The moment you believe you're safe, is the moment you're most vulnerable.
Nudge's POV
The flock and I always loved Thanksgiving. When we were staying with Jeb he would always bring home a huge dinner. That was really the only time we got to fully pig out and not worry about having to save food for later. After Jeb had "died", we ate and lived day-to-day. But on Thanksgiving, Max and Fang took us to this, I don't even really know what it is, but they give people food for free. Everyone there kind of looked like us. Homeless, I mean. The only one who always looked perfect or decent at the least was Angel. How she does it, I wish I knew. Now we stay with Max's mom, Dr. M, and her sister Ella. I wish this was our permanent situation, but with fly boys, erasers, and whatever other hybrids Itex and the school come out with, we'll never be completely safe.
Oh how I'll miss this. The smile on Gazzy's face when Angel realized he put a whoopee cushion under her seat. Angel's adorable shrieks of grief. Dr. M's amazing cooking and genuine good nature. Fang's well, I guess his laid back-ness. He's still all ninja-y and silent but he's not as tense as he use to be. The chats Ella and I have about boys and pop culture all the time. Max's everything. She's always been there for all of us and I couldn't even imagine a flock or life without her. Last but certainly not least the guy who I couldn't live without and my boyfriend for just a month over a year: Iggy. Other than his great personality and perfect smile, I think I'd really miss his cooking. Can you blame me? Now that we've been staying here and we all refuse to let Max cook, Iggy usually takes over when Dr. M' isn't around.
Total had been gone for some time. One day he and Angel had a fight and he ran, or flew, away and never came back. We've searched for him for weeks but he didn't want to be found.
"Can you pass the salt Nudge?" Ella asked me snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Sure," I say as I reach over but as I grab the salt I get distracted by whats on the tv and accidentally knock the salt over. "Zomg! Sorry!" I quickly apologize and hand Ella the salt. I try to go back to eating my food but Gazzy and Angel are just sitting there staring at me. After two minutes of their intense stare I finally give in. "Okay, why do you two keep staring at me?"
"Nudge, don't you knooow" Angel says with a serious kind of derpy face.
"Knooow what?" I seriously didn't know what she was talking about. I don't remember it being anyone's birthday or anything and I'm pretty sure I didn't do anything embarrassing. At least I didn't think so. "What are you guys talking about?"
Gazzy just looks at me like I'm an idiot and remarks "the salt. The saaalt Nudge." Okay. This was really starting to get me. I guess from the continued look of confusion on my face Angel finally decided to explain to me what they meant.
"Well, Gazzy and I were watching tv the other day..." she paused and I nodded for her to continue "and they said when you spill salt, its like super bad luck."
"Angel" I started, "I don't think 'luck' is real and that show was probably just saying that because you guys are gullible. I'm pretty sure spilling salt isn't really going to do anything." I slowly rose up to go to the counter where the dessert was. "Besides," I say as I start cutting a slice "if this 'luck' was real, how come whenever we were on the run and I grabbed four-leaf clovers, nothing good ever happened. We always ended up getting chased or captured." They both sat silent.
"Hey Nudge, can you grab me a slice too?" Max asked, raising her voice a little.
"Sure thing Max!" I don't know why or how I hit the floor but when I did, everything came crashing down. Literally. The pie I had in my hand for Max flew up in the air and as I crash landed into the ground, the pie found its home on my head. I guess in my state of shock I lost control over my power over metal and as I brought my hands to fish out the pie from my hair, the rest of it in the counter just feathered down on me. I felt like I was in a food fight except I was the only one getting hit. "Ack! Oh my god! My hair!"
And then something I did not know was ever possible happened; Fang stared at me for a couple of seconds and then started laughing like he was being tickled to death. "Fang, are you okay?" Max asked seriously concerned. All his reply was, was more muffled laughs.
Still on the floor I watch the scene play out. I only wish I owned a phone or camera to record this moment. Unlike those credit card commercials, this moment is actually priceless. Remembering about my new hairstyle I try to get up so I can go shower; fortunately Iggy is standing in front of me and offers me a hand. I slightly blush at the contact as I always do. Reaching for his hand I rose up a couple of feet; but again I seem to be having just the worst luck and slip on, I don't know, whip cream from the pie I guess, and bring Iggy tumbling down with me; who so conveniently lands right on top of me, his legs being on either side of mine. "ZOMG! Sorry Ig" I tell him apologetically. Man, tonight is just weird. I'm usually not this clumsy I think to myself.
