The night around me was still. Nothing around me moved. I turned my head to the side to see him lying on the ground, covered in blood. Fang. My hand was still wrapped around his. I sucked in a breath and sat up slowly, preparing for the searing pain that was sure to come. Nothing happened. I stood slowly, and checked myself for any injuries that come from jumping off a hotel and falling twenty stories before hitting the ground. Nothing. This just wasn't real. It couldn't be happening. If you fall twenty stories, you die. I wasn't dead. Or was I? At least Fang was here.
I walked over to him and bent down beside him. He didn't look to good. Brushing a strand of hair from his face, I whispered, "Fang? Are you there? Can you hear me?" He didn't move. "Fang?" I said a bit louder. "Fang??" Still he lay unmoving on the cold ground. I could see his wing was pretty mangled up. He wouldn't be able to fly for at least a week. "Fang?" Still no movement. I shook his shoulder slightly. I shook it again, only harder. Still no movement. This was bad. Really bad.
Oh God, Oh God, Oh God, Oh God, Oh God, Oh Go-
Maximum. Calm down.
FANG IS DEAD! OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH G-
Maximum. Fang is not dead. Calm down. He's okay. You're okay. Everything is okay.
NO IT IS NOT! FANG!
I shook his shoulder again. Still he didn't move. I put my head on his chest and listened anxiously. HE WASN'T BREATHING! OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD!! Wait- was that…? YES! He was breathing! It was very shallow, but he was alive! Yippee! "Fang!" I said. "Fang! Wake up!" His hand twitched slightly. "Fang!" I shoved his shoulder now, which just might have hurt him a lot, because he opened his eyes wildly and made this weird sound. "Fang!" I cried. He looked at me and then closed his eyes again. I smacked his upside the head. "Fang! Get up! Right now!" He opened his eyes again. He must be feeling at least a bit better, because he glared at me.
"Don't hit me." He said fiercely.
"I wouldn't hit you if you would just get up!" I replied, smacking his arm. "Now get up, right now!"
"Stop it! I am getting up!" He grumbled at me. He sat up slowly, wincing as he moved his hurt wing. I got up and moved out of his way as he attempted to stand. His right leg buckled as he put weight on it, sending him crashing to the ground again.
"Do you need some help?" I offered him my hand. He took it and I pulled him up. "C'mon. We need to get back to the Flock." I let go of his hand. He almost fell again as he put weight on leg. I went to his right side, and, looping his arm over my shoulder, put some of his weight on me. "C'mon, Fang. Let's go." He resisted a bit before finally deciding he couldn't walk on his own. He leaned on me as we walked to the front doors of the hotel. I let him lean against my shoulder as I banged on the glass door with my foot. A startled clerk-person-whatever-I-don't-know-what-to-call-them came up and opened the door for us.
He tried to say something, but I pushed him – meaning the clerk person – aside and went to the elevator. Pushing that stupid little button to the side of the elevator, I waited for the elevator to come. Its doors slid open and I half-carried Fang into the small elevator. Pressing the '20' button, I leaned Fang against the side of the elevator. His eyes closed and I sighed. If he really wanted me to hit him again…
"Don't hit me."
"How did you know?"
"I've known you for a long time, Max. It's pretty obvious what you're thinking." Wait- it was obvious what I was thinking? Did that mean that he knew when I was thinking about him?? Or – or thinking embarrassing thoughts that are too embarrassing to say?? Uh-oh. I need to keep my guard up. I should start practicing my poker-face.
"Oh." The elevator door slid open then, thank God, and I returned to Fang's side to help him to our room. He and I hobbled over to room 213. I knocked three times on the door. The metal door immediately swung open to reveal utter chaos in the next room. Well, not really. But you get the point.