Ok, here's the deal. Not really but still, I have one more chapter on Create A Chain before completely new NEW stuff comes out. However the new stuff will take a while seeing as I'm in that silly writer's block that comes every year. On an odd note, I had an interesting discussion about the Jewish religion during drum major auditions today. Emphasis on during. So I'm updating for the sake of updating so we won't all be alone wonder where I am and why I'm sneaking off to work on a super secret project. SSP for short or Novel Time. Take your pick. I personally like Novel Time, it makes me sound idiotically professional. If that makes sense.
Challengers! I've got some funny news, my friends and I play my N64 during Physics class and lunch, it's hilarious. Epic Fail on Supersmash Bros. for me. That was my second time playing it. I can own at Pokemon Stadium. Makmay04, railcgun, and Anony receive the brownie point cookie!
Enjoy!
Create A Chain
Chapter 10:
Run Away With Me
One year later:
"Happy Birthday, Samantha!" A fellow scientist greeted me. I nodded blankly. When have I stopped calling them White Coats? Why don't I dare to look at the night sky anymore?
Another year later:
"I'm off!" I told the guard as I ran out of the building, my truck keys in hand. My smile was a façade and it was worrying Fang at the back of my mind. For the past two years he has been reassuring me everything would be alright but it's so hard to believe when he isn't right in front of me trying to convince me with his words.
If I could make it to her house before dark, I'd have to fly about 102 mph. I sped home and changed into a pair of jeans and shirt before grabbing a bird cage inside the living room. "We're going for a little flight." I whispered to the bird. "Bear with me, please." Grabbing my wind breaker, I was out the door.
I lept off the roof, unfurling my wings, my windbreaker protecting the tiny bird from the harsh winds that rocked the cage in my hands.
Hours later I landed a ways away from her house, taking my windbreaker and throwing it over my back. I was like a daughter to this woman, she was always waiting to have me. "Dr. Martinez, your patient is here." I called into her small house after I unlocked the door with a key she gave me.
"Max, you're back." Dr. Martinez's head poked into the hallway. "I see you brought Sami."
"Yeah," I rubbed the back of my head, "She was kind of feeling scared."
"I've always wondered," Dr. Martinez mused as she lifted the small bird from the cage, "Why did you name her this?"
"I don't know." I shrugged into a knowing lie.
"You know there's a reason for each name given. What were you thinking of when you named her?"
"I was scared…" I admitted knowing Dr. Martinez might as well be my mother. "I was thinking, 'Sami, Sami, I'm scared.' Because Sami used to be my best friend. We were like sisters."
"Sisters? You've always mentioned Nick to me but never this Sami." Dr. Martinez gave drops to my small bird. "But it makes sense to name this little one Sami."
"How?"
"Name of God." She pulled out a flashlight to check the birds eyes. "God is always someone who is willing to listen to your worries no matter what. Samantha is a name for God, Sami for short." She clicked the flashlight off. "Now tell me, how is Sami?"
"I don't know…" I looked downcast.
"Oh, why?"
"She died a couple years ago," I began slowly, "the day I went on a road trip. I didn't know about it until two months later, I missed her funeral and all." I lied.
"I'm sorry." Dr. Martinez looked downcast. "I didn't mean to bring that up."
"It's okay," I replied with a soft smile, " I'm getting over it."
"And Nick?" A somber feeling fell over both of us.
"I – I – I…" I gazed at the setting sun before tearing my eyes away. "That's something I can't get over…"
"I see."
"Can I stay the night again? I really don't like being out at night." The darkening sky bothered me.
"Sure." Dr. Martinez nodded. "You said you were going on a trip soon, where did you say you were going?"
"I'm going to London on a business trip and if they like me there I'll get transferred."
"That sounds great! All done, Sami's well and healthy." My small bird hopped from Dr. Martinez's hand and into the cage. "So what'll happen if you get transferred?" Dr. Martinez was washing her hands in the sink.
"Sell my apartment and give the truck to Ella, she's been eying it for a while." I shrugged.
"Cookie?" The oven beeped and I noticed the smell of Dr. Martinez's famous chocolate chip cookies. They were better than the ones I had when I was little, the ones Jeb would bring home from a colleague. "I take that as a yes." She laughed at my expression and I grinned sheepishly back.
