Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride
Chapter Three: Trapped
The fighting doesn't stop. It never stops. I have dreams about the people I've hurt. But I never feel guilty. If I didn't hurt them, they would have hurt me. It's about survival.
The crowd calls me Undefeated. They chant my name whenever it's my turn to fight. Betting against me has become stupid, but the money the Director makes from admission fees makes up for it. I am his star fighter. It mostly just makes me feel sick.
Our baths seem to come sporadically, whenever the guards remember us. But Fang appears every time, no matter what. His lessons become more and more complicated. Soon I am learning stuff that would give the guards a run for their money. I wonder why Fang is going to so much trouble, but I don't dare to ask him.
Afterwards, he takes me to his room. I relish the opportunity to wash away the week's dirt. I don't try to escape again. I know it's futile.
When I step out of the bathroom, Fang is watching me from his bed. His legs are crossed at the ankles and his arms are behind his head. I get the urge to run, but I know it won't do me any good. He's that good.
"Are you scared of me, Maximum Ride?" he asks as he watches me.
I straighten my back and glare.
"I'm not scared of anyone," is my reply.
The corner of his mouth lifts up into a smirk.
"I know you aren't scared of the guards. I know you aren't even scared of the Director. But are you scared of me?"
I stare at him. I can see his muscles outlined underneath his clothes. He is strong, that is for sure. But his strength alone doesn't scare me. He is deadly. Like a snake, waiting to strike. He is a dagger, poised over a heart. He is slow death, running through my veins. He could kill me right now, even though he seems completely relaxed.
His eyes are what get me every time. They are so deep and dark that just looking at him makes me feel lost, never to be found.
"You already know the answer," I tell him.
He smiles.
"Can I ask you something?" I say, staring at my boots. My damp hair falls across my face.
"What is it?"
"Why do you keep teaching me how to fight? Isn't it pretty obvious that I know what I'm doing in the arena?"
I look up, curious to see his expression.
He doesn't answer for a long time.
I take a seat on the edge of his bed, my heart pounding.
"Are you going to answer me?"
"I don't think I should…yet. I'll tell you another time, okay?"
I reluctantly nod.
"Time for you to go back, I think," he says, getting off the bed.
I remain still.
"I know you don't want to keep going back to the cells, but you're lucky that you even get to spend a few hours every week outside. The other prisoners don't get those luxuries." He kneels down in front of me and peers at my face.
"My parents used to say stuff like that," I say quietly, staring at the floor. "They'd say that we're lucky to be Winged, because the Wingless don't get such luxuries. I'd give anything to be able to fly again."
Fang rests his hands on my knees.
"How did you get caught?" he asks softly.
"After they killed my parents, I started running. I was building up speed to fly. But they threw a net over me. I tripped and they caught up easily enough. They dragged me back to the cart with the other prisoners. I was so scared and confused that I was pretty useless at fighting back."
"That's understandable," Fang reassured me.
"You wouldn't have gotten caught," I mumble bitterly. "You would've known what to do."
"Hey," Fang says, cupping my cheek with his hand. "You can't be thinking like that. You did the only thing you could have. You ran. That's the first rule of an outmatched fight. If you can, you run."
"I didn't do anything. When my parents got shot, I mean. An arrow went through them before I could even blink. But I should have seen it coming. I should have known."
"You couldn't have known, Max."
I sigh and press my forehead against Fangs. I know I am supposed to be scared of him. But in this moment he seems like just another guy. I feel safe with him. Maybe I even trust him.
"Is this stupid?" I ask, referring to us.
He moves his hand from my cheek and grips my knees. His hands are warm against my skin.
"Probably," he replies, but he doesn't move.
It's nice to just have someone to lean on. He is warm and safe. He will protect me.
After a while, he pulls away. He holds out his hand and I don't hesitate before taking it. He leads me back to the cells, but this time before he leaves me with the guards, he gives me a lingering look. I can see in his eyes that he does want to protect me. That's why he's been teaching me to fight properly. He wants me to survive. And not because I make money.
x
x
x
We are in the exercise yard, where only a fence separates us from the boys. We take this opportunity to stretch our stiff muscles and get some fresh air and sunlight. Chrissie makes her way over to my side.
