Snap back to reality, Oh there goes gravity…sorry, it just went along with the title
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"Can you pass me the pancakes?"
"Ooo, I want some too!"
"Hey! Don't use all the syrup, leave some for the rest of us!"
"Nudge, could you eat with your mouth closed please?"
"Gazzy!"
"Sorry guys, couldn't hold that one in…not that I tried."
"Alright, are you guys all done?" I asked noticing the finally empty plates. They all nodded and got up to put their plates in the sink.
"Good, now grab your backpacks and meet outside," I ordered to the various flock members scuttling around the kitchen.
Five minutes later the seven of us were outside and ready for our walk to school.
"Hey Max, do you think we could go flying later?" Angel asked.
"Sure," I replied, quite liking the idea.
We all walked the rest of the way in content silence. Well most of us anyway; I was dreading facing my 'peers' after yesterdays episode…you know, the whole screaming and crying in the middle of class thing. We reached the front of the school, and everyone, like usual, stared at us as we walked in.
"Bye Max, we'll see you after school," Angel said to me turning in her designated direction.
"Bye sweetie, you have fun!" I called to her.
"We will, love you Max!" She yelled turning to skip off with the Gasman.
"Hey Nudge, I think your boyfriends are waiting," Iggy teased her, gesturing towards the group of pre-teen boys drooling in the corner, staring her down.
"They are not my boyfriends!" she defended.
"Sure…" he replied, and the two of them went into a battle of sarcastic banter as the four of us walked down the hallway. Kids continued to stare and make remarks as we made our way towards our destined classrooms.
"Yeah I guess she's hot, but did you hear about what happened yesterday? Yeah…totally freaked," said one guy talking to his friend. Great…
"Where do you think he got all those scars from? I heard he just got out of juvie and that's why they moved here…" a few girls whispered against their lockers.
"Ugh," I groaned rubbing my temples as we stopped in front of the stairs to say bye to Nudge.
"What's up?" Fang asked.
"Max, don't worry about what happened yesterday, it'll blow over soon," Iggy told me; somehow knowing what was bothering me.
"Thanks Ig," I told him, appreciating his concern.
"No problem, we should go Fang." Iggy said turning towards him.
"Alright one second," he said turning towards my very anxious face. He kissed my forehead and said, "Don't worry about it; I'll see you next period."
I managed a small smile at the prospect of seeing him so soon and watched as the two of them headed to their class. I turned around glaring down the hallway and began to head to my class ignoring each scurrilous glance. I took a deep breath and turned the corner into my very much unfortunate first period class.
"Ah, Ms. No-name, so you live…" Mr. Harrison said to me upon entry, in his most sarcastic tone. Man, word travels…and he still thinks nothing of it!
"Is that going to be a problem?" I snapped back glaring him down so forcefully, I swear I saw his knees almost buckle.
"Well that depends if you're willing to cooperate," he snapped back. He is unbelievable, that was out of line. I had no energy left to deal with such horrid comments so early in the morning and decided that if I didn't have to than I wouldn't. I turned around to head back out of the classroom. I wasn't going to deal with this.
"Max," he called out using my real name, seeming to realize the extent of his comment, "please sit down." I turned around to see an earnest look on his usually stern and uptight face. I nodded my head grabbing the bridge of my nose between my eyes and headed towards my seat.
I flopped down and rested my head on my arms, closing my eyes.
"Heard you freaked out yesterday," said the meat-head taking his seat two places across from me. I just turned my head over facing away from him, not even bothering to reply; he wasn't even worth that much.
"Afraid to talk back are you now, freak?" he jeered causing a few heads to turn our way. Freak?! Than I laughed to myself…he didn't know the half of it.
"What are you laughing at?" he asked insulted. I turned over and faced him square on.
"You mean, other than your face? Other than your incredibly intellect devoid remarks? And other than the fact that you clearly can't read the serving size on your protein shakes? Well if that's what you mean, than I'm most likely laughing at the prospect of a meat-head like you jeering at a superior evolved being; haven't you learned by now you can't win in a situation like that? Ask Darwin; it's survival of the fittest." Okay, I know what you're thinking, but do you honestly think he'll ever comprehend anything other than the term protein-shake?
