Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride in any way, shape, or form.
Dear Journal, 3:00pm June 9
If I have to call you a diary there may be a chance that I might go nuts. I told my flock not to get me anything girly, but do they listen? No! Well if I have you I guess you should be used. Perhaps it would be best if I started from the beginning of my life.
From the moment I was born to ten years later I and about five others were imprisoned in a high security lab facility and often experimented on. We called this awful place the School. In one case they tried to improve the eye sight of a guy named Iggy through surgery and it ended in failure, leaving the young boy blind. You see the reason they chose us to do this to was because some twisted D.N.A. junky decide it would be a great idea to mix Avian D.N.A. with human embryos. We have wings.
There was one scientist who did help us though. His name was Jeb and he broke all six of us out. For two years he kept us safe and than he just disappeared. We know he died, probably for helping us, but we won't talk about it. The thought of it's to depressing. I then took over as leader for two year and now we are mostly caught up to the present date. I'm about fourteen.
My flock, as I have already mentioned them, is made up of five other people. This includes Fang, my best friend, and my age. The Gasman, his name is self-explanatory, age eight. Iggy, the blind kid who could probably kick my butt if he wanted to and blow me away with a home made bomb, who is also my age. Then there is Nudge, age eleven, whom can't stop talking if her life depended on it and lastly we have Angel my sweet six year old demon child. The girl can read minds and is also Gazzy's little sister. Well I suppose I'm done for today. I don't have a clue when I pick you up again.
Love,
Max
PS: Max does not stand for Maxine it stands for Maximum.
Dear Journal, 9:00pm July 6
She's gone………She really gone. The School found us and took Angel away. They sent Erasers, blood thirsty humans, after us. They had someone with them. Someone one that I knew had been mutated into an Eraser when we had left. It was a little boy who had always followed me around the lab when we were let loose. His name was Ari. At the time he was three and so normal.
Why would anyone do that to him? Was it because Jeb wasn't there? Was it because his dad wasn't there to protect him? After the fight I gave the order for everyone to go and get ready so we could leave. We would find Angel no matter what.
I flew off to be alone. Then I cried. I didn't want my team to see my tears. I never cry not even when the weight of the world seems to be on my shoulders. Well that's only the illusion.
Love,
Max
Dear Journal, 6:00pm July 7
We plan to leave soon and there is nothing that can stop us. Iggy and Gazzy will be staying. I don't want them to get in harms way. The Gasman's a bit mad at me for it but he'll get over it as soon as we come back with Angel. I don't know how long it will take Iggy to forgive me. He can be stubborn. Nudge found something in one of the closets of our home. It has the names of our real parents in them. We're not quite sure if it's legit. Fang and I think we might be test tube babies. The thought did cross my mind though. It would be nice to have parents and to leave behind the past. We'll take off soon.
Love,
Max
Dear Journal, 12:00am July 8
We were tired and very hungry. I no longer could take Nudge's whining so we stopped. We landed on the San Francisco peak. It's a ski resort, but its summer and no one is around. We broke into one of the cottages. It didn't have an alarm system and we took care not to break anything other than the window and even that had minimum damage. When we found the food it was almost like we hit the jackpot. We ate until we were full. Fang found us some dusty cans of orange soda. Now I know why people prefer to drink them cold. Half an hour later we found ourselves unable to stay awake as we lay on the musty couches set in the rooms. Even now I find it hard to keep my eyes open to write this. Maybe we should sleep at least for a little while. Angel, I will save you.
Love,
Max
Dear Journal, 12:00am July 9
It hurts………. it hurts so badly. I don't even know why I didn't just drop this book and leave it. When I had woken up this morning I had been terrified and, after waking the other two, we flew off in the direction of Death Valley. That is where they had the school. The name suits it well. As we were flying I saw something that couldn't go unnoticed, well not by me at least.
A young girl was being surrounded by thuggish looking boys. I told Nudge and Fang to go on to Lake Mead for a rest and I would take care of what ever was going on below. Fang didn't approve, but he did what he was told to do. I flew down, landing where no one would see me, and folded my wings. I ran to as fast as I could and jumped them. The girl should have sprinted off to avoid the conflict, but she didn't. I was worried that she might be scarred by what she saw. No one her age should ever witness what I was about to do to those boy.