"So, what's with all the visits from the second-in-command? Why are you getting special treatment, apart from the fact that you keep winning?"
I shrug, hoping that she'll just drop it. No such luck.
"Look Max, the other girls are startin' to get really pissed. They're scared of you already, and now they're jealous."
"Does it really matter what I do when I'm not in the cell? I still end up there every night. I still eat and sleep with you girls."
"What are you trying to hide?" Chrissie asks, her voice hard.
I wonder if I should really tell her what Fang told me to say. I don't feel comfortable talking about…sex.
But I have run out of excuses.
"Um… we go to his…bedroom."
I blush.
Chrissie stares at me for a moment, then her jaw drops. "WHAT?"
I cough into my shoulder.
"You've been sleeping with him?"
We catch a couple of the other girls' attention.
"It's not like I could say no!" I try to defend myself.
Her eyes fill with pity, then mischief. "I don't think I'd be saying no to him," she says slyly.
"What?" I gasp. "But he's so scary! Don't you think?"
"Scary, but sexy."
My mouth goes dry.
"Wait until the girls hear about this!"
My heart stops. Somehow I don't think they'll be as thrilled as Chrissie is.
"Wait!" I gasp and grab for Chrissie's sleeve. But she's too quick. I chase after her, but she's already reached the main pack of girls. I stay back, unwilling to get closer to them.
I can tell when everyone has heard the news. They all look up and stare at me, hatred in their eyes. I think I've made a huge mistake. If looks could kill…
It isn't long until the boys find out as well. As we file back into the cells they make obscene gestures at me. One boy tries to grab me, but an elbow into his eye puts him in his place. The girls call me names underneath their breath.
"Whore!" they hiss. "Slut!" They don't seem to understand that technically, if Fang and I were sleeping together, it'd probably be rape.
Or do they think it is consensual?
Would it be consensual?
I flush crimson.
x
x
x
I wake in the middle of the night to a hand over my mouth. I try to scream, but it comes out muffled. I am surrounded by females and they look ready to kill.
"We've had enough of you," a solid redhead says. I think her name is Lissa. She seems to be the leader of this particular group. They crowd around me, holding me down on the cold floor.
"First, you never lose. Do you know how many girls have been given to the crowd because of you? So many girls murdered because you can't lose!"
Tears fill my eyes. I am having trouble breathing. I struggle against their restraining hands.
"Then to think that you're sleeping with Fang, the enemy! You're just a whore, looking for your next fuck! Do you think you'll somehow escape if you suck enough dicks? The rest of us are left in this hellhole! Only you get out. That makes us mad. Very very mad."
I can't speak. I can barely move.
"If we can finally kill you, then maybe we'll have a chance of surviving. It's nothing personal."
I try to scream. I try to do anything.
I'm trapped.
That's when Lissa straightens up. She kicks me in the ribs. She kicks me again. And again. And again. I cry out, but I have no oxygen. They're going to suffocate me. They're going to kick me till my lungs cave in. They're going to kill me. And I'm utterly useless. I can't even think of what Fang would do in my situation.
Spots dance across my vision. The pain is too much. My last thoughts are of my parents. Will they be waiting for me? Then I think of Fang. Despite everything he taught me, I am still useless.
Then I hear a yell. One of the boys has woken up. He's calling for the guards. They clamour inside, yelling. Lissa is pulled away from me and I can suddenly breath again. I suck in a lungful of air and straight away start to cough. Pain lances through me.
What seems like seconds later, Fang is there. He surveys the girls, probably scaring them all half to death. He kneels down in front of me and clutches me to his chest. I can't move. I can only wrap my arm around his neck as he picks me up. He carries me away from the cells and into the night. I breathe in the fresh air and wince in pain. My whole body aches.
It isn't long before I lose consciousness.
A/N: Please review :)