At my remarks many of the on-lookers burst out laughing, a few yelling out, 'burn!'
"Huh?" was all he managed to say as a completely dumb-founded expression rapidly over took each one of his features.
"That's what I thought," I snapped at him…I've always wanted to say that. He said nothing in reply as he furrowed his brow, most likely hurting himself in his attempts to process everything I had just said.
About a minute later after I'd already placed my head back down, he finally managed to form proper words. "Yeah well, I could still take your boyfriend any day; he just caught me off guard."
"Gees Zach, would you lay off?" Gina asked, plopping down in the seat in front of me.
"Sorry Gina," he replied. Wow, he clearly has a soft spot for this girl…can you say, whipped?
"I'm sorry about him…how do you feel, I heard about yesterday." You and everyone else.
"I'm fine, thanks," I managed to reply fighting off a head ache.
"What hap-?" she began to ask, but was cut off by the start of class.
"Pens out, notebooks open, eyes up front!" Mr. Harrison ordered out to the class, as everything went silent, and he began to lecture.
About ten minutes had passed when he was interrupted by a knock on the door. Mr. Harrison muttered something under his breath and angrily put his chalk down, cursing the interruption. He opened the door, and my breath caught in complete horror as a Calvin Klein model stood in the doorway dressed as an FBI agent.
He opened up his wallet flipping out the FBI badge to certify his supposed legitimacy. "I'd like to have a word with Maximum Ride." He stated. Mr. Harrison looked at him completely dumb-founded for a few moments before he quickly regained his composure. I jumped out of my desk, knocking my books to the ground, causing every head in the room to turn in my direction.
"Sir, I don't believe you're allowed to just waltz in here, this is a school." Mr. Harrison told the eraser. Well, this is something I never expected…my English teacher speaking with an eraser.
"I've been given direct orders to retrieve Maximum Ride," At Mr. Harrison's hesitant expression he added, "these orders over rule school regulations, now if you wouldn't mind, I need to retrieve Maximum Ride."
"I believe you're mistaken, we don't have a so called, Maximum Ride in this class," he told the eraser.
"That's my full name," I said finally speaking up, knowing I had no other choice. I couldn't bolt and leave him here with the rest of the flock, so my only other option was to acquiesce, or at least pretend to.
"Your name is Maximum Ride?" Mr. Harrison asked in complete shock, as I was stared down by every student in the class.
"Yes," was all I replied as I walked towards the doorway.
"Maximum Ride, I need you to come with me," the eraser told me keeping up the façade of FBI agent. He grabbed my upper arm and as an automatic reflex I jerked it away, forgetting I was still in a class room full of students. Mr. Harrison saw my jerk and suddenly became nervous.
"Max, do you know what's going on?" He asked, suddenly concerned.
"Yes," I lied, relaxing my arm as the eraser grabbed it again. "It's okay Mr. Harrison, they just have a few questions for me," I lied once again, desperately hoping to avoid a scene.
"Alright, make sure you sign her out in the office first, you were supposed to sign in there before you came here," he told the eraser/FBI agent.
"Yes, my apologies, I'll make sure to do that," the eraser replied sounding eerily official, and then turned with me in hand to walk out of the room. Mr. Harrison shut the door behind us, with a very confused look on his face.
The minute the door was shut, I was met with four other erasers. I acted quickly, spinning out of his grip and slamming him against the wall. I clapped my hands over his ears, blowing out his ear drums. The other erasers advanced on me, but I was ready, swinging punches left and right. I took out two, but before I could land a round house kick to a third, one of them landed a punch right in my side. I gasped out in pain as several ribs cracked and I fell to the floor. Using my new-found position to my advantage, I took a deep breath and swung my legs out behind the knees of one of the two standing erasers. He fell flat on his back and I kicked him in the head knocking him out instantly. I jumped back up ready to attack the last one, when something thin and sharp landed right in the side of my neck. I staggered backwards fighting a sudden wave of intense drowsiness. Lifting my hand to my neck I felt a dart and pulled it out, dropping it to the floor. I looked back up to the last eraser who held a small dart gun in his hand. He had a mad twisted smirk on his face that infuriated me to no end.
