Holy cow guys! 2,195 hits!? And bordering on fifty reviews to boot! Keep it up and you will have a very happy writer on your hands. Sorry for posting later in the day, but I got caught up in Lord of the Flies, not willingly of course. I had to read it for my summer reading assignment, and I never want to touch that book again. Anyway, most of you probably aren't reading this, so I'll stop my rambling now. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I think it's already been established, hasn't it?
Chapter 21: Tears
"They are not destroying that plant without me," I vented to Fang.
After we explained out little situation to the founding JL members they decided they were going to destroy the HQ without us. Of course Fang convinced them to let the rest of the Flock come along, but they still refused to wait for me. They didn't understand. It was my responsibility. Saving the world was my job. They couldn't do this to me! I had been confined to bed rest for three days now. Give me two more and I would be fine! But no, it's too dangerous for me. Obviously they didn't know a thing about my past.
"Don't worry Max," Fang said. "We'll convince them somehow."
"How?" I crossed my arms and looked away. This could not be happening. "We've tried everything. It's obvious they're not going to listen to us."
…
I was sulking in my new room – yes, new room. They had moved me to one that smelled…well, less hospital-ish. The bed was more comfortable though. Of course they still made me wear the stupid gown, and the I.V. The nose tubes were gone though, and this room had a window. Yippee. Note unenthusiastic tone.
I stared out the round window with my arms crossed. Oi, space was dull. Couldn't I get some actual scenery around here? Now, I got stuck with black nothingness. 'Cause you know, Maximum Ride isn't allowed a break. Don't you ever cut her some slack! For those of you confused by my rant, blame the "Justice League Founding Members." Yeah, they're the people I'm trying not to think about. You can see the progress I'm making here I'm sure.
They just didn't understand, didn't get it. This was my job, my responsibility, my mission! But hey, I'm just some fifteen-year-old bird kid right? Why should they listen to me? They're adults right? Don't they know what's best for me? Yeah right. Who did they think they were, my parents?
I heard the door open and close, but I was too enthralled in my thoughts to bother finding out who it was.
"Good afternoon Max," it was the doctor.
"How could you tell?" my gaze was still focused on the black nothingness.
"Lots of practice," he chuckled.
I didn't even smile.
"So how are you feeling?" he asked.
"Fine," I said. "I'm feeling perfectly fine."
I sensed his smile fade. "Then are you going to tell me why you're in such a bad mood?"
"What, you haven't figured it out yet?" I still stared out the window.
He crossed his arms, but now in an angry way. "Enlighten me."
I sighed, and looked down at my hands. "They won't wait for me," I said. "They won't let me go on this mission."
"Max," he smiled in a sad sort of way. "This is what they do. They save the world from dangers. They don't want to wait for you to get better just so you can get hurt again."
I closed my eyes. He was just like the other adults, and all of it was starting to really wear on my patience.
"You don't understand," I whispered.
"Actually, I think I do," he said.
I glared at him and said, "Try me."
"This was your mission, this was what your family set out to do. Now you're hurt and can't fight, and you feel like the Justice League is encroaching on your territory, taking your place."
I was shaking my head. He had it all wrong! It was so much bigger than that. So much more complex. I ran my un-I.Ved hand through my hair, and stared out the window again.
"Am I wrong?" he asked.
"So wrong," my voice was almost a whisper.
"Well then, what is it?" he asked. "If I'm so far off base than what's your reason?"
I couldn't tell him. He wouldn't understand and then I'd have to explain my whole life story to him. I didn't trust him enough. I didn't trust anyone enough. Anyone except my Flock, and they already knew. But then, this man had saved my life. He had completed a complex surgery operation that saved me from…well, death. Maybe I could learn to trust him. Just enough so he would understand. So that maybe the Justice League would see just how important – how crucial I was to this mission.
I sighed, and glared at my hands. "I was created to save the world from Itex. I was given this…avian DNA, these abilities to keep the world safe from Erasers and Flyboys. Destroying that plant is my job, my sole responsibility." I looked up at him. "I was built for this. They can't do this mission without me." I begged with my eyes for him to see. He had to understand. There had to be one adult on this planet who would understand my situation.
He sighed, and put a hand on my shoulder.
"I know this mission is important to you Max," he said. "But you need to recover before you fight. You haven't healed yet. And the longer we wait the more time they have to create more monsters to throw at us. You're just going to have to sit this fight out."
I glared at my hands and almost growled. No one understood. I shrugged his hand off my shoulder. He had no right to put it there in the first place. He sighed and with a shake of his head, he left.
I stared out the window, sinking father into the bed in an attempt to find some comfort. I wrapped my arms around my waist, and leaned my head back on my pillow. And I cried.