Right then and there, the lights flickered on and a mile of panic brushed over me. Something major had changed. I gazed at the woman in front of me.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"Out" I said trying to act casual.
"What's with the bags?" She laughed bitterly when I didn't respond. "I've caught you Maximum. So you're trying to sneak out on me. Don't listen to this 'John' Max, all he is, is bad news." She knew I talked to John? How? But she was wrong. I trusted him.
" I can help you, Max. We're trying to help you, for the greater good"
Those words repeated in my head like echoes. For the greater good. I knew instantly what was going on. She was a part of Itex. All of this time we've been living with strangers.
"everyone, get out of here. I'll meet you later." Everyone did as told, but for the exception of Fang. My eyes never left Valerie's as her toned hand clutched the leather embedded accent chair in front of her, leaning against it leisurely.
"So, I've caught up. You're a part of Itex, that's all for the greater good. You don't know what they do to us, it's pure torture."
"You don't understand Max, you're special. You're the one that's supposed to save the world."
"Find somebody else then, someone who accepts the offer as is, I'll give you my DNA to put in someone else's, if it has to come to that. I don't want the flock to go through this because of me."
"We already do, but Ella just wo-" she cut herself off short.
A million tiny bolts hit me like an exploding circuit. "Ella? What about her? I don't remember anything about giving my DNA to someone else. All this time Ella's been my sister?" But, she had known too, she didn't want the best for me either. She wanted the best for science, for the future, not for my feelings. Or the flocks.
Suddenly, it seemed as if I couldn't feel my hands clenched into fists digging into my skin. The ceramic, tile floor felt like ice against my bare feet. It felt as if everything I had ever known vanished before my eyes. Like waves crashing against the grainy sand and my heart dropping a million feet below my shivering body and left on cement. Everything that I had been told was a lie. But, it doesn't matter anymore. It seems as if I've been repeating this phrase for weeks and weeks but always let feelings get in my way. I guess that was a benefit of being a human. Feelings, pity, sorrow. I didn't reply. I didn't break down. I didn't yell. I wasn't mad. I was humiliated. I was pained. I left.
The flock waited for me outside on the porch. The wooden floor creaked under my feet as I Trembled my way towards the group. I clutched my woolen peach-colored Columbia sweatshirt. I had gotten this when we were all out shopping with Ella. And then I thought. This was the last time I would have this. Be greeted with clothes and comfort.
"Let's just go"
"Where to? Nudge asked in confusion. After I answered, I spread my white speckled wings and flew away into the setting sun. All the way to New York city.
FANG'S POV
I had never seen Max so upset, so sad and humiliated before. I never wanted to see it to begin with either. She had been through so much, more than I could even begin to imagine. But she was tough. She would get through this. I hope.
MAX'S POV
The night we left for New York we stopped in California, in a nearby wooded tropical area. For that night, Iggy and Gazzy went in search of food, at the local grocery mart, with the bare minimum amount of change we had kept when we left Valerie's. While they were out Nudge helped me make makeshift beds out of weathered branches and twigs found on the thick, rough, and muddy sought ground. Nearby, Angel was trying to start a fire as Fang helped her. "…chose light, dry, and thin wood. Much easier." Fang always shortened his thoughts up into shorter phrases. I was never exactly sure why, though. I pushed a strand of my already mud-caked hair behind my ear, looking at the adorable scene in front of me. I observed it through the palm trees coarse branches. The way they acted was as if they were father and daughter, and my mind immediately went back to John, wanting it to be over with. I was brought back to reality when a soft hand tapped my arm.
"Max? Iggy and Gazzy are back with food" I gave a slight nod.
No noises, sounds, or unidentified creaks in the pitch black night that disrupted me, just thoughts. Thoughts that lead to dreams; thoughts that lead to a terrible night. Thoughts that lead to trouble. Thoughts lead to visions. That night I had a brain attack, Visions flashed through my eyes. A rustic, old coffee shop flashed before my eyes. A long number that I couldn't fully remember of 34058- and more that I couldn't make out. It showed up against that shop. Another image, a sign of New York also flashed through my vision and then the last image of a street named Rosewood Avenue. I tried not to think to much of it, and forced my eyes closed.
I awoke with a start. I observed the scenery around me. Everybody in the flock was fast asleep and unnerved, while I was up and ready. I heard a twig snap and shuffling in the bushes. My feet swept across slowly and secretively to the opposite side of the bush that way I could get whoever was here straight ahead. All my senses were straight ahead and focused.
SIERRA'S POV
"Sierra, those dreams…they're dangerous" My electric mint green eyes flittered toward my brothers golden amber ones. I inscribed one last final indent of rock in the mini-boulder copying the thing I had wrote a billion other times before. The thing my brother was so worried about. I finished the last numbers off "…8..2..9" I frowned and wiped the sediments of rock in my hand on my pants and trudged my ways towards him, my knapsack thumping against my back. He was concerned, I could tell. "You think I don't know this, Luke? It's not like I can control it. I can't get it out of my head." I said furrowing my eyes at my brothers ignorance.
"Try then. Maybe we'll find them soon, Sia. There's always hope." The white hot sand burned against my bare feet.
"But hope is still rational?" I found my way towards the cotton white hammock hanging between two trees, folded my arms behind my head and closed my eyes.
"But Luke…" I said taking a wisp of fresh air, "it's treacherous, deceptive, delusional" I mocked what he had said to me a couple minutes ago. I could see the features of his face weigh down. I suddenly felt terrible. I leaned back against my elbows and looked straight at my 17 year old brothers face. I'm sorry, Luke, you know I didn't mean it."
"I know. It's just hard to Imagine. Listen Sia you've gotta promise me that we'll stand by each other forever, even if we find them or not." The echo of the waves crashed against the shore once more.
"Agreed"
Silence enveloped over us, only the lapping sound of the waves reached our ears.
"But, you do realize that if we want to find them we have to actually search." I sighed realizing that he was right. I only imagined it would be this easy. It seemed effortless in the movies, when the kid characters were left alone to hopelessly find their parents. Except, this time my brother and I didn't have magical powers. The only thing that really came in useful were my parents survival skill lessons that we had only learned about two to three years ago.
Luke sliced a coconut from a palm tree and turned around to call my name. Even if we don't find them, at least we can say we died trying.
LINE BREAK
I've become paranoid. Every noise in this grassland felt noisier than usual. I snatched the bug to my right that made an annoying ticking noise with anguish. I don't dare tell Luke. He'll think I'm even more insane than I already am, and the feeling makes me miserable. I decided sane was a better route to take, but the idea was becoming even more idiotic the deeper we got into the woods the moment I heard a million tiny whips, crackle, and twitters. I could barely take it. My brother and I both knew it, I was going insane.
The arid temperature of the tropic was slowing both of us down, we were way past being secretive. But, suddenly ahead I had a little but of hope when I saw the fire up ahead. Food? Being extremely hungry didn't help us out either. When I pushed the leaf of the palm tree down to see the fire a fist connected to my nose, and the pressure pushed me back into the trunk.
"Sia!" I groggily opened my eyes to see six tired and startled kids standing around my brother and I.
"great"