A/N This first chapter is insanely long. Three times the length I normally write. So please bear with Olyandra and me. Also I'm deeply sorry for the amount of time it took me to update this chapter. If you want an explaination as to why it's so late, say so in your review or PM and I'll getting back to you.
Disclaimer: James Patterson owns them all.
Claimer: This is my plot however.
I suppose I should start from the beginning. That's how stories work isn't it? You start from the beginning and move through to the middle and finally reach the conclusion where the good guys ultimately win.
I wish it was that simple in real life. I wish the good guys do always win. You're probably wondering how a blind guy can write. You people can figure it out for yourself. I don't have a lot of time and I have no time for such useless explanations.
The reason I'm writing this is for myself I suppose. For my sanity. Being at the School does that to a person. More than that though, it's for Ella. She never found out the truth. Not the whole truth at least. It's also for the Flock. So they know what happened to me.
Please if you're reading this, whoever you are, find Ella and give her this book. Tell her it's from Iggy and that I love her. That's all I ask for.
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It started before I was born. It started with my parents. It started with this bloody School and every fucking thing it stands for. Why I was chosen I would never know. I never found out and neither have the others. All we know is that we were either sold or stolen by the School and performed on.
This particular section takes place a long time ago. It takes place when we were still at the School. When we still trusted Jeb. This takes place on a very important day of my life.
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I lay on the cold steel cage. Gazing up at the ceiling, counting the tiles that made up the roof over our heads. There weren't any windows. Nor sunlight. We couldn't see out. The only sense of time passing was the clock they just installed as it slowly ticked away the seconds.
Sands of time slipping through my fingers.
I knew how many tiles they had on the ceiling. I knew every single one off by heart. That it was 1578 tiles across and 3856 wide. 6,084,768 tiles in total. And that tile number 709,165 counting from the top right corner and counting down was missing the right edge and that tile number 5,923,748 was missing from when a Whitecoat was tripped up by the other girl that was stored with me.
Back then none of us had names. Later when we escaped, she would call herself Maximum Ride. Max for short. Fang was stored with us as well, but he wasn't in at the moment. I suppose you could say I was the newbie.
"How long has he been gone?" I asked the girl opposite to me.
"Two hours, forty five minutes and fifty three seconds," she supplied, never looking away from the clock.
"That long?"
"How many tiles are there on the ceiling?" she asked.
"6,084,768" I answered. "I think I'll move onto the walls. I've got the ceiling memorized."
There was a quite whimper from the right corner of the room. We both looked across and saw a young boy there. Huddled in a heap. New arrival.
"Must have come in during the night," remarked Max.
"Hey kid, you got a name?" I called out.
No reply.
"You deaf? Can you speak?" I continued.
"Cut that out!!" screamed the girl.
"Sorry mother."
We heard footsteps approaching from the distance. Multiple footsteps. With each resounding step, my heartbeat sped up a little faster. All of us was silent. I looked at each of them, fixing their faces to my memory so that I wouldn't forget what they looked like.
I've seen what happened to a couple of experiments. Those who don't bother to talk to others. Eventually they became numb to everything around them and become less than human. Fixing each face to my memory was my way to remaining sane.
The door opened revealing a Whitecoat with scratches and bruises all over his face. Even the four Erasers with the Whitecoat had bloody noses and cracked lips. The one carrying the test subject had bite marks all over his arm.
Unceremoniously, they threw him into a cage, locked the door and strolled out with threats of no food for a week.
As you can see, even back then Max was in charge. She always reprimanded me when I tried to have a little 'fun' with the new experiments. Looking back, I realized how cruel it was for me to scare then. In a place like the School, what we needed was love and trust, not trying to scare them even more.
I realize that now, but back then, it was my way out. It helped me cope. It provided a vent for my exasperation. I suppose I was afraid to openly defy the Whitecoats. I was afraid of what sort of experiments they would give me if I did.
The boy that was dragged in was none other than Fang. Even back then he had fought against them. He fought as hard as he could despite the consequences of his actions. He was also the first to earn his name. Fang. Ever since that Whitecoat had come in with all of those teeth marks, we've called him Fang. Suiting wouldn't you say?
The next couple of hours passed without much comment. We tried to draw Fang into a conversation, but he would only answer with one or two word answers. Me and Max shared a look. Many times we had seen this behavior before. Most common in those who had given up hope or no longer cared. Those who were numb.
