The funny thing about facing imminent death is that it really snaps everything into perspective. Take right now, for instance.
Run! Come on, run! You know you can do it!
I gulped in deep lungfuls of air. My brain was on hyperdrive; I was racing for my life. My one goal was to escape. Nothing else mattered.
My arms being scratched through to ribbons by a briar I'd run through? No biggie.
My bare feet hitting every sharp rock, rough root, pointed stick? Not a problem.
My lungs aching for air? I could deal.
As long as I could put as much distance in between me and the Erasers.
Run! You're faster than they are. You can outrun anyone.
I'd never been this far from the School before. I was totally lost. Still, my arms pumped by my sides, my feet crashed through the underbrush, my eyes scanned ahead anxiously through the half-light. I could outrun them. I could find a clearing with enough space to-
Oh, no. Oh, no. The unearthly baying of bloodhounds on my scent wailed throughout the trees, and I felt sick. I could outrun men-all of us could, even Angel and she's only five. But none of us could outrun a big dog.
Dogs, dogs, go away, let me live another day.
They were getting closer. Dim light filtered in through the woods in front of me-a clearing? Please, please... A clearing could save me.
I burst through the trees, chest heaving, a thin sheen of cold sweat on my skin.
Yes!
No-oh, no!
I skidded to a halt, my arms waving, my feet backpedaling in the rocky dirt.
It wasn't a clearing. In front of me was a cliff, a sheer face of rock that dropped to an unseeable floor hundreds of feet below.
In back of me were woods filled with drooling bloodhounds and psycho Erasers with guns.
Both options stank.
The dogs were yelping excitedly-they'd found their prey: moi
I looked over the deadly drop.
There was no choice, really. If you were me, you'd have done the same thing.
I closed my eyes, held out my arms...and let myself fall over the edge of the cliff.
The Erasers screamed angrily, the dogs barked hysterically, and then all I could hear was the sound of air rushing past me.
It was so dang peaceful, for a second. I smiled.
Then, taking a deep breath, I unfurled my wings as hard and fast as I could.
Thirteen feet across, pale tan with white streaks and some freckly looking brown spots, they caught air, and I was suddenly yanked up hard, as if a parachute had just opened. Yow!
Note to self: No sudden unfurling.
Wincing, I pushed downward with all my strength, then pulled my wings up, then pushed downward again.
Oh my god, I was flying-just like I'd always dreamed.
The cliff floor, draped in shadow, receded beneath me.
I laughed and surged upward, feeling the pull of my muscles, the air whistling through my secondary feathers, the breeze drying the sweat on my face.
I soared up past the cliff edge, past the startled hounds and the furious Erasers.
One of them, hairy faced, fangs dripping, raised his gun. A red dot appeared on my torn nightgown. Not today, you jerk. I thought, veering sharply west so the sun would be in his hate-crazed eyes.
I'm not gonna die today.
I jolted upright in bed, my hand over my hart. I hated that dream. It was always the same too. I was running away from the School, being chased by Erasers and dogs, me falling of a cliff, then suddenly whoosh,wings, flying, escaping. I always woke up feeling a second away from death. The last time I had had that dream was when we still lived in the E house, and I was sad it was back.
It's been months since I saved the world from the By-half plan, and now we're back at my mom's house, just taking it easy. No erasers, no flyboys, or, anything ells the School might have come up with, which was expected since the fall of Itex. We've only been here for two days, and I am loving every minute of it!
Finally, getting a break from all this saving the world crap, having enough food, clean clothes, a place to sleep, a bed to sleep on, showers, medication, and above all else, no fear. It's just like at the E house, except better. Fang and I are finally together, and I've discovered the existence of my mom and half-sister, Ella. It was tons better.
The only downside is, I haven't been sleeping well, and am frequently kept up by that same nightmare.
I threw myself out of bed and looked at the clock: 7:00. Way too early to even be considering waking up, but I was never going to get back to sleep at this rate, and I was hungry. I shuffled sluggishly into the kitchen, where Iggy was already making food.
"Morning." I mumbled in his direction, not at all awake as I collapsed into a chair at the round kitchen table.
