Chapter Thirteen: Birthday Fun
We stop at a small forest because the moon and stars are both out. It's late and we need to rest. I can just see that Nudge is about to open her mouth and whine that she's hungry, but I guess she thinks better of it because she just lays down on her branch and falls asleep. Everyone else but Fang and Max follow suit. They both come and sit by me on a tree far enough away that we can talk and watch the kids, but not wake them up.
Fang is usually quiet, but today he decides to ask a question. "I wonder why Itex wants Total."
"Isn't that the question on all of our minds?" Max retorts. Then she sighs and says, "I'm sorry. I'm just tired and in a bad mood. It's been a hard week and a half."
"It's okay Max," I say comfortingly. "We understand. It's hard, and we've gone through those times too. Trust me." I really hope she listened and understands that we all have truly been through this feeling before. "I'm not just telling you this to make you feel better, but because I really mean it." She sighs and nods because she understands that I mean it.
We all sit there for a while, just looking up at the stars. "Fang, Max, tomorrow is Gazzy's birthday you know." Fang nods while Max looks over at Gazzy. She frowns and then turns to look at Fang and me.
"Do you actually want to do something for him while on the way to Canada? Are you crazy?! There's nothing we can do about his birthday, and you still bring it up. How you could even think about it is beyond me." She finally stops whisper-yelling at me.
"How does this connect to you?" Fang asks very quietly. Man, how does he figure these things out when I can't? Oh yeah, this time I was being yelled at, so he had more concentration… I guess that's not as bad then.
She looks at us with grieving eyes and replies, "Tomorrow is Ozy and Frannie's birthday too and they have always celebrated it. This will be the first time they haven't. When they realize this tomorrow, it won't be fun for me. I just want the best for my kids, and now I can't give it to them because my Flock is on the run again. Please, if you do something for Gazzy, do something for my kids as well."
That explains it. "If we think of something for Gazzy, we will most defiantly do it for your kids as well. Don't you worry about that Max." She looks up at me gratefully. "So, any ideas of what to do for these three birthday kids tomorrow? I have one, but I want to hear ideas first."
"Well…" Max starts and I turn to face her. "We could go to a private beach and get some party food for them. I don't know about Gazzy, but my two would love that idea."
I say, "Great idea," just as Fang says, "I'm in with that part."
"Fang, what do you mean by that part?" I ask him while shifting my position to face him. "That made no sense to me, and I'm guessing Max as well by her expression."
"What I mean is that we need to give them a present of some kind. Not just a place to hang out." He looks skeptical.
I smile and say, "Remember how I said I had an idea? My idea is the perfect gift for them." I whisper it to them. Max smiles as she nods in agreement and Fang smiles in his eyes while he also nods. "We have a plan? Okay then, let's decide how we get the supplies and such."
An hour later Fang tells Max and I that he'll take most of the watch since the two of us would be going to get the supplies tomorrow while he watches the Flocks. I relax on a branch thinking I won't sleep for a while, and next thing I know, Max is waking up next to me with Fang shaking us lightly.
"Uhh… What time is it?" It's amazing what Max and I can say at the same time sometimes.
"Late enough that you guys need to get going now, before the Flocks wake up. I'll take them to the beach we agreed on. Go get the supplies and meet us there in about an hour and a half."
I stand up and stretch quickly and Max does the same. They we grab our backpacks and go up into the sky. We fly towards the direction of the beach for a few minutes before either of us talk, and Max talks first.
"Thanks for doing this. You didn't have to really. I know that all three of them will love this, but I'm worried about how the others will react." She laughs quietly.
I smile slightly. "I've been thinking about that and I have an idea. For my group, they can wait, but for yours, I have an idea. Just before we part, if we do, they can enjoy it also. This includes you as well, you know."
She looks over at me in amazement. "You really would do that?" she asks, her voice showing that she can't believe it.
"Yes. Now, how about we go get this food?" She smiles and nods.
We go into a Walmart pretty close to the beach and start to fill the cart with everything we'll need. In about an hour we are out of the store and flying towards the beach. When we get there, everyone rushes to meet us. When Gazzy, Ozy, and Frannie see what we have with us they all cheer loudly.