Two more days until the trip… my clothes are packed, my truck now belongs to Ella, and Sami has been set free…
So why can't I sleep?
It's been a while. A sharp pain attacked my mind.
Two years, three months, and fifteen days but who's counting? I asked as I grimaced at the pain.
This is quite the warm welcome. The Voice was sarcastic. I wanted to glare at it. How does it feel to be a White Coat? To be without that boy? To be older?
"I don't feel older." I mumbled out loud. It's so odd to be a White Coat, I feel so trapped in the School that even when I leave it's still suffocating me. But why should I tell you about Fang?
Have you forgotten what it's like to breathe normal air?
The Voice left me alone in the darkness of my room. Normal? What was normal? Nothing was normal, it was impossible to prove what is and isn't normal.
The faint patter of rain filled my ears over the hard rock blaring from the corner of my room. What a sad night. My fingers reached to pull away the curtains to stare at the starless, cloud filled sky but I trembled pulling them back instantly.
I sat up, pulling out my favorite Shakespeare play, Romeo and Juliet. I was close to the ending, Romeo and Juliet had just died. "Never was a story of more woe but of Juliet and her Romeo." The last words echoed in my mind as I spoke them. The pressure of suffocation multiplied and I bent over the book, tears in my eyes.
"Romeo, Romeo, where for art thou Romeo?" I heard myself sob. Where was he? I bolted from my bed, searching around my apartment wildly. He wouldn't be here, how stupid of me. My Romeo wouldn't be here, he hasn't been here for years. I collapsed to my knees beside my bed clutching the book tightly against my chest.
Does it hurt? I couldn't recognize the voice. To look for someone you know isn't there?
Yes. And the tears spilled faster.
Clack
Clack
Clack
I lifted my head, it was coming from my balcony window. Did I dare go out into the night I was so afraid of? The very thing that reminded me of Fang's face?
Clack
Clack
Clack
I stood up trembling, my book tossed on my bed as shaking hands grabbed the curtains and pulled them back. I slid open the glass door and stepped out onto the rain soaked balcony, my tears mixing in with the November rain.
"Ah…" Darkness swallowed me, his cold hands held my face ever so gently and his cool lips gave me breath. Fang…
You got me. I saw his smile in the darkness. Run away with me…
"I can't." My voice became panicked and his feet pressed down upon the balcony as he used his wings as an umbrella for the both of us.
"Be Juliet." Fang's voice sounded hoarse from the lack of use but it sounded so sweet in my ears, the best music.
"How?" The pressure was suffocating me again.
"Marry me." You're already the forbidden fruit. His smile was guarded and at the same time teasing.
"What?" I gasped.
"Marry me." Vegas is not so far away…
"I have to stay, protect the flock…" A growl emitted in Fang's throat. It was dangerous… the contract I signed… I looked away unable to meet his eyes. DON'T let them change your mind! Jump off this ledge with me, never look back, we'll deal with the consequences later. Love me, Max. Run away with me. Marry me.
"Marry…" The word was etched on my lips. "But we've been apart for so long…"
"Doesn't matter." Fang's gaze was serious.
Go with him, breathe normal air… The Voice encouraged.
"Yes." I nodded to the Voice, as I clutched Fang's wet shirt and kissed him. It felt like cool air rushed through my lungs, I could breathe this sweet air, this sweet sin. "I want to run away once more." I whispered.
"You kept it." Fang watched in awe as we entered Las Vegas. I was pulling out the ring box.
"Why wouldn't I have?" I asked as we slipped into a nearby mall. I glanced around the stores, most of them should be closed by now, right? Wrong. Many were still open and ready to be shopped in. "There." I breathed cutting off Fang before he could reply. A simple white dress, good enough to be my wedding dress.
"I do." I said confidently as Fang stared intently into my eyes. A thousand thoughts rushed through my head and I could not calm a single one down.
"I do." Fang's voice rang clear like the day of graduation when he gave his speech. It was haunting but warming. I love you. His thoughts broke through mine.
