Cheating Death – Chapter 6
By MyNameIsCAL
I tried to make light of everything that was going on. Being at the hospital, it kept Max between here and home, or at someone else's house. That reduced her chances of ending up in a situation where I couldn't save her. I'd beg her to stay, just so I could keep her safe, and because being alone in the hospital was terrifying. The doctor wouldn't let me go yet. He said another week. I felt like being here only made things worse.
"You need to relax," Max said, trying to soothe me.
"I want to go home." I must have sounded like a five year old, begging their mother that they couldn't take wherever they were any longer.
"I know." She patted my arm. "I'd like to have you home too. It's not the same being there without you."
Max was trying to get me to smile, to relax, and to either fall asleep or have a conversation with her. Iggy, Gazzy, and I decided we weren't going to tell her about our Itex theory until more research was done. Maybe the guilt was getting to me too.
"The doctor wants to give you medication to relax," she told me. "But I told him that you'd have none of that."
I closed my eyes. "Thank you."
She kissed my forehead. "Please, just rest. The week will be over before you know it."
"Are you going home?" I asked.
Max took my hand. "Well, that was my plan. I'll stay if you want."
"Please," I begged.
She slipped into bed next to me. "Alright, but you gotta sleep."
And I tried to.
Home. I was home again, but it felt bittersweet. The first thing I did was go to the backyard and unfurl my wings, stretching them from all their days of no use. It felt nice, even if I wasn't flying, to have a breeze hit them.
Max came out, holding a couple of sodas. I pulled my wings back and took a seat next to her on the steps leading back inside.
"Iggy and Nudge's wedding is in four days," she told me.
"Four?" Iggy kept changing his plans, leaving me out of the loop.
She nodded. "At their house. Just all of us and whoever's gonna marry them."
I opened my soda and sipped at it. My mind wasn't on the wedding though. I was thinking about what Angel had told me. If Max died, the rest of us wouldn't be in danger. Not that I didn't trust the rest of them, but maybe that was something I should keep to myself. And not that Max would go throwing herself in front of a bus intentionally to save us, she would give herself up to save us eventually. I wondered how long Angel had known about all of this.
Max's phone rang, derailing my train of thought. After a few yes's and no's, she closed her cell phone.
"Are you up for dinner tonight at Iggy's?" she asked.
Absentmindedly, I put my hand to my chest. The pain, it came and went. "Sure. Is Gazzy going to be there?"
Max shrugged, downing the rest of her soda. "Probably not."
What if I killed myself? I wondered, staring out the window of Iggy's house. Not, that I want to. You know, what I mean, right?
It wouldn't save them, Angel answered. And yes, I don't think you're suicidal.
I sighed. It's been a few days since I've envisioned anything, I thought after a while.
But Angel didn't respond.
"You alright?" I expected it to be Max asking me that, as every other sentence that came out of her mouth was asking me if I was okay, but it was Iggy, walking into the TV room with a drink for me. Max and Nudge were in the kitchen, chatting away. I had left to go get some air, but ended up sitting on the couch, thinking.
"Sure, I guess I am, considering…well, never mind," I mumbled, taking the drink from Iggy.
"Dinner will be ready in five minutes," Iggy informed me. "You should get in the kitchen before, well, Max is all worried about you still."
I stood, holding my drink. "And I'm worried about all of you."
Iggy shifted his weight between his feet, like he wanted to say something else, but couldn't. The timer in the kitchen rang and he turned, bumping into the couch.
"Nice of you to join us," Max smiled, touching my arm as I sat next to her.
"Do you have any Advil, Ig?" I questioned.
He opened the cabinet, reached in, and tossed it backwards. I caught it and started to undo the cap.
"I hate when he does that," Nudge rolled her eyes. "He did that with a soda can yesterday and I missed catching it."
"Hey, Ig, catch," I said, tossing it back at him. He turned, sticking his hand out, catching it like he could see.
"Now why is it the blind man can catch better than you people with sight?" Iggy asked with a grin.
"Oh you shut up," Nudge remarked. "I'm hungry."
Iggy took a seat, placing the food in front of us.
Angel, what happens if you die? I wondered, now in bed with Max asleep against me.
Then you all die, she replied tiredly. Stop trying to look for a loophole. There are none.
I sighed and stared up at the ceiling.
I told you, it will only get harder.
Why me? She wasn't really supposed to answer, but she did.
Because in all honesty, besides Max, you're the only one who's capable of putting your own life at risk for everyone else.
I shook my head. That's not true.
She seemed to sound amused. No, I know some things, Fang. Just trust me on that.
You know, I don't think Max would appreciate me talking to you secretly like this, I thought back, trying to lighten the conversation.
Well, maybe, Angel replied. Go to sleep.
What are you, my mother?
Go to sleep, Fang. And despite my other questions, she didn't answer back.