Chapter 4: Introductions

Gwen's P.O.V.

A whole day passed. Kale and I had already arm wrestled, thumb wrestled, and counted all our toes. We were getting bored, fast. The sun had gone down, allowing the chill of the night to seep in. Moonlight shone through the tiny crack between the doors. Kale twiddled the hem of his shirt.

"What's next?" He asked.

"I don't know. I'm hoping we'll stop soon." I sighed and tried to come up with something to do. That's when the brakes were slammed and we slid forward at a great speed.

"I think we missed the left turn!" A voice screamed. Then they must have put us in reverse because I was thrown backwards toward the door. I hit with a thud. I could hear the tires squeal with the friction we zoomed forward.

"How do these people have licenses?!" I shrieked, gripping to anything that was in reach, such as my best currently-scared-by-my-tight-grip friend.

Fifteen minuets later we came to a halt. The doors opened for the last time. Many voices boomed outside the Van of Doom. As I peered out eyes met my gaze. Dang, there was a lot of kids staring at me. Kale hid behind me, cowering as we stood. Susan gestured us out. Moving into the light, jaws dropped.

"Why are they tied?!" A woman with long black hair snapped.

"Made it look more believable." Jim shrugged.

"They probably think we're horrible people!" The woman shouted.

"Think?" I laughed dryly, causing all heads to whip my way, "I mean we've been caged like dogs, and you idiots bind us like we're criminals. You Whitecoats are all the same!"

"We aren't scientists!" A girl snapped.

"Max!" The older lady warned.

"Maybe if we untied them?" A boy with blond hair tried. He popped out a pocket knife and came forward. My eyes narrowed as I jumped down out of the demented ice cream truck.

"Maybe you should just kick it to them?" A girl about my age advised, blinking her big, brown eyes innocently.

"Yeah, that might be a better plan." He nodded as he slowly set the weapon down and kicked it over. I quickly picked it up and cut the ropes and invincible rubber bands. Kale squeaked as I made three quick slashes, setting him free. As I turned, wielding the three inch long blade, everyone's muscles tensed. Their fists curled. That's when I decided to do the fair thing and not get myself killed.

I threw the knife to the side.

"Why?!" Kale asked frantically. I held my fingers to my lips. The girl about our age pulled out a purse and reached in to get something. That's when Kale, already a little jumpy, freaked.

"What are you doing?! Is that a tazor!? Oh gosh, they're gonna zap us! No! Lets run! I don't want to be electrocuted!" Kale wailed.

"It's just a phone!" she explained as she held the mobile up. Kale sucked in a breath. He was red as a tween pervert whose mother finds his camera.

"I still don't like this! Look our wings are loose, Gwen. These are just scrawny humans. We can't knock them over and run," Kale whispered desperately in my ear.

"We aren't human!" A blond little girl grumbled. Then the oldest, sarcastic one rolled her shoulders and two giant wings unfolded from her back.

Kale screamed bloody murder.

"What the heck?! They have wings! Sunce when?! How is that even possible!? Oh gosh! They're canables! They're gonna eat us alive and…!" I thought he was going to climb into my arms and sob. Kale was pawing at me, desperately pressing hinself closer.

"They have wings!" He screeched, again. Honestly, the stupidity of my friend worries me sometimes.

"I have eyes!" I snapped and pushed him away.

"We're just like you," a teen with red hair added.

"They're just like us! How is that possible?! Why would bird-people want to torture us?!" Kale shrieked yet again.

"We aren't here to torture you! We saved you! These morons just did it wrong," the oldest girl tried. She must've been the leader.

"Yeah. See, you're safe," the older woman coaxed. I looked around. There was a giant mansion of a house smack dab in te middle of the area. Totally awesome.

"Why would you do this for me?" I asked. They were all silent for a few seconds.

"No one needs to be beaten and bruised," the woman eventuallywhispered.

"Thanks." I nodded.

"Freeeeeeeeeedom!" I heard Kale cry. He thrust himself in the air, his brown wings springing out to the side. Everyone stared up in awe as he rose higher and looped. I guess they still haven't caught on to his childish ways. He eventually landed and smiled.

"Done?" I almost growled. He was acting like a four year old…with wings…who had been locked in a cage for years…forget it.

"Welcome home." The woman smiled and gestured to the gigantic building. "And my name is Dr. Valencia Martinez, by the way. She held out her hand to me expectantly.

"Gwen," I shook it, "and the crazy one is Kale."

"Kale? Like that real leafy lettuce looking stuff?" The red-head tried not to laugh. Kale crossed his arms and frowned.

"No! It's my name! And I didn't pick it!" he snapped defensively.

"Iggy! Don't be so disrespectful," the Doctor woman warned.

"Iggy?" I questioned.

"Yeah! It stands for igneous! The kind of rock made from magma!" The boy snarled back. He didn't look at me, only stared forward. That's when I looked closer at his eyes. They were cloudy. Iggy was blind.