"You may now kiss the bride." And I you. I thought back as he leaned close. His lips were gentle and waiting, patient and kind and I kissed back the same way, a love that would last forever.
Married… The thought would not leave my mind as we left the church. Married! To Fang! I must be dreaming, in heaven! I looked up to the starry night sky and breathed. How long has it been since I last looked at the stars? How long has it been since I breathed normal air?
Married!
She's run away… the thoughts of the experiments had yet to cease. Our angel, our lovely angel has been stolen. We want her back! She saves us! We are not experiments to her! Not numbers! We are her children and we want our mother! Give us our mother back thieves! Give her back!
"Sir! We can't get the experiments to quiet down, it's like there's something they all hate around here and they won't stay still!" The sound of rattling cages, squeals and yells from experiments could be heard even outside the soundproof building.
We want our mother!
"I know." Jeb replied more to the experiments than the White Coat beside him. "Sedate them. That will solve the problem for now." Max, you've broken our little contract… Jeb smiled knowingly. After all, I made you break it.
"They've missed you." Fang whispered as we flew through the night sky.
"I would imagine so." I laughed.
When there's time we can all relax… would you like to go on a honeymoon? Fang asked me. I stared at him, my eyes wide.
It would be nice, I sighed, but Jeb might at figured out I left already, we'll be on the road for quite a while.
I don't care. Fang took my hand and led me into a dive towards a clearing where a small fire was going. A familiar blond head bobbed as we landed.
"Samantha! Samantha! You're back!"
"It's Max again." I smiled at Angel. She's grown up so much. Her clothes are a little dirty but she stands the height of an average high school girl.
Two years I've been gone. Two years I could only dream of all their faces. Two years, how much has passed? Have they been happy? Have I hurt them? Did I end up condemning them? Were they able to live freely? Did they continue to miss me?
"Stop it." Iggy's voice was annoyed, I looked up at the man who was almost seven feet tall. His strawberry blonde hair was pulled into a short low ponytail and he had a little stubble on his chin. "Your heart is racing so loud I can't hear my music." And I noticed the headphones in his ears.
Nudge greeted me with a hug out of nowhere, nearly knocking the wind out of me. "Max, you're in a white dress, why? Don't tell me, did you two get married? Why would you go without us? But anyway did you get married like the fancy way like in the movies with the horse carriages and everything? Or did you get married weird like in Las Vegas with the weirdo Elvis Presley or Alien thingy like on CSI? Wait… so did you get married?" Nudge's expression was puzzled. She had hit it straight on.
"Er, yeah, we did." I blushed and Angel squealed, jumping up and down. Where was Gazzy?
"I told you, you don't take me outside and watch over me just so I can use the bathroom, I told you already, it's EMBARRASSING." An unfamiliar voice entered the clearing we stood in.
"And I've told you, Total, the longer you make me wait, the more I'll annoy the hell outta ya!" Gazzy's deepened voice threatened. Total? As in the dog? As in, we have a TALKING FREAKING DOG? … Well, I shouldn't be surprised, I had to baby-sit a talking fish once, that was a nightmare. If it talked it had to breathe air and come to the surface but it needed to be under water to breathe period. There were ninety others like him and he was the last of his kind. I wonder why. Insert sarcasm here. "Max!" Gazzy jumped in surprise. "Er, welcome back!"
"So, Total talks, Gazzy's gone through puberty, Iggy's attempting to grow a goatee, Nudge is well, Nudge, and Angel has grown up so much." I smiled at the family around me. "I missed so much," My smile was on the verge of a frown, "I've really missed you. I wanted to run away for so long and now here I am." Nudge and Angel hugged me again.
"Aren't you going to tell her?" I heard Total's hushed whisper as he talked to Fang behind me. "C'mon, you and I know Roger only comes on emergencies."
"What about Roger?" I whirled around. I remember the hawk, it was always expectant, it delivered messages that were always for the worst. First, warning us Erasers were coming and we ended up being captured. And Second, it told me where to regain my memories. We all know how that turned out. "What did Roger give you?"
"Max." Nudge's faint voice attempted to comfort me. Did my voice give it away? Did she know I was scared of that hawk? It always seemed to be the worst omen in the world.
