Chapter twenty one

My eyes fluttered open, my stomach was killing me.

Looking around I saw that I was in the medical room.

I sat up on the bed. Nudge was sitting in a chair, her face pale as she looked at me worriedly, Lissa was still unconscious on another bed and Hannah, Dylan and Sam looked injured too, Iggy was patching up Fang's arm and Sky had a couple of plasters on her face and her left hand was heavily bandaged.

I looked around, found my t-shirt, which was covered in blood and pulled it on.

"What happened when I was unconscious?" I asked.

"I attacked Jeb, he got me with the knife, Jeb, Mark and that other guy ran away, and I carried you to the medical room." Fang explained.

I looked back at everyone's injuries, especially Fang's arm, unwanted memories flooded my head, I tried to shut them out but couldn't...

Flashback

"Luke, Max, come on we shouldn't be doing this." 7 year old Nudge said as 7 year old Luke and me hacked into Jeb's computer.

We had sneaked into Jeb's study while he was at the pub with his friends, Mum was still at work.

Luke and I had been wondering what was on Jeb's computer for a long time.

Nudge was looking out for Jeb at the window while I looked out the door and Luke sat at the computer.

"Ummm, Nudge, I forgot how to do this part." Luke said.

Nudge sighed as she walked over to Luke and the computer.

She hissed instructions in his ear as Luke typed furiously on the keyboard.

I looked over at them, Nudge was now leaning over Luke and typing while Luke watched.

Suddenly I heard the downstairs door slam, I listened intently and I heard Jeb's and Mark's slurred talking.

"Get off the computer, they're here." I hissed behind my back.

I could now hear them walking upstairs, I looked back at Nudge and Luke who were trying to turn the computer off.

My eyes widened in fear as I heard Jeb and Mark reach the top of the stairs.

I took a deep breath, looked once more at Nudge and Luke and walked out of the study closing the door behind me.

Jeb saw me outside his study and walked, well stumbled drunkenly, toward me.

"What are you doing here?" Jeb demanded.

"Standing around." I shrugged.

Jeb slapped me, my head twisted to the one side on impact and my cheek felt like it was burning.

I heard Nudge gasp and Luke whisper something on the other side of the door.

"Where's your brother and sister?"

I shrugged again. "I dunno, out?"

"Don't lie, I heard them."

I bit my lip as he stared at me.

"Where. Are. They?" He growled.

I bit my lip harder and refused to answer him.

He slapped me again.

"If you don't answer I will have to punish you."

And this isn't? It took all my will power not to spit at him, so I glared instead.

Jeb sighed, pretending that he's sorry for this but I could see that he was enjoying it.

"You leave me with no choice, Maxie."

He grabbed the top of my arm and dragged me to the top of the stairs, I looked down them, remembering Liam crying and screaming before he was pushed and he died.

I bit my lip even harder, drawing blood, to stop the tears.

"Bye, Maxie." Jeb said before pushing me.

With a startled cry I fell, it felt like it was all happening in slow motion, Jeb's and Mark's drunk faces grinning, Luke and Nudge running round the corner, me hitting the first step. After that it all sped up, I tumbled down, I heard and felt my arm snap just before I reached the bottom.

Tears came to my eyes but I refused to cry.

Luke and Nudge knelt by my body as I sucked in lung full after lung full of air.

Flashback end

"Max? Max?"

I blinked a couple of times and my eyes focused on Nudge.

"Had a trip to memory lane?"

I nodded.

"What about?"

"My arm breaking."

"We never should have tried to hack in to Jeb's computer in the first place."

I sighed. "I know that now."

We heard a knock at the door and I motioned for everyone to be silent.

"We know you're in there Maxie, Come out and play."

Oh crap.