Alright y'all, I'm glad to see that you're still with me! (does happy dance) by the way I meant to put in the authors note in the before chapter that fried eggs are way better than scrambled LOL! (is being totally random) Aaaaaanyway, I don't own Maximum Ride cuz those stupid evil flying monkeys stole it from me and gave it to James Patterson, (weeps uncontrollably) YOU DAMN EVIL FLYING MONKEYS!!!!! WHY MUST YOU TAKE AWAY EVERYTHING I HOLD DEAR!?!? (Leapingspirit stares like I'm crazy) I AM NOT CRAZY!!!!! THE MONKEYS TOOK MAX!!!! (is given shot with long needle and lead away by men in white coats to padded room in a strait jacket) Please read and review!

We were sitting at the table when Angel scooped up a forkful of scrambled eggs, saying firmly, "I want to go pick strawberries today," she shoveled the eggs into her mouth, and then continued, "They're ripe now."

"Okay, Angel," Gazzy said, "I'll go with you," then he let rip one of his many unfortunate occurrences and giggled.

"Oh, jeez, Gazzy," Max said disapprovingly.

"Gas....mask!" Iggy choked out, grabbing his throat like an idiot and pretending to asphyxiate.

"I'm done," I say, getting up quickly and taking my plate to the sink.

"Sorry," Gazzy says, but you can tell it was an automatic response since he just kept on eating.

"Yeah, Angel," said Nudge, glaring at Gazzy, "I think the fresh air would do us all good. I'll go too."

"We'll all go," Max said, her face going a little green at the smell that was by now filling the entire room.

We all went in the end, if for no other reason to get out of the house as it aired out from Gazzy's "episode".

Outside, it was beautiful, clear and cloudless, with the first real heat of May. We carried buckets and baskets as Angel led us to a huge patch of wild strawberries. She was holding Max's hand, making Max look somewhat girly for once.

"If you make cake," she said happily, "I can make strawberry shortcakes."

"Yeah, that'll be the day, when Max makes a cake," I heard Iggy's voice say. Will he ever let go of the fact that he's so much better than us at cooking? "I'll make it, Angel."

Max whirled around, angry. "Oh, thank you!" she exclaimed. "Okay, I'm not a fabulous cook. But I can still kick your butt, and don't you forget it!"

I turned around to see Iggy laughing and holding up his hands in denial. Nudge was obviously trying not to laugh and even I was grinning. The Gasman was looking.....mischievous. There really was no other word for it.

"What that you?" Max asked Gazzy exasperatedly.

He grinned and just shrugged, trying not to look too pleased with himself. The Gasman had been around three-ish when we had found out that he could mimic just about any sound or voice. I'd stopped counting how many times Iggy and I had almost gotten into fist fights because of him saying stuff in our voices. It was a dark gift, and he wielded it happily. It was just another weird ability, most of us had them. They always made life more interesting, that's for sure.

All of a sudden, Angel froze and screamed.

Startled, we all stared at her, and in the next moment, men with wolfish muzzles, enormous teeth, and reddish glinting eyes dropped out of the sky like rocks. Erasers! They had found us! This wasn't another one of Max's dreams. This was a living nightmare.

Well what do y'all think of that chapter? Thanks so much for sticking with me this far. Please review by pressing that lonely little green button over there. Ja!

Warrior Goddess of Flames