I did a high kick to the leader's chest. Even Fang would have been left breathless; however with this guy I might have broken a rib. Seeing their leader fall gave the other an excuse to charge me and so I whirled grabbed a shotgun from one of them and smacked it against one of the guy's head. The handle of the gun created a sickening cracking noise as it made contact and the boy stepped back stunned as something bright red flowed down from his scalp.
Finally I got the chance to tell her to run and she did. I was caught off guard by the third one who grabbed me, but I escaped from his grip and punched him. His nose broke. He staggered back and picked up his gun. I ran to the woods and didn't stop. I didn't know where I was going and there was no way I cared.
I heard a bang and……No it didn't hit me. I kept running and again I heard the blast. Searing pain shot through my shoulder. He had actually hit me that time and the worst part was what came next. I tripped and slid down a steep slope. I stayed there for a few moments and heard them go by. They didn't see me so they were still shooting like mad men.
I stayed there for a moment and tried to ignore the pain that had come from the wound that I had received. The blood was still oozing and I saw that it probably wasn't going to stop unless I got some form of medical attention. This was not how this was supposed to happen. I can see a light in the distance. I hope that doesn't mean I'm dead. Jeb had always said my one weakness, my fatal flaw, had been that I always fought for the underdog. Whether it was a fight I could win or not. I 'Know' he was right but for my own sanity to stay intact I'm going to 'Hope' that he was wrong. I'm going to go see what the light is, what harm could it do.
Love,
Max
Dear Journal, 10:00pm July 10
The light was a house that was near the forest. I had seen a girl right outside walking a small dog. It was the same girl that I had saved. After getting her attention she allowed me in and told me that her mother would know what to do. The girl whom I found out was named Ella told that her mother was a Veterinarian. I would have laughed at the irony if I hadn't been in so much pain. When the woman cleaned my wounds she saw my wings and didn't freak out. She acted as though I was normal. She acted as though every person in the world had them. I woke up warm, dry, bandaged, and of course safe. I was still in there home and I was wearing a t-shirt with a cartoon character that I didn't know was on it. We ate breakfast together and for once in my life I felt normal. It was like I was eating with my mother and a younger sister.
Ella's mother took me to a hospital to get me an x-ray. It smelled like a lab and I felt like puking, but she comforted me as we went further into the building. She was so much like a mother to me, why? There was a noise that came from outside the office. She told me to go hide. Two Erasers in human form came and asked her she had seen any unusual animals or people. She joked about it and sent them away. She had protected me, why?
We went back home afterwards. No it is not my home so I have no right to refer to it as that. We went back to their home and Made cookies. I was so happy. I had never had real homemade cookies before and I love that with them I got the chance. I love them so much, even as much as the flock. It's going to hurt when I leave.
Love,
Max
Dear Journal, 11:00 am July 11
I took off this morning, but I made sure that they saw it. I gave them a show that they would always remember. This is because I will never forget them. I was right. It did hurt to leave them. I almost cried in front of Ella, but I didn't let it happen. When I got to Lake Mead I was scared that the flock had left me behind, but then I saw something. A few small birds flying around in circles and four large birds did the same.
Yes I said 'four' large birds. Iggy and the Gasman found their way here. The Eraser's had attacked them when they left, but it had been the two trouble maker's fault. The two of them had done everything in their power to get those monsters irritated. Traps, homemade bombs, the whole works. The Easers had not even found them yet. In fact their tricks are the reason that they were found. There however is no turning back now. They will come along.
When we were up in the air again Nudge told me about a little adventure that Fang and she had experienced after I had left for my rescue mission. She had dragged Fang to Tipisco. This is the town in which her mother live. If it really was her mother. When they had finally found the address, which was in a small trailer park, the two of them were attacked by………..You guessed it. They were Easer's. Ari and a few others had shown up. Considering how they were okay I didn't ask for details.
We came up to a small strip mall and we needed food. We were not about to eat from a garbage can…….Again. We needed money. We found an ATM and a rude man had been using it. He dropped his card. You can probably guess what happened so I won't bring it up.
