A/N: I'm so happy! I got a review! So, now, here's chapter 2. (Wow, I rhymed.) By the way, bold and italicized print in the story means that Angel is talking to someone else in their head.
Replies to Reviewers:
UNDERLANDERfromtheOVERLAND - Why, thank you! *worships back*
Disclaimer: Would I be writing fanfics if I owned these series?
Everything was total chaos.
The neighbors were running around like crazy people, trying to figure out why what their cars had just imploded. The sounds of blaring sirens filled the air as firefighters attempted to put out the flames caused by the chemicals that had detonated, and police tried to calm the panicking civilians down.
"Angel," I called in my head. Angel can do a whole lot of things - Talk to fish, breathe underwater, influence people, turn into a freaky-looking, oversized bird of paradise. But her main power was mind-reading, and I knew that if I called her in my head, she'd always answer.
"Yes?" Told ya. Even with everything in complete disarray, she could (somehow) always tell my head's 'voice' apart from everyone else's.
"When you said 'It's time', what did you mean? What is it time for?"
"The apocalypse, Max, I thought it was obvious." Obvious? Oh, so sorry that when things start blowing up, I automatically don't think of… Oh, crap, it was a bit obvious. But still.
I ended my convo with her for the moment. I needed to think.
The mad scientists I told you about earlier were most likely behind this car-exploding thing. Those scientists at the School did all sorts of creepy things. They made different experiments - mutants, like us bird kids - so that they could test the boundaries of humanity for preparation of what they had called "The Apocalypse".
I'd never really given much thought to what the apocalypse might be. To be honest, I thought they'd all needed a one-way trip to the wacky shack.
But now, the apocalypse might actually be here. Huh. It made a mutant birdkid think.
"Guys! Come in here, you'll wanna see this," Fang yelled from inside the house. This must be really important - he almost never uses complete sentences. Normally he just used clipped statements that I like to call Fanguage.
Mom was talking to some policeman. The rest of the flock - who had been standing there, staring at the chaotic scene like they could make it disappear if they looked at it hard enough - moved toward the house like zombies. I noticed Nudge was shaking slightly, and I wrapped one arm around her shoulder for comfort.
When we got inside, Fang nodded toward the TV. A news theme song played, but it was drowned out by the siren-sounding noise that accompanied a red alert on the bottom of the screen.
"Do not, I repeat, DO NOT, get into any vehicle or use any appliance that uses, or has ever used, gasoline. This is a very serious situation. If you have used one of these devices, contact your local authorities immediately," A frantic-looking newscaster reported. "Simply say that the EE or Exploding Epidemic has reached your neighborhood." He kept repeating the same thing over and over. Then, suddenly, the man's face changed. He looked incredulous for a moment, before changing his report. "Uh, I have just heard that the government is evacuating every city where the epidemic has spread. If the EE is in your area, find a way to get to the nearest airport or train station, and you will be evacuated.
Apparently the 'EE', as the news called it - was spreading. Fast.
"That is the single most stupid thing I have ever heard of," Iggy murmured, staring unseeingly at the television screen.
I normally am not the brightest Crayola in the box, but I'm pretty dang sure airplanes use gas. And gas is very dangerous right now. So, if you put the U.S.'s population on planes... filled with dangerous gas... Wouldn't that just put the entire U.S. population in danger? It only seemed logical. Maybe I'm biased or something here, 'cause I hate the government, but then again, the flock seemed to have the same reaction. If all the cars, buses, trains, airplanes, and anything else that ever used gas was blowing up, you shouldn't evacuate the country by way of cars, buses, trains, airplanes, or anything else that ever used gas. And even if you did evacuate everybody in the world, where would they go? Mars?
I pinched my nose between my fingers and sighed deeply. Fang rubbed the spot between my wings, and I relaxed. A little. Iggy and Gazzy were whispering furiously at one another; trying, I think, to figure out how the EE worked. Ella looked irritated, muttering obscenities under her breath and pacing back and forth. Angel sat perched on the windowsill, looking at the turmoil just outside the house. Nudge was resting on the couch, rubbing her temples as if she had a headache. And Fang… well, you could never tell with Fang. Only his eyes betrayed his uncertainty.
After 5 minutes of watching my flock - my family - I sunk down on the couch next to Nudge. The full weight of the situation finally made an impact. I was supposed to be the strong one in the flock, the tough one, the leader. But I didn't feel like a leader now. If there was nowhere to go, and nothing to fight…
Angel asked my question for me: "Max, what on earth are we gonna do?"
"I don't know, Angel. I really don't know."
