( Author's Note: I try to stick to the original characters, and I try to make up events as I go. I'm only on the second book so faryes, I realize that I shouldn't be writing a fanfic about it, then, but I really wanted to. (: This is also my first fanfic, so please R&R. So, basically, Fax never happened, they stayed purely siblings... Yes, I know, I know. I liked them too, but I wanted to import a character to fit into that role instead. Thus, Alice was born. I know, it's a cruel thing to do to someone, make them a "bird freak", but Alice starts to enjoy it. Oops, I've already said too much... I hope you enjoy. :D )

"Alice May.." I barely resisted the urge to say "Just five more minutes". I slowly began to wake up. "Alice May, wake up. You need to wake up." It was coming from high above me. I realized who it was, and I heard the desperation in her small voice. My eyes snapped open and I leaped into the air, my huge black wings unfurling in one sudden, sweeping motion. I scanned our cave for the unknown threat, too on edge to be very angry with her for using my full name.

Seeing nothing within my immediate vision, I glanced at her, next to me, and had a terrible vision. In a few seconds, we would be surrounded by Erasers. She quivered delicately, her white wings barely keeping her in the air. "Rainy, they're—" I was cut off by another horrible vision; if we didn't move now, they would catch my little sister. My sweet little Rainy… I saw I would get away, I always got away. My catlike reflexes would never allow anything but that to happen.

Then Rainy screamed. It all happened so fast. One second, she was there, floating next to me, the next, she was gone. She just…disappeared. I instantly dropped down next to her—and was promptly surrounded by Erasers. I folded in my wings, and saw in my head that they didn't want me, they wanted Rainy, and they would leave me here. Not before beating the crap out of me, that is. I would try not to let that happen.

I saw a large Eraser stuff Rainy in a bag, then again in real time. Doesn't this get annoying, you ask? Yes, it gets really annoying. But, it's also extremely helpful, and I can usually control what I see.

Then, suddenly, the Eraser dropped dead to the ground, almost as if the life force had been sucked from him. Rainy scrambled her way out of the bag, and she did the same to the next two Erasers that tried to attack her. It broke my heart, seeing my little Rivaini kill those things…yes, even though they're trying to kill us. In my head, I saw an Eraser snatch up Rainy, then put a cloth to her mouth, and she fainted instantly. I cried out in despair. There was absolutely nothing I could do for her.

Another Eraser lunged toward me, and I could smell his fetid breath. I saw it all unfold in my head, and stepped out of his reach a fraction of a second before his clawed hands touched me. We continued this game for another minute, and other Erasers joined us.

Anger, desperation, and pure agony welled up inside me. Opening my eyes, I caught the first one off-guard by snapping a furious kick straight to his face. He gave a surprised yelp, then his eyes rolled up into the back of his head and he fell. I couldn't tell if he was dead or alive. A second Eraser lunged at me at the same time as another. I dodged the first, but couldn't avoid the other, and he crashed down on me, pinning me to the ground.

See, here's the thing with Erasers; they're genetically mutated, like us "bird freaks", but we're much, much smaller and more agile. I'm a prime example for this, as I'm literally only like seventy pounds, even though I'm about five-eight. Most of this is from our birdlike bones, which were a lot thinner than human bones. But, a lot is also because Rainy and I are extremely malnourished. Those creeps at the School had failed to pack us food when we escaped—what? Five, maybe six years ago?—from the School. Of course, there was another, large flock that escaped about four years ago. I made a mental note to find them, as Rainy had always tried to get me to do. It shouldn't be too hard, I did an immense amount of research on them.

The Eraser on top of me cackled wickedly, then said, "This is way too easy…but I'm still going to enjoy ripping you apart, freak." I winced, even though I knew they weren't going to kill me. I was trying my hardest to get air to my lungs, but the giant Eraser on me was making that just a bit difficult. Then, suddenly, I could breath again, like someone flipping a switch. One second, the Eraser had been on top of me, the next, he was gone. Then, I was yanked roughly into the air by my long black hair.