"No problem Nudge" Iggy says with a smile. This time he lets me get up first and then I help him rise.
"Okay guys I'm gonna go shower and then go to bed before I break something important." I give Iggy a kiss on the cheek that he gladly accepts and returns.
"You sure Nudge?" Dr. M questions grabbing her plate to put in the sink to get washed "It's only eight thirty. It's still early."
"Yeah. I'm full and tired anyways." I reply, "Night guys." There's a response of 'G'night' from most of the flock and I think a 'baby' I heard from Gazzy. Probably because I'm going to sleep so early.
Fortunately I was able to avoid slipping and cracking my neck while in the shower. I was beginning to get paranoid and almost starting to believe Angel & Gazzy about the salt thing.
Once I change into my pajamas and jump into mine & Iggy's bed, sleep hits me, just, like,–
3:58 am
was the time the clock on the dresser had when I had awaken. What the heck? I know I went to bed early but I should still be asleep. When I get up to stretch I notice that Iggy never came to bed. I guess he's playing video games or building another bomb I thought as I put on one of his sweaters that was on the floor. Guess who's back hurts from laying down wrong? Me. "Stupid salt" I mumble. Guess I'll go for a quick flight.
I wrote a note and left it on the door for when anyone wonders where I am. The window opens up easily and with three quick steps back and a full rush forward out the window, I'm off. It's unbelievable. Yes it is awful what the school did to us, but being able to fly is one of the greatest possible things ever. The cool air blowing in your face to calm you down. The wind rippling throughout your wings, you're entire body. You feel one with the air. It's like there's nothing that can stop you. Not erasers, fly-boys, Ari, or Jeb. Nothing, no one.
After flying for a good half-hour at least I start to head back to Dr. M's house. As soon as I swoop around I hear a loud cry, scream for help. It could be a trap but what would Max or Fang do? I internally contemplate. My minds made up when I hear the second scream. I dive down to the area "Make-Out Cliff Side". Who knows why anyone would be out here this late right after Thanksgiving but I already decided I'd help. I land a few meters away and hide my wings before running towards the sound of the screamer.
"HEY! Are you okay!?" I shout as I run up to the couple. A young man and woman around Max's age; probably a little older. For some reason the female looks so familiar but I can't seem to place where I recognize her from.
"Aah!" the female shrieked. I must've startled her. "Yeah, it's just– " she started as she was catching her breath, "this scary crazy man. He's after us and our car broke down. Can you help us, please." Her partner just stood there looking uneasy. Other than calling a taxi, there's nothing I can really do to help. I cant carry them out of here and what if that man comes back.
"Okay, just hold on. Maybe I can find the guy and get him to leave you guys alone."
"Thank you," the male finally speaks up.
"Which way did he go?" I inquire the couple. The female points to their right and I turn to start running left. Just soon as I back away from them I'm on the ground. I guess the male was hiding a weapon I didn't see, but that's not enough to take me out. I roll to the right and kick him in the balls and kick him in the chest with all my strength. When I knew he was down I turned to his companion, only to see her holding a gun towards me. "Why?" I managed to yell at her.
And then, I remembered where I recognized her from. The curly red locks. The green eyes. She was a "friend" I made when I was at 'regular school', who just so happens to be Anne's adopted daughter. Tasha.
She ignored my question and looked into my eyes only saying the word, "freak" right before shooting me in my right shoulder causing immense pain. Must've been a special kind of bullet because it made me lose some of the control I had over my body. A weird, really awkward twitchy feeling. I tried rolling away and quickly unfurling my wings to escape but as soon as I stood up she shot me again. Twice more. Once in my left wing and once in my lower back. As I tumbled to the ground all I thought about was how I wanted to be back home with the flock and that these two people don't take me back to Anne or worse, the school.
A last thought I had before I lost my consciousness was I'm definitely never using any salt ever again.
Darkness.