Everyday we tried. Ever since I came and even before when it was just Max, we tried. I've been with these two for almost a year and the most we got out of him was a sentence. Apparently in the years Max had been with him, that was the most.
We were afraid. Max probably more than me, but she wouldn't admit that. After all, she's been with Fang so much longer than I have.
A Whitecoat strolled in through the door. Not even bothering to glance down at us, muttering all the while. Behind her were two Erasers. Me and Max shared a glance. She was memorizing my face. I knew she was. If the Whitecoat had come for Max or Fang, there would have been four Erasers not two.
The Whitecoat simply unlocked my door. I simply got out and they shackled my arms. There was no point in fighting. There was no way I could win against them. Hurt them, but not win. I needed to keep healthy, needed to stay alive. As long as I did that, I would win.
I followed them blindly through the corridors. A left turn here, a right turn, straight ahead. On and on it went, turn after turn. All the while I kept my eyes open. Noting down security cameras when I saw them, noting down the turns we took. Every step I took was filed away in my mind for future reference.
The Whitecoat opened the door and walked in with me in tow. It was a simple room. Exactly the type of room mad evil sadistic scientists would use. It was completely white. Bright lights hung overhead that blinded me and a simple rectangular table lay in the center. It had manacles as well.
I took a deep breath and lied down on the table as they securely fastened the restraints. It was now that I started hyperventilating. I knew something was up. Something bad. I had tasted fear before on many occasions and death only once. I did not want to brush against death again. Never again. I had vowed myself that.
I started struggling. I pulled and strained. I tried to break free. But they knew of our inhuman strength and reinforced accordingly. I was trapped with hell waiting for me around the corner.
I remember the next couple moments as clear as they had happened just now. They pulled a cart out, one full of scalpels, needles and equipment that seemed to be used in torture.
As they drew nearer, I felt something pierce my arm. Glancing across, I saw Jeb holding a needle and injecting something into my arm. A tranquilizer I hope. Sadly, it wasn't.
Have you ever noticed how when you're in extreme fear, everything seems to snap into perspective? How everything is in sharper detail. The miracles of adrenaline.
I tried to move, to break free, but I couldn't I was frozen in place. I tried to close my eyes, to look away, but I couldn't even do that.
That's when a Whitecoat blocked out the harsh white light and the equipment descended. At first I couldn't grasp where they were going to make the incision. When it was a couple if inches away, I realized where they were going to cut. My eyes.
It was for situations like this that I had saved my strength for. I threw everything I had into the struggle. I fought with all my might. At first there was nothing. Then slowly, then slowly, out of the corner of my eye, I saw my fingers move. First slowly and then faster. I felt my muscles strain as I tried to snap out of the locks.
I would have succeeded. I would have managed to break out if the pain didn't come at that moment.
For the first couple of seconds, all I was conscious of was a blinding pain. A pain like no other. Acid seared though my veins, burning me from the inside out. White hot skewers inserted themselves into my brain. Once the skewers were there, they seemed to twist in my skull. Everything was white. That was all I could see.
After those first few seconds passed, everything went numb. I suppose my body went into shock or something, for at that moment, I felt nothing. No pain, no love, nothing. I didn't know if I still screamed or if I withered in agony. I didn't even know if I was even still alive.
Later I would learn from a very hyper Nudge who had been moved in while I was away that they could hear me even in our secluded room. That was no mean feat by itself as seen as the room I was in was sound proof.
When I next woke up, it was back in our room. My head felt like it was splitting apart. Although the pain was a distant memory, I could still feel enough residual to have killed a room of people three times over.
"You awake?" whispered Max.
"Yeah." My voice sounded rough even to my ears. It hurt just to speak. "Why's it so dark?"
"Dark?"
"Yeah, it's pitch black in here." I felt a hand touch my arm, turning I felt a cup shoved into my hand. I took it gladly, not sure who it was who gave it to me.
There was a moment of silence.
"What? Is there something covering my eyes?" I reached up, but only felt skin under my hands.
"You're. . ." Max trailed off.
"No." I shook my head. "No. This can't be true, this ain't true." I swayed my head from side to side waiting for one of them to tell me it was a joke. "No, no, NO!!"
"Listen to me," she whispered.
"I'm blind. I'm blind!!" The next few moments were a blur, I don't know what I did or what I said, I only know that it attracted the Erasers outside and they had to use a couple tranquilizers on me.
