Chapter 8 – Breakthrough

I was bored now, a little down, but mostly frustrated. It had been an hour or so since Max had left and she hadn't returned at all. As far as I knew she could be flying across the country searching for me… I mean, my body. I wanted to tell everyone that I was right here, but nothing could really get across to them.

Sitting around the fire with the flock had been weird this time. What was normally a warm, pleasant sensation that would float across my skin, now held no particular feeling to my spirit-form. It was a little distressing and unnerving, but I was beginning to get used to it. The change from dusk to darkness didn't bring its usual wave of coolness. It was just… nothing. There was no feeling, not pleasant or bad. I sound apathetic. Maybe I was becoming apathetic. Despite what everyone thinks I'm not always Mr. Rock.

So in this short amount of time I think I figured out what drive me crazier than anything else in this world: a silent flock. Usually I wanted to choke the life out of them and appreciated their quiet moments – like when they were sleeping – but they were so depressed, anxious, upset. Not only was I "missing" but Max had gone off too. For all they knew Max could have ran off out of anguish. I knew she would never abandon the flock but they didn't think I would either. Which, of course, technically I didn't.

I was torn between staying here and running off after Max. I wish there was a way I could drag her back here, give her a long kiss, and then explain everything. Sadly none of these options were possible, as much as I wanted them to be. However if any opportunity presented itself to communicate to the flock, I needed to be here to seize it. Would it be easier to make five bird-kids believe me or one leader bird-kid?

I sighed.

Right now I was sitting beside Iggy, who was staring dejectedly and blindly at the fire. Total and Angel were curled up in a tree high above us. Gazzy was playing with some toy cars he always carried in his backpack and Nudge was drawing stick figures on the dirt with a twig. Wait!

Searching around me, I found a small stick that hadn't been used in the fire and bound over to Nudge. This would either be my greatest idea yet of successfully scare the crap out of her. If that was the case that could be pretty hilarious. Next to Nudge's drawing of a dress I wrote very carefully 'Nudge'. I had no idea if the stick would disappear in my grasp or if it appeared like a floating object.

At first she took no notice to her name, but once she saw it she blanched. I smiled, knowing that it had worked. I quickly scribbled 'its Fang'. She gasped, and then screamed at the top of her lungs, "Oh. My. GOD!"

Everyone jolted as if they'd been electrocuted. I was pleased at myself for coming up with this but would they believe me? "What's up?" Iggy asked, rising to his feet.

"You have to see this!" she shouted, eyes as wide as saucers.

"I can't see, Nudge."

"Well everyone else can." Gazzyand Iggy ran over while Angel and Total hopped down from the tree. I was dying of anticipation. This could be it! I could finally tell them what was going on. Soon everyone was swarming around Nudge as she pointed to the ground. "See? I didn't put that down. And it's in Fang's handwritting."

Gazzy told Iggy what was on the ground and he whistled. "Do you think it's a trap?" he wondered.

"I don't know. Let's see what happens." Below my writings, she penned 'Fang?'

I pursed my lips. How do I respond? 'Yo.' That was safe, wasn't it?

Everyone gasped. "How's it possible? Fang, are you here right now? Why can't we see you? Are you invisible?"

"Yeah, I can't hear your thoughts at all?" Angel said.

'I can't really explain it,' I wrote.

"How do we know it's you?" Total asked. "You could be a new invention that is invisible and will kill us all shortly."

'Angel and Gazzy have identical birthmarks on their thighs.'

There was a pause as everyone processed this.

"Wow," Total breathed.

"Oh, Fang, you're here!" Angel gushed. "Uh… somewhere anyway."

"I told you," Nudge said, sounding very pleased and a little disbelieving.

"Dude, where are you?" Iggy asked.

'Right next to you.'

Gazzy told him what was written and everyone gasped again. "How? Why can no one see you? Or feel you? Or whatever… is it a new power?"

I wish it could have been that simple. I also wished I had enough room to write everything on the ground. I wiped off my previous scratches and wrote 'No. I'm a spirit.'

"What the—?" Gazzy asked.

"A spirit?" Nudge supplied.

'I need you to find Max. Tell her I need to find my body.' I wasn't going to tell them that I was sort of dead; there was no need to scare them unnecessarily. They needed to be focused, not concerned.

"O-Okay." Angel's voice shook.

"Are we heading out?" Total asked Iggy. He was in charge now.

"I guess so. Did anyone see which direction she flew off?"

"I did," Gazzy said.

"Okay. Fang…" He seemed uncomfortable addressing no one, even if I was technically there. At least before I could personally respond to him, he could sense my presence. Now I was basically nothing. "Will you be here when we come back?"

I thought about how I should answer that. Part of me wanted to look for my body too, but I also wanted to accompany them to find Max. What was the best option? There were so many questions I needed to have answered, too, before I could continue with the flock on my side.

'We'll see,' I finally wrote. I was leaving, but I wasn't heading with them or searching for my body.

I was going back to the Dead School.

I might take the rest of the week off so I can finish my summer assignments. I really wanted to get this chapter out to promote a couple causes. First, check out my new story "Winning Bid." It's a two-shot that I think will be kind of sweet. Second is that I made my first video on youtube that I'd love for everyone to check out. It kind of sucks but oh well. The link is in my profile. Also some of my friends and I want to start a web show for MR, so if you have any idea as to what we should do, be sure to tell me!

This chapter was pretty rushed, but life is also pretty crazy right now. Driver's test tomorrow, hockey tonight and Friday, party/movies Thursday, NYC Sunday and Monday... oh yeah, and my birthday is Friday too. Not to mention my dad's was yesterday. So with everything and summer reading this week is pretty hectic. And I start school next Tuesday so I need to fit supply shopping somewhere into this crazy week, too.

Review please!
--biteoutoflife--