Savin' Me

Risen gates won't open up for me

On these hands and knees I'm groaning

Oh, I reach for you

Well, I'm terrified of these four walls

These iron bars can't hold my soul in

All I need is you

I look through the crate to the cage next to me. Max is sleeping, blissfully unaware of what is about to happen. She will wake up alone.

Come, please, I'm calling

And, oh, I scream for you

Hurry, I'm fallin, I'm fallin

Show me what it's like

To be the last one standin'

And teach me wrong from right

And I'll show you what I can be

Say it for me, say it to me

And I'll lay this life behind me

Say it if it's what's savin' me

It had been the younger ones first. Angel and Gazzy. Later, they took Nudge, and Iggy. Iggy returned for a few days, blinded, but he was gone soon enough. Now, only Max and I remain. We still don't know where they are.

Heaven's gates won't open up for me

With these broken wings I'm fallin'

All I see is you

These city walls ain't got no love for me

I'm on the ledge of the eighteenth story

Oh, I scream for you

Come please, I'm callin'

And all I need from you

Hurry, I'm fallin'

I'm fallin'

It had been Angel who had stolen it. Passed it on to Gazzy, who gave it to Nudge, then Iggy, then to me. It was good for one person, one time. A pass card, with a code written on the back. It enabled you to enter any part of the School, or, for us, exit.

Show me what it's like

To be the last one standing

And teach me wrong from right

And I'll show you what I can be

Say it for me, say it to me

And I'll lay this life behind me

Say it if it's what's savin' me

Four. That was the number of times I could have escaped. Left Max behind and flown away. So far away, the white coats could never find me. But I didn't. I couldn't. That was about to change, though. Our project has been terminated. They were to destroy all evidence, save one specimen. That had to be Max.

And all I need is you

Come, please, I'm callin'

And oh, I scream for you

Hurry, I'm fallin' I'm fallin'

Show me what it's like

To be the last one standing

And teach me wrong from right

And I'll show you what I can be

Say it for me, say it to me

And I'll lay this life behind me

Say it if it's what savin' me

By now the scientists have entered, looking grim. They head towards Max's cage.

"No! Me! Take me!" I cry out, praying they heed me.

One shrugs. "Why not?"

They open my cage, and haul me out of it, and pull me towards the door, but not before I make my last request: let me say goodbye to Max.

I crouch by her cage, and kiss her forehead, sliding the pass card and a note under her arm.

"I'm ready." I have no idea what is waiting for me beyond that door. Honestly, it doesn't really matter. Max can escape, and truthfully, what else could've happened to us? I'm willing to accept this fate.

And the note? It said six words.

Now I know what's saving me