Fighting whatever drug that was slowly seeping through my body I pounced on him. He had expected me to go down with the dart, therefore wasn't prepared for my attack. I punched him in the side of the head, sending him to the ground. I sent a few more kicks to his side, to ensure he wouldn't get back up. When I noticed he was still, I recomposed myself and ran down the hallway towards Fang and Iggy's classroom.
About half-way down the drug really began to take its hold. My vision doubled, making it very difficult for me to make things out clearly. I couldn't move my legs properly, and they zigzagged in front of one another. My breathing became slow and shallow but I pushed forward, willing every muscle of my body to hold on and keep going. I continued to run finally reaching the right door. I ran up to it, more like into it, and knocked on the door with my extremely heavy fist.
"Excuse me, but we're in the middle of class," the teacher said opening the door. Her eyes widened as I began to sway in place.
"I-I…Fang…" I couldn't spit out the words; my tongue had become unusually heavy and numb.
"Max?!" Fang yelled out getting up from his seat. Iggy got up following close behind, once again as everyone stared at me.
"Fang, something's wrong with her, I can barely hear her breathing, it's so shallow!" Iggy told him, dropping all pretenses in the classroom. My legs started to feel like jello and I couldn't hold myself up anymore. I swayed into the side of the doorway and fell to my knees.
"Oh my, no one leave, I'm getting the nurse!" The teacher yelled out to the class, running from the room.
"Max, what's wrong?!" Fang asked running over to me, practically hopping desks in his efforts. Everyone stood up to stare at me, frantic questions and comments breaking out once more.
"I…erasers…" I managed to get out, as my vision seriously clouded. I was about to do a face plant into the floor when he grabbed me, pulling me to him.
"Erasers?! Here?" Iggy asked, coming up beside us. I nodded my head into Fangs shirt as he picked me up, cradling me to his chest.
"What's going on?"
"What's wrong with her?'
"Erasers? What's wrong with erasers?"
"My god Max, what'd they do to you?" Fang asked carrying me from the room. He came to a sudden stop and his breath caught.
"Shit! Iggy, you know how to get to Nudges room right?" Fang asked, while I lay in his arms confused.
"Yeah"
"Take Max and go get her. Follow her to get the rest of the flock. Get out of here as fast as you can, I'll deal with these ones." Fang ordered, taking charge and filling his role as second in command.
"Are you sure?' Iggy questioned.
"Yeah, just go." He said, handing me off to Iggy. I grabbed Fangs shirt, but found I couldn't hold on as Iggy held me to him, just as strong.
I lifted my head just enough to see that there was a group of erasers approaching from each end of the hallway. There must have been twenty on each side. Uh-oh. Fang was good, but not that good.
"Max, just hold on for me, you can fight this, I'll be fine…" Fang whispered in my ear as curious students began to file into the hallway from his class. Iggy began to head down the hallway, apparently knowing the way but was stopped when he heard more erasers file down the stairs. He quickly backed up, approaching Fang.
"There's no way out," he whispered to Fang. Fang looked around and saw he was right. He immediately reached under Iggy's arms and took me back, pressing me against his chest.
"Who are those guys?" I heard several people ask.
"What's going on?" Chorused a few others, as sixty erasers were slowly approaching, taunting us.
"Let's not do this here," Fang yelled out to the closest eraser, now only a few feet away.
"Give us the girl, and there won't be any problem." The eraser retorted, at the same moment Fangs teacher came back with the nurse, Dr. Griffin, and Maureen trailing close behind.
