Hi... It's wingedcarpet, I'm not sure if anyone is reading this but I know I haven't updated in a while. Yesterday i was in a car crash and funnily enough when we got hit I was writing this chapter. We went in an ambulance and the doctors said it was miracle we've survived,let alone with hardly any I injuries.
So that's..that.
Disclaimer...I don't own Maximun ride.
Oh and if anyone who is reading this doesn't know what a bakkie is..it's the South African for pick up truck.
5 years ago(10 years old)
The bakkie swayed soothingly as it drove, a pale green blanket was wrapped around Max tightly but she was still shivering.
No, not from cold but from the aftershock of death.
Not even 1 hour ago had her family been murdered and she knew that even if her face was a cold mask it would take her a long time to get over it.
After the argument the hunters had irritably told them that they were going to bring them to an orphanage. Max had agreed because she didn't know where they else they could go.
She looked down at Ari, who was curled up in a ball with his head on her lap. She gently stroked his dark tangled brown locks away from his face as he stirred slightly.
Ari hands and clothes were still crusted in blood the same as Max and every time she looked down she could imagine Nudges wagging tail and Goldie's kind eyes.
Max wondered what would happen now. She had met quite a few people who had been taken from an orphanage and placed in the school.
Some had said it was horrible with unrecognizable bowls of food (that most kids got food poisoning from) and small prison like rooms that at least 40 people would be huddled on the floor.
While others had said it was great with small but tasty warm platters of food and soft blankets that took away all you worries. Those were the kids that didn't last very long in the school.
But like kids from both types of orphanages has said, the school is way worse.
If she survived the school, she can survive anything.
Max was shaped out of her flashback as the one of the bunk bed's top bunk collapsed with a loud crash. She quickly jumped up her eyes surveying the room to see that no one was about to pull a prank.
But all she sore was the small room, with peeling white paint, concrete covered floor and busted light bulbs. The bucket was still in its usual place as well as the six bunk beds that lined the wall and the grey blankets, sheets and towels on the floor.
She suddenly heard her name being called and looked over to see Ari at the door.
" Yaah"
Ari was suddenly pushed out the way as Miss Higgins stomped her way inside.
Miss Higgins was the deputy head of the orphanage but she walked around like she was the head. Her greying brown hair was always pulled back in a tight bun, not a hair out of place. Black glasses lay on the tip of her nose, shielding harsh blue eyes that always looked down at you. She was very tall but what ruined the whole image was the big belly that lifted up her top and the sagging wrinkles that adorned her body.
" Its yes not Yaah, Maxine" Miss Higgins never called her Max or Maximum, claiming that it was unladylike.
"Okay, what do you want?"Max didn't mean it in a rude way she just never learned the rules of manners and tended to be straightforward and blunt.
" You will not talk to me in that manner, child, speak with respect!" Miss Higgins thundered.
It wasn't that Max disliked Miss Higgins, she actually didn't dislike anyone but sometimes Miss Higgins frayed the last nerves of her patience with her negative attitude.
"Sorry, mam, will you please tell me what you want?" Max said through clenched teeth, begging for her to leave.
"That's better, young lady, but don't clench your teeth it's not becoming of you," she stuck up her nose and looked disdainfully at Ari, "anyway your brother ( she spat out the word) got himself into a fight, the other two boys are currently in the infirmary."
As miss Higgins scoffed into the air, Max sent a thumbs up to Ari.
" Maxine Ride, how dare you, that is not the behavior you should be inspiring! Do you want your brother to become a murder one day?!"
Max let out a booming laugh.
"Ari, violence, I think you should go get your head checked." She made her voice sound concerned at the end.
" if your brother is so against violence, why did he attack two innocent boys unnecessarily?"
Max stood up and walked next to Ari.
"Unnecessarily, you say, my brother would never hurt anyone, actually sometimes I have to encourage him to fight back when bullied."
"So he's pathetic " miss Higgins sneered.
"I think the people who bully are more so the pathetic (though no one is pathetic) ones, he's strong enough to not fall to their level"
"Why am I arguing with a child anyway" Miss Higgins muttered to herself. " Ari, your full punishment will be delivered later but in the mean time Ari, clean out the bucket it's stinking up the room and Max your on bed work."
She then stormed out of the room. Max crouched down to Ari's level.
" Care to explain?" She asked, quirking up an eyebrow.
"They were being mean" he said crossing his arms and staring stubbornly at the floor.
"Ari," she said meaningfully so that he fixed his huge brown eyes on her," it's not right to hurt people, that's not how I raised you"
"What happened to all the things you were saying to Miss Higgins"
"Ari, you can fight people in defense but you shouldn't-
"They were insulting you" he blurted out," spreading rumors, like you were a slut before you came and the older boys said that they were going to...to ..." Ari stuttered at loss for words.
Max sighed.
"Come here" she pulled him into her arms.
"Max, I'm 6 years old" he said but still twined his arms around her.
"Aww, how sweet," Miss Higgins entered the door, " but didn't I tell you to do some things"
The two kids sprang apart, both not wanting to have a few nights without food. That was the usual punishment.
