DRU POV
They stole me. And I loved it. I was free in a way that no one else but these kids could be. A few times we had to stop because Max kept slowing a bit. The guy on my right arm – Fang – wanted to let go of me, give me to the guy on my left – Iggy – so he could go help Max fly better. To make sure she was okay. I could feel it. Kinda creepy actually.
I could tell fang wanted to help Max badly but didn't want the blind guy to carry all my weight.
When I found that Iggy was blind, I was incredibly shocked. He walked with exact precision that you would never guess that he's blind.
They really did have odd names. These kids with wings had the weirdest names I could have thought of, but somehow the names suited them. Max is a normal name, but on a girl, I wouldn't think of it, ever. Fang for the silent guy. Iggy for the blind guy. Nudge for the computer geek, (I overheard them talking about her hacking into some computer system, not like I cared). The Gasman or his nickname Gazzy, and I soon found how he got his name, mimicked Max's voice several times. And Angel, as sweet as an angel, too cute for a six year old. She seemed to answer all my questions, mainly the ones in my thoughts, as if she could read my mind.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Angel smiling.
"Do you know exactly where this guy is?" Max's voice broke through my thoughts.
"His name is Graves. And I have a rough idea. Just give me a second." I squeezed my eyes shut. Maybe if I tried hard enough, the touch could help. I may not have any of his possessions but I could try.
"Max! What's that?" My opened quickly following the voice. Nudge was staring down at the ground, slowly lifting her hand up. I looked down and saw the thing shine silver in the sunlight. Then disappear.
I look up in confusion, seeing Nudge nestling the object safely in her palm. "It's some kind of earring or something. A skull I think? I don't know. Does this look familiar to you, Dru?" Fang and Iggy and flew me awfully slow to Nudge, who held the silver thing. It swung slightly but I could recognise it easily.
Graves skull and crossbones earring. My arms snapped out, trying to snatch it from between Nudge's fingers. "Graves," I whispered.
A piercing scream came from behind me, almost making me deaf. It seemed to hurt excruciatingly more for the others. A suddenly swung from side to side tipping to the right. Fang had let go. Iggy took all my weight easily unexpectedly, like he knew what was coming. Fang was shooting towards Max, whom was currently curled into a tight ball, falling from the sky.
MAX POV
Stupid brain. Stupid head. Stupid me. I had folded in on myself, falling down, down, down. And I wanted to fall. I wanted to be squished like a bug on the sidewalk. I wanted to leave right now. There was a twisting, pulling pain flattening my head. Stoping my line of thinking. If I am that word that starts with s then what was it like for Dru. Was it the same. It sounded like she is what I had become.
I wish I had been able to stay longer for the flock.
Past tense. Not good. I'm still here! Am I?
I felt like I was flying, as if the feeling of flying was brand new.
But it wasn't. I had wings all my life.
Past tense.
Maybe I was going to die. After running. Starting a new life sounded good. Leaving this life sounded great. I needed a normal life. I wanted to trust.
But will that ever be possible no matter how many lives I live?
"Max... Max, please I need you, I love you. Please. I need you to stay a while longer. You won't leave until we leave. I'm not living without you. Please, just, make a movement or something to show me you're here. Please." It was Fang. Begging, pleading for me to stay. I couldn't feel my left hand Fang was holding on so tight.
A liquid drop fell on my face. Tears. Fang is crying.
I twitched my index finger on my left. Just a small movement, but big enough for Fang.
"Max..."
"Max, you need to get up, please. You're my only hope. You're the Real World's only hope... You're stronger than me. You can kill Sergej with no training. Just help get Graves... I-I love h-him." Dru. Dru needed me. Fang needed me. Iggy needed me to push small things in his direction, without him knowing. Nudge needed me for hugs when she wanted to cry. Gazzy needed me to fix his cuts and bruises, kiss them better. And even Angel needed me. To be her Mommy.
Angel. "That right, you're my Mommy."
I wouldn't leave.
Not yet.
Not today.
