A/N Sorry for not posting a chapter in a few weeks! I've been really busy, but now that schools out expect a lot more Maximum Twist!

ARI

I saw Iggy walking back from the bathrooms and went to meet him halfway.

"What took you so long?" I asked as I adjusted my jacket.

"Was taking a shit." Iggy mumbled as he glanced around behind me.

Mighty fine answer.

"Where's Max?" He asked quizzically.

"She got pissy and stormed off." I said as I rolled my eyes.

Max is a girl, so she's probably hormonal or something. PSM or whatever the hell it is.

"Let's go do something then?" Iggy asked as he gestured towards a strip mall across the street from us. "Until Max comes back."

"Sure." I shrugged as I grabbed Max's bag as well as my own and followed Iggy across the street.

I'm not all toasty warm with the guy but, hell, what else was I supposed to do to pass time?

A few hours later Iggy and I were bored out of our minds and Max still hadn't shown up. All the stores on the strip were either beauty salons or pool outlets, boring shit like that. Not to mention Iggy isn't that great.

Earlier he smelled his arm. Like, who does that? I know I've said this a billion times, but I really don't get pleasant vibes from him.

"We should look for Max, it's getting late." Iggy suggested as he looked up at the sky.

"Alright. Let's check the park first." I grumbled as I heaved myself up.

Max is such a pain.

Okay, Max is a freakin pain in the ass. We've literally searched the entire park, including the fields and McDonalds, twice and still no sign of her. She's actually starting to make me worry. I can tell Iggy is worried too. He's all fidgety and he keeps looking up at the sky, like Max will just swoop down and laugh at us for overreacting.

We both sat against the fence that faced the baseball field as I ran a hand through my hair.

"Do you think she just flew off and got lost?" I asked quietly.

"Dunno. Anything could of happened." Iggy replied. I could tell he was thinking of much darker things.

Drugged, kidnapped, killed, hurt, lost, alone, scared, broken. This was going nowhere. Irritated, I stood up and angrily walked over to the baseball stands. I was clearing my head when something caught my eye.

Max's dorky shoe. All alone.

MAX

What…? What was that? So bright.

The sun! That's what it's called. Right. Why do I hurt so bad?

I sat up gingerly and felt my head throb as if it were going to explode. I looked around and felt my mind come up blank. I felt panic start to rise in my throat. I couldn't panic though. I would explode if I panicked. No, none of that.

Deep breath.

That green stuff is… grass. Right! Clouds. Sky. Water. I looked down. H… hands. I stumbled up and discovered I could walk. I just followed the setting sun until I saw people… Right, people. Once they caught sight of me they seemed alarmed, or afraid maybe.

An older woman came up to me and asked if I was okay. I tried to answer but I stumbled over my words and it took me a moment to form them again.

"I… am okay?"

The women quickly pulled out a mirror from her bag and held it up so I could see myself. Dried… caked crimson. Across my face, down my forehead, my hair, neck, chest. Art. Makeup. Paint. Peeling, smelling, feeling. Trails where tears fell. They were falling now as I felt my face.

Bruised, blue, black, green, purple. Beautiful ugly colors used as decoration.

Driving to the hospital with the old women. Tired, cold. The building is too big, palms, like my pains, even bigger. Lights in my eyes, concerned doctors words. Checking to be sure my brain decided to stay inside.

They say yes. Yes to sheets, gowns, and water. No clothes to keep me dirty. I know I can't, I can't let them? I need to stay secret. Water to keep me clean. Finally when I'm laying down, when I'm calm, when I'm numb. They ask me.

"What is your name?"

Who?

Me?

I…

I am blank.

Tuesday

They said they could let me go. They said I'm okay. My brain is still inside it's egg. Safe. I know I need to be somewhere. My mind is fuzzy. Slowly I can see the picture. I am… lost.

The nurse said I couldn't leave. I need an adult to look after me. The hospital had called someone to watch over me until my parents were contacted. However bruised my head is, it still knew I couldn't stay. There was somewhere I needed to be, a burning need. While the nurse went to get the water I asked for, I slipped out of my bed and through the window. Then I ran. Far.

My gown was loose and billowing as I walked along the edge of the street and twisted strands of my hair through my fingers. Occasionally my head would throb and I would feel like crying but I wouldn't because I knew tears didn't help much. My forehead was bandaged to keep the stitches clean, but they felt like my skin was being pulled together. I would need to find new clothes soon. The nurses were probably looking for me.

I am alone. Just me and my shadow, following behind me, hiding from the sun. I wonder what the shadow did to make the sun so angry. It must of been really bad.

I was getting tired and thirsty. My feet were rubbed raw from the concrete and my legs hurt, along with my head. Slowly, the puzzle pieces of my mind were finding their way back to each other and gluing themselves put.

The doctor said that my brain would work again, in time. He just didn't know when. They didn't know if it would even work the same. Someone had hurt me, possibly beyond repair. When this finally sunk in I felt no anger, only sadness.

I was hurt badly. What had I done to make someone so mad? It must of been really bad. Now all I am is a shadow.

ARI

It was noon. Iggy and I both checked out of our crappy overnight motel near the park and sat at the baseball field hoping Max would show up. I knew we were both starting to think it wouldn't happen, although we hadn't said it aloud.

I set down Max's shoe and stared at it, but then I started to feel a little crazy and I stopped. My eyes ached from getting maybe an hour of sleep. The dark purple smudges under Iggy's eyes gave it away for him; we were both completely worried sick.

"Maybe we should report a missing person to the police." I mumbled.

"No way. No good will come from that Ari. We'll probably just be forced to go home, never see Max again, and end up killed by those two psychos."

Home wouldn't be so bad. Mom and Dad were there, the lacrosse team, Erin. It wouldn't be worth it without Max. She's half of everything in my life, regardless if I like it or not.

"We need to look for her." I said as I stood.

Iggy sighed.

"I'm not sure I agree with you. The place Max will think to look for us is here at the park." He reasoned.

"Then stay here while I look." I growled, pulling on my jacket with slits in the back and edging my wings through the holes.

Iggy was quiet for a moment. He was pondering something. He does an awful lot of thinking for someone so stupid.

"I'm not sure if splitting up is wise, but go ahead. Meet back here in two hours sharp." He said.

I rolled my eyes and climbed the fence behind us. I scanned the park, but no one was nearby. I clenched up and with a burst of power jumped into the air, hurling out my wings and quickly throwing them down, pushing myself higher into the air, into the sky.

MAX

I looked across the sidewalk and saw a laundry basket perched near the window of some unsuspecting person who had left their clothes unattended.

Without thinking, I vaulted over the fence, snatched the laundry basket, and ran a few blocks until I felt as if I was a safe distance away. My head was pounding so hard that I had to sit and press my palms into my eyes until I could function correctly again.

I leaned over the plastic blue basket and shuffled through the clothes. They were all men's clothing but whoever owned them was very close to my size. I took out a pair of grey jeans, a V-neck, and a light, ratty purple jacket.

I made sure no one was nearby before I changed in the shadows. I'd have to go bra-less and commando for now, which is alright. My boobs aren't terribly big or anything. What I really need is shoes, but I know there is no way I am gunna get a pair anywhere near my size.

Now what I want is food but I'm completely broke and stealing is just downright risky. All I can really do is wander around until I remember what I knew I need to do, but I have no idea what it actually is.

I suppose I'll figure it out eventually.