ARI.
I hissed a little as I poured some more rubbing alcohol on my thigh. I waited a few seconds before mopping up the whole mess with a paper towel. These cuts were a lot deeper than I was used to. They wouldn't stop bleeding. I pressed another bundle of paper towels against my skin and held it here. I was sitting up on the roof of the motel complex, between one of those spinny metal fan things and a satellite dish.
I didn't even want to be here anymore. Not just on the roof, but in the middle of a small town in Arkansas, a day away from home. I didn't want to be home anymore either. Where could I go? Maybe if I just took off and kept flying I'd find somewhere... somewhere I wasn't restless. I knew I couldn't leave Max, at least, not right now.
I lifted the paper towels to check on my cuts. Still bleeding. I cursed under my breath and grabbed the whole roll of towels, wrapping the material half-hazardly around my thigh. Iggy was probably wondering where I'd gone... the weirdo. I stood and picked my jeans up off the ground, dusting them off and sliding them on. I took a few steps and flexed my leg a little. The makeshift bandage seemed to hold. I just hoped it wouldn't bleed through. That'd be a little hard to explain.
I tossed my wings out and fluttered from the roof to the ground. I wiped my hands on a paper towel before tossing it along with my razor into the dumpster and walking up the stairs to our motel room. I unlocked the door and stepped inside. Nudge and Gaz were lounging on the couch. Nudge had a poptart halfway in her mouth. I gave her a strange look.
"Yo, where's Iggy?" I asked, leaning against the cabinet and setting down the paper towels and rubbing alcohol. Not that I wanted to talk to him or anything.
"In the bathroom with Max." Gazzy muttered, eyes fixed on the screen.
I tried not to think about that sentence pervertedly, but failed.
"Think they'll be a while?" I questioned, examining my hands for any stray blood. Can never be too careful.
"Dunno, man." Gaz was still zombified. I gave him a look as well.
"You guys up for a flight?" I tried to keep my voice nonchalant, like I didn't care either way. Although, I was dying to get out of here, even if just for a while.
"Nah." Gazzy replied quickly. The lazy bastard.
Nudge glanced up and smiled slightly. "Sure... one second." Nudge stood and grabbed her backpack, purposely whacking Gazzy's foot when she passed in front of the TV. She turned to me and did that smile again. I led the way out of the door and back down the steps. Nudge kept up with me easily.
"What was the rubbing alcohol and paper towels for? Practicing arsen or something?" Nudge asked, shoving her hands into her sweatshirt pockets. I glanced at her and she just kept on smiling. "Yeah, I actually noticed."
"I had an ant bite." I muttered.
"That stuff works on ant bites? Never heard that one before." She seemed amused. I sure as hell wasn't. We were far enough behind the motel to take off inconspicuously now, so I did just that. Taking the opportunity to avoid Nudge's question.
We gained some altitude before leveling out and flying a little closer together. Nudge had her hands tucked up behind the straps of her backpack. She was watching me. I pretended not to notice and kept my eyes straight ahead. I saw Nudge do a little spin in my peripheral vision.
"God, I love flying so much!" She yelled over the rushing wind. I glanced over at her so she'd know I heard her and angled my left wing down a little, coasting closer to her.
"You believe in God?" I called, eyebrows raised. Nudge laughed a little, the sound was ripped away by the wind.
"I believe in ant bites!" She retorted, still doing that grin of hers that literally lights up her face. I scowled and glanced down, watching the patchwork of rooftops below pass by. We remained quiet for the rest of the flight, circling around above the motel. The flying did make me feel a little better. After twenty minutes we unanimously let some air through our feathers and angled back towards the ground.
My feet landed heavily on the ground and I winced a little, feeling the cuts on my thigh jostle. Nudge touched down gracefully beside me, shaking out her wings before tucking them in. She looked windswept and happy. I could still feel a scowl on my face. We starting walking back.
"Why are you always so moody?" Nudge asked after a moment of silence. She didn't mean it as an insult or anything. She was just curious.
"Why are you so nosy?" I inquired in response, trying to avoid her question.
Nudge's smile just widened further. "I see." She quickened her pace a little so I'd have to keep up.
I tried to ignore her comment, but I couldn't. It was eating away at me. What the hell had I given away? "See what?"
"You have a crush on Iggy, but he's Max's property so all you can do is sulk, eat poptarts, and collect flammables so that you can one day light Max's hair on fire in her sleep and claim Iggy as your own."
I snorted, like literally snorted out loud and Nudge grinned.
MAX
"Erasers?" Iggy questioned beside me, glaring at Fang and Angel who were still tied up in the tub.
"We're part avian. Erasers are part lupin... part wolf," Fang's voice took on a strange tone. "They're like their military, their punishers."