I stifled a scream, I wouldn't give them what they wanted. I was spun to face a wolflike creature, still held up by my hair. The Eraser grinned, opening his mouth to say something. Then his eyes went down to my chest, and he gawked. I looked down at my necklace, it was black lace with a black key attached to it. The key had a few red gems on it, and was very old-fashioned.

It was also the most important thing I had, now that they had taken Rainy. Of course, I didn't know what it opened, but I had a feeling it did open something. In my mind, I saw a brief chance to run—well, fly actually—away, and I took it.

I saw that there were eight Erasers in all—one had Rainy's bag; three (possibly four) were dead; and three were facing me. Unluckily for them, Rainy's Eraser was looking for a way out, not paying attention to them, while they seemed to be—weirdly enough—in some sort of strange trance looking at my necklace.

I looked beyond them, to the Eraser that was on his was out of the cave, and saw he wasn't there anymore. He had probably run out, thinking the three in front of me could handle one little bird freak. Boy, was he wrong. My wings snapped back out, though the Erasers didn't notice. Man, what were they staring at? I didn't wait to find out.

I looked into the future, and saw that as soon as I moved, the Erasers would snap out of their trances and go for my throat. Literally. So, I had to move fast. I once again glanced toward the cave entrance. It was about twenty feet away, and the only way out of our humble abode.

It was eerie, having the Erasers just standing there, staring. I wondered for a second if freezing people was one of my hidden talents, another special skill. So far, I knew only that I could see the future. And that wasn't because of the experiments the School had done to my sister and I, it was because I was born seeing the future. I know, I know. Pretty weird, huh?

My sister, Rivaini, had two known powers; she could see the past and (as you've already seen) she can harm people with just a thought. It's a scary thing for a six year old to be able to do, even if it is really handy when fighting Erasers.

I took a deep breath. I had to be quick. Really quick. I closed my eyes—it was easier to watch the future this way—and focused just a few seconds into the future. In about three to five seconds I would muster all the muscle in my legs, and a half second later I would jump as far into the air as I could. The Erasers would snap out of whatever kind of trance they were in half a second after that.

I opened my eyes. That had all taken barely a second to flash through my mind. I counted in my head, one, two, three…

I launched myself into the air, and the lead Eraser tried in vain to hit me, followed by another. The last was smarter, he actually jumped to grab my leg, digging his gross claws into my calf, and an immense agony filled my every thought. I gasped in pain, and my wings nearly lost their balance.

I glared down at the Eraser, kicking him in his face with all the might I could muster. I heard a satisfying crunch followed by a yelp, and I smiled with relief as the Eraser's claws pulled out from my leg. My smile was short-lived, however. First, they had my sweet little Rainy. Second, there was a searing pain in my right leg. Third, I could barely keep my thoughts straight, let alone fly straight. And fourth, I was losing altitude. Fast.

I had flown pretty far from our cave. It was overlooking a large canyon, and beyond that was an immense forest. I was really high above the forest now, and I knew I would soon be under the canopy of the trees. I was growing fainter, and I realized it was probably an infection from the Eraser's disgusting claws.

I flew another mile or so, and then it really started to hit me. I was going to hit the ground hard. And the Erasers would catch up, and they would bring me back to the school and…it would go to hell from there. Vaguely, I saw outlines of huge birds. Wait, they couldn't be birds, could they? They were too big, too awkward compared to other birds.

Great, now I was delirious. I silently cursed the Eraser, hoping beyond all hope I would get the chance to rip his face to shreds. I glanced down at my blood-soaked skinny jeans. Great, now they were ruined, too. This day just kept getting better.

The birds were closer now, and I was dangerously close to the tips of the trees, maybe a few yards or so away. I beat my wings furiously, and gained a bit more altitude, but I was sure it was in vain. Where was I going to go? I mean, sure, I still had to find the other flock, and rescue Rainy, but I seriously needed to rest. Like, now.

The birds were really close now, and I could tell they weren't just any birds. They were talking, they sounded nervous, and they were staring at me.

The last thought I had before blacking out and tumbling through the sky was a good one, a comforting one; I had found the flock.

I had found Maximum Ride.

It almost made me smile. Almost.