Shorter chapter today but what can I say? Shoutouts: Aaliayah (welcome to the show), Maximum Ride 4ever (by the way I'll be a Senior as in Highschool lol and it's great middleschool is a big step congratulations), Paige, lillypad22, carly, Unknown Writer O.o, Neon shoelaces and Fax, girlreadsalot, iceangel (I can't remember if I've seen you before so welcome if not if so thanks for coming back).
Chapter 6 Tense
"Max?" Fang asked, placing a hand on my shoulder. I blinked and took a deep breath. The worry in Fang's eyes was mirrored in those who surrounded me. I'd forgotten they were even there.
"H'm?" I asked, shaking my head. My ribs ached but I touched my skin half expecting to feel rain drops. The vision had been so real, so life like. It was like I'd actually been there in the woods, watching myself make one of the most important decisions of my life. "Max are you alright? Did you black out?" Angel asked, touching my shoulder lightly. I blinked as I remembered Angel couldn't read my mind when I had my visions. It was strange, she'd told me one day when we were flying home from a visit with Haven. "It's like there's a veil covering your mind. I can see it there, but I can't get to it. I can't read it. It's not like when you guys put up mind blocks. That's a solid wall I feel. This, this is just a covering I can't get to. I get…nothing."
"It was a vision, wasn't it?" Angel asked, and I looked up at her. Angel's eyes were a deep blue and her face was worried. I nodded and Ella put her hand on my knee. "When did you go?" With my visions it wasn't a question of where I went, but when. I didn't go places, I went times. One second I could be in the present, the next the past or even the future. It was unpredictable…but then what about my life was?
"I went back to when I first met you." I said, looking at Ella, our eyes both wide. "I saw myself in the woods, and I saw you come out of the house. We talked, and you led me to the door but I hesitated…I was afraid of what I was about to do." I looked back at Fang who's eyes were on my face. "It went against everything I'd ever believed."
"Or I'd ever taught you," I heard Jeb whisper under his breath. The others didn't seem to hear him but I did. I resisted the urge to glare at him and shook my head.
"Sorry if I scared you."
"Are you okay mom?" Alex asked, squeezing in beside me. Ari peered over her shoulder and I forced a smile at them. "I'm fine," I said, shifting and then wincing as the movement jarred my ribs. "Max you need to lay back down." Iggy warned, putting a hand on my shoulder. I let him push me down and stared up at the others who were looking down at me. It made me feel claustrophobic.
"Let's give her some room guys." Angel said, reading my mind. I received a few more looks and then the others were gone, wrapping themselves in blankets and talking quietly. Maya and Dylan rolled out the air mattress and Ratchet appeared with a pump. Together they blew it up and the kids crawled on before falling asleep. Gazzy, Nudge and Holden had found candles and set them about the room so that we were bathed in warm half light. Mom took up the flash lights and stored them in the box to save the batteries. After everyone was settled, it became quiet.
I stared at the ceiling imagining the storm raging outside. In the darkness now that everyone was quiet I could hear the wind and rain beating against the house. The storm was still raging.
"Sure you're alright?" Fang whispered, his voice close to my ear. I turned my head and saw his face just inches from mine. His dark eyes glittered in the light of the flames and I couldn't help but notice how deep they looked. It was like looking into a bottomless pit. The depths of which I hadn't yet seen even though I'd known him for what seemed like a life time.
"I'm okay, ribs ache, but that's normal." Fang frowned and said, "A normal I'd hoped we'd never see again." I cocked my head to the side and looked at Fang. "Just because I got bashed in the side by a chair doesn't mean things are gonna revert back to the good ol' days." Fang glared at me. "Sorry," I muttered, meaning it but not really regretting the fact I'd said it. Fang knew this but let it go.
"Just be careful," Fang said, looking down at me. "It's not just the Flock you've got to look after now. You've got the Alex and Ari too. And that means looking after yourself."
"Thank you Dad of the year." I muttered and Fang rolled his eyes. "Come on Max."
"Fine." I looked back up at the ceiling. Fang nodded and followed my gaze.
"I can still hear the storm." he commented.
"Yeah, I wonder what damage it's done?" Fang shrugged. "These storms are getting out of hand," Maya said. I twisted my head to look at her and saw that she was huddled under a blanket beside Dylan. Jason was asleep on the bed beside Ari.
"Yeah this is like the tenth storm this month and they're only getting worse!" Nudge complained, looking around. "I mean do you guys ever remember seeing anything like this? That storm came out of no where!"
"And what about all the tornados and hurricanes? Or how about the wild fires and floods?" Holden piped up.
"It's almost as if…." Dylan looked at me. "Like the world's falling apart."
The room fell silent as the storm picked up outside. Then-.
"Maybe it is." I sat up and turned so that I was facing Jeb. He sat with his knees to his chest and his head ducked. As he spoke he looked up and glanced around the room all of which was looking at him. Finally, his eyes rested on me. "Max-." Jeb didn't get a chance to finish before I was on my feet standing in front of him already having yanked him to his feet. I slammed Jeb back against the stacked boxes lining the wall and glared at him as my eyes narrowed. "Don't, go there."
"Max I-."
"Jeb I swear to God if you go there I'll have no problem tossing you out in the middle of that storm." I jerked my head upwards as thunder echoed, shaking the house.
"Hey, Max!" Fang stood up behind me and put his hand on my shoulder. Maya, Dylan, Ratchet, Star, Gazzy, Angel, Nudge and Holden had all risen to their feet. Now they stood around me half glaring at Jeb and half staring at me in shock. I ignored them though I did notice the surprised look on my Mom's face. Apparently she thought I'd forgiven Jeb. Well, I did forgive, but I never forgot, and I never would.
Scars run skin deep.
Turning back to Jeb I glared at him. "Jeb, I saved the world. I did what you said I was supposed to do. I stopped the bad guy, I saved the mutants, and I came out of it alive. Which frankly is a lot more than I ever hoped for. I died doing my job. Somehow, I came back. Don't you think I've done enough? Don't you think I deserve a little peace? Fang was right, we should have found a deserted island a long time ago."
I let go of Jeb and he stumbled back righting himself at the last moment so that he didn't fall. I shook my head slowly and limped back clutching my ribs. Fang offered his arm but I shook my head and walked past him. "Max, I know you saved the world, but that might not be enough." I turned back to Jeb, my eyes blazing and opened my mouth to retort when he raised his hand. "There's more at work here than you could possibly imagine."
"Oh and you can?" I challenged, my hands curling into fists. Jeb's eyes were eternal as he looked at me with such sadness that I forgot my immediate anger.
"I think it's time I showed you something. Something, I'd hoped I would never have to revisit again."
And the plot thickens.
I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who gave me and my neighbors best wishes and prayers. It means a lot guys and every bit helps I believe that. So far so good. We'll see. :)
R&R&E
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