This time when I woke, I woke slowly. At first I thought it was night because it was so dark, it took me a couple moments to remember that it was because I was blind. I wanted to cry. I wanted to kill those Whitecoats.
It wasn't until I heard the faint pitter patter of water droplets that I realized that I was indeed crying. I thought had no tears left. I quickly wiped away the tears and took a couple of shaky breaths.
"You're awake," commented Fang.
I blinked in surprise. It was a first for Fang to start a conversation. "Yeah," I replied.
"How're you holding up?"
"I'm blind. What do you think?"
"You do realize that the School will probably kill you as seen as you're blind." He let out a sigh. "All those who are mentally or physically disabled are killed."
"Tell the girl that I wish her luck," I told him.
He simply chuckled. That single moment when he chuckled was probably the scariest moment in my life.
"You won't be going anywhere. Not if I have anything to say about it," he told me. "Plus there's two girls in here now. Which one were you talking about."
"Two? When the second one arrive?"
"When you were gone."
"You said that I won't be going anywhere. How do you plan on doing that?"
"I'll tell you if you can look directly into my eyes."
"How the hell am I meant to do that?" I demanded annoyed. "I'm blind."
"Listen. Tell me does my voice reach your right ear of left ear first?"
I listened then. He rambled on about nothing and I listened carefully. Everything I tried to say it was stupid, he would hit. Resigned to Fang's stupid idea, I did as he told.
I closed my eyes, I don't know why, I suppose habit. Strangely, as he rambled on, I did notice something. His voice seemed to reach my right ear before my left. You know how sometimes you can tell where sound is coming from? Well, this was similar except t a much subtle level.
Ever so slowly, I turned my head, millimeter at a time. It was slowly going. How long it took, I don't know. Once I had the sound reaching both ears at the same time, I started moving my head up and down. Trying to found when the sound of his voice was loudest. That took a couple more minutes.
"A bit higher," stated Fang. "You're looking at my mouth, not my eyes."
Nodding I raised my head and stared at where his eyes were. Although I couldn't see them, somehow I knew I was staring at the right place.
"Now look away." Once again I did as he told. "Find my eyes once again."
Immediately I could tell that he had changed position from before. Shrugging, I did as he told, this finding his eyes slightly faster.
And so we continued. All through the night. We never stopped. He talked, I searched. Little did I know that this would become a routine for us.
Thank you Fang. Although I never told you back then and afterwards I don't think I ever said it either, but thank you. If not for what you did, I'd have died a long time ago. I would never have tasted freedom, never felt the air running through my feathers. I never would have met Ella. So I thank you my brother. For everything you did that night, for if you hadn't done that, I think I would have lost the will to live. So thank you. I can never repay that debt.
When I woke up the next morning, it wasn't to the silence of mute chatter that I usually woke to. Instead it was to a constant stream of chatter. It never ceased and the talker never seemed to shut up. I think she had gills or something for she kept on talking and never stopped to breathe.
"SHUT UP!!" I yelled at her after a couple of minutes.
As you can see, I immediately got off to a bad start with Nudge. What can I say? I'm blind and rely on my hearing more than any other sense. With Nudge ranting like she was, I couldn't tell how many people were in the room; let along the fact that Fang was next to me sleeping. Or that Max wasn't in the room right now as seen as I could only hear three people breathing including me.
"Thank you." I breathed a sigh of relief.
And that's when she started to talk some more. In that one single day, I learnt the most useful skill of my life. How to block out ambient noises. I learnt how to block out Nudge's talking without blocking everything out as well. I could still listen to footsteps outside the hall.
Trust me, that single skill has saved me more times than I can count.
For the next couple of months, nothing much happened. The Whitecoats didn't come to take me off to another experiment and I was left alone to my devices most of the time when Fang wasn't teaching me new stuff.
Although none of the others said it, I felt that they were envious of my situations. That I didn't have to take part in any more experiments. That I no longer felt the pain of chemical substances being pumped into my body. The truth was though; I suspected that this whole thing was an experiment. A mental and emotional experience. They wanted to see how I coped with being blind.
During those months, there was one event that I remember very clearly. It was when we received Angel and Gazzy. The final editions to our very merry little Flock.
The first thing I remember was how everyone was present for once. None of us were out and we just sat around chatting to each. Well, Nudge was doing all of the talking and I was just ignoring her, practicing some of the stuff Fang and taught me.
