies crumble down, a new life she has found. He says it so confidently.

A pebble in the water makes a ripple effect. –Fang sings- Fang always said this.
Every action in this world will bear a consequence. He believed in this strongly
If you wade around forever you will surely drown. He always knew Jeb would get what was coming
I see what's going down. He never told because of his promise to me.

I see the way you go and say you're right again Iggy always had trouble accepting my beatings
Say you're right again, His promise was the only thing that kept him from telling anyone
Heed my lecture All three of them hated what he did. –they all sing this part-

Do you feel like a man, when you push her around? -Fang sings this part-
Do you feel better now, as she falls to the ground? He is glaring at Jeb with such hatred
Well I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's going to end Fang smirks at him
As your lies crumble down, a new life she has found. He sings this confidently

Face down in the dirt, she said this doesn't hurt Ari sang with pain in his voice
She said I've finally had enough I sometime said this
Face down in the dirt, she said this doesn't hurt I had to be strong for him
She said I've finally had enough I never meant it

One day she will tell you Iggy sings this screamo part
that she has had enough
It's coming round again

Do you feel like a man, when you push her around? Iggy sings with a lot of passion
Do you feel better now, as she falls to the ground? He spits in Jeb's direction
Well I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's going to end He winks at me
As your lies crumble down, a new life she has found He say as confidently as Fang and Ari

Do you feel like a man, when you push her around? –All three sing this part with fervor-
Do you feel better now, as she falls to the ground?
Well I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's going to end I've listened to this song before
As your lies crumble down, a new life she has found

The spotlight shines on me and I know that I have to sing this last verse.

Face down in the dirt, she says this doesn't hurt It will end soon
She says I've finally had enough I mean it

My voice rings loud and clear as I hold the last note out. Jeb looks outraged and gets ready to lunge at me but before he can two burly police officers grab him from behind while a third cuffs him. I walk over and as he starts to say something I punch him in the face. I heard a crack and the officers took him away.

I run to my three angels. I hug Ari tightly. I run to Iggy and hug him too and give him a kiss on the cheek. I then pounce on Fang and he holds me tightly. I look into his eyes and smile when I see what he's about to do, I return his kiss with as much enthusiasm and I hear Ari and Iggy whistle and cheer in the background along with the rest of the school. Fang will be my shield from now on.