"Mr J wants to see you" she said grabbing them roughly by the necks ( it would defiantly leave a bruise) and hauling them through the door.
Mr J was a small anorexic man, probably not a day older than 35 but looking at least 60. Dark blue bags lay under his eyes and stress marks lined his face. He would always wear a suit but it was carelessly thrown on and probably hasn't been washed for a few months. His black hair was greying with worry that contrasted his dark skin tone. He was once a proud business man that decided to create a charity but broke under the stress and cruelty of the world.
" Hello kids," he said tiredly, ushering them inside his office.
His office consisted of a tiny unpainted room with a whole in the wall as a doorway, a plastic desk and chair. Bills and papers piled high on the table and dust tickling the floor.
He sat down on the chair and slouched wearily, sweeping a hand through his hair.
"I called you here because I can't believe you would do such a thing," he said, looking at Ari," so can I ask you to explain it."
The one thing about Mr J was: he cared. Miss Higgins didn't give two hoots about you, that's why most of the kids hoped that she never became the head. He made sure that he knew every kid and that they each had a chance to speak before Miss Higgins announced a punishment. Mr J tried so hard to give everyone a good life and in ways it was a good life. Maybe prober toilets would be nice but they had a basic education, mostly had some food and Mr J would sometimes bring them to the local park to play some rugby.
He gave them a second chance which is more than anyone gave them before.
" They attacked first, so I had to respond" Ari said, crossing his arms over his chest in a cute 6 year old way.
" But Ari that doesn't sound like you," he insisted," maybe Joe and Seth( the two boys in the infirmary ) but not you."
He gave Ari a long meaningful look as if to tell him to fess up now.
"Well, if that's what happened the two boys will be given their punishment later and you will-
"He did it for me" Max interrupted, " you can't punish him for wanting to help his sister"
" really, then if that's the case-
"It doesn't matter, he still attacked," Miss Higgins smiled evilly at them , " and you have no proof that what they are saying is true."
" That is very much true, I'm sorry kids but Ari you'll be on spray paint cleaning."
Miss Higgins walked out satisfied.
When they were fully sure that she was gone, Mr J sighed.
"She's been trying to unseat me for years, I don't know why she even wants to work here but if I don't work with some of the things she says. She'll call the services here and you and I both know the conditions are not up to standard."
The kids nodded their thanks and walked out.
Line break . Mr J .
Mr J watched as the kids walked out the door.
They had always fascinated him, he knew that they had had some of the harder lives.
But for some reason he couldn't understand he'd never seen them break or even shed a tear. He was sure no one had seen that but each other.
They weren't the oldest in the orphanage ( only 10 and 6) but they had probably seen more of the world than he had.
He didn't know what had happened in their lives, they didn't seem like the abused kids( who flinched when you came near and would shake if you raised your voice) or who's parents had sold them, abandoned them or had been murdered.
They had joined the orphanage just over six weeks ago but he could still remember when they came.
He'd been sitting on the plastic chair in his office sorting wearily through the various bills when Miss Higgins burst through the hole in the wall.
"There are two new entries "
she said, her glasses were crooked and her face was flushed a deep red, as if she'd been running, " a girl and boy, aged around 10 and 6, suspected siblings."
Mr J got up and followed her out the hole.
Miss Higgins crossed her eyes in confusion.
" But their not normal, I mean most of the kids aren't but.. but.. " Miss Higgins stuttered, it was the first time he had ever witnessed it. She was always so composed but it seemed something had really surprised or frightened her.
They excited the passageway and went out to the front door, where a black bakkie truck was parked.
Two kids sat on the benches at the back, where a older girl hugged a younger boy.
They hopped out the car but still stood close together.
Mr J let out a gasp of surprise.
Blood-stains marked their clothes and engulfed their hands. No matter what their appearance they both stood tall and proud.
But then Mr J looked into their eyes.
The boys eyes were red and puffy where as the girls held no traces of tears. They both had brown eyes, his like the kernels of coffee and hers like melted chocolate. Both of those things held warmth but their eyes were cold-like ice.
They looked feral.
The wild tinge could be mistaken for insanity if you didn't see the intelligence and sadness that shined bright behind their eyes.
A big man was walking next to them with a gun strapped over his shoulder. He gently pushed them forward by the shoulders.
The girl shrugged him off and crossed her arms, walking up to Mr J.
"Hello, I'm Max and-"
"-That's short for Maxine, isn't it?" Miss Higgins interrupted.
"No, it's just Max."
"But..but that's not proper, no girl should-" Miss Higgins stopped suddenly as Mr J's hand covered her mouth.
"I'm sorry about her but I would like to say welcome to J's Cape Town Orphanage, Max and... " Mr J smiled kindly at boy.
"Ari" he stuck his hand out to Mr J.
" welcome, please come inside while I finalize things with your..." He gestured to the older man behind them.
"Our nothing" snarled Max.
"Uh..okay" replied Mr.*
He snapped out of his vision when Miss Higgins strode into the room. She stood in the center of the room as if she was to good to be there.
