Okay, I haven't been on here for a while, so I've revised all my chapters and corrected spelling mistakes and what not. I'm amazed at how bad my spelling used to be, but no more! I've also changed it all to normal font, and separated the different points of view with those funny lines instead of using Bold. And I've added a new, if a little short, chapter 10. Yay! Although, I haven't updated this in so long, I'm not sure my writing style in this chapter fits with the rest of the story. Please let me know. :-)
Jack sat up suddenly when he heard the scream. It was one of the worst, most heart wrenching noises he'd ever heard. So full of pain and anguish. He saw Micheal topple off his chair, falling forward in a frozen crouch. He collapsed on the floor near his chair, screaming. Jack jumped to his feet as the panic ensued. "Everybody remain calm!" he shouted, but, of course, nobody payed him any attention. He stood stock still in the middle of the turmoil, as everybody, as one, backed hurriedly away from Micheal. "Jack what's going on?" Gwen yelled to him, fear in her voice. Jack opened his mouth to answer, but his attention was caught by the girl with wings. Max jumped up suddenly, her face a picture of horrific realisation. "Everybody up and away," she shouted, "Now!" And on that command the winged children launched themselves into the air. There was a flurry of confused feathers as all of them soared up to the ceiling. Micheal knelt on the floor, curling up, covering his head, the scream having now turned to a moan. And then he started to change...
Fang launched himself into the air, gaining height easily. He tried to turn in midair to see what the hell was going on, but there wasn't time, and anyway he could picture it all too clearly.
"Everybody get away from him right now!" he yelled, grabbing a struggling Nudge by the collar of her shirt, and pulling her up to the ceiling with him. The flock perched on an outcrop of architectural design that jutted out from the domed roof. Fang caught Max's eye, and they both peered down, keeping the rest of the flock back from the edge. The screams had stopped, now there was just a low, pitiful, keening sound that sent a chill through him. Oh hell, He thought, feeling an unaccustomed sense of fear fill him. He knew what was coming, but he couldn't have pulled his eyes away from that scene. Not even if someone had offered him a thousand of those chocolate chip cookies that Max loved so much. His eyes remained fixed, even though the sight made him feel like he was about to hurl.
Fang watched the small figure that was Micheal begin to deform. His hands curled into fists as they became hairier and claw like. His face elongated, twisting into a snout. Even from this height Fang could see every detail. Slowly he shifted, and looked up... at Max. His now yellow eyes blinked up at them. His fangs just visible, poking out of his mouth. Eraser. Micheal was an Eraser! He smiled up at Max. Definitely at Max. Fang saw them lock gazes, and Max seemed to be having one of her internal conversations. He could tell because she was looking slightly distracted, and tense, with a frown on her face, all at the same time. The Micheal Eraser stared up at her. Fang glared down at him menacingly. What are you doing? He thought. Stop looking at her. He touched Max's arm, carefully pulling her back from the edge. As far as Fang was concerned, Micheal was no longer a friend, and never had been. Max looked at Fang, her beautiful eyes filled with... something, at his want to protect her, but then her eyes were drawn back to Micheal's, who hadn't taken his own eyes off her. Micheal moved into a predatory crouch. No way, Fang thought to himself. No way was that thing getting anywhere near Max. His eyes locked on the eraser's hairy body, searching for the weak points, Fang dropped off the ledge, and landed on his feet, in a half crouch in front of it.
"Fang. No!" I yelled, watching him straighten up slowly, thinking of the last time he had confronted an eraser head on. Last time Ari had almost killed him. It wasn't just Fang's safety I was thinking of. I had seen something in Micheal's eyes. There was something else there, besides the mind of an eraser. Fang began to circle Micheal, his face set. "No!" I shouted again, dropping myself off the edge and falling through the air to the floor.
I landed on my feet just as Fang said, "You know if he takes off we'll have hundreds of them after us,"
I couldn't think of anything to say to that, so I just grabbed Fang's arm and tried to pull him away. "Just wait," was all I could think to say. There was something else there. I moved closer to Micheal, still wary and keeping my distance. And then I saw it again. Micheal looked at me and there was a flicker of despair in his gaze, as if it was saying 'help me'.
Help him Max. The voice urged. I banged my ear absently as the static noise started up again. Micheal's eyes were locked on me again. I felt Fang standing just behind me. He has an annoying habit of getting as close as possible without you noticing, but now I was glad of it. I knelt down in front of Micheal, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Fang's rigid, tense form.
Suddenly Micheal's hand snapped out and he grabbed my wrist. I winced and cried out despite myself. Fang leaped forward at my gasp of pain. Micheal began to squeeze my wrist, his face totally expressionless, as I tried to wrench my arm away. I could almost feel my circulation stopping and my fingers began to go red. Oh god oh god oh god! He's going to break it, I thought as my hand began to throb. Fang shook Micheal hard, but he still had hold of my arm, so I ended up shaking too.
"Stop that!" I yelled. Micheal might have been breaking my wrist, but that was so not what I needed right now. Fang stopped immediately, giving me an apologetic look, but he didn't say anything. He gets like that sometimes. Completely silent. Fang looked from me, to Micheal, and back again, and then brought his fist back, and hit Micheal round the head with so much force, I'm sure I felt the vibrations go up my arm. Then Micheal let go, and Fang dragged me away, as if I needed dragging. " Holy freaking hell!" I growled, rubbing my already swelling wrist. Got anymore bright ideas? I thought to the voice, but, as usual, it didn't answer. I heard a strange whimper. It was Micheal.
I crouched down to his eye level again, this time at a safe distance. I tucked my wings in carefully and put my hands on my knees and just looked at Micheal. His eyes flickered oddly, gaining and losing the evil eraser glint, and then he gave a sigh, his posture drooping. He put his head in his hands and began to cry. His tears were silent, but I could see his mutated shoulders shaking. I felt my anger vanish. There was something child like about him, and I couldn't hate him. He wasn't just an eraser. I leaned my head back and looked up at Fang, who was looking on with a mixed expression of disgust and pity.