15

When my arm felt a little better, we started flying again. It took about four hours to reach the house. When it came into view, Fang and I immediately sped up a bit. When we arrived, Gazzy was the one to open the door. He looked at us in shock.

"Guys!" he said excitedly. "Their back!" As soon as Gazzy said that, we were pulled in and surrounded by happy bird kids, my mom, and even my half-sister, Ella.

"Oh, Max!" Ella cried. "As soon as I heard what happen I came over. I'm so sorry!"

"Then thank Fang. He saved me." Ella squeezed Fang in a hug. I could easily tell that he didn't like it, but he didn't pull away.

"Okay, guys. I think Max gets that you miss her. Now lets give her some time just to go in her room," my mom said. Man, I love her. She turned to me and smiled. "I'll be in a bit with something to eat."

I walked to my room and lay down on the bed. Quick recap:

1) I'd been kidnapped and brought back to the school. They were still after me.

2) Fang now believes me.

3) Everyone is still in one piece.

Just then my mom came in with a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, and an English muffin. The serving was about enough for three people. I wolfed it down in about fifteen minutes. Once I was done with my meal, I put the plates down beside my bed and stared up the ceiling and relaxed. My thoughts were interrupted by a shaggy head poking into my room. Fang.

"Hey," he said. "I thought you might want some company."

He slid into the room and sat down on the bed right next to me. Fang reached over to take my arm, but as soon as his hand touched me, I shrieked in pain. The pain was back but it was even worse now. It shot up my arm and got to my shoulder.

My mom came running in, being trailed by the rest of the flock, led by Dylan.

"What happened?" my mom yelled. "Did he hurt you?" She looked accusingly at Fang.

"What? No!" I said. "Fang would never do anything to hurt me."

"Well then what happened!" she yelled.

"We were just... sitting here, and my arm started hurting," I explained. "When Fang touched me," I said more quietly.

"Well are you okay right now?"

"Yeah, mom, I'm fine. It's gone."

"Well you be careful," she said. She gave Fang a mean glare and left the room. Then Fang turned to me and gave me a killer look, his kind and loving, and walked out.

Fang's POV

Fang walked out of Max's room and went to his own room. What was wrong with Max's arm! All he knew was that it had something to do with her torture at the School. He needed to know.

Max's POV

I walked out of my room and went to the living room where I found the rest of the flock watching T.V. I sat down and numbed my mind with the show. It was just what I needed. After all that I've been through; the School, the torture, Fang. I needed to get my mind off my life for a few hours. And with my life, no one can say I didn't need it or deserve it. I was sitting in a safe living room with my flock, my mom, and my half sister. It was the best time I'd had in years. Which, if you think about it, is pretty sad. My life couldn't get better.

That's when reality dawned on me. Where's Fang? I hadn't seen him since he walked out of my room. Trying hard to act casual, I got up wand walked to Fang's room. What I saw made my heart stop and my blood run cold.

There, on the bed, was a single folded piece of paper with one word written in Fang's scraggly handwriting.

Max.