Simple stuff like listening to noises outside the door or telling different stones apart by touch. That's when I heard the footsteps from outside.
I didn't bother turning my head; I just listened with one ear. "Jeb's coming with some new people," I announced. "Two I think."
Everyone turned to face me. "And you can tell that how?" asked Max.
"That's me to know and for you to find out," I replied.
"Yeah right," commented Nudge. "You're blind remember? And that means. . ." I mentally cut off the rest of her words.
The door opened followed by fighting and cages slamming shut.
For once even Nudge was lost for words. "How did you know?" was all she said.
I simply shrugged and leaned against the cage. There was no point telling them that I wasn't as disabled as they thought I was. I could fend for myself if need be.
"What's your name?" asked Max in that sweet voice of hers.
"Name?" whispered one.
My head snapped across. "Yeah, your name. Or don't you have one?"
"Of course I have a name," she shot back. I was fairly certain it was a female. The pitch of the voice was right.
"Then what is it?"
"Angel," she replied sheepishly.
"What about the other kid?" I jerked my head in direction from which the breathing was coming from.
"He doesn't have a name," she replied. "What about you? You have a name?"
"Hey, let the poor boy speak for himself." I turned my attention to him. "You got a name?"
"Tell me your name and I'll tell you mine," he suggested.
"Deal." There was a moment of silence. "Go at the same time?"
"Sure. On three then."
"Three," we both announced at the same time. There was a split second of silence before we split into laughter. All of us. It was the first time we as a Flock had laughed as one.
"I don't have a name," I told him, holding out a hand.
"Neither do I," he replied, shaking firmly.
"That's Fang and that one over there is Nudge."
"What about the other girl?"
"No name yet." I reached through the cage and ruffled his hair. "If she tells you to do something, I suggest you do. She likes to boss us around, but usually it's to our benefit."
With those wise words, I leaned back in my cage, resting my back against the bars. Keeping my eyes closed, I listened carefully to the sound of our new arrival's breathing. The way they moved, the way they talked, everything. I memorized it all so that I could identify them later.
"Hey," I reached out and touched our newest arrivals shoulder. "Can I have one of you feathers?"
"How do you know we have wings?" he asked.
"Everyone here has wings," I told him. "So can I have a feather?"
"Sure," he replied.
I felt him place something in my palm and I leaned back, my hands going over every inch of the feather. The first thing that jumped out at me was the fact that it was short. Shorter than all of our feathers, that meant he was young then. Younger than any of us. Or at least shorter, but we were all tall for our age. The next thing I noticed was that it was dirty. It was incredibly greasy and I could tell it wasn't well kept.
What can I say? Fang managed to keep his feathers nice and tidy, I did too. Max, not so much. Nudge's were squeaky clean. How she managed that in a place like this I'll never know.
"Can you ask the girl you came in with for a feather as well?" I tucked his feather into my pocket which housed everyone else's feathers as well.
"Here," he handed it over.
After examining this one, I popped it with all of the others as well. Yawning, I laid back and tried to get comfortable on the cold steel floor. "I'm grabbing some sleep."
"Night," said Max.
"But it's only 3pm," noted the new guy.
"3pm? Really? Thanks kid, didn't know what time it was. Wake me up at eight okay? I'm grabbing a nap while I still can."
I was awakened by a hand on my right shoulder. I sat up, leaning against the bars with my back to Fang. "What time is it?"
"Seven," he replied.
"There goes my five hour nap," I muttered under my breath. "Why'd you wake me?"
"We need to talk."
"We talk almost every night."
"This is important."
"Okay, what is it then?"
"Two things, both are bad news. One worse than the other. Which one do you want? Option A or Option B?"
"Which one is worse?"
"Depends on how you look at it."
"Option A first then," I sighed.
"Overheard some Whitecoats talking before. A month from now you will receive your first experiment since you've been blind," he stated simply.
I shook my head. "I had expected this to happen sometime. But not this soon. I though I would have a year at least."
"You've had over a year."
"Really? Time flies while you're having fun doesn't it? So what's the other piece of bad news?"
"I've taught you everything I know about getting past being blind. From now on, your own your own. Good luck."
"I had expected this as well," I told him bluntly. "I've always wondered where you even learnt how to get past being blind in the first place."