"Good going Total." Gazzy hissed.
"Roger," Fang began slowly, his firm eyes were comforting, "told me it was time to get you, it was time for you to be free. He told me where you were."
"We were all so excited that we practically threw Fang from the flock to find you!" Angel chirped.
Hours later the flock quieted down and went to bed, preparing to travel in the morning. I stayed up to watch the stars before they disappeared in the morning. "It's my shift you know. The grave shift." Iggy sat down beside me.
"I know." I remember how we all took shifts.
It burned.
When Nudge talked of Fang and Max being married, it burned. Like someone was burning Iggy alive. He winced but no one noticed.
And when she admitted it, it was like someone had lit a pyre beneath his feet. Iggy felt the fire spread through his body, burning his skin, his heart, his mind.
Of course they loved each other! Why wouldn't they? Childhood friends, Fang's been her guardian since the beginning of time!
I can't help it that it burns because some part of me really wishes that I was Fang because she was my childhood friend. She was the only girl I saw. Her face is the only face I can fall in love with. Iggy thought furiously as he sat beside Max. It burns to sit beside her and know she staring at the sky I want to see.
"Go to bed, I'll wake you when it's your shift." Iggy offered.
"No thanks, I haven't talked to you in a while. How are you?" Max asked, her voice was tired but sincere.
I love you! Iggy wanted to yell but he bit his tongue. "I'm good. I'm designing a new bomb, one that would rival the nuclear bomb but without the nuking." His façade was up. Max laughed.
"Is bombs all you ever think about?" No! Iggy protested inwardly. "They must be fascinating, you should see your face and how amazed it – oh, sorry, I didn't mean to."
"It's okay. You get used to it." No, Iggy thought to himself, you don't get used to it. "So how are you, after two years of being away?"
"I feel alive!" Max laughed. "For the first time in years I've felt alive and I'm married, it's like life is on fast forward again. This is amazing!" Married… the thought hurt.
And it burned.
Wah, poor Iggy. I love Iggy, he never gets much love and I'd love to give him lots of love. So a few things: Does anyone know when the next Maximum Ride Fanfiction awards are? I want to nominate some peeps, mainly the awesome ones (fyi, they're all awesome) And no one forget The All Hail The Heartbreaker Contest is still going on. You have until June 6th! Plenty of time. There's about a month left! I hope you guys have fun with that. Oh! Drum Major try outs were today! I don't know how to feel about mine. I had two minor mess ups but over all I loved it. I kept on smiling because I couldn't help it. There's that strange urge to keep conducting, to keep moving, to just keep it all flowing because it'll all stop if I don't. I really hope I get it but as all things go I must live by two quotes: "Today is a distraction from yesterday and tomorrow" and "Expect the worst, hope for the best." That way you'll never be disappointed. I don't know how I should feel about my audition, I loved it, I have no regrets and I want it... I want that position because my heart wants it. It aches for someone to go "yes, it's you." And I know I'll be good but my status is the only thing keeping me away from it. My heart wants it, you have no idea how much I want to read that score and go "Hi, I'm your new Drum Major." It's not a fight anymore to prove someone wrong, that I can do this, it's the heart that loves it all. Of course I'll be sad if I don't get it, I'll take a nap and just smile the next day. And I almost never take naps, I'm resisting one right now.
Challenge Time: How old is Ella?
Preview:
Does she not notice? Angel thought as she sat up slowly. She sat on her knees, stroking Total's head gently. Of course she wouldn't notice, Angel thought bitterly. Did they have any idea how much she hated it? How much she hated everything?
Could they imagine all their thoughts pouring into her at all times, like a raging flood she couldn't shut off. It hurt, twelve years she suffered and those years she still hadn't adjusted.
Silent tears fell down her cheeks. Could they imagine these feelings? The doubt she had within herself? She never knew which emotions were hers so she just took everything with a smile.
But her heart burned. It burned the way Iggy's was right now. Angel could feel his sorrow, his anger, and his love. The burning hurt and his thoughts made it worse. Angel tried to ignore the dreams the flock were having, if only for a moment, just stay away.
Adieu
Nightwing