Ari showed up, but he didn't see us. He was in a black pickup and the moment he stuck his head out the window I wanted to bust a gut. The fur around his face was green. It was GREEN! When I asked if I had actually seen that correctly Nudge only said 'Yep'. I am not quite sure if I want to know the whole story.
We hot wired a car and we will be using it to get to Death Valley, but before that I think we'll get lunch.
Love,
Max
Dear Journal, 10:00pm July 11
They caught us. Well they didn't catch Iggy or the Gasman but that's not the point. In a way I am glad because I now know that Angel is fine. She was right next to me in a dog crate. Did I ever mention our living conditions? Well they're awful at best. They didn't see the book that I had stashed away and so I have the chance to do this. This is the first entry I have ever done on the same day as another.
I feel so angry. If I didn't have so much self-control I would have ripped the door off this box and attacked the source of my rage. The one person that I had always trusted and believed in had betrayed me. He had betrayed the entire flock. We thought he was dead, but no. Jeb had been alive and he had helped the other scientist find us. I will never trust him again.
Jeb brought me into a room with no one around and said it was safe to talk, however they could have bugged the room. Jeb taught me this so I'm surprised. He told me the school controls everything. He told me that life was just one big never ending test. He told me that he can be trusted. He told me that I will save the world, but I won't believe him. I won't believe him ever again.
Love,
Max
Dear Journal, 3:00am July 13
They brought us outside to the Eraser training field. We were probably for target practice. It would seem pretty bleak to most, but they had forgotten two things. One, although at this point the cages kept us from flying, the scientists had no clue that they were missing two little trouble maker and then two, there were hundreds of birds around the area. Let just say birds follow the orders of any creature with feathery wings. They dive bombed the area and with that we were able to escape. Jeb yelled up to me and told me that I should come back, that it was all a test, but I didn't listen.
We went back to Lake Mead and to everyone's surprise I acted all mushy. I told them how much I loved them. I mean I do love them, but I don't go around saying it all the time. Nudge looked at me confused, but through her arms around me anyway and said the same, the Gasman did it to, as did Angel, Iggy nervously tapped his fingers against his leg, and Fang looked down at his sneaker with great interest. Well not a big surprise.
The others have fallen asleep and my guard shift is over. I should wake Fang up for his shift and get some sleep myself.
Love,
Max
Dear Journal, 10:00pm July 13
I'm scared. I mean I'm really scared. My expiration date may be fast approaching. I was flying with the other to New York; we had to find a place called the Institution, when all of a sudden I felt an intense pain shoot through me. I couldn't do anything not even fly. My wings folded and I fell. If it wasn't for Fang catching me I think I would have splattered onto the ground. I'm not sure about it, but I think I might be dying.
Love,
Max
Dear Journal, 10:00pm July 15
It happened again. This time however I fell though I was merely ten feet from the ground and although I still hit hard it wasn't as bad as it would have been. Images flooded into my mind and all of them seemed so perplexing. Not one of them was completely clear. This is so strange. I don't know what's happening to me at all and I'm just scared of what might be going on.
Love,
Max
Dear Journal, 7:00pm July 16
After we landed in NY we were attached by Eraser's. They chased us around the city and at first I thought there would be no end to the madness, but than we ran by a zoo and zipped in. It was a school only day and sense we were school age they passed us through with no questions asked. This was a safe place for now. The whole time however I had the strongest urge to let the animals out of their cages. Yep, that's just me. Let my people go!!!!!!!
Love,
Max
Dear Journal, 2:00am July 19
We searched for the Institution today. Nothing was found. We had planned to stay in Central Park for the night though to our misfortune the sun set and it became dark. The younger kids were exhausted and even if the rest of us could go on for another few mile they couldn't. In the end we ended up sleeping in a nearby subway.
I had more visions after that. My mind actually messed with some kid's laptop. All the images that I had been seeing showed up on the screen. Then things like 'Hello Max' and 'Welcome to New York' flashed on it as well. Last the name 'The Institution of Higher Learning' flashed onto the monitor. We might have found our place.
