I retreat to the room Jeb and Dr. Martinez prepared for me after dinner is over. The room is small, with only a twin size bed, a nightstand, and a dresser, but it's big enough long ways for me to spread my wings.
I collapse on the bed, pulling out the pocket notepad Garrett made me keep. Of course, I need to record my progress.
Date: 5-17-11
Time: 6:38 PM
Entry: I did it. I found the flock Garrett told me to find. The scientists will finally stop torturing Cal and Tiffany! I wonder how they're doing…NO. I mustn't think of them now. I'm so close. All I have to do is kill them; but…can I? I know I'm strong enough physically, but what about mentally? Will I be able to live with the knowledge that I killed some innocent kids? Yes. I need to. For Cal and Tiff. If I don't, they'll be trapped with those murderers that call themselves scientists. What am I supposed to do?
I sigh, closing the notepad and sliding it into a pocket inside my jacket. I zip it closed, feeling it settle against the side of my chest.
As I open a window, there's a knock at the door. I bounce onto the bed, calling casually, "C'mon in!"
The tall, muscley one—Dylan—opens the door and walks in. "Hey. Vanessa, right? Doesn't that mean 'butterfly'?"
I wonder if he's trying to be smooth. "Yep. To both. Oh, and, hi. What do you want?"
His amusement only shows in his expressive eyes. "I just came to say hello; to see how you're doing."
"And to see what I think of everyone and why I'm here," I add, smirking.
He chuckles. "Wow. You surprise me every time I talk to you."
"Get used to it. I'm full of surprises." Like the one where I'm supposed to kill you.
I trot over to the open window, where I slide out of the sill and down. I let myself drop… drop… drop down the side of the cliff. Just as I'm about to get squished, I unfurl my wings and sail to the top of the cliff, zipping past Dylan, higher and higher into the sky.
I take a deep breath once I get to the oxygen-scarce air. I remember my lessons from the lab, or the School, or whatever. If I breathe deeply through my nose, I'll be fine, no matte how long I'm up here. I spread my wings slowly and glide peacefully. This is what I live for.
"Hey!"
I glare down. Far below me is the flock themselves, soaring through the air below me. My enhanced ears hear them calling to one another.
It was Gazzy who had spoken.
"Yeah, Gaz?" Max asks. She seems more relaxed up here, but I recall she's the one I need to take out first, since she's the leader.
"What do you think of Vanessa?" Gazzy asks.
"I hate her," Max replies with no hesitation.
"Yeah. She's a bit too strong for my taste," Fang adds.
"You're only saying that 'cause she kicked your butt," Nudge jokes.
"No!" Fang growls, "It's because she could've been sent here to kill us. Who knows?"
"I think she's an escapee, like all of you," Dylan says.
"I think we should just let her stay, to see," Total mutters from his position in Iggy's arms.
"Fine. She stays, for now. I'm not happy about it," Max sighs.
For how long?
Dylan's POV
I shake my head, attempting to clear my thoughts. I can't stop thinking about Vanessa. Her radiant emerald eyes; her long, straight black hair; her defiant attitude. Even her love of Dr Pepper causes my heart to race.
"Dylan!" Iggy's voice penetrates my thoughts.
"Huh? Sorry, what?" I flush, feeling like an idiot.
Max glares at me. "Never mind. Forget it."
"Max, come on…" I begin.
"Shut it."
"She asked if you like flying at night better than during that day," Nudge whispers to me, earning another glare from Max.
"Well then, yeah. It's more peaceful," I answer, even though Max is now ignoring me.
"It was really peaceful, until you all showed up and started yammering!" snaps a voice from high above us. Vanessa drops down from her area above us. She stops next to me, then hovers there. I wait for her, slowing down a bit, until she decides to fly next to me. Max and the others continue to fly ahead, but Vanessa and I stay back.
"So, how's life?" She asks, pushing me slightly.
I push her back. "Pretty good, now that you showed up. Life was getting boring."
She blinks. Is that a blush I see rising to her cheeks? "Ah. Yeah. I've been livin' a busy life, just Mr. Supreme and me. We go everywhere together." She grins.
"Mr. Supreme?" I question, raising an eyebrow.
She nods, then lets out a loud, shrill whistle. Suddenly, a shadow passes over the ground below us. A huge hawk lands on Vanessa's arm, even as she flies.
"This is Mr. Supreme I call him Preme. Isn't that right, Preme?" She coos to the falcon. It seems to nod.
I laugh in surprise and wonder. "You have a pet hawk?"
She covers the sides of the hawk's head with her hands. "No! I don't! I have a falcon! A fal-con!"
"Sorry! You have a pet falcon?" I repeat, laughing again.
"Yes. I do. Is there a problem with that?"
"Not at all. Max'll be jealous."
"I don't give a crap if she's jealous or not. She… she doesn't like me," Vanessa sounds like she's going to suddenly cry.
"She's just suspicious, that's all. It's nothing to cry about!" I say.
She glares at me. "I wasn't going to cry," she snaps, but I still see tears on her cheeks.
I feel my eyes soften, and I reach out and touch her arm. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."
She turns away. "Yeah, right." She squeezes her eyes shut, and I see the tears dripping off her chin and down into the trees below us. Her black hair streams out behind her as we fly, and I'm reminded yet again of how beautiful she is.
I stop, and she stops, too. I descend into a tall tree, and she comes down and perches on the same branch as I'm on. I gently lean in and kiss her on the cheek, then I leap down and race off through the forest toward home.
Maybe this can work.
A/N= I wrote most of this in French, so some of it was rushed. Every time my teacher walked by, I was all 'No! Don't look! I'm doing French stuff!' So... yeah.