"A person I stayed with was blind and I learnt everything from him. I always try to learn something from those who I stay with. After all, you never when it will come on handy."
I nodded my head; I had expected something as much. "Well it has come in handy. What did you learn from me and Max?"
"I don't know yet."
Closing my eyes, I drifted back to sleep.
What did you learn from us Fang? What have you learnt from me and Max and Gazzy and Nudge and Angel? What new skills have you developed from watching us? You never told me and I never asked again. I suppose I forgot, yet writing this, I remembered. Strange how you know things you didn't think you know.
Once again, I'll be skipping over a period of time. This time however, it's only a month to the day of my first experiment as being blind. I had changed a lot over those couple of months when I was blind. This time around, I was going to fight. Fight and win.
I was breathing deeply. Calming myself. Today was the day they were going to do their first experiment on me since I had gone blind. I was sure they expected me to fail miserably, to die. Sorry to disappoint you, but that is not going to happen.
The others kept silent. They knew something was going to happened today. The tension in the air was almost palpable. Don't get me wrong, Nudge was still talking, but less than normal. If she stopped completely, then we'd know the world was going to end.
I heard the footsteps coming from out side the room and I automatically straightened and took one more deep breath before I got ready.
One pair of footsteps, that's what I heard. A single pair of footsteps. How sorry I felt for that Whitecoat. For scientists, they are sure stupid.
The door hissed open and the footsteps came closer to stop outside my cage. I knew this person. I knew who he was from the way he walked, the way his heel dragged along the ground for two seconds before he lifted it off the ground.
"Hey old boy, come for little old me? I'm touched." I smirked as I stood out of the cage. "How's your wife old boy? Heard she's pregnant, congrats." With those words, I kneed him in the stomach and followed up with an uppercut.
The Whitecoat toppled down on the ground with a loud whack! Unfortunately, all the Erasers outside heard. Every single last one rushed in. From the sound of things, they were fully morphed.
"All of you people here to take out little old me? I'm flattered. But I didn't do anything." I held up my hands. "Honest. The old boy just slipped and came crashing down on the ground. I tried to help him, really I did."
At first there were growls and muttered among the Erasers, then they realized I was blind and the whole thing became a joke.
"Okay blindy, get back in the cage and we'll lock you back up." An Eraser moved closer to me.
Mistake number one.
As his arm touched my shoulder, I simply placed my hand over his. With our backs turned to the main pack and my left arm shielded from their view that to the Eraser, I rammed my elbow into his gut. Next, I simply swept his feet out from under him. Sending him sprawling onto the ground. The Erasers stood shocked.
Mistake number two.
I swung my leg up in a kick, catching the lead Eraser straight in the throat. Satisfaction flooding me as I heard him gasping for breath.
That's two Erasers down and three more to go.
That's when they made mistake number three.
They rushed me at the same time. I was more familiar with this room than any of them. This was my home turf. They think they can beat me here?
Probably, but not before I cause some major damage.
I easily ducked the first blow from the Eraser positioned myself on top of Fang's cage. Dropping down on the other side, I found the trolley with all of the scientific equipment on it.
Picking up the scalpel, I waited with my back turned. Listening to the sound of their footsteps as they tried to get closer to me. They weren't trying to be silent making it painfully obvious where each of them where. Their footsteps felt like how elephants would walk. . . if they were drunk.
They were even sniggering and making jokes about me being blind. Geez, talk about unprofessional. Even Nudge would have talked less than those three.
As the first one reached me, thinking I didn't know she was there, I fell onto my knees and spun around, driving the scalpel into the Eraser stomach as I rose, I pulled it up with me. All in all, it left a very nice cut.
There were a lot of "Eeeeewwwwww" coming from Nudge and Gazzy and thankfully Max had covered Angel's eyes. Wouldn't want her to see that now would we?
That's when the last two Erasers approached. Both more cautious now that they had seen the amount of damage I could cause despite being blind. They both circled wearily. I was by no means a good a fighter and Fang o Max, but I was good enough when I put my mind to it.
You'd think they'd have learnt by now. But they hadn't and as a result caused mistake number four.
The Eraser on the right circled a little too close, thinking he was safely out of reach of my arms and legs. And he was. But he forgot one very important thing. My wings. I snapped them open, catching the Eraser on the side of the head. As he stumbled back, I managed to get a good solid kick into his stomach.
