CHAPTER THREE: Trading the Cityscape for Greener Pastures

Maximum insisted on not staying for more than a day or two. However, that didn't work out too well; especially when she tried making a break for it through our alredy broken window and fell three stories to the fire escape. Roger had made a big fuss about it, because he had to be the one to break into somebody else's apartment to go get her. She was lucky the escape had been built there; the street was at least thirty stories beneath that.

"Does anybody from your flock have a cell-phone?" Ralph had asked after a few days of lying around in an upset cloud. He'd made sure even Simon had a cell in our flock, and all our numbers were pre-programmed into each other's phones. Though, Roger's was never on, so that rendered his pretty much useless.

"No, but Iggy's got my computer." She'd answered.

"Can you message him on there?" Ralph urged.

"Ig's blind."

"Oh."

That afternoon, Ralph went out and bought Max a pay-by-minute phone from CVS.

I never really counted the days before, but I started to now. It was Monday by the time Max recovered from the window fall enough to move around again. Roger wouldn't let her off the hook still, but it's not as if his opinion ever mattered to her case. Simon had taken a liking to her though, and always seemed to be clinging in one way or another. Winning Maurice over was easy enough; all she had to do was woo him with her comical excuse for cooking. Max almost set the apartment on fire.

"I thought women could cook!" Maurice had remarked from the top bunk before going to bed that night. I told him to stop being so damn prejudiced and just go to sleep already.

Even Ralph managed to find some common ground with Maximum Ride in whatever way. I didn't know what the heck they were talking about, but at least they got along. She even opened up to us a bit, telling us little factoids about the flock that had been told to go on without her. They were to meet up outside the city in one of the many barn houses along the highway there. They all had funny names, like Max's; for instance, there was Angel, and Fang (Who, at least I've been told, looked a lot like Roger), and Gasman. That last one was the most ridiculous. It's a wonder anyone took the guy seriously. Apparently, he and some other guy named Iggy liked playing with explosives.

Eventually though, the day came when Max was well again. She was going to leave for sure, there wasn't a doubt in my mind about it. As everyone perched around on the couches and tables, wings partially outstretched, watching intently as Max removed her bandages for the final time, there was a solemn air. In a way, the younger ones had accepted her as part of the family. Considering it had only been a week and a half since she dropped in, I found this much too trusting. It wasn't going to make watching her leave any easier either. I certainly didn't know when or where we'd ever see her again; that is, if we ever saw her again. Max smiled triumphantly to herself as she peeled off the last strip of gauze. I was suddenly happy Ralph was gone at school today…he would throw a hissy fit when he saw the mess she'd made.

"Are you leaving now?" Simon asked sadly.

"I have to go, guys." Max responded deftly, yet strongly, "My flock is waiting for me."

"But, we'll miss you!" Maurice cried.

"Hmph." Roger growled. I could tell, he really couldn't care any less.

"I know." Max continued, paying no mind to Roger's grumblings. "I'll miss you guys too. You remind me of my own family, though. It makes me kind of sad…If I wait around here any longer, they might leave me behind."

"I doubt that." Simon piped, "I don't think anybody could leave you behind, Max."

"That's nice of you, Simon." Max smiled, starting for the balcony already.

"Yeah, you're really nice. I bet they're still right where you left 'em." Maurice took up as well. More out of the urge to one-up Simon than anything else.

"Well…" Maximum thought for a moment, chewing something over in her mind. I sighed. There would be a lot of tears from those two after she left, that's for sure. I hated crying babies. "…if you guys think that, why don't you come with me?"

"What." I stated aloud.

"Come with me." Max insisted, "The School will find you soon if you stay here. I have a tracker in my arm."

Roger hissed and folded his wings around himself. "Damn it! I told you!" He shouted, "Jack, you idiot! Now we have no choice but to move!"

"I honestly don't think you would mind being a nomad, Roger" I said flatly. I was still trying to process Max's offer in my head. What were the pros and cons of this? What would we be leaving behind? Not a lot, really. I mean, we didn't really have much as far as belongings went…

"I'm not leaving without Ralph." I blurted out.

"Oh, you gotta be kidding me." Roger groaned.

"That's probably not an option." Max grimaced, "Though, I hate to agree with Roger, he's right. Ralph isn't like us…"

"So?"

"How is he going to fly, dumbass?" Roger taunted, "Blondie's got no wings."

"Oh…" I sighed. My heart dropped. I couldn't just leave everything behind though…especially Ralph. He'd been there for us in our toughest times. He deserved better than being forgotten. Hell, he was probably coming back home from school and the grocery store right now, loaded with groceries for our greedy mouths. If we left…and he came home to nothing but silence…I don't think I'd be able to live with myself. "We can figure something out though. We're stronger than most! I could carry him, or something!"

"That's a bit uncomfortable sounding." Maximum grimaced.

"It's temporary." I defended.

"What about his car?" Simon offered, "Could Ralph follow us in that?"

"It's worth a shot…I suppose." Max shrugged, "When does he get home? Can we pick him up?"

"He's on his way now, probably." I said, enthusiastic, "We could meet him at the grocers. Roger knows how to drive, right Rog?"