I felt uncomfortable. How had I not noticed?

"And I'm Nudge!" The girl about our age with the "tazor" introduced.

"And that's Gazzy, and Angel, Max, Fang, Ella–who doesn't have wings, and there's some others in the house!" Nudge pointed to each as she said their names.

"Thanks!" I interrupted. She grinned enthusiastically.

"You all must be exhausted!" the Doctor exclaimed. She grabbed us by the ear lobe and pulled us inside. We passed three unknowing mutants who were trying to sing karaoke. A boy and two girls.

"Igneous! Make these starving children a sandwich!" She ordered. We stood there dumbfounded and confused. Then the woman marched out, like this was normal–letting the blind kid cook. I was afraid he'd cut himself while he was chopping the tomatoes!

"Do you have to stand here? Go to the living room and meet Flock number two," he waved the knife about and Kale gripped to my arm. I slowly stepped back and strolled into the living room, Kale hanging like a name-brand purse around my shoulder.

"Sup?" I asked. My voice came out harsh, I'll admit, but what happened next scared the crap out of me. The boy turned around, alarmed. He squalled something that sounded like "Get down Ebony!" as he pushed the older girl to the couch. She fell down will an "oof!". Then the boy freaking turned around and lunged at Kale, who had suddenly released me from his iron grip and was bolting for the door screaming while his arms flailed.

The boy tackled him to the ground and began slugging my poor little innocent companion! Anger raged inside of me as I ran up, grabbing the older boy by the shoulders and slinging him five feet away into a table. Thats when a girl with red hair came forward. She was pretty. Her hair started dark red at the roots and faded to a lighter red at the tips. Her eyes were crystal blue and flicked with anticipation. Then she advanced and I saw those beautiful features collide with my fist. Whoops? To my surprise, she caught on fire! I screamed out in fear and climbed onto the island in the middle of the kitchen. She chased me, though, like a flaming Popsicle. Iggy was scolding me in curse words for "getting my nasty beaten cowboy boots in the meat". Okay, so what? My left foot was in the bologna, big deal. Bite me!

The girl, who I forgot, was ablaze bounded forward. A pitiful squeak erupted from my throat as I picked up a chair and threw it at her. Score! She fell down, giving me time to swipe out my wings. Hitting the fluorescent light, I sent the bulb shattering the bulb and pieces of glass flying everywhere. I landed oh-not-so gracefully. That's when the other chick decided it would be a good time to join in. She bolted up in an incredibly fast speed and slammed into me. I was thrown to the ground. The older boy was now to his feet and reeling from my previous actions.

"DR. M! THEY'RE GONNA KILL EACH OTHER! Or I'm gonna kill them all!" Iggy called and warned. I grabbed a frying pan.

"No! That's the only one Max hasn't burned mysterious food to yet! Give me back my…" Iggy protested.

"Friend! I'm a friend!" I cried at the girls. The two looked suspicious as they looked me over.

"What's wrong with you people!" I heard a voice blare. There in the doorway stood Maximum, ready to give out immense punishments. I guess that's why the three strangers scurried out of the way?

"What did you all do?!" She shrieked looking over at the scene. I dropped the pan and tried to look innocent.

My internal alarms were sounding. Where was Kale?! That's when we heard a shuffle in the closet. The door flew open and there came my, I'm ashamed to say it, friend wielding an umbrella and a trench coat.

"Run Gwen! Run!" He ordered as he swung the 'weapon' around wildly. I face palmed myself. That's when Fang walked in, took one good, long look, and smacked Kale over the head.

"Look, everyone, this must've been a complete misunderstanding! What did you all do? Have World War 4?" Max almost growled.

"What happened to three?" I asked.

"Last week we forced Gazzy to take a Beano," she mumbled. O-ok?

"Whoa!" Kale exclaimed. Everyone looked over at him. Most of us sent him a dirty glare. He hit a button that made the umbrella open, hitting an already pissed off Fang in the face. That didn't go over well. Kale was forcibly beat with it. I groaned inwardly. Should I deny knowing him?

Nudge fumbled in, texting. The second she glanced up she froze.

"Oh my zomg! Are you serious?! I won't clean this up!" She wailed.

Angel followed, a little nervous.

"Max?" She asked slowly.

"What?!"

"Uh? Did we have issues?"

"No! I told you I can handle my own Flock!"

"And that's why Iggy is crying over a frying pan?" Angel gestured to the boy. Max gritted her teeth.

"It was so perfect and functional!" Iggy whispered.

"Flock Freaking Meeting! And that includes the reckless newbies!" Max ordered. Oh gosh...

Everyone else filed into a respectful spot on the couch or a chair. Kale and I were left awestruck.

"Sit your trouble making butts down!"

"Yes mam!" Left both of our lips as we dove to the floor, trying to hide from Max's wrath.


R&R