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Chapter 4

What am I going to do? This Zayn guy was good, very good. In all my years of freak mutant-human bird flying and supernatural battles, I had never seen someone as freaky as this. It made me feel rather…normal.

But what will the flock think when I introduce Zayn? Will they think I'm replacing Fang? Wait. Why should I care about replacing Fang? He left us! Deserted us at our darkest hour. Wow. When all this is sorted out and the world is saved I really need to go see a therapist.

"I can't wait to meet the flock. I hope they like me." Zayn said from the side of me. We were heading back to the house but since Zayn couldn't fly, it was taking a long time.

"I hope so too, 'cause I'm the one who has allowed you into the flock so if they hate you, my neck's on the line too."

"But you're the leader of the flock. Surely anything you say, goes?"

"Doesn't work like that when you've got a flock like mine. It's easy to overpower someone."

"So if they hate me, they'll what? Kill me and throw me out?" I laughed at his comment and shook my head.

"Kill? No. But throw you out? Almost certainly yes." I smiled. Who could think a bunch of sweet innocent bird kids would lay a finger on any living creature (exclude Flyboys, Erasers and other bird killing species)?

"I'm sure they'll like you," I reassured him as the house came into view. "If they don't, you could always turn invisible. Give them a bit of a challenge finding you. Oh by the way, watch where you're stepping. Gazzy tends to leave bombs just lying around." I'm sure I could hear a little whimper escaped Zayn's mouth as we reached the front of the house.

As we headed through the never used front door of the house (we tend to just use windows as access and escape routes) we were greeted by low whispers coming from the living room.

"Guys, I'm back! I've got someone for you to meet." The voices stopped as I spoke and the door leading to the living room creaked open. Nudge poked her head through the tiny gap.

"Nudge, this is Zayn. Zayn, this is Nudge, my right hand man." I smiled at her but she looked like someone had just hit her square in the face.

"I thought Fang was your right hand man?" She mumbled like she had just been told off.

"Fang isn't with us anymore. I need a new right hand man, or in this case, right hand girl." Silence. "Nudge?" I stepped towards her but she stepped back and closed the door more. The whispers started again. All voices were familiar, Dylan, Angel, Gazzy, Iggy. All but one distinctive, deep voice. It can't be.

"Nudge. Who's in that room?" I stepped closer towards her and she stood her ground, blocking my path.

"Max, it's ok. I don't want you to get upset." She said. The whispers stopped again and I was ready to burst.

"Nudge, get out of my way." I ordered but she didn't move. "Nudge!" I shouted louder. I heard her sniff and she stepped aside in defeat. Taking a deep breath, I pulled the door open and marched into the room. I didn't get more than two meters in because what I saw made me freeze, as though I had hit a invisible wall.

There in the middle of the tired, dull room was the flock and in the middle of the flock, there he was. The one person who had turned my life from heaven to hell in the past few days. The one person I thought I could depend on for anything. The one person I truly and only ever will love.

Fang.

"Hello Max." He said quietly. He stood up to reveal a girl who I assumed was his new friend Emma. I felt pain stab my chest and I searched for something to lean on. A firm grip held me in place by my elbow and I looked up to see Zayn staring at me with a concerned face. I turned back to Fang who was staring at Zayn with a questioning expression.

"Oh, sorry." Zayn let go of my arm and walked towards my flock. "I'm Zayn. It's so good to finally meet you all."

"Who is this guy?" Fang asked me like he hadn't just heard Zayn introduce himself.

"He's a mutant like us. I want him to join my flock." I walked up to Zayn and stood next to him, arms crossed. Anger suddenly boiled up in side of me. I didn't want him to be here. He had ruined our lives once before and I wasn't about to let him do it again.

"So you're just picking people up off the streets now?" Fang sneered.

"Looks like you are too." I nodded towards Emma who was looking everywhere else except at me.

"Max, it doesn't have to be like this. Our two flocks can join together and help save the world." Fang stepped towards me and took my hand which I immediately pulled away. How could he think he would be allowed back into our lives? I was just about ready to move on, start a new chapter without him.

"No Fang. Our two flocks could never join together. I have my flock to look after already. I don't have time to let your flock of rookies ruin our chances of having normal lives. So if you could just leave please. Don't bother coming back, you've caused enough trouble and heart ache." I turned to leave but Gazzy grabbed onto the hem of my shirt and pulled me around to look at him.

"Please let Fang stay." He pleaded.

"Gaz, I can't" I looked up at Fang who looked like he was pleading too. In my head, when I first walked into the room and saw Fang, I should have ran into his arms and we should've shared one of those cheesy kisses you see in all the movies. But, now I'm looking at him in real life, I want to do nothing but cry and show him how much he's hurt my flock. How much he's hurt me.

"No, I can't." I repeated. I looked up from Gazzy to Fang. "He can't."

"But we want Fang to stay." Angel's sweet voice chimed. "Emma too."

"Well if they stay, I go." I looked at my flock one by one. "So what's it going to be?" No-one spoke so I took that as an answer.

Of course, everyone wanted Fang to stay, he was their big brother, their role model. Gazzy especially looked up to him. But even though he kicked them all to the dirt when he left they still have the energy to get back up when he comes running home. Even Dylan stayed silent through this whole conversation. I thought he would be on my side.

"So that's your answer?" I choked on a laugh and felt tears attack my eyes. "Well, I guess I'll see you around then."

And with that I pushed past Nudge who was crying at the door. I ran down the corridor towards the open door that seemed to be moving further and further away. I ignored the flock shouting my name from the other room. I ignored the footsteps behind me. I ignored Fangs shouts and pleas that kept edging closer and closer to me. I felt his hand clutch my wrist but I pulled free. After what seemed like an eternity I reached the open door and jumped off the porch, extending my wings into the sunset. I turned back to look at my flock standing at the entrance to the house, their silhouettes danced in the low rays of the sun. Then it hit me and ripped my insides in two.

They weren't my flock anymore.