Love,
Max
Dear Journal, 7:00pm July 19
Okay, now I'm just freaking out. This morning I walked by an electronics shop and all the TVs had the words 'Good Morning Max' on the display. I think I'm going crazy. I'm even hearing voices now. Well not voices, only one. It gave me instructions to go someplace and we ended up at a toy shop. Well at least the voice in my head wasn't telling me to do anything evil.
Angel asked if she could get a small little bear dress as an angel. It was so expensive. I told her no and walked off pouting like the six year old she was. I looked at some of the games and I came across an Ouija board. Those things that kids use to contact spirits. It spells stuff out and although I know it's the kids themselves doing this I still thing there fun. I walked over and before I could even touch it, it spelled something out. 'Save The World, Max.' I am getting sick and tired of this. We were getting ready to leave when I went looking for Angel. I saw her with a woman who then bought the doll for. When I asked her what she had done all she said was that she had asked the woman with her mind. At that moment I groaned inwardly to myself. Angel could now control minds.
Love,
Max
Dear Journal, 11:00pm July 20
We were woken up pretty early this morning. We had slept in Central Park that night and some cops had found us up in some trees. They said it was unlawful to being doing it. We took a run for it and after a long chase eventually we lost them and we ended up in a church. We prayed there for a long time, until our kneecaps started to go numb. As we left I found a card with my name on it, an ATM card. The voice said it was okay to use it.
We went out for dinner. If I haven't mentioned this before I'll mention it now. We eat a lot. When the flock and I tried to order the waiter thought we were kidding about about what we wanted. One thing led to another and I won't lie to you, it was funny. At some point someone had called the cops, and we decided to go bursting through one of the windows, our wings unfurled. You know someone had to have caught that on their phone.
Love,
Max
Dear Journal, 7:00pm July 21
We ended up in the News paper on the front page. The one time we screw up our photos end up in the paper. Well I knew it would happen eventually. Last night was as good as any other time.
We needed disguises. Angel suggested that we use glasses and some fake mustaches, but that was too simple and yet to difficult at the same time. When we went into town some Guy showed up. He was waving a sign around like crazy. It said "U 'Do: Tomorrow's styles today." He told us that we would be perfect for it. I'm not sure about it but that might have been an insult. After the whole ordeal was done I was amazed at how it turned out, but unfortunately I was not able to stop one tragedy from happening. Iggy got an earring.
Love,
Max
Dear Journal, 10:00pm July 22
We were on a beach. All seemed so peaceful and right with the world. Then Ari and a few other Erasers showed up. The fight was short and towards the end of it I was near tears. Fang was on the ground and Ari was about to champ down on his jugular vain. Jeb stopped it. Again he told me about saving the world and I snidely commented as I usually did. All in all it was pretty normal.
After they had left I did something kind of stupid. I walked over to where Fang was laying and I was terrified that he was seriously hurt. Then after talking with him for a few moments I leaned down and did something unlike me. I kissed Fang!
Love,
Max
Dear Journal, 6:00am July 23
We slept in the subway. Well I didn't exactly sleep. I had another vision and the voice said to use it to get to the Institution. The Flock and I walked deeper into the tunnels. We came to a rusted gate and in front of it was a large gate and below that was a manhole.
We were led into a sewer and after what seemed like hours we came to a stainless steel door. A locked stainless steel door. Iggy, being the master thief he was took out his favorite lock picking kit. I was sure I had taken that and locked it away after he picked the lock to my closet. How did he get it back? We got in with no troubles. It was a stair case leading down to never ending darkness. We went down until Iggy told me that if I didn't stop I would smack into a wall. Well it was a door, not a wall, and it wasn't locked.
On the other end there was light and it was a lab with a lot of computers. We printed out what we came for and got ready to split. Gazzy stopped us from leaving and pulled aside a curtain that hadn't caught eye in particular when we had come in. On the other side was another lab…….with human mutants. We set them free.
Erasers came after us when we did this and Ari was one of them. He and I sparred and at the end of it I heard a crack. He stared up at me with huge eye and I remembered how he was only seven. "I wouldn't hurt you. Not like that!" Ari whispered as he died. I had snapped his neck. The flock and I flew off after that but before I was out of range I heard Jeb yell something.
"You killed your own brother"
I don't know if I feel comfortable writing in this book anymore. I think I'm going to stop for a while.
Sincerely,
Max