Before I could do anything else though, I heard gun cock and immediately froze in place. Licking my suddenly dry lips as sweat poured down my face. So intent on what was happening in here, I hadn't heard the other person come in.
"Get back in you cage," she demanded. "Or I'll shoot this girl."
I snarled at her, but did as she bide. There was no way I could endanger anyone else. I sulked back to my cage and got in.
"You, get replacements and tell the scientists that today's experiment is cancelled, and you, guard them," she ordered.
"What about the injured?" one asked.
"Leave them to die. They deserve it for getting hurt by a blind bird." With those words she left the room.
There was a moment of silence as we waited for the footsteps receded. Once they were gone from hearing, talk erupted. Everyone demanded to know how I was able to fight them. They never mentioned the word blind, but I knew what they were getting at.
I wanted to answer, but I was just far too tired. The fight took more out of me than I expected and my limbs suddenly felt heavy. All I wanted to do as sleep. I suppose that's what I got for spending a year without any activity. I'll have to remedy that in the future.
The next year or so passed without nothing much happening. I was back on the list to receive experiments and I often received more than everyone except Fang. Mine were mostly to deal with physical exercise and how I could react under different situations.
Like Fang and Max, I received six guards and I fought every single time as well. Either on the way there or on the way back. Sometimes I wouldn't fight until I was almost placed into the cage.
The Erasers were always on edge, never sure when I would strike next. Once I even fought twice, once there and once back. Since then, they've always been nervous even if I had already fought that day. It was amusing.
What can I say? In places like this, you need to find enjoyment whenever possible, especially at the expense of the Whitecoats or Erasers.
As I strolled back to the room that had housed the Flock, I couldn't help, but I smiled at the Erasers obvious distress. I hadn't tried anything yet and they were afraid. Oh were they afraid. You could hear it in the way the breathed, the way they walked, even the way they muttered among themselves.
The door hissed open and I stepped in and simply stood next to my cage. There was a moment of silence as the Erasers tried to figure out whether this was a trick or something.
"Really old boy, you gonna stand there all day? Staring is awfully bad manners you know," I told them.
"Get in," growled one Eraser as he tried to shove me into the cage. I simply kicked him in the head.
"Manners," I reprimanded him. "Come one old boy, have some manners. Say please."
"Get in," he hissed through his teeth. The other Erasers immediately closed in.
"Six on one is hardly fair old boy. Is it so hard to say please? One simple word and this could be so simple," I eased back into a fighting stance.
"Get in the cage please," yelled the Whitecoat above the snarling from the Erasers.
Smiling I stepped into the cage and sat there immobile. "Now was that so hard?"
As the Eraser stepped closer, my foot shot out and caught him in the throat. "Sorry, but he pissed me off." I held up my hand. "I'll behave myself now."
There was some more muttering, but in the end, they eased closer and closer. Ready for me to pounce at them. With each passing second that I didn't attack, they became more and more confident. They closed the door with a metallic clink, but before they could lock it, my I dived forward bursting it open and catching an Eraser in the process.
Pulling myself into a ball, I rolled and came to a stop in front of Gazzy's cage. I stood up and brushed off my clothes, settling down into a fighting stance yet again.
It was a short fight with the obvious outcome. I was left in my cage with bruises all over my body. No broken bones, but a lot of hurt.
I reached up and wiped the blood from my cracked lips. "What time is it?" I asked out loud.
"10pm," replied Gazzy.
"Okay guys, time to get ready." Fang immediately took charge, "Where's that girl?"
"She's still out," replied Nudge.
"You think we should wait?" I questioned.
"No. She can take care of herself. Get ready to leave."
We all nodded. Easing forwards, I heard Fang pull out something from his pocket and insert it into the lock. A key no doubt. As soon as he was out, he walked over and unlocked my door.
Dashing out, I walked over so that I stood next to the door and listened carefully. They had recently made the cells for hybrids soundproof. At least more soundproof than before, making hearing footsteps exceptionally hard.
Placing my ear against the wall, I gestured that it was all clear. One by one Fang freed the others. That's when the whistling started. On the other side of the door, I could clearly hear the sound of whistling. A merry tune, a tune we all knew. It was the one Jeb would sing to us when he could come in to see us.
I gestured once more and everyone relaxed for they had heard the footsteps. We waited patiently.
The door slid easily open. We all held our breath. This was the risky part. Trusting a Whitecoat. But we had no choice. This was the only way out and we were all desperate enough.