"Not happening," Fang retorted. The Eraser growled and advanced, bearing his claws. Fang reacted quickly placing me on my feet against the wall. I could barely stand but managed to stay on my feet none the less. I noticed that whatever drug this was had slowed down considerably. I could barely talk, and had trouble breathing and seeing, but I was staying conscious.
The eraser swung but was too slow; Fang had him down and out before he knew it was coming. Several more advanced and Fang took them out easily, stealthily maneuvering his way around them so as not to get hit; he had become quite a good fighter. He took out several more as they began to advance on Iggy as well. Iggy may be blind but he fought well, also taking out a few. In the background I could hear the shouts of teachers and students, especially Dr. Griffin.
"These are students! Get out of my school! Maureen, call the police! Get back in your classrooms!" He yelled, concerned over his students. Others thought different things.
"Told you he could fight"
"Maybe they're fugitives, it would make sense."
"What's they do to her?"
"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god…"
"Holy shit, those aren't real FBI are they?"
An eraser advanced on me, but Fang had him in a headlock before he reached me. Unfortunately for him though, one took advantage and grabbed him from behind, throwing him to the floor. Fang knocked his legs out, but another kicked him in the side breaking a few of his ribs. More erasers came, one landing a few kicks to his head. Fang's nose began bleeding, as well as a cut on the side of his head.
The situation just became eerily real for the students as the blood began to pour. The few in the hallway pressed themselves against the wall and watched in horror.
Fang jumped back up, immediately landing kicks and elbows perfectly on target. I watched in horror as Iggy was slowly being overpowered. He was no doubt a great fighter, but he was beyond outnumbered and slowly coming down. I willed, begged, and even prayed for my body to function. I tried with all my strength to lift myself off my spot on the wall, but found it no use. No matter how much I willed it, my body refused to react, and at this very moment I hated it almost as much as I hated those erasers.
Another group of erasers came for me, and Fang was on them in a heartbeat. He dragged them off, but sustained horrifying blows in the process. After pinning one to the ground he staggered up as blood flowed from his shoulder and his head.
I looked to my right to see Iggy held between three erasers, a purple dart sticking out of his neck…damn them!
"Max!" Fang yelled out, running towards me. I looked forward to see about three erasers heading toward me. Fang jumped in front of me, pinning me against the wall with this back. At the same moment a purple dart came flying, landing itself right in his neck.
He swayed at first, but quickly recomposed himself, pressing me harder against the wall, as the erasers advanced. They pulled him off me and at the lack of pressure; I fell to the ground on my hands and knees.
Fang tried to fight back, but as the seconds passed the drug took its hold, and his fists wouldn't swing. They pressed him up against the wall, sending wicked blows to his face and stomach. They let go and he fell to his knees. In the background I could make out the few horrified shouts of the remaining students. The erasers picked him back up, turning him around and pressed him face first against the wall.
A different group of erasers approached me, and jerked me up from where I had fallen. They pressed me face first against the wall as well, next to Fang. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw them do the same to Iggy, slamming him against the wall on my other side.
The erasers behind me jerked my hands behind my back and tied them with a hard strip of plastic, doing the same to Fang and Iggy. I looked to my side to see Fang staring at me; sadness, anger, and failure all present in his eyes.
"It's okay," I croaked out, wanting him to know that he could never fail me. What he had done already was more than anything he'd realize.
"I'm so sorry Max" he gasped out, fighting the influence of the drug.
"Never be sorry" I whispered, repeating his very words. I glanced back and saw an eraser reloading purple darts into the gun. I glanced back to Fang needing to say something before our time was cut short.
"I love you Fang" I mumbled into the wall that the side of my face was being pressed into.
"I will always love you, Max. You saved my life." And then two more purple darts landed in his neck. His eyes went black, then they closed as he crumpled to the ground. A few silent tears escaped my eyes as I looked at his crumpled and frail form. I heard the sounds of Iggy falling to the ground next to me, and a few more tears slipped out before two darts made their own way to my neck as well. I fell to the ground as my subconscious flared, quickly sucking me in to the nothing it had become.
Dun, dun, dun…PLEASE REVIEW, motivation needs inspiration!