Chapter 10

"So where're you guys headed?" I asked.

Max looked at me warily, like she had x – ray vision or something, like I was a spy. Her face soon cleared as she realized that I wouldn't be so dumb as to get myself shot on purpose. As if!

"Well, we don't know yet," she said.

"Is it possible maybe I could come with? I mean, I'd of course have to check my schedule. Let's see: Monday, don't get killed, Tuesday, don't get killed, Wednesday, don't get killed . . . Yeah . . . my week is actually pretty basic. You? Anything on your schedule?" I asked, cracking a smile.

Everyone sort of grinned at me. Yay, I was making a good impression! Or maybe a sarcastic one . . . Max ran a hand through her mid – back long hair and looked at me. "I don't know yet," she sighed, "But whatever the case, we can't leave you here like this. Bird kids gotta stick together. So we'll wait until you're healed, or until we get attacked by Erasers, 'til we leave."

I nodded slowly, gasping as a gash on my neck stretched painfully.

Noticing this, Max got up and dusted off her jeans, "Ig, I think we need to change Kari's bandages. Come help me. Fang, watch the kids. Kids, go play." Everyone raced (not exactly) to do whatever Max told them to do. Except Iggy.

"Max," he said cautiously, "I really don't think she wants me near her."

"Nonsense," Max said, "Without you, Kari would be in a lot of trouble. And you helped save her more than once. She'll be okay with it. Right Kari?" She fixed me with a hard glance.

"Sure," I shrugged, half – okay, and half – not. I mean, the guy was touching me. I hit him of course. But what was I supposed to do? Call 911?

Both knelt next to me, unwrapping and unsticking bandages from my still – not - healed bullet wounds, many of which were still bleeding/oozing. I hissed slightly in pain. Max gave me a small it's-all-right smile before unrolling a long strip of gauze.

Iggy unscrewed the top of an antiseptic bottle off and handed it to Max. He then ran his pale, long fingers over my stomach.

I gasped. "What are you doing?!" I said loudly.

Max glared at me darkly, before reading the disbelief and confusion written on my face. "Couldn't you tell?" Max asked.

"Tell what?" I asked. I glanced at Iggy, he looked perfectly fine.

"I'm blind," He said, as though stating the obvious.

"Oh my God, no!" I said, horrorstruck. He wasn't a pervert! He was probably feeling my injuries with his super-sensitive fingers! "Iggy, I am so so so so so so so so sorry!" I exclaimed, "I didn't know!"

"It's okay," he mumbled. But right at that moment, Max just had to pour the burning antiseptic into my biggest and most open wound. I jumped and on reflex grabbed Iggy's arm. I let go hurriedly, whispering an embarrassed, "sorry".

"It's okay," he said again, "Just squeeze my hand when it hurts, but don't crush it." He held his hand out to me, and I grabbed it again as Max poured on more antiseptic. This time I think she did it on purpose. I blushed a shade of pink, and I thought Iggy did too, but I was more focused on the searing pains of my injuries. However, soon it was done and Iggy was gone to go fly with the rest of the Flock, with a soft smile to me (!!!), Max pounced on me.

"You like Iggy, don't you?" She murmured.

"So what if I do?" I retorted.

"No need to jump all over me. If you don't, then fine. But if you do, then I'm going to warn you now. You're the newbie. And as the newbie you're going to have a lot to learn. I am the leader and protector of my Flock, and if you hurt, intentionally or accidentally, one of them, I will see no reason to hunt you down and kill you myself. Got it?" Max hissed threateningly.

"Yes ma'am," I said, resisting the urge to do a military salute.

"Good," Max said, cracking a smile, "I'll bring you out to the ledge, but no jumping off the cliff this time, okay?" She helped me to the outcropping of rock and then flew off with the rest of her Flock. God, I missed flying. I couldn't wait to get back in the air again. I heard a soft rustle next to me and saw white wings. Angel.

Hi Kari.

Hi.

Do you like my family?

Mostly.

Kari, is it painful? Your memories?

Memories of what?

Your past.

I . . . don't know.

Do you have a family somewhere out there?

I don't know. I've never met them.

I have parents. Somewhere out there. But they're not my real family. This is my real family.

That's nice to think of.

You have a brother though. Right? Like I have Gazzy?

Yeah, Derrick. Oh gosh, Derrick! I should be looking for him! I shouldn't just be sitting idly around! I have to find him before the big lug gets in trouble! I –

Calm down. We'll go to find him. She patted my hand reassuringly. I'll ask Max and Fang later. But I'm going to play tag now. Bye.

She flew off, gracefully. I replayed the conversation in my head. What happened to my past? Did I even have one? I shook my head, confused. Soon the light turned grayish and everyone flew in to snack on cold fast-food remnants and granola bars. Then they did this weird fist stacking thing (with me off to the side, uncomfortable) and everyone went to sleep. Including me. For about a peaceful half-hour.

I woke up, my right arm screaming in pain. I felt the blood dripping out of my arm onto my pants. The bleeding began to clot finally and I went back to sleep. For a whopping hour. Jeezum! My head was now throbbing. I groaned softly, holding it in my hands. The pain faded away and I went back to sleep for another half-hour before I woke up again, wincing in pain from my abdomen.

I slept like this for almost until about 2 – in – the – morning – ish. I woke up in pain (what'd you know) and sat up. I couldn't sleep like this! I strenuously sat up and made my way out to the rock ledge. I was surprised to see a white head on the ledge. Iggy.