Chapter Four: Four
Author's Note: I am sooooo sorry that I haven't been updating! I've just been really busy, and I haven't had the time to write. I've been sick and had major writer's block, but don't worry, I'll make up for this.
Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride, or any of it's characters. That honor belongs to James Patterson.
We just hung out in the same place all day, until the sun started to go down, and my sensitive hearing picked up on some growling stomachs. I was starting to get hungry too.
"I'll be back," I announced. I stood up and began to walk away.
"Where are you going?" Angel asked sweetly.
I turned around and smiled at her. She was so sweet and cute, and I just fell instantly in love with her as soon as I had really met her. "Just hunting. I know we're all hungry" I turned back around and continued walking.
A hand clapped over my shoulder. It didn't touch my skin, so I made sure not to move, to make sure it didn't.
"I'm coming with you." It was Fang.
"I—uh—no, I can do it." I didn't really want them to know about, well, you know what, because I didn't want them to freak out and ditch me or something. I just didn't want to ruin my new friendship.
"I'm coming," he insisted, but Max leaped into action and grabbed his arms and yanked him back. He didn't resist, but when I turned to look at them, he had a weird look on his face.
"Fang, just let him. He can do it." Max looked relieved that Fang was safe, but I felt really guilty. I didn't want to kill him, no matter how obvious it was that he didn't like me. Just like with Max, thirteen years ago.
I turned back around and kept walking. As soon as they thought I was out of earshot—which was pretty far away—Fang said, with so much hate in his voice that I imagined fire shooting out of his ears, "Why do you think you can trust him?"
"I—Fang, this isn't fair—I know him." Max sounded taken aback.
"No, Max, you don't. You knew him when you were three, and from what I'm getting, you didn't even like him!"
That was the longest speech I'd heard from him so far.
"But you can trust him. Trust me. I know what I'm doing," Max's voice seemed choked with tears, and I couldn't possibly imagine that that happened a lot.
But there was no answer, only the familiar sound of wings beating and feet leaving the ground.
After my hunt, I returned to the Flock. I'd taken off my windbreaker and was using it as a basket for the animals. It was dark by then, and the a Flock had built a fire in the ashes of my old one while I was gone. Fang still wasn't back.
I had already washed the bodies, to most of the Flock's amazement, except Max and Nudge.
"Grooooosssss! You put them in your jacket? That's so gross," Nudge squealed.
"I'll wash it, don't worry, Nudge," I said playfully. She stuck out her tongue at me.
Iggy insisted on cooking the animals, and wouldn't even let me touch them after that. We talked, but it was all tense and awkward. Turns out, despite the fact that he doesn't talk a lot, Fang has a huge affect on the conversation.
When Iggy was done, he distributed the food equally among us. He put Fang's share on his backpack, (which was black,) but not before making a face and licking a piece. Nudge made a face at this, but didn't say anything.
We all dug in. Let's just say we all eat like animals. Which, I guess, we are animals.
Iggy cooked it just right. I always either cook it too long or not long enough, and somehow, someway, this blind kid could cook better than me. I inwardly rolled my eyes at myself.
Once we were done, we sat in awkward silence.
"Yeah, Iggy, I wonder too. Why do you look alike," Angel said out of nowhere. Earlier today, I'd found out for sure that Angel can read minds. Which, I must say, is a bit creepy.
"Definitely a conversation that must be had." Max sighed.
"Could one of us be, like, a clone, or something?" Iggy asked, facing Max. I was caught off guard—clones were something out of a Star Wars movie, not reality.
"Well, your wings are different colors, hair too," Gazzy replied. "Max II looked exactly like Max."
"Then I have no idea," Max said. Everyone was quiet after that, but not in an awkward way, more like everyone was thinking.
I noticed Angel smiling very brightly, then Nudge did too. "Could it, Angel? That would be waaaay too cool!" Nudge turned to us, grinning ear to ear. "Angel thought that maybe you guys are twins, which would be really cool, because we don't know our parents, except Max."
Now, the silence was stunned silence. Iggy and I both turned to look at each other. It was possible, I guessed, though far-fetched.
I couldn't help but think of the Weasley twins from Harry Potter, especially with Iggy's reddish hair. If you're wondering how I know about all these movies, it's because Pop loved movies. So whenever we could, we would watch them, whether by sneaking into movie theatres, or watching on tv's at homeless shelters, or whatever. So, yeah.
"I—" I began, but was cut off by a dark-clothed body landing on it's feet between us. Fang sat down and pulled his backpack closer to him. The rest of us—I was thrilled that I could say us— watched him eat in silence.
Then the laughter started. Gazzy first, laughing like a maniac. Then Angel started giggling. Iggy laughed, and I did too. It was the food. Iggy had licked some of Fang's food. Max looked like she was trying not to laugh, but the ridiculousness of it all pulled the laughs out of her. Fang was looking at us all like we had suddenly sprouted horns. That made us laugh even harder. Before I knew it, I couldn't breathe and three were tears in my eyes. I glanced at Iggy at the same time he looked at me, and we laughed harder. It was just so ridiculous, but it was us.
So, I hope you like. Next chapter coming out ASAP. Or, as soon as I write it. Also, "ridiculousness" is a long word, and hard AF to spell. Fun Fact: I know someone whose initials are AF. Please review, please. And follow and fav if you haven't already and you're reading the fourth chapter.