What Kind of Fairy Tale is This?

Fairy Tales Have No Blind Mutant Bird Kids...Until Now

By: Edna B.

Chapter 14

Max's POV

Don't turn back, Max, The voice said. You are more important than him. You need to save the world.

I growled angrily, kicking a clod of dirt in the distance, automatically shrinking into myself when it caused a loud clanking sound at the end of the cave. I turned around, staring at my flock. Well, what was left of it. They slept soundly, the fire illuminating their exhausted features. Angel was sleeping...well...like an angel. Gazzy tossed and turned, the tear streaks on his face making my eyes water. Fang slept soundly, sitting upright in the corner, barely visible. Nudge sat, staring into the flames, picking at the stone floor.

I walked over and sat by her, relishing in the silence. It had been a long day.

"Why aren't we going back for Iggy?" she asked, a solitary tear slowly sliding down her cheek, paving a maze through the soot and grime.

I snaked my arm around her shoulders. "We will go back for him."

Liar, said The Voice.

I know what you're thinking. Max! How could you? Iggy was your brother! You can't just leave one of the Flock behind! And believe me, I was thinking the same exact thing. The Voice was pulling me in one direction while my heart was pulling me in another. I knew I should have turned back for Iggy a long time ago. But The Voice had urged me forward. I literally had to carry Gazzy the entire way to the cave. Iggy's separation had us all shaken, but none more than Gazzy, his partner in crime.

I kept seeing it over and over again in my head. Iggy's face was burned into my retina. I could see the terror and confusion in his sightless eyes as the bullet caused his body to jerk slightly.

Goddamn, I hope he was still alive.

He doesn't matter, The Voice cut in. You know your mission. Stick to it.

He was my brother, I argued.

He's not, and you know it. The both of you are related in no way, shape or form.

I don't care what you say. Iggy's my brother, and we're going back for him.

Too late, The Voice stated. I closed my eyes, to shocked to even think up a question.

I shook my head. You're lying.

Iggy's dead.

"Are you sure we will go back for him? Do you promise?" Nudge asked, wiping away her tears.

"Of course."

Liar. And this time, the voice in my head was my own.

…

Iggy's POV

Why the heck did I ever agree to this?

Elanore shoved a backpack into my hands and I hastily threw it on. She ran around, her footsteps echoing in my ears. I leaned against the door frame to keep my body from shaking.

No...I was not shaking. I was...moving.

"Calm down, Iggy," Elanore said as she swept by, shoving a bagel into my hands. "It's just school."

"Yeah," I said, taking a bite of the bagel. "Just school."

"I'm glaring at you, Ig," she said. In that moment, she reminded me so much of Max. She always used to say I'm rolling my eyes at you, Ig, in the same tone and everything. It was then it occurred to me, why am I even still here? Sure, my wings were weeks away from healing, but I still had 2 feet that were perfectly capable of walking.

Elanore grabbed my hand and pulled me out the door. Her hand was soft and warm. Oh yeah, that was why I was still here.

I have to admit, she got on my last nerves and said things to me that no one else would.

But that's why I liked her. She was like nothing I've ever met before. Granted, my social circle isn't very large, but that doesn't matter. I used to think Max was pigheaded and blunt. Well, Elanore could give Max a run for her money...

Not that Max had any money. We were kind of...homeless.

The wind outside was crisp and sliced at my face like a million tiny relentless knives. We waited, surrounded by an uncomfortable silence, for the bus.

When we had came back home from Dr. Martinez's a couple nights ago, Elanore had introduced me to her parents. I can't believe they bought that crap-faced lie about me being a foreign exchange student. Although, Dr. M did forge some completely persuasive paperwork...

Her parents were suspicious, but Jack explained that I was part of the Doctor's for Doctor's program, which is some idiotic program where doctor's in training go to live with professional doctor's to get some experience. So I had to actually pretend to be interested when Jack rambled on about inverse patella reconstruction and things of the sort. Although it was boring as Hell, I resorted to listening, seeing as how I'm the medic in the Flock. Hey, maybe I can even become and official doctor.

