Ch. 5 Small, Dark Places…
Fang was trying to stand up when the door opened again.
Who's next? He thought worriedly. But someone was being tossed in.
"Here's your little family!" an Eraser cackled, and a form with wings fell on Fang's lap.
The figure moaned as the door closed. Fang looked down to see who it was.
Max!
"Max, Max!" Fang called, panicking.
"It's MAX?" Gazzy gasped.
"Yes, she's unconscious!" Fang cried, "Max, Max!"
Max looked unconscious in the dim light.
"Max?" Angel said weakly.
She didn't answer. Fang looked towards Angel.
"Angel, you have to read her mind, please! See if there is anything that we can do!"
Angel shut her eyes tightly and attempted to read Max's mind.
After a while, she opened her eyes.
"It's blank. Nothing."
(Italics: Max, Bold: Angel) (In Max's mind as she is unconscious)
Max! Max! Are you there?
Yes, yes, I'm here Angel! Angel, please, get me out of here!
Max, are you there? Your mind is never blank, not even when you are unconscious! Please, please, wake up!
I am thinking! I'm trying to get you to help me! You can't hear me? Why not!
Max, please, think SOMETHING! Please, we're all so worried!
I'm trying! I am thinking! I'm telling you to wake me up now! Angel!
Max, what's wrong? Are you giving me the silent treatment? Wait, you can't- you are always thinking something! Oh no, what's wrong?
Nothing's wrong! Why can't you hear me! Help, help, help! Ah no!
Max, come on! Come on, Max!
Oh Angel, why can't you tell that I'm really talking to you? Oh no, oh no! I need help, please, mind –control me or something!
Max, oh no… I dread telling Fang that your mind is blank…
But it isn't blank! ANGEL!
(Angel left Max's mind then, leaving the Voice to enter. Voice is underlined.)
It's not going to be that easy, Max. You can hear her, but she can't hear you.
Ha, so I've noticed, voice. At least YOU can hear me.
Yes, I can. But like I said, it will not be that easy. You must work to wake up.
Ah, but Voice, you know how much I hate small, dark places. Which is what my mind looks like right now…
If you wake up, you'll just be in a slightly larger dark place. With other people.
Yes, like my true love, as you have told me countless times that he is, FANG!
Yes, but still, remember: Angel can't get you out. Only YOU can get yourself out, Max.
How! Can you please tell me, Voice? I want to get out! Now! I need to get out! This is PURE TORTURE, Voice! I'm alone here, in my mind- because you aren't here all the time!
Exactly. And only YOU can get yourself out, Max. You have done a good job at saving the world. Can you save yourself? That is the test that you are being put through right now.
Oh great. Can you at least offer me advice, like you've been doing my whole freaking FREE LIFE?
Yes, I'm the only one who can help you.
Thank God.
Now I must go, Max. Good luck, I'll be back when THEY think you are ready.
Wait, who? Who is controlling me? WHO!
(Voice is gone; the silence in Max's brain answers her question)
NO!
"So, Iggy, long time, no see!" Ari laughed evilly.
"Max killed you, but you came back. Fang killed you, but you came back. I killed you, and you have now come back! WHAT IS UP WITH YOU?"
"Ah, but the last time wasn't that easy. You notice that it took a while for me to come back, yes?"
"Ari, I don't have time for this. I need to help Max!"
"No you don't lover-boy. Because A: Max is Fang's sorry, too late for you, who ditched her for two years!"
Iggy growled. I couldn't help it, dumb-brain!
"B: She's captured and currently unconscious in a cell with Fang, Angel, and Gazzy…"
MAX!
"And C: You are due to leave with Nudge. Now. You don't wish to be terminated by my squad and me?"
"Hey, what about you, Ari? You kissed Max once! Why the HELL are you acting so hypocritical? You love Max more than I do, and I love her quite a lot!"
Ari lunged at his throat. They began a violent tussle, the Erasers in the background cheering on Ari.
Iggy pinned Ari to the ground, and punched him in the mouth. Ari lay moaning on the floor as Iggy pushed his way through the growling Erasers, and ran into the elevator just as they began to attack.
I've got to find Max and Fang and Angel and Gazzy! I've just got to!
Nudge lay impatient at the hospital bed. Where's Max and Iggy? I need to go help them! I'm perfectly fine!
"Ah, but we don't think so, Nudge," the doctor walked in then.
Nudge jumped, "You can read my mind, like Angel?"
"Yes. I, too, have wings," the doctor unfurled his jet-black wings.
Nudge's face paled, her eyes widened, "But-but… we… your old…"
The doctor smirked.
"-Er than us! I mean, how could you be? You probably are older than when the School started!"
The doctor shook his head, "I was the first they did. As time progress and they really got started, I was updated. I have all the powers you all have- I'm only 5 years older than Max, and so I was their prototype."
Nudge stared at him, "So you have all our powers?"
He nodded.
"What's your name?"
"Dr. Borcht, but you can call me Ter Jr."
Nudge gasped, "YOUR TER BORCHT'S SON?"
Ter Jr. nodded sadly.
"He sacrificed me for his stupid school. Gave me wings, gave me unnatural powers. In return, I ran away to Rome, where my mother (who is Italian) lives, and became a great doctor. One of you all is extremely smart, like me- Fang, I think."
Nudge looked surprised.
"Yes, smart but silent. I was like him at his age, yes."
Nudge just shook her head, "so, um, can you help us?"
"Yes, even though I never knew any of you, I decided long ago that I was technically part of the flock."
"Welcome to the flock, Ter. Jr."
(1,052 Words) BTW: (SPOILER) Ter Borcht is one of the evil scientists that are revealed in book 2! I don't remember if I spelled his name right, though… must check…