Ok people, here's chapter 2, the real beginning of the story, at last! Gosh is it hard to write in Nudg--Zalle's POV. And you should really be able to figure out who the people are, but for the sake of those who can't, and also for simplicity's sake, though I don't know anyone by that name...here's a guide, the only time in this whole fic I will mention their real names. So pay attention. Nudge is obviously Zalle. Iggy is obviously Josh. Angel is Kali and Gazzy is Jake (I know someone named Jacob/Jake who is EXACTLY Gazzy). Max is Ara and Fang is Seth. Total is, well, Spot because as "Zalle" says she couldn't think of anything else. ;) lol. Those names (except for Jake) don't necessarily fit them but they're names that Zalle likes and so she got to name them thus. I think the one that fits the least is Seth, but that's just my opinion. You may have another one. Lol. If you do, please tell me! 'Cos even though it's not about my actual story, it would be another review for me!!! Lol. Ok, well, here's chapter two! Or was it one? Oh well. Enjoy!
Departure
It all started out quite simple, really. Well, as simple as you can get if you're like me. 'Cause it's not like you didn't know it already, but I'm an avian hybrid, like, with wings and everything. But you knew that already, didn't you? You must have. Oh, anyway, it was pretty simple. Until it got complicated.
"But Ara—"
"Zalle, I'm sorry, but I already said no."
"I swear I cracked the code this time, Ara. It was so simple, and we never even thought of that angle. We kind of did, I guess, but not exactly, or we would have figured it out already. And we didn't—"
"Do you know how many dead ends we've come to? Zalle, the flock is happy here. You are, too, aren't you?"
"Yeah," I muttered.
We were staying with M—Ara's mom and sister in Arizona. They'd offered to keep us last time we visited, but we all still wanted to find our families. Well, except for Josh. And I'm not really sure about Seth. And of course Ara had already found her mom and dad and sister and it's not like Spot has a family but the rest of us wanted to and the whole flock was game.
We searched for almost a year. To make a long story short—
"Yeah, because that's your specialty."
"I thought you left!"
"Sorry, couldn't resist."
"Well, shut up, uh, John."
"Josh."
"Oh, yeah. Josh."
"And what was that about Tota—"
"Don't call him that!"
"But seriously, Spot?"
"I couldn't think of anything else!"
To make a long story short, we hit about a million and a half dead-ends before giving up. We were just too worn out by it. I was nearly thirteen, so Ara and Seth and Josh were sixteen, and even we just couldn't keep that up. Kali and Jake were the most disappointed. Ara's mom offered her home to us again, and this time we took it. I mean, we were ready to settle down.
And we were happy there. Really. Ara's mom treated us just like her own kids, and she knew about the wings and didn't mind. It was just perfect. But she wasn't my mom. She was Ara's.
The littler kids didn't mind, and of course Josh didn't. I'm pretty sure Seth was fine as long as he was wherever we were. But I just knew my real mom had to be out there somewhere.
So I kept searching, in secret, and do you know how hard it is to keep that secret in general, let alone when you've got a mind reader in the family? But I did, for about three months, and I cracked the code. I could feel that it was right. And then Ara said no.
It's not like I want to leave the flock forever. I just want to see my mom and see if she's nice. I don't want to leave like Josh did. I just want to meet her, and maybe visit her sometimes…
And if she was really nice, then maybe I could stay with her, and visit the flock a lot. It would practically be the same thing, right?
"Then it's settled," Ara said. At my slightly dejected look, she softened up. "Maybe in another few months, once we've had more of a chance to rest, ok Zalle?"
In another few months it might be too late! I wanted to scream. But instead I just said, "Ok, Ara," and tried to look cheered up.
She went back to the kitchen, probably to tell Seth what I'd wanted, and I went back up to my room. I glanced at all the papers scattered on my bed, the desk, every flat surface available. Even the floor. There wasn't any place to sit, I vaguely realized.
But my thoughts were still somewhere else. I'd put too much work into this.
