So close! SO close to 200 reviews, guys, you rock!
Anyway… This chapter will be unbearably short-
Fang: -be mad! Be very, very mad.
Me: No, don't! Because this chapter leads to the big one… the chapter you've all been waiting for… sort of... and without further ado, I give you…
CHAPTER TEN!
MaxPOV
"MAX! I NEED YOU DOWN HERE, NOW!" shouted Dr M from downstairs, where I could hear faint sounds of utter chaos.
Which I probably had to deal with.
I sighed and took out my iPod, wrapping the cord around it (I finally got it back after a week of grounding!) and threw it on my bed, bounding down the stairs. The sight that greeted me was almost exactly as I had expected it.
Gazzy and Iggy were protesting loudly about something to Dr M, who was questioning them with an apprehensive look on her face. Nudge was blabbering almost incoherently about bacon knows what to Ella. Angel was tugging on Ella's hand and smiling at her with faux innocence, looking like she was trying to persuade her to do something, and Ella looked rather confused. Dr M herself was looking rather haphazard; strands of hair from her bun were falling about her face, and said face was flushed from exertion.
And oh, man, the noise was just too much.
"SHUT UP!" I yelled, getting everyone's attention. They looked to me with wide eyes that had a little bit of fear in them- good. "Okay, Dr M, what did you need?"
She rubbed her temples tiredly, turning away from the twins. "Well, I'm going to the grocery store and running a few other errands, and dropping Iggy and Gazzy off to see Super 8- I need you to check them for any potential weapons." The twins smirked deviously, and I gave them a warning glare. "Ella, Nudge, and Angel are going to the park, and I wondered if you'd… escort them. It's close by, sort of, so you can walk." I knew what she meant- those girls weren't exactly the best at self-defense, and I don't really trust the streets...
Why does it feel like I do everything around here sometimes? But anyway, I agreed. "Sure, but can I go home after they get there? I don't feel like staying at the park…" It was chilly today, and I really don't like cold. At all.
"Sure," she sighed. "But Ella, make sure you call her as soon as you want to leave." Ella nodded.
Dr M disappeared down the hallway, probably into her bedroom, and I turned to Ig and Gazzy with a menacing look on my face. "Bombs. Give 'em here, now," I growled. They groaned and turned out their jeans pockets- several small objects fell out, and I took them with care- don't want them exploding in my hand, now, do I?
I put my free hand on my hip and tapped my foot, noticing their failed poker faces. "Are you sure you don't have any more?" I asked, my voice dangerously sweet.
Gazzy gulped nervously and Iggy fiddled with the hem of his jacket. "I'm waiting," I informed them, raising an eyebrow. And then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Gazzy's right hand twitch towards his jacket.
"AHA!" I yelled in triumph, and pounced on him.
"NO! Don't take those!" he shouted. "We worked on these for weeks!" I ignored him and reached inside his pocket, grabbing two slightly larger black objects, wires of all colors visible. (Sorry, but how am I supposed to know what a small bomb looks like?)
"And what were you planning to do with these? Blow up the theater?" I demanded, waving them in front of their faces.
"Nah, they're just stink bombs, but really powerful ones," denied Iggy, smirking. "And besides, we don't need them as long as we have Gazzy." That last comment earned him a punch to the gut from his brother.
"What?" Iggy wheezed, clutching his abdomen. "It's true."
I rolled my eyes. "Cause anybody any physical damage, and there'll be hell to pay," I warned them, walking over to Ella, Nudge, and Angel.
"Okay, let's get this over with," I mumbled.
"Aww, can't Maxie take a little cold?" Ella teased. I just facepalmed, having learned that glares didn't affect her. At all.
"All right, boys, let's head out," said Dr M hurriedly, rushing in with keys in hand and purse in the other. "You'll miss your movie if we don't get there soon."
And then, I realized that someone was missing from this now slightly less chaotic scene. "Hey Dr M," I called. "Where's Fang?"
"Oh, probably still asleep- I checked on him a while ago, and he drifted off with his iPod in," she dismissed. "See you all in a couple hours!" She shut the door behind Iggy, Gazzy, and herself, leaving me and the girls standing alone on the living room.
I grabbed my gray jacket from where it was slung over the couch and slipped it on. "So where exactly is this park of yours?"
"Umm, it's only about a block away, just follow me. We'll get there in no time, and then you can come back here…" said Ella, shrugging, and we were out the door.
FangPOV (THis is about to get freaky.)
About five minutes after I heard everyone leave, I finally sat up in my bed, deciding that they wouldn't be back anytime soon- I'd just been pretending to be asleep when Dr M came in, so they'd all leave me the hell alone.
Because at the time, I'd just woken up from another nightmare.
Another nightmare about Maya, I should add.
I saw her again… I saw her body. There had been blood, so much blood, everywhere, the voices of police and neighbors muffled by the shock and pain running through my mind. Every single damn time I relived that night in my dreams, it was just too much to take.
So I stood, stretched, and walked over to my desk, sitting. In the very back of the drawer, there was a knife; five inches of steel, adequately sharpened. I'd hidden it from the people at the adoption agency when I'd been sent there; at first, I had only kept it for safety… but then, its purpose had changed. I flipped it open and pushed the sleeve of my sweatshirt back, laying the cool blade against my skin.
It's... it's not a feeling you can easily escape. You get a feeling like you should be doing this; an urge, in a way. You think 'it'll be better if you do this. It'll be a distraction.' As I dragged the tip across my flesh, I closed my eyes and smiled slightly to myself; the pain was… intoxicating. I felt the warmth of my blood flow out and trickle down my wrist, landing on the dark wood of the desk- I'd clean it up later, before it dried.
I was always careful not to cut too deep, or make too many at once, no matter how tempting it was; I didn't want to pass out- then they'd notice for sure.
Maya…
I could see her again…
Just a little deeper… A little more…
The blade wavered a little over my arm as I battled my own mind, I didn't know for sure what was beyond… and I should stay, for Max- no, I mean all of these guys…
They're not your family. Don't you want too see your parents again? Maya?
And suddenly, I heard footsteps, and my door flew open.
I'm so evil, I know. Deal with it.
Fang: She gets way too much joy out of trolling you guys for it to be healthy…
Me: Yup! It's true. But... about the whole cutting stuff. Well, the feeling- emotional, not physical- it wasn't exactly based off imagination. But don't worry, I'm not a cutter. So the physical... I've never owned or used a knife like that. So I seriously do not know what that feels like.
-Sierra