Dr. Iggy. Hm... I like it.

After the awkward explanations and sleeping arrangement plans (I was sleeping on the couch. Yay.) Elanore's parents called the school and I was able to get all my classes scheduled with her. But it was going to be tough going. Elanore was a smart cookie, and in all AP classes. And I was...well...a level under monkey.

Needless to say, Dr. Iggy was going to need a crap-load of tutoring.

Somehow, I didn't think Elanore would mind too much.

The bus pulled up, its engine roaring loudly, hurting my oversensitive ears. I clenched my teeth and walked up the stairs, and straight into Hell.

Literally.

It was stuffy, hot, crowded and loud. Everything I dreaded. Without thinking, I found Elanore's hand and squeezed. Surprisingly, she squeezed back. She led us to the very back and sat me down right next to a window. Because, you know, I just love to watch the scenery go by...

"I don't like this," I whispered in her ear. "Not one bit. I'm itching to stretch out my wings."

"Well, gee. They're kind of all cut up right now, so it would be quite painful," she whispered back. "I don't like the bus either. I'm claustrophobic. If I can deal with it, so can you."

"Claustrophobic?" I asked, repositioning by wings slightly, concealing them ever more as I felt 30 interested pairs of eyes locked on mine.

"You know, when you're uncomfortable in small spaces-"

"I know what it means," I spat. "I'm not a complete moron. I was just surprised that you of all people are claustrophobic."

She paused. "Why can't I be claustrophobic?"

You know those sitcom moments where the husband and wife sit down for a nice dinner, and then the husband accidentally says something that pisses the wife off? And she doesn't get angry, she get's overly nice with a hint of threat in her voice?

Well, that is what I had gotten myself into. And this time, I didn't think there would be a silly joke and sitcom laughter to ease the tension.

"Uh...because you're the toughest girl I know?" I said, trying to feed her ego.

"What makes you think I'm so tough?" she said, the frown audible in her voice.

"Do you not remember practically beating me up in the forest?" I said with a smile.

"Oh yeah." She fell silent after that, her fingers lightly drumming against her lap throughout the duration of the entire bus ride.

No applause.

No laughter.

Elanore's POV

"Why can't I be claustrophobic?" I asked, starting to get annoyed. I mean, come on. I'm a human too.

"Uh...because you're the toughest girl I know?" he said, his voice shaking slightly, a nervous laugh breaking the surface. If this was a sitcom moment, he would have been tugging at his collar. If he was wearing one...

"What makes you think I'm so tough?" I'm tired of being the tough girl. Being tough won't get me anywhere in life. Yeah, I can beat people up who annoy me. But what boy in their right mind would want a girl who is tough? I look around me everyday, and see girls with blonde hair and cherry pink lip gloss, wearing skirts and making out with boys in the hallway. Whilst I trudge though them, wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and worn converse, mumbling dark curses as people scurry out of my way.

What boy could ever love that?

How could Iggy ever love that?

I shoved that thought away.

"Do you not remember practically beating me up in the forest?" he said, smiling.

"Oh yeah." Well, you know what? That's the old me. From now on, I want to be one of those girls with the cherry lip gloss. I want to make out with boys in the hallway. I want to have blonde hair, and flip it over my shoulder when a boy walks by. I want all the boys to look at me and actually think that I'm worthy enough to ask to homecoming.

And I kinda want Iggy to be that boy...

I'm tired of being tough.

It's time to break down my walls and become...ahem...girly.

Hope you guys enjoyed the little Max tidbit. You've been asking about her for a while, so I thought I would please my readers. I actually had fun writing that part, so you can expect some more Max in the future.

But, I am so going to have fun with the next chapter. Throw in a bunch of highschoolers bullying a blind kid, add a tough girl hopelessly trying to be girly, throw in an unexpected crush that changes everything, and you have an amazing chapter. Tune in for it.

Edna B.

P.S. And sorry I have not updated in a while. I've been busy planning my mother's 50th surprise party. But now that that is over, I have time to write more, so be expecting some chapters throughout the week for all of my stories.