"Sure…"

"Righto!" I exclaimed, "Let's do it! Let's blow this popsicle stand!"

"ADVENTURE!" Maurice joined in.

"Yay?" Simon tried.

"We're leaving now." Max ordered. It was easy to tell that she was the ordained leader of her flock. There would probably be some rough roads ahead as our flocks joined, but it would be worth it, I was sure. Maybe. "Are you ready? We're gonna have to be quick. Pack light."

"We're not packing anything." I said, "There's nothing here for us. We have everything we need."

"Speak for yourself." Roger snorted, "I'm taking a box of matches."

"Why?" I flatly sighed, "Should I even ask?"

"No." He retorted. He retreated into his room and came back a minute later. It didn't look like he'd done anything; but if my suspicions were correct, that was a knife at his belt and a box of matches sticking out of his pocket. "Now I'm ready."

"Good. Let's go." Without looking, Max fell backwards from our balcony and out into the great blue beyond. At first, we were all curious to where she had gone. We ran to the balcony rail and looked over the edge. A moment later, we were all buffeted with a rush of air as Max shot past us, up into the sky. "Well, what are you waiting for!?" She called.

"Hate to admit it, but God it feels good to be free!" Roger cheered. In a split second, he launched himself over the rail, free from any worries of being punished or yelled at. He screamed through the air, not as graceful as Max had been, but somehow more intimidating. It had been forever since I'd seen our full wingspan though, and I had to admit, I was impressed. Also, a bit frightened. What if I forgot how to fly? Roger had been practicing for all his life…but the rest of us…how would we fair?
"That looks fun!" Maurice crooned, leaning dangerously close to the edge of the rail.

"Hey, careful!" I warned. But, before I could reach him, Maurice had already vaulted over the rail and joined Roger and Max in the sky. He seemed to have no problem with his wings.

"Are you two coming?!" Max urged, "Come on! The air is great!"

"Chicken!" Roger egged on from above, circling in lazy, yet dizzying, spins. "Balkbalk!"

"Oh, shut it!" I screamed up at him, "I'm coming, I'm coming! Just hold your falcons, fancy-feathers!"

"Go on, then!" Roger sang.

"I'll go." Simon offered, "It can't be that bad. If Maurice can do it, I'm sure I can too." He began unhandedly scaling the bars of the rail. I argued with myself over whether or not I should stop him, or possibly go first. Again though, before I could make my move Simon was already tumbling over the rail, wings first. He scrambled in a rapid free-fall at first, unsure of his flightless feathers. Soon enough though, he captured the air underneath his deep auburn plumes and halted mid-air. He stayed there for a moment, not quite certain what came next. Then, making up his mind, he pumped his over-sized wings and joined the others thirty feet above me.

"It's now or never." I said to myself, looking down to the street. The cars bustled along below, honking in protest but paying no mind to me. I swallowed once and closed my eyes, then made my way to the edge of the concrete balcony, on the other side of the rail. The wind ruffled my feathers against my back. I suddenly felt very cold. There was a muffled sound as Roger landed behind me on the rail.

"You scared?" He seemed to be asking genuinely. I backed up against the edge slowly, my bare feet curling against the world below.

"Maybe. Maybe just a little bit." I admitted uneasily, "I…I haven't flown in almost two years."

"You should've practiced." Roger tsked, "But, since I'm feeling rather bad for you today, I'll give you a beginner's tip."

"Okay." I agreed.

"Don't take advice from a sadist." Before I could react, or even unfold my wings, Roger shoved me off the balcony and into the edge of existence. I screamed, and some strangers from other apartments came out and started panicking at the sight of me, tumbling ever downwards.

I tried to remember what to do.

Unfold your wings, I ordered myself first. I did so, and they fell with me, limp in the rush of wind. The ground was getting closer. I clutched my hands to my chest.

Next, curl them towards you. Capture the air. Feel it move.

I tried to calm down; I tried to feel the air. Surprisingly enough, I could. Little currents formed at my skin, tickling my body. Taking a deep breath, I stiffened my feathers.

And I stopped.

It seemed as if, in that one moment, everything suddenly made sense. My life had purpose again. I was who I was meant to be. I pushed upwards in the sky, flapping my wings and feeling the currents and where they lead. Soon, I was soaring through the air with alarming speed. I cheered jubilantly, performing a 360 spin. Too early, though, I realized, as I fell out of the airstream I'd been riding momentarily and had to regain control. I understood why Roger escaped all the time for this…it had been such a long, long time since I'd flown like this. I'd almost forgotten what it felt like.

I threw out my arms and felt the wind on my fingers. That felt so strange…but at the same time, great. It felt natural.

Too soon, I met up with the others. I zoomed past them and went a little higher. I wanted to hide the fact that I wasn't quite sure how to stop yet.

"What're you waiting for?!" I shouted to them, below, "Let's go!"

Laughing, they met up with me in the sky. We left behind the astonished cries and faces below, and began writing our own stories. I almost forgot that we were supposed to pick up Ralph. I felt like this was the beginning of the end of the world as I knew it.