" Those kids are a menace, it would be better without them here," she stalked closer to him," see if I were head, they would be taken out."
Mr J sighed.
"Why do you hate them so much?"
" I don't hate them they're just... just!" Then a single tear ran down her face and she charged out the room, leaving Mr J gob smacked
Line skip
Max and Ari were in the bedroom as they both did their assigned choirs.
Max was trying to fix the bunk bed that had collapsed.
Ari was emptying and scrubbing out the bucket( their toilet).
" Why does Miss Higgins always pick on us?" Ari asked," it's not like we cause lots of trouble."
"I don't know Ari but we must be grateful that we're here."
"But... But it was so much nicer living with the pack, why did they have to take us away?"
"I don't know Ari,"she stopped what she was doing and looked at him," but I believe everything happens for a reason and maybe one day we can figure out that reason."
They both went back to work in a comfortable silence.
"Max... I think I believe in a god, I'm not really sure which one but I like to think that other than you there is someone who cares."
" If it helps you then that's good" Max said as she successfully mended the bed.
"Do you believe in any of gods?" Ari asked as he placed the bucket in its usual place and put a plastic packet in it.
"I don't know but I like what most of them stand for, kindness and love and if it makes everyone be that way then I'll believe but when I prayed for help and when anybody else in the school prayed, no one answered. I'm not saying that we should magically be helped but the entomb of love shouldn't be able to create people so cruel. But I don't know, I mean, we've had some miracles and I'm not very educated on the religions."
They both walked to the supply closet and got out two sponges and a bucket filled with soapy warm water.
The sun was warm overhead as they walked out the door and to the front wall. Spray paint covered the bricks made into crude words and gang doodles.
The neighborhood was quiet, the kids were too scared to play outside.
The wind blew stray litter across the run-down road.
They each grabbed a sponge dipped it in the water and started scrubbing.
Time skip
The sun had just started to set in the sky, when they were nearly finished. Both were exhausted, the muscles in their arms aching horribly.
There was a rule that no kids were allowed out after sunset. There was always that person that broke it but most stayed in cause it was for their own safety.
A lot of them had been outside at dark but they hardly ever did it again.
Max empty the dirty leftover water and took her sponge, Ari right in front of her. They placed their things in the supply closet and Ari walked to the lunch room.
Max was on punishment at the moment, which meant she had to skip her meals.
The day before she had sneaked into Miss Higgins private room. Even though the room was in an orphanage, it was still top quality.
She had a three quarter bed with a red duvet and white pillows, which was pressed against the wall. A window with plastic blinds above the bed, concrete floor painted a cream color. She had a small circle white fluffy carpet next to her bed as well as a wooden bedside table.
A wooden desk and plastic chair sat opposite the bed and a marble bird stood on the desk.
The best thing, though, was the mini fridge next to the bedside table and in its freezer was a tub of Vanilla and Caramel swirl ice cream.
So how could a kid, especially a kid like Max not want to bring the tub to her brother and all the other kids some who've never had ice cream in their life.
Yeah, that's how she got her punishment. She stole Miss Higgins's ice cream and brought all 25 teaspoons for 73 child could have one small spoon of delicious ice cream.
Of course, when Miss Higgins found out she had a cadenza, claiming that it was invasion of private property.
When she found out Max was the culprit, she wanted the punishment to be one week with no food. Mr J argued against her and eventually they decided on four days.
It had been one days already but as a thank you gift the kids smuggled her pieces of fruit and left overs.
Max walked into the room and found a spot near the wall, so that she could lean against it. She took the closet gray blanket and waited.
Eventually the kids filed into the room from the dinning room,choosing partners for the night. The seniors always got the bunk beds while the juniors got the floor.
There was always two kids per bed, so that was 24 on beds and the rest used one blanket, towel or sheet for two people.
Ari came and joined Max by the wall. They usually shared their bedding, but people got their places on the floor with first come first serve.
There was only a limited amount of tooth brushes, face clothes and water. So they split it evenly, sometime you would get to brush your teeth, the next day you could wash your face and the day after you could shower.
Max didn't have anything today but Ari could brush his teeth.
When Ari was finished Max pulled Ari into her arms and they curled up to make space for everyone else. Max could feel a back pressed against hers and a head on her feet.
She leaned her head on the wall and Ari lay his head on her stomach.
After checking everyone was settled in Jenna, the oldest in the orphanage with two weeks till her 18th birthday called out" lights out" and the person closet to the lights turned it off.
Max wondered what it must be like to have to move out in 2 weeks, not knowing where you are going, leaving the place that had been home for so many years.
Then everyone was saying goodnight and chatting quietly to each other.
"Goodnight, Max" Ari said as he yawned and closed his eyes sleepily before falling asleep.
The chatter faded out as Max closed her eyes and muttered" Goodnight Ari."
I just noticed that most of the chapters end off with Max falling asleep. The next chapter will be in the orphanage again. So if anyone is reading a review would be nice just to know that someone is reading past the first chapter.
Thanks from the world of wingedcarpet.