God, I was pissed. In two steps I was grabbing Fang by the collar of his shirt and hoisting him up. "Were you manipulating me?" I demanded, giving him a shake.
His eyes hardened and he didn't hesitate to spit back his reply. "Listen, everything I said was the truth. We don't have much time!"
"There is no we, you idiot!" I let go of him and he struggled to keep from face planting. Iggy was fuming at my side and Angel was just watching silently. The weirdo.
"Where else will I go?" Fang's voice hinted at exasperation, "You don't understand! I can't go back there!"
"I say we leave them and just get the hell out of here." Iggy contributed icily, crossing his arms and giving Fang a low look.
Something inside me hesitated and I frowned. Maybe it was the desperation in Fang's eyes, or the way he looked to me as if his life depended on my decision. It was weird because I knew I wasn't responsible for him. No way in hell. Still, something inside me faltered. Maybe it was my upstanding morals and clean conscious.
That was sarcasm.
"Get everything packed up," I instructed Iggy. He gave me a wary look before nodding and hustling out of the tiny bathroom.
I turned back to Fang. Everything inside me was screaming that this was completely illogical and just downright dumb. Well, almost everything. Just a few hours ago Angel and Fang had been attempting to kick our heads off. "You have five minutes to convince me."
Fang raised his head, meeting my gaze. He didn't say a word and I grew impatient. I was about to step out and leave them there when Fang spoke up.
"They hook us up to machines and take blood. They run sadistic tests, spit on us. We're filth," He paused, eyes unfocused. "I had no idea there was another way, we were raised like that, like filth. I thought that was just how things were. We had to to do everything they said, otherwise they would starve and torture us. I'm not trying to ask for your pity. I'm just begging you for a chance," His eyes met mine again, the passionate bastard. "All I want is to be free."
Angel's jaw clenched and she looked at the bottom of the tub like it was talking to her or something.
"These feelings aren't mutual?" I asked, gesturing towards Angel. Fang's expression turned agitated.
"She's nothing to me." He said quietly, unable to meet my gaze. Those words made Angel's eyebrows pull together.
"Idiot! You can't run forever! They will catch you and... Fang, please!" Angel's voice was delicate and desperate. "You can't leave!" He ignored her completely, expression set in stone. Geez, relationship issues.
What's your decision, Max?
"Listen, I'm going to let you go, but you're going to fly the exact opposite direction of me and my Flock. If you even think about double crossing us or hanging around, I will personally dislocate your wings. Understand?" The words just poured out of my mouth. Who knew I could be so damn intimidating? And wow, my Flock? Gold star for creativity.
Fang nodded and I grabbed the pocket knife in one hand. I yanked Fang up by the fabric of his shirt and hauled him out of the restroom. Nudge was the only one in the motel room and her eyes widened when she saw me. She'd been in the middle of packing up her bag. I moved past her before she could open her mouth to ask questions and led Fang out the open door.
Ari and Iggy were standing by the railing. I guess Gazzy was returning the room key or getting waters or something, because he was out of sight. My half-brother and Iggy's eyes widened when they saw me. In retrospect, I realized it must have looked like I was about to shank Fang in the gut, because of the knife and all. Which is actually kind of hilarious. Fang hobbled down the steps with me to the parking lot and Ari, Iggy and Nudge followed.
"You guys ready to go?" I asked, "Where's Gazzy?"
"He's grabbing some snacks," Ari answered, a little shellshocked. "The hell are you doing Max?"
"I'm letting him go." I informed my baby brother.
"Jesus, Max, that psycho snapped Jane's neck right in front of you!" I frowned at his dissenting response. Fang kept his gaze on the ground, not bothering to defend his name. I didn't remember anything about that. Jane was just a small collection of blurry memories. I knew Ari was telling the truth though.
"Why'd you do it?" I asked Fang, holding him away from me and curling my lip.
"She attacked me. I just fought back like I was trained to. I wasn't thinking about it. I killed her." That's all he said. Casting his eyes downward and returning to his cryptic ways.
Why was I helping Fang? Something... something about him was genuine. I didn't think Ari or Iggy would believe me or understand, but I just had a feeling.
Trust your instincts Max. The Voice chipped in.
I am Voice, but my instincts may have gotten a little screwy when I was hit on the head. I replied dryly.
A leader requires being confident in their decisions.
I scoffed aloud. "I'm not a leader." The Flock plus Fang gave me strange looks and I scowled at myself, saying the rest in my head. I didn't even lead group work in school for Christ's sake...
You were designed to lead, its in your DNA, your bones. The Voice informed me, monotonous as ever.
That's a little creepy. I replied, meeting Ari's gaze.
"I'm letting him go. End of story."
"But Max-"
"But nothing. I made my decision Ari."
Ari made a face. "Let's just leave this damn city already."