Chapter 8
Max POV
I sighed. "Alright, kiddos. We're almost to the entrance."
Nudge nodded silently. We'd made it this far. We could go all the way.
Fang moved up in the line and stopped next to me. "Max," he said. "I...I need to tell you something."
I stopped, causing a huge traffic jam on Raid-Xeti-And-Rescue-Angel Street.
Here it comes, I thought. He's going to tell me he loves me.
I had to wait to find out, because just as he was about to say it, a gun went off.
Nudge screamed. "QUIET!" I shouted. "Let's move!"
I spread my wings and flew up and away. I felt Fang rise up next to me. But as soon as we were over the fence, I heard Fang curse and drop back down. I looked down and saw that Nudge and Gazzy hadn't moved. Fang landed next to them.
I flew back. "Guys! Come on!"
No one moved. "We have to move! Do you want to die?!" I practically screamed.
Fang turned around. He was crouched on the ground next to Nudge. Gazzy was laying on the ground. Fang straightened up. He walked over towards me and slammed me--hard--into the fence. "Shut up, Maximum," he said, and returned to his post.
I was shocked. "Um...excuse me?" I screamed.
Nudge looked at me, tears in her eyes. "Max...come here."
The sadness in her gaze drew me out of my anger. I walked over.
There was Gazzy, lying in a pool of blood.
His face was pallid and his hair had been messed up. The bullet had struck him directly in the chest, near the heart.
I knelt down. "Oh...Gazzy...I'm sorry..."
He looked at me. "Hi Max...not..your fault. Don't let me die! I...don't want..."
I kissed him lightly on the forehead. "Shh...you'll be alright."
I looked up into the sky. The gun apparently decided killing one of us was fine for today.
The tears began to fall.
"No. No!" I screamed, slamming my fists against the hard brick. It hurt. "NO! First Iggy, then Angel, and now Gazzy too?!"
"Max!" said Fang. "Settle down!"
"No!" I screamed. I turned towards him, ready to slug him. "Shut up! I've had enough of this! Enough of this pain, this death! Can't we live in peace for one freaking minute?!"
Fang walked over to me, purpose in his stride. I carried on.
"I can't! YOU WILL NOT DIE!" I said, looking at Gazzy. "You..you can't..."
Fang slammed me against the wall.
"Max," he said. "Shut. Up."
I struggled against his cold touch.
"When did Iggy die?" he asked.
"Nudge told me..." I replied. "He died when the Erasers attacked."
Fang nodded. His gaze never left me. "Promise me. Never. Ever, do that again."
I whimpered and nodded weakly.
Nudge looked at me. Her eyes were red. "Gazzy just died," she said.
I cried.
Nudge struggled the words out. "He wanted me to tell you that he loves you no matter what."
I cried even harder. I clutched the fence. "Gazzy...I'm so sorry," I whispered.
Fang came over. "It's time to go," he said, motioning towards the sky.
A plane was there, dragging a banner along after it. It read 'Welcome, Max! Hope your death is fun!'
How nice, a banner all to ourselves.