At first there was silence. Neither side moved and I was afraid that we were found out. Then all of a sudden, there was a flurry of movement and sighs of relief. It was only then that I relaxed.
"Come on kids. We don't have much time. Get in and we'll leave," he whispered as he moved into the room, dragging a cart after him.
One by one we climbed in. It was a tight squeeze even though it held two layers, but it still held more room than our cages. A lot more room.
The cart rattled on and on, each time we passed someone my heart beat raced ahead and shifted into the next gear. It didn't help that I had better hearing than all of the others.
"Hey Dr. Batchelder," yelled a female voice.
"Yes?" he replied kindly.
"Do you need any help with that?"
"No, that quite alright Sophie, I can handle it myself."
"You sure?"
"Yes Sophie, I'll be fine." He paused for a second. "In fact could you tell me something?"
"Anything doctor."
"I heard that one of the bird hybrids is in testing. Which room is she in?"
"I saw her been taken off doctor. She put up quite a fight. If I remember correctly, I believe it was in Room 097 in the West Wing on the second floor."
"Thank you Sophie, say hi to your husband for me."
"Goodnight Dr. Batchelder."
"Goodnight Sophie."
I wasn't the only one that breathed a sigh of relief as her footsteps retreated down the hallway. I could hear the others letting out their breaths as well.
The trolley continued its forwards motion as Jeb pushed us through the School, but we hadn't gone a more than a couple of steps before we heard someone rushing up to meet us.
"Dr. Batchelder," called Sophie.
"Yes Sophie?" he replied ever so pleasant.
"Why are you pushing that around doctor? Shouldn't that be left to the Erasers?"
"Normally it should be, but you know how I am when one of my subject dies. I just want to make sure they get a decent burial that's all," he sounded almost sad.
"Doctor, one day you sentimental nature will get you in trouble."
"I know Sophie. I know."
"Very well then Dr. Batchelder. Just don't do anything foolish. We would hate to lose you."
"Goodnight Sophie."
"Goodnight Dr. Batchelder."
Once again we were wheeled all. "We're almost there kids, just a bit longer," he whispered under his breath. "We're past halfway."
Everything was going to plan then. We would be getting out. Freedom. It was everyone's wish. That we could be free and try out our wings. To no longer feel fear every second of our life.
"Keep silent," he whispered. "We're at the door."
I stopped breathing. I took a deep breath and held it. I could Jeb chatting with the Erasers at the door and I was afraid we were found out. That's when the alarm rang. I could feel every muscle in my body tense. Had they found us out? Did they know Jeb was ferrying us out? Had he betrayed us?
Luckily, the Erasers waved us on and hurried to find the closest Whitecoat to find out the situation. We had made it through. But what about that girl? Would she make it as well?
Jeb no longer pushed us on at a slow pace. He ran. He ran as fast as he could. Our trolley bouncing up and down on the dirt road. More than once, it felt as if it was about to topple over.
"Get out," he puffed. "Stay here while I go off and find the girl."
Without a backwards glance he ran off, leaving us to stand beside the van. I walked around it, letting my fingers feel how large it is.
"It's a van," commented Gazzy. "It's white and can easily house all of us. Black tinted windows, but not so dark that it would make us look suspicious. Looks like it's been used a couple of months."
"Hey the doors are open," yelled Nudge from the other side.
We immediately filed in. The seats felt smooth under my hand and there was a particular smell. Bleach I think it was. Jeb must have just cleaned the car.
"I wonder where Jab and the girl are?" Angel asked.
"They're coming," Fang told her. "They're coming." Judging from the close proximity of their voices, Angel was in Fang's lap.
"Here comes Jeb," I told them. "And the other girl. Looks like the whole Flock's here."
"Time to blow the joint!!" we yelled as one.
Chuckling, Jeb started the car and drove off.
"You'll never guess what I did," stated the girl.
"What?" I heard Fang mumble. I guess we were all tired form the nights escape.
"I flew."
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I'm sorry Ella, but I've got to leave it there for now. The Whitecoats seem to have finished talking. I hope this isn't my only entry. I hope I get to record everything down. I hope I'll be able to tell my story just like how Max told hers using the books and Fang told his using the Blog. I hope my story will be told one day.
I hope
A/N So what do you think? Good, bad? Reviews would be nice, criticisms would be better.