I was all alone in a black pool of darkness that embraced me like a thick, never-ending fog. There was no light, no sound, no anything in the darkness. I cried out, just to hear my own voice, a lone sound in this deathly quiet. My voice reverberated around me, increasing in volume until I cowered on the ground in pain, clutching my ears. What is this awful place?

I sat on the dark, ever-shifting ground and watched as light and dark colors swirled together in a mad dance. It was rather like sitting on glass with liquid below it, only the glass was missing. I slapped the liquid and watched as the colors swirled and jigged, sending out ripples throughout the rest of the pulsating mass.

Then, as if thrown on by a light switch, a bright, white, all-consuming light flooded my vision. It burned my eyes and my face, like a miniature sun. Am I back at the School?! Is this some sort of . . . isolation tank?

"Max!" A voice beckoned. The sound appeared to be coming from the light. I gritted my teeth and closed my eyes tightly - not that it made much of a difference - and began to walk towards the light with my arms outstretched, hopping that I wouldn't bump into anything. How Iggy manages being blind? I have no clue.

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Dr. Martinez sat in a roller chair by Max's beside, stroking her hair while calling her name. The girl had been in a coma for almost a day and a half, and was being to show signs of stirring. Max's eyes blinked open in the artificial lighting of the veterinary clinic's operating room, then closed again as the light burned her wide pupils.

Dr. Martinez hugged her daughter tightly. "Welcome home Max."

_____________________________________________________________________________________

O.k. I know I have never been much of a hugger - none of the Flock are - but I was so dang happy to see my mom as soon as I opened my eyes, well, I hugged her back. Hard. There, I admitted it.

I sat up, wincing slightly as my eyes adjusted to the lighting. I had no idea where I was, or how I had even got there. A familiar scent wafted by my nose. Antiseptic. I immediately was on high alert, looking for anything even remotely dangerous. My mom must have noticed, because she patted my arm comfortingly.

"We are at the veterinary clinic where I work," she explained. "You needed extensive surgery after your . . . accident."

I nodded and relaxed a little, but I was still as tense as a rubber band. Now my raptor hearing picked up a slight bit of scuffling outside of the operating room. I focused intently on the door, waiting for Erasers or Flyboys . . . or both, to come pouring in. My mom smiled.

"You can come in now." she called to whoever was waiting in the hall. I barely had time to ball my fists before I was caught in a flying tackle by Gazzy, who had rocketed through the door at high speed. My breath whooshed out of my lungs as I fell to the floor with the energetic eight-year-old on my chest.

Nudge, Iggy, Total, and Angel poured in after Gazzy. Nudge immediately started jabbering.

"Max, oh my gosh, we were so worried about you! Are you hurt? Do you feel sick? I hope not, but after all you've been through it's to be expected that you would hurt a little bit. What have you been through?! Why did you hurt yourself like that?"

"Nudge!" I exclaimed, hoping to cease her flood of questions. The eleven-year-old looked at me sheepishly. Gazzy planted a big, sloppy kiss on my forehead. Iggy must have heard it, because he snickered. Gazzy beamed at me.

Glad you are o.k. Angel's thoughts echoed in my brain. I smiled at her. Then I asked the question that I was aching to ask.

"Where's Fang?" The room was suddenly as silent as the grave. Uh oh. Iggy scraped his foot along the ground. Total whimpered quietly. My mom looked at me with sad eyes.

"Fang gave a donation of blood to you while you were in your coma. But he gave too much and went into shock." Here my mom paused, looking like she was going to cry. "Max, Fang is dying and there is nothing I can do about it."

I had become a big cry baby over the last few days, but even I was surprised at the massive flood of tears that poured out of my eyes. It was like a second Noah's Flood! It couldn't be. Not Fang - my right-hand man, best friend, and . . . boyfriend. I blinked rapidly to clear my tear-filled eyes, trying to see. It was like looking around with no goggles in a swimming pool. Only I wasn't in a pool.

"Where's Fang?" I managed to choke out in between sobs. My mom looked at me.

"Max, I'm not sure if your should . . ."

I grabbed my mom's shirt in both hands and pulled her close to me. "Where is Fang?" I growled in her face. My menacing expression must have had the effect I desired, because Mom's defiant stare melted into concern and fear.

"Put me down," she sighed, "and I'll take you to him." I dropped my mom on the floor, startled to find that I had unconsciously picked her up about an inch. Mom spun on her heel and marched out the door, with me in hot pursuit, and trotted down the white polished hallway adjoining the operating room. Finally she stopped so suddenly that I almost ran into her.

Mom turned and looked me straight in the eye. "Max, don't do anything rash. Okay?" I swallowed and nodded grimly. Dr. Martinez swung open a door that I hadn't noticed before; it blended into the wall so well.

I looked into the room. It was similar to the operating room I had just left, only smaller and more compact. Fang lay on a stainless steel table in the middle of the room, softly illuminated by lights.

He looked like death. Fang's skin was pure white, almost transparent, and clung to him so tightly that I could see his bones. His hair hung limply over the side of the table like over-cooked spaghetti. His eyes were closed and his lips were pursed in a tight frown. I stared at Fang in astonishment. Why, he was no more than a pile of bones!

I felt my mom's hand caress my shoulder gently, but I shook her off and ran to Fang. I stood next to him and clasped his hand so tightly that my knuckles turned white. Tears streaked down my cheeks.

"Fang!" I cried. "Fang why did you do it?! Why did you . . ." I wasn't able to get the last word past my lips. I just couldn't believe it. Fang was dead.

Once again I felt my mom's hand on my shoulder. I looked up at her kind face with teared-streaked eyes. "Why did you let him die? Why?" I whispered, putting every single emotion that I was feeling into my words.

"Max, I did everything I could." My mom and I stood still together, watching Fang's limp body and softly crying. Well, my crying wasn't that soft, it was more like sobbing, but that's beside the point.

You can still save him, Max.

I immediately perked up. Long time, no annoy Voice. Mind throwing that juicy tidbit by me again?

I could have sworn that the Voice chuckled. I said "You can still save Fang."

What!? How?

Follow you heart, Max. It knows the way.

I didn't ask for any of your fortune cookie crap. How can I save Fang? Tell me!

The Voice was silent just like it always was when I really needed its help. Dang, that thing is so - so annoying!

"Max," my mom said, breaking through my thoughts, "I think we should go." I looked at my mom, realizing she was right, but hating to leave Fang. There was nothing I could do - anyone could do - for him now.

I wiped the tears off of my cheeks and leaned over Fang. "Goodbye Fang," I whispered so softly that even I couldn't hear it. Then, get this. I kissed him.

Alright, I'll admit it. I have always enjoyed kissing Fang, always will. But I put more passion into that one kiss than I ever had in any of the other kisses. Maybe it was the fact that I knew I would never kiss Fang again, or maybe it was my way of saying 'thank you.' I don't know for sure. All I know is that I realized that I really, really, REALLY needed Fang, and now that he was gone, I didn't know what to do.

I finally broke my kiss, after like three whole minutes, and turned to follow my mom. I never looked back.