"Alright! Calm down! Man you guys know how to be loud." Max and I walk to where Fang is and pull the food out of the bags. We set all of the ice cream, chips, and soda up and serve some for everyone. In about two minutes Gazzy's up to the food area again asking for seconds.
We do this for about an hour, and then the younger kids all take off and dive into the water from the air. This gives Max, Fang, and me a chance to finally relax.
"They're having fun." I say.
"Seems like a whole lot of fun, but we had better rest while we have the chance," is the reply from Max.
We lean against some rocks for about an hour before we call Gazzy in. "Hey Gazzy! Come here for a second!" I call out loud enough for him to hear out in the water. He comes over very fast to find out what's going on.
"Yes Max?"
"Get dressed in dry clothes after you dry yourself and then come back over here." He looks like he's about to complain, but I intervene at my sternest. "Now Gazzy." He nods and goes to get dried off and in dry clothes.
"Why are you making him get dry?" Max asks.
"So he doesn't get too cold and then get a cold from it." She nods and continues to watch the rest of the kids in the sea.
Gazzy comes running up. "Okay, I'm dry. Why do I have to be dry now?"
I grin evilly and stand up. "Because of this." I fly up and then swoop down and grab him by his arms.
"What are you doing?!?!?!" I ignore him and then go into hypersonic speed and fly like that for a few moments before I look down at his excited face. "WOW!!! This is AWESOME!!! So this is what your hypersonic speed is like! Keep it up, I don't want to stop!"
I keep flying at 250mph for about ten more minutes before I turn around and take another ten minutes to get back to the beach. I set him down on the sand by Max and Fang before I touch down myself. He looks to happy and excited still.
"That was so AWESOME!!! Can you ever do that again, Max?" His smile is so big that we can all tell he loved it.
"Happy Birthday, Gazzy. I'm glad you loved your gift so much. I might take you for a ride again sometime. We'll see about that." He thanks me about five more times and then goes to tell the others what I just did with him.
"Time for Ozy I think." Max nods and calls Ozy in to get dry. This time he can guess what is coming to he rushes into dry clothes as fast as he can. I get up and grab him by the arms like I did to Gazzy. A few moments later he is yelling in my ear in his excitement.
"This is as awesome as Gazzy said!!! Thank you so much!!!!!" I don't even have to look at his face to know he looks exactly like Gazzy did before.
I go the exact same path as before and then head back from the same point. When we get back everyone is in dry clothes and waiting on the beach. This time I just put Ozy on the ground and grab Frannie by the arms. It's amazing I'm not tired from this already, but I feel just fine.
This time I don't get a scream in my ear, but when I look down to check that she's fine I'm looking at a face of pure joy. I actually made her so happy that she can't even talk. It makes me feel so good inside to know that I've just done that. I fly a minute past where I took the boys and then turn around. We get back to the beach and I set her down and then drop down next to Max.
Frannie comes over to us and hugs us. We hear her crying in her joy and hug her back. That's when Gazzy and Ozy come over and hug us in thanks for their favorite gift ever. The two boys don't cry like Frannie, but you can tell all three share the joy and happiness.
We let them all go and Frannie wipes her eyes. They all whisper to each other so quietly, even Iggy is leaning in to try and hear. Fang comes to my side just as they turn to face us. Simultaneously they say, "Thank you for the best birthday we have ever had!"
That made me feel so good that I wish we could live like this forever, but we can't. We have to go towards Canada tomorrow. Everyone suddenly looks at us and we all say, "You're very welcome." I think for just a moment and then add, "And enjoy the rest of your day here."
Everyone cheers and everyone – including Max, Fang, and I – goes to the ocean to enjoy the last day before we go after Itex again.
I'm really sorry that I haven't updated in so long. I've been really busy lately and couldn't even write. I'll try to write chapter 14, but I can't make any promises to when it will come.
This was, by the way, my favorite chapter to write. Them finally getting a day to relax and have fun was enjoyable and a nice change from the mood of the rest of the story.
In my world: My friends who moved to Dubai back in May have been visiting. I'm also waiting for Twilight to come out. Otherwise, I'm just going through school.
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Thanks for reading!
Edited: 10/10/09