Disclaimer: These are so monotonous. Maximum Ride, etc. Is James Patterson's. Aspen, the plot and characters in this story, etc, they're mine and Goober's. So no stealing. Or I'll hunt you down and gouge out your eyes with a spork. Muahahahaha! Just kidding… or am I? Dun, dun, DUN!
Chapter four: Weird
This was so awesome!
Of course, I'd flown before, but never like this! There were miles and miles of open sky… well, I guess it just goes on forever, doesn't it? The thought baffled me. I'd always lived in a totally enclosed dungeon-like underground building, and now it was so bright and warm and… open. The wind in my face blew my short reddish hair around, as if it had a mind of its own. The sun warmed my wings and shoulders. It was the most wonderful thing I'd ever experienced.
I laughed right out loud, soaring above the nine Erasers I'd been grouped with. They all looked at me in shock, mirroring the look on my own face. That sound was so unreal. It sounded different from the dark chuckles I'd often shared with myself at others' expense. It was brighter and louder and… happy. I was happy. I laughed again, just for the heck of it. I flew ahead of the pack, spiraling and smiling.
For once, I was glad to be different from the rest of them. In the air, I definitely had the upper hand. Their heavier bodies slowed them down and made it harder for them to maneuver. They were so awkward-looking! I could tell from the look on their faces that they felt really uncomfortable up here. I laughed again. This was so perfect. Up here, I didn't feel so useless and alone. It didn't make any sense.
Whatever. Thinking about it too much would probably make the strange new feelings go away. I liked feeling happy. I laughed again, just to enjoy the natural high. This totally kicked flying around the training field's butt.
A deep gravelly voice crackled in my earpiece. Crap. We had to wear these now, so that our leaders could tell us what to do if we're too far away to yell at. I guess this guy didn't get the whole idea of not needing to yell anymore. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!?!" yelled the furious Eraser. I know that someone told me his name at one point, but I couldn't remember it. "Just flying, sir." Eew. I hated calling him 'sir.' I'd much rather have used something like 'stupid flying ball of slobbery filth.' But I had a feeling that he probably wouldn't appreciate that very much.
"GET BACK OVER HERE, IN FORMATION!!!!" Without even looking back, I could see his fury. It made me want to chuckle. "Yes, sir," I said, turning back to rejoin the group. "Where do you want me to go, sir?" "You obviously need to be more carefully watched. Go and fly just to the right of your other captain." I stifled a groan. Reuben grinned widely as I flew over to where he was flying. I would just ignore him. Because that always works.
"So, Aspen," Reuben said conversationally, "what were you really doing up there? You were acting really weird." Ugh. Now I had to answer him because he was my superior. "I was flying." That was the truth, right? Not that I really cared if I was lying. It just seemed more fair if I told the truth. Because he couldn't very well lie to me. No one really could. They didn't know that of course.
"Yeah, but so was I. Why were you acting so…" his vocabulary failed him, so he settled for giving me a weird look. "I felt like it." That was true, too. And was a nice and short reply. Perfect.
"Whatever. It doesn't mean anything to me." That statement reeked of lies. Of course it mattered to him. He took notice of every time I did anything more exciting than sneeze. I wished I was a legal citizen, so I could get a restraining order. He was so creepy.
The silence stretched on, and I reveled in it. I'm sure he felt awkward. So naturally, he went to break it. "So, Aspen," he said again. He really needed to come up with some new conversation starters. "I was wondering… if you would…" Crap. He was asking me out or something. Icky, icky, icky. My earpiece crackled to life again, and I sighed in relief.
"HEAD DOWN. WE ARE LANDING FOR THE NIGHT." Yelling again. I hadn't noticed that it was getting kind of dark. I went into a steep dive, pulling just ahead of Reuben, but still in formation. I could feel disappointment rolling off of him in waves. Earlier, I would have felt guilty. But now… just relieved. Call me a jerk if you want, but you would probably do the same thing after several years, too.
I backpedaled, slowing down for my landing. The erasers didn't understand that concept, either. I tried not to smile as I watched them crash-land into the clearing. They glared at me, thinking I was just showing off. Nope. Just trying not to crush my skull into the earth.
Reuben started walking towards me, with a look on his face that made it clear that he wasn't giving up on our previous "conversation." I hurried to my other officer to see if I could help set up camp. And avoid Reuben. Mostly the latter.
I lined up with the other seven non-leader Erasers, waiting for orders. Just like in the Institute, but without the whitecoats and clipboards. Reuben, still looking dejected, stood with the other leader, dwarfed by him.
Reuben wasn't small for an Eraser, but the other one was beastly. He was HUGE. Like me, I think he was made in an effort for a better Eraser. But unlike me, he was considered a success. So there were several other huge Erasers towering over the rest of us. Twice as big, and nearly half the intelligence. Not someone you want to offend. Unless you used really big words.
Reuben and Mr. Beastliness started going down the line, giving the Erasers different jobs. I heard a collective sigh of relief from the remaining Erasers (and myself), when the job of digging latrines was given to one of the bigger Erasers. They continued down the line, telling Erasers to do different jobs, from setting up tents, to preparing dinner.
As a girl, I was naturally more eligible to the cooking detail. The fact I'd never so much as looked at any kind of recipe or mixing bowl, didn't make any kind of difference. I sighed. Soon everyone was going to hate me more than before. And that was saying something.
Several minutes later, I was sitting by a campfire, prodding a shapeless lump floating in the pot of hot water. It was supposed to be some kind of oatmeal thing. It looked poisonous. I cheered slightly at the thought of Reuben getting some kind of food poisoning and blaming me for it.
Immediately, I heard footsteps behind me. Ugh. Speak of the devil…
"Hey," he said cheerfully. "What's for dinner?" He paused, appraising my work. I smiled to myself, observing his attempt to keep his face cheerful. "Mmm. Looks great." I didn't need my special talent to see right through his lie. Nobody would. Now I was the one struggling not to show my emotions. If he saw me smiling in his presence, I would never get rid of him.
"Anyway, I was just wondering…" Oh, crap. He was doing it again. And I had no escape this time. "Are you eating dinner with anyone tonight?" I couldn't lie my way out of this one. "Um, not really. I prefer to eat alone." "Oh. Would you eat with me tonight?" I sighed inwardly. "Sure, I guess."
Reuben beamed. He was so delusional. "Great! I'll meet you in my tent tonight." He walked away with a bounce in his step. You have no idea how weird that is in an Eraser.
I looked down at the 'oatmeal,' willing it to eat me alive.
So what do you think? I'm not posting again until I get five new people to reply. Mauhahaha! Tell me how to make it better! -Deji