"Good morning, Maximum. Are you hungry?" Iggy asked, completely oblivious to the fact that I was slowly but steadily falling back asleep. I grunted, telling him I was in dire need of coffee. He poured me a fresh cup, and I gulped it down in seconds, burning my tong. Mom and Ella shuffled in then, closely followed by the rest of my Flock. Mom looked up at Iggy, who was still making breakfast and smiled.
"Good morning, Iggy." She told him.
"Morning Dr. M." He replied, starting to dish up plates for everyone. Mom turned to me, who was already siting at the table, and her smile got bigger.
"Good morning, Max." She told me, smile getting bigger still.
"Morning, Mom." I said, returning her smile, the word 'mom' leaving a pleasant felling behind even after it left my mouth.
I stood up and walked over to Fang. "Morning." I told him, leaning in to give him a kiss.
He Fang-smiled, which means his expression lightened a bit, and leaned in to close the kiss.
We all sat down to eat, and it was probably a rather humorous sight, since only one of us had any table manners, and that was Mom.
"Max? Could you go get the mail, please?" Mom asked. I looked up from the plater of eggs I was currently devouring, and nodded. I got up from the table, walked into the hallway, and out the front door.
Outside pretty much reflected my mood, warm, sunny, and an overall pleasant day. I walked down the cement pathway to the mailbox at the end of the driveway. I opened the door, and noticed the bundle of envelopes on top were all a heavy parchment. It was very odd.
I grabbed them along with the rest of the mail and walked back down the driveway into the kitchen, where I threw mom the mail and leaned on the counter with the bundle of parchment. There were five of them, all the flock's name except Angel and Gazzy, and Ella's on a letter, including mine.
I opened mine, and inside there were three letters made out of the same faded parchment as the envelope. The first one said:
Dear Miss. Ride,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Whichcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all the necessary books and equipment. Term begins on september 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress.
Owl? I wondered, then looked out the window to see a large tawny barn owl perched on the sill. What a lode of garbage. I thought, then looked at the other pieces of paper for fun. The second on was a list of supplies for, apparently year one through three. Some of the items included things like, a wand, a cauldron, black robes, and various spell books. The third sheet had my name on it again.
Dear Miss. Ride
I assure you that all this is not a load of garbage. If you except, I will send someone to the Martinez household at one oh clock on August 27, to answer any questions and transport you all to the school. As Angel and the Gasman are too young to attend, I have a willing family for them to stay with for the school year.
Yours sincerely,
Professor Albus Dumbledore,
Headmaster.
I still thought it was a load of garbage, but as I wasn't the only one with a letter, I should let the flock and Dr. Martinez and Ella decide. I straightened up and walked over to the table where everyone was finished eating and tossed the letters down on the table top.
"These came in the mail." I informed them. "There's one for each of us, except Gazzy and Angel. There's even one for you, Ella." Fang, Nudge, and Ella picked up there's, Gazzy picked up Iggy's and read it to him, and I tossed mine to mom.
"I think it's a lode of garbage." Iggy said as soon as Gazzy finished reading it to him. "But, it sounds like fun. I think we should do it." Gazzy nodded. "I agree with Iggy, but why didn't me and Angel get one?" He asked me.
"Apparently, you're too young, but the headmaster guy has a place for you two to say." I told him.
Ella looked up from her letter. "I wanna go, mom! Can I? Please?" She begged.
Mom looked up from my letter and sighed. "If you really want to, then yes." Ella chered, then ran down the opposite hallway into the room all the girls shared. Mom turned to me. "What about you guys?" She asked us.
I thought, then opened my mouth slowly and told her. "If it's not a joke, or a plan to kidnap us, I'm all for it, and also, If this Dumbledore guy can prove that magic is real, I'll start packing. Who wants to go?" I asked the flock, and every one of them raised their hand.
Mom smiled. "Well, you better write back then." She said. I nodded and walked over to the window to let in the owl that was standing outside. I quickly scrawled a letter to Dumbledore and tied it onto the leg of the owl with a piece of string I found in the drawer. At mom's curious expression, I explained that apparently, wizards use owls to send letters. She left then, to go to work, and I walked into the living room and flopped down on he couch. "I guess all we can do now, is wait." I sighed.