The next morning, I found myself jolted awake by a nightmare. This time it was Dylan, only when I went to hug him, he wasn't Dylan. Grotesquely ripping off his flesh and skin, a blood drenched eraser stood before me. "What, Skylar?" He asked with a smile. "Do you not love me?"
He lunged for my throat as I bolted upright in my sleeping bag. Max, Angel, and Nudge were sleeping soundly at my side. I couldn't stay in the tent any longer, haunted by the images of my dream. Not wanting to wake anyone, I tip-toed around them. Exiting the tent, I saw a silhouette in the distance, blackened by the vibrant horizon. I flew to him.
Dylan glanced up at me and smiled. His face was illuminated by the soft golden light of the morning. "Nightmare?" "How did you know?" I asked.
He looked away. "Because," he replied softly. "I get them too." The sun was just rising and the sky bled color's across the clouds. Africa was surprisingly a calm place. I was expecting the howling of monkeys and wild zebra to be running around.
Instead it was just the calming sway of the tall grasses in the morning breeze and the silent buzzing of the insects in the area.
I looked at Dylan, staring at the planes of his face. "I missed you," I told him forwardly. I didn't know if it was the fright of my dream or just having him here with me, but I felt like I needed to say it. "Everyday. I thought about you everyday and how it should've been me that died. I was supposed to anyways, you were supposed to live."
He looked confused, "What do you mean you were supposed to die?" "A nurse told me, before we went in for surgery. I was expected to die because I was supposedly the weaker one." "That's ridiculous!" Dylan snapped. "You were always stronger."
I smiled, "Not really." "Yes, really. You never once shed a tear except for the day they brought you in and your family had sold you. You never let them get to you." Dylan gripped my hand tightly in his. I hung my head. "That was before I thought you were dead." And that was the truth. I guess I had been strong before Dylan's death. B
But after he had died, I lost it. I wouldn't eat or drink, I rarely slept, and I never went through with any tests the scientists wanted to run on me. I wasn't dead, but I wasn't living. That was until they told me that they had a way to bring him back, if I did as was told. I did everything they asked, allowed myself to be probed and studied like animal just so I could see Dylan.
"So… Fang." He was trying to change the topic, but he only steered us into awkward territory. "What about him?" I tried to sound casual. "Does he love you?" "I don't know," I had the feeling Fang loved me, but he had never said it. "Let me rephrase," Dylan's face was lit with a grin. "Do you love him."
Yes, I did. My cheeks heated as I blushed. I didn't answer. "Tell me." I looked at the ground, not meeting Dylan's gaze. Dylan's grin widened, "You do." He could read me like I was an open book when in fact I was the opposite. That's how we had always been. He was the sun and I was the moon. One of us was glowing golden with life, while the other glowed but always kept a part hidden. I was guarded, but Dylan always knocked down those walls.
We both just stood there in comfortable silence with each other for a long time until we heard angry footsteps behind us. Max stalked to us with her arms folded over her chest and a scowl on her face. It had slipped my mind until then that Dylan was supposed to be meant for Max. And she didn't seem to happy to talk to him, let alone love him.
Dylan's lips parted as if he were about to say something but no sounds escaped him. "Breakfast is ready," Max announced before spinning on her heel and walking away, never once looking back.
I understood why Max was upset, truly I did. But one thing she did need to acknowledge was that it wasn't Dylan's fault. Her anger shouldn't have been directed towards him but it was. Because even though he wasn't what was angering her, he was the face to what was.
Dylan's face fell a bit. "Hey," I smiled at him. "I'll talk to her if you'd like." "You don't have to do that," he said, but his face still upturned with hope. "I will. Now come on, let's go get breakfast."
Everyone was already seated around yet another campfire, sitting on rocks and lawn chairs with plates piled high. I took a seat next to Fang who handed me a plate of food. "Thanks," he gave me a slight grin and continued to speak with one of the scientists next to him.
They were discussing something about bone density that I didn't feel like talking about. I had heard enough conversations about my anatomy and biology that I didn't need a recap.
The Flock chatted quietly while inhaling the food placed before them, but Max sat in silence. She glowered at Dr. Guntherhagan with intensity, her eyes flicking to Dylan to give him a glare every so often. Yes, I would most definitely need to talk to her.
Halfway through the meal, she stood up and left. I followed even as Fang gave me a confused look. I found her in the tent, gathering up food and our belongings into backpacks. She didn't glance up at me as she said, "We're leaving."
"No." She turned to look at me for the first time and her eyebrows raised with a challenge. "Yes, we will. You don't have to come, you can stay with your cozy little lab rat, but the Flock is leaving." My stomach flipped at the thought of not being apart of the Flock.
"Max," I blew puffs of air through my cheeks in exasperation. "Give Dylan a chance. It's not like he decided that he would be made for you. You don't even have to date him, but just be nice to him. Your acceptance means everything to him."
Max's hard gaze faltered, "That's his problem." "He's like us, he has wings. He might even be able to help us." "You don't understand," she waved her hand to dismiss me. "Then help me understand," I knew she wasn't mad at me directly, but her resentment at the moment still stung.
"I-I, look, every part of my life had been planned. My body, my wings, my personality, everything was designed down to the last detail, by scientists and the School. So when we escaped, I don't know, I guess I decided I never wanted anybody to choose for me. Being free doesn't mean not being locked in a cage, being free means choice," she continued. "And once that choice is taken away, we're never really free."
I understood freedom well for someone who'd hardly ever experienced it. But those who had lacked it in their pasts often understood it the best. I realized Max feared the very thing I did, a lack of control. On who we were, on who we were to be, where we were, and who we were supposed to love.
I nodded, "Just try to give him a shot. You don't have to do anything if you decide you don't want to. But, don't decide just yet."
Author's Note: Hi guys! So I'm sorry this chapter is a little late, I've been really busy. But I have been a little stumped on where I want the story to go, so if you have any story ideas, please let me know. I truthfully would love the help. Don't forget, please review, follow and favorite. Thanks. XOXO- Skai