Making a split-second decision, just like the ones Ara always made, I grabbed my backpack, unused since we settled down, from the closet and stuffed the papers I was holding into it.
"If Ara won't go," I muttered to myself, "then I'll go by myself."
"Go where?" came a voice from the door. Jake! Oh, no!
"Um, nowhere," I said as casually as possible, turning around to face him. "Just…out for a walk to the park."
"With your backpack?" he asked. Jeez, why did we have to be so clever? He was only ten, he should be taking my word for it!
"Um, well, I just wanted to have a picnic. What, like, I'm not allowed to go have a picnic now?" I really hoped I was as good of a liar as Ara. She always did so well when the whitecoats would interrogate us.
"Oh, well, I could come," he offered, shrugging. "Me and Kali. And I don't think Josh's doing anything either."
"It's ok, Jake. Thanks but I'll just go by myself. I mean, I kind of wanted to anyway, just to be by myself, not that I don't like the flock, I just kind of wanted some alone time, I mean, like, it's kind of crowded in this house, and the Arizona heat would feel good outside…" I trailed off, knowing I wasn't making any sense.
"Ok, whatever," said Jake, shrugging again. "Maybe I'll go see if Josh can fix my clock. I think I broke it when I threw it against the wall yesterday."
He left and I quickly finished stuffing some papers from my bed into the bag. The rest of the flock didn't really care that I had papers. They just thought I was a messy writer. I told them I'd taken up poetry, and occasionally I'd read them one I had as a backup, so that they wouldn't get suspicious. It really worked well. I was kind of proud of myself that I could make plans as well as Ara.
Where's that number 5? That was one of the most important!
I searched frantically. Number 5 had the maps on it. I'd definitely need them. Oh, there it is, under the bed.
I stood up and looked around the room once more. There were several pictures on the wall, only some of them were mine. We'd been here for three months, but I guess I was too busy to get the hang of having possessions. Little dolls and action figures lined one shelf, books another, CD's another. Two laptops were stacked on the desk, under the papers. But I didn't feel compelled to take any of that—well, I almost wanted to take the laptops or at least one of them, but I knew they'd be too heavy.
Food, I thought. I'll need food. And I'm thinking so clearly, just like Ara. I can do this. I need food, and a blanket, and then I can go. I don't need to depend on anyone else. I can just leave and then I'll be back when I've found my mom.
Or my dad, I supposed. Or maybe even both!
Slinking down the hallway, I heard voices in the kitchen. Ara and Seth were still in there, but not talking about me anymore.
"…know why?"
"They aren't hers. She wants her own."
"…told her in a couple months…that right?" Ara just wouldn't talk louder, would she!
"Sure."
Ok, so maybe they were still talking about me. Whatever. They were in the kitchen, so I'd have to use the other pantry. There was one in the garage, for storing extra food. When you're housing six avian hybrid freaks—four of them teenagers—who eat, like, three times as much food as normal people, you need a lot of storage space.
I grabbed several packages of chips and some beef jerky and some bottled water, as much as I could fit in my pack. I didn't have much money, but I was used to that. I'd make due. All I had to do was last until I found my family—my blood family.
The garage led directly outside, so I didn't have to go back in, risking discovery.
Outside the sun was shining—it never stops in Arizona, it seems—and the heat fell in an awkward dryness around me. I shouldered my backpack and quietly unfurled my tawny wings. My throat suddenly dry, I turned and faced the windowless side of the house I'd been sure to exit on.
"Bye guys," I said soft and simply. "I'll be back. This is just something I have to…"
I had to get out of here before I changed my mind. In a sudden running leap I pushed down on the wind and was airborne, the same thrill of flight and freedom filling me, of sneaking away, the chance of getting caught disappearing with each beat of my wings. If I concentrated on my flight, and where I was going, I wouldn't have enough time to miss them.
I didn't need to miss them. I would be back in, like, a week or something, right? Right?
Even I wasn't sure. Tears that I couldn't stop dripped down my face but I kept flying high above the earth, straight to my destination—Denver, Colorado.
