MAX

…You are in grave danger. If you get this message please get away from here as soon as possible. He's coming for you… run! Who I am isn't important, just trust me please…

I woke with a start and felt a searing in my head. I've been having the same dream for the last two weeks now, it started off as just a garble and slowly became clearer and clearer. It's a monotone voice on repeat, warning me about 'He'.

Very ominous, I know, but it's seriously starting to freak me out. People don't just dream about the same thing every single night, unless they belong in a psych ward. Plus I always get the worst headaches immediately after I wake up, sometimes the headaches wake me up.

I lugged myself out of bed and brushed my teeth, peed, and made my way to Ari's room. I knocked on his door and then opened it. The dork was sprawled out on his bed wearing only his boxers, which is ew. His mouth was wide open and he was nearly falling over the edge.

"Wake up Ari!" I yelled near his face.

"GAH!" Ari nearly screamed as he bolted up.

"I'm sorry for being a jerk." I said humbly.

Ari was quiet for a minute. He squinted at me and then looked at me from different angles.

"Am I dreaming?" He asked.

"Yes." I replied.

"Ah, that explains so much. Dream Max you should really brush your hair." He commented before snuggling back into his pillow and turning over.

I rolled my eyes and made my way downstairs. I grabbed a box of cereal and ate it out of the box with a spoon, mainly so that no one would be able to complain about how unsanitary eating out of the box is.

Jeb came trudging down the stairs. He had some serious bedhead and his eyes were pretty much shut.

"Coffee…" He gurgled as he zombie walked to the coffee maker.

"Hey da—Jeb," I quickly corrected myself. "Can I have a ride to a friend's house before you go to work?"

"Yeah, whatever, but be sure to change it." He replied.

"Uhm…Thanks?" I questioned.

I don't like calling Kayla and Jeb mom and dad. Although they're totally my parents, and I love them to death. I just don't want to forget that this life is my second one. My real mom is my Mom and Jeb is…Jeb. It's weird, I know.

I ran back upstairs and took a quick shower, changing into fresh clothes and, yes, brushing my hair. When I went back downstairs Kayla and Ari were downstairs and Jeb was actually awake now.

"So which friend's house am I driving you to?" Jeb asked me.

"James, you don't know him." I said.

I saw Ari begin to flip out and I quickly interrupted the disaster.

"Ari, do you have anything to do today?" I asked.

"No, but—"

"Will you come with me to Iggy's?" I pleaded.

He looked shocked and before he could respond Jeb started talking.

"Wait, whose house is it? James' or Iggy's?"

"They're the same person." I explained.

"I don't feel comfortable leaving you at some boy's house," Jeb said after a sip from his coffee, "Especially one I don't know."

"What if Ari came too?" I pleaded, looking from Jeb to Kayla to Ari.

"If Ari agrees, then yes." Jeb said.

I gave Ari my best bambi eyes and he rolled his in response.

"Yeah I'll go, but only because I have nothing else to do."

Iggy's house was… gigantic. I think Ari and I went into shock for a few minutes. We pressed the buzzer on the gate and waited.

"Think we got the wrong house?" Ari asked.

"Dunno." I replied as I looked across the giant front yard to the even bigger house.

The Griffiths residence. The little box said.

"Uhm, hi. We're James' friends." I spoke awkwardly into the box.

Wait there, James will meet with you shortly.

"Guess he doesn't want us in his house." Ari muttered, scuffing at the fancy-pants gravel.

"Mega-mansion." I corrected.

I saw Iggy walking towards us and waved to him with a smile. He waved back and jogged the last few yards to the gate. He punched in a code and crossed the last few steps between us after the gate moved.

"Hi Ari." Iggy said. I couldn't really gage his reaction to my brother's presence.

"Hi." Ari mumbled.

"Anyway, we aren't actually going to my house," He turned to me and picked up as if we were knee deep in conversation. "We're going to this awesome place near the woods out back." He explained as he began walking towards a huge cluster of trees across the street.

"Why the woods?" I asked.

"Because…it's awesome." He explained as if I was crazy for needing another reason.

I could tell Ari didn't like being here with Iggy just by the way he walked.

"How is it awesome?" Ari asked after a few minutes. He seemed suspicious. The idiot probably expected Iggy to pull an ax out of his windbreaker and cleave us to death.

"You'll see." Iggy was more enthusiastic and excited than usual.

Ari gave me a kill me look and I smiled.

We walked for another ten minutes or so before the trees began to thicken, making us walk in single file and step over roots and shrubs. It was very picturesque, I'm sure. I admit that I took sadistic pleasure in watching my brother trip and stumble. Sibling love.

"Almost there." Iggy informed us as he jumped over a fallen tree.

The trees suddenly cleared showing a small stretch of grass before the ground suddenly fell away into a huge cavern-thing. Basically it was a big ass cliff with a lake beneath it and it was so, so beautiful.

"Wow." I gasped as I glanced over the edge.

"Careful." Ari warned as he joined me in peering over. Now he probably expected Iggy to grab me and fling the two of us over in a fit of suicidal slash homicidal piqué.

"Yeah, it's pretty cool." Iggy shrugged.

I sat and scooted to the edge, dangled my legs over. Just being this close to a vast drop off gave me chills, in a good way.

"Originally I wanted to show you something Max but since Ari came, I'm unsure." Iggy shrugged, but his voice was tense.

"Show her what?" Ari asked suspiciously, doing the whole cross-arms-and-puff-out-chest dealio.

"My secret," Iggy said with a small smile, especially for me. "I haven't shown anyone before, so I'm…nervous I guess."

Ari's eyes narrowed further, if possible, when Iggy pulled off his windbreaker. I just smiled at him.

"It's alright, you can show us whatever it is. We won't judge you." I assured him. My words seemed to help a little.

"At least Max won't." Ari said under his breath, Iggy didn't hear it though. I shot him an 'I'll stab you' look.

"Alright," Iggy said as he looked over the edge with us and took a shaky breath. "Here goes."

He jumped. Iggy jumped.

I felt a scream rip through my throat. My heart was in my mouth.

Ari nearly fell over.

I quickly scrambled back to the edge and looked down to see Iggy's body hurtling towards death, except it wasn't. Huge fluffy white-ish things erupted from two slits in the back of his shirt, catching the air and propelling him upwards. In a matter of seconds, he was circling above us.

They were wings. Iggy had wings and they were big. Maybe sixteen feet from tip to tip. My heart was still pounding painfully in my chest. The bastard folded his wings back against his body and landed lightly on his tiptoes next to us. I couldn't speak. I'd thought my friend had just committed suicide right in front of us.

"I've had a lot of practice." Iggy explained, his face fell a little when he saw our horrified expressions.

Ari's eyes met mine and we made a silent agreement. I pulled off my shirt and extended my own white wings with brown speckles and streaks. Ari pulled his off too and opened his russet wings, stretching them wide.

Now Iggy was the completely speechless one.