So…now that I'm back, I realized that I left you on a stand still, didn't I? I'm sorry, I really am. As soon as I was out of the house, I started staying closer to my good friend and he's been having some trouble. He needs someone to be there for him right now, but I'll update as often as I can. We're also working on making a movie currently, and I'm rewriting my novel. I'm keeping myself busy.

This friend really needs me now though, so when I update, I'll try to keep it regular, okay?

And thank you all for your concern. I found it very sweet, knowing that other people out there cared too. And I'd like to thank my unofficial Beta (Drippingly Sarcastic) for all of her support and for how much she pushes me to update. You guys are great.

MAX

Mom herded the young children with us into Fang's room. Dad got out a gun and tried to call the police. The phone lines had been cut.

Fang was starting to come around, to make things worse. He wasn't all there though. He looked around, stared at us, but didn't say anything. His eyes closed again and he fell asleep. On and off for about ten minutes, while we all waited in fear and silence.

Then we heard the door burst open.

There were gunshots.

Then footsteps.

FANG

I came back slowly, feeling hazy. My limbs felt like they were filled with lead, my head felt strange and floaty. I kept falling back to sleep. I was awakened again by the jolt of gunshots and my head rolled to the side to see Max.

"Shh," she whispered to all of us, "Shh." She squeezed my hand and we listened.

Footsteps came closer. Her eyes widened. A door opened down the hall and we heard Valencia scream. Max looked around wildly before herding everyone to the closet. She dragged me along, stumbling some. She saw the opening to the closet and lifted the ceiling piece off. She hoisted Angel and Gazzy up before lifting me with Iggy and Ella and Nudge. She let Nudge, Ella, and Iggy up next as I started to drift away. "We'll head for the clubhouse as soon as we can," she whispered.

A moment later we knew it was too late. My door burst open and she slid the gap shut, ignoring the horrified looks on our siblings faces, and the terror in my eyes.

Then I blacked out again.

ANGEL

Max closed the ceiling on us as Mick came into the room. We listened closely as he looked around the room. "Where are you?" he sang softly.

We could all picture Max, curled up in a ball in the closet, terrified, and Nudge, Gazzy, and I were crying. Iggy was stoic, but panicked. He was shaking Fang's shoulder as Fang struggled to wake back up. The light was super dim, but I could just make out what was going on. I was scared, I wanted Max and Mommy and Daddy.

But I didn't know if Mommy and Daddy were even alive.

"I know you're in here," he said. "I can hear you breathing."

The closet door was flung open and we all (minus Fang) flinched. Fang's eyelids flickered and opened for a second and I could see how scared he was. Then they flicked shut again.

Max screamed. "GET AWAY! PLEASE!"

"Where are your brothers and sisters?"

"I DON'T KNOW!"

"You lying to me?"

"N-N-NO! I DON'T KNOW!"

"Where's Nicky?"

"He's not…he's not here. I don't know where he is, I swear to God I don't."

"I don't believe you."

"I'm serious! He went out! He left earlier!"

"Well then…we'll just have to go and wait for him, won't we?"

Max didn't answer, but we heard Mick yelp and swear. "Little B*tch bit me!" We heard a slap and he swore again. "Kicking now? I'll beat the fight out of you little girl."

The door closed and we heard him struggle to bring a fighting Max down stairs.

"So…" Iggy said. "Max managed to be herself, and played the scared innocent card all at once. Cool points. But now we need to hide. Maybe scattered a bit, so he doesn't find all of us at once."

He, Nudge, and Ella helped Fang walk to the back of the attic, behind a mound of boxes and left him there. Nudge hid in the old armoire. Ella and Iggy were behind a book shelf. Gazzy and I hid behind some boxes near the stairs, because we might be able to sneak away.

"Just…stay…quiet…" Iggy hissed.

And we did, for a long time. I was scared, because I was sure that everyone was going to die. I knew Mick was coming, and that it was only a matter of time.

We heard screams of pain downstairs. Max. They went on for a long time before they stopped, and we heard sobbing. Then he thudded up the stairs and burst into the attic.

He yanked through boxes and found Nudge and Gazzy first. He had his hand clapped over Gazzy's mouth and held Nudge by the hair as he dragged them downstairs. We heard more screams and he left them there and came back. He picked me up by my hair and I bit him as hard as I could. He left me downstairs in the empty spare room. It was dark, but I could see that Nudge and Gazzy were near a huddled up Max, who was crying, but wouldn't let them too close.

Then I realized that she didn't have any clothes.

IGGY

Mick dragged us all downstairs, except Fang. We all told him the same thing, that Fang wasn't here, and he said we'd just wait then.

Max was wrapped in a sheet when I came in, and I knew what went on. I had guessed much earlier, due to the screaming and crying, but now I knew. I reached to touch her shoulder and she flinched, but that was how I knew. I could feel the sheet and her bare skin. So we all sat and kept him away from her. I held up the sheet as a curtain while she changed back into clothes and we stayed huddled up, scared.

Ella told me that she'd seen the door kicked in, and now Mick was coming back. Angel was crying, Gazzy was clinging to Nudge, Ella was holding my hand. Fang, you'd better wake up and help us. We need you.

MAX

Mick did horrible, disgusting things. Then we heard James's voice and my breath caught.

"Max? Are you here?"

Mick glared and hissed, "You'd better keep quiet." Then he left the room.

We heard a gunshot and I screamed. The door opened and he dumped James in front of me. I crawled over to him. "Baby? Baby look at me." I pressed the sheet to the wound in his stomach.

He looked over, breathing shallowly. "Max…"

"I'm right here," I sobbed.

"I love you…"

"I love you." I kissed his forehead.

His eyelids flickered as I held the sheet to him. The blood poured from him. I sobbed. "James, James don't leave me. Wake up, please wake up."

He reached up and cupped my cheek. "Max, don't cry. It's okay, it's okay…" his eyelids flickered shut.

NUDGE

"JAMES!" Max screamed again. She was sobbing and shaking him. I put my arm around her but she yanked herself away.

Somebody please…help us…