I heard faint cries of, "Max, wake up" and upon hearing them I did a quick check of my body. I wasn't fully healed by any means, I had really taken a beating and I was still in pain – but that was irrelevant. I struggled to open my eyes with no result. I felt an arm around me at the same time someone asked, "So you really found an anecdote Fang?"
And at the sound of that word I bolted up pinning the person attached to the arm that had been around me to a tree. I looked right into Fang's stone-cold black eyes. He looked right back at mine.
"Max, what are you doing…?" he whispered, his face inches from mine.
"Max, stop! You're scaring me!" Angel shouted from behind me. I heard Nudge whispering to Iggy the details of the situation and then I heard Iggy suck in a short breath.
"Hand me the anecdote" I demanded Fang.
"No" he whispered sternly. I pushed him harder against the tree, threateningly.
"Hand me the anecdote" I repeated, feeling his muscles tense against my hands.
"Tell me you love me" he whispered even softer. I could tell he was weak, I could feel him struggling to stay up as it were. I didn't have time for this. I didn't have time for the flock. I was suddenly hit with a wave of realization. All of Jeb's past words were flooding through my mind…Save the world Max…You have so much potential…You could be better…You could be greater…Let them go Max…They had been the reason for everything. The reason I was on the run, the reason I am the way I am. If I had just gone back to the school, I'd be perfection; I wouldn't be on the run. I would be Maximum Ride, and I would be ready to save the world.
I refocused my eyes on Fang, who had been staring at me with longing in his eyes. "I will say this one more time, give me the anecdote" I demanded. He looked so weak and what he did next surprised me. He pushed me off of him and tackled me to the ground. I landed with a wave of pain as he straddled himself over me grabbing the sides of my face.
"Max, look at me!" He shouted, getting closer to my face. "I know it's still you, you've just got to fight this, whatever it is, fight it! You love me, I know you do. Don't you dare deny it!" And then he kissed me. He kissed me so hard, so strong, so wanting – I had to end it. I knew he knew the kiss wasn't the same, I didn't respond to him, and he felt it. He pulled away and I saw him reach for something. I flipped him over while grabbing one arm. I pushed him face first into the ground pulling his arm behind his back, pinning him to the ground.
"I'm leaving Fang, and you can't stop me. I've let you drag me down for far too long. I am no longer obligated to stay here. I'm leaving." And with that I stood up and turned around to see a mortified flock, stunned silent. I made it two steps before I was grabbed from behind and spun around to once again face Fang. He reached a hand up towards my face. I grabbed him by the neck and pinned him against the tree once again. He slammed hard into it but didn't fight back. "Don't follow me" I simply stated. Then I let go and his knees buckled to the ground. He grabbed a branch above his head and shakily stood up one more time.
He looked me dead in the eyes and said, "I Love you, and don't ever forget that" and he fell to the ground on his hands and knees coughing up blood. I turned away from his weak and pathetic form to meet the horrified looks from the flock.
"Don't follow me" I said once again looking at them this time. I turned my back on them and took ten steps in the opposite direction, smiling to myself, embracing this newfound freedom. Without a last look, I spread my wings and took off.
A/N: Okay, how am I doing guys? It's been a really long time since I have written anything. I was excited to come back to this story, I really missed writing, but it's definitely really rusty. I'd really like to know how I'm doing, and how you all like the story. Should I keep going with it? (I promise it would have a happy ending – I already have it up in my head) So let me know! Thanks