Chapter 16 – Thoughts of Max

The next morning the daily routine continued as if the strange phenomenon from last night had not occurred. Each day goes on like it had before. One event doesn't change the course of nature, and because of that it was back to work as usual.

Fang carried a couple large bales of hay, balancing their weight on his shoulders easily. The only problem with this method was losing his peripheral sight, but that wasn't necessarily important at five in the morning. He could see his destination clearly in front of him so he didn't mind the momentary absence of vision to his sides. In theory, if anyone snuck up on him he could just become invisible…

He had no idea if what happened last night was real or not. If it was a dream or a nightmare. Could he really turn invisible? If so, how did it happen? It wasn't some kind of puberty thing that they forgot to put in biology books, was it? He wasn't sure how he felt if he did have the power. In a way, it would be cool, just to know you can do something that others can't. He could skip class without being noticed or run around the halls at free will. Although he had no idea how to control it. What if he suddenly became invisible in the middle of class while he was answering a question? That would be bad.

But what if he just dreamed everything, like it seemed he did? What if he didn't have the power? In a way, it would be… good, he guessed. He had no idea if invisibility was some kind of medical condition. So at least if he couldn't do it, it proved that he wasn't sick or going to die any time soon.

He reached The Pen and was joined at the gate by Ella and Savannah. All the animals were just transferred from the main roaming plain to the feeding ground. He placed the two bales on the ground at his side for a second before determining the best place to put them among the animals. They were swarming everywhere, determined to get their first share of the fresh food. He took one pile and lifted it so it sat tottering over the fence. The animals' heads looked up in anticipation. Some even nipped at the stray pieces of hay that dropped in the slight breeze.

"Jeez, impatient," he muttered as he placed the bale in a small clearing in between the animals. They all pounced on it and happily munched away.

Ella laughed. "I'll take care of the rest of the food," she told him. 'I think Max needs your help in the barn, though."

He nodded and headed toward the tall dark-wood structure. Sliding the side door open, he walked in to see Max sweeping out Gale's stall. When he reached it he rested his elbows on the low gate that separated the two. She looked in his direction. "Yes?" she asked.

"Uh, Ella said you needed help." He couldn't explain why he felt a little uneasy about talking to Max. She'd been pretty honest with him last night, it seemed, and he was glad that she actually opened up with him. It was probably the first time in the week that he'd moved here. It was progress, however slow it may be, but he would take it.

"Oh, right, um, could you hold on to Gale's reins while I bed her stall."

"Sure," he said, not really getting why she wanted him here when she could easily tie the horse's reins outside. She'd seemed a little off this morning so he figured it to be an excuse for her odd behavior.

Thinking of Max, watching how she worked with such acuteness and prudence, brought about a strange feeling in his abdomen that he couldn't identify. She wasn't what most guys would call extraordinary; she was just a simple farm girl in most of their eyes. But they never saw her in this light: seeing how much kindness and patience was involved with attending to animals, the strength in those thin arms, her ability to get the job done even when she isn't at one hundred percent. All those traits in that long, slender body. He wasn't sure why he was feeling these things, or what it meant for that matter.

She slipped the coarse, leather reins into his hands. He softly persuaded Gale out of her stall to stand in the hall. Her large black eyes stared directly at him, like she was questioning his thoughts and digging deep into his soul. She seemed more intelligent than a mere animal. Maybe this was why Max did all this work, to care for a being that seemed to have a soul of its own.

He raised an eyebrow at Gale's gaze, as if she was asking him why he had these thoughts about her owner. The horse blinked, and then, surprisingly, ducked her head in a submissive act. He wasn't sure what to make of it, so he just patted her black mane. Max had said that Gale was a thoroughbred, and that her coloring was described as 'bay' – brown hair with a black mane, tail, and lining along the legs. Then she butted her giant head into his chest, catching him off guard and nearly knocking him over. He heard a laugh to his left.

"What?" he asked.

Max shook her head and tried to hold back her laughter. "I think she likes you. She only butts heads with those she cares about."

So Gale liked him. That was something, he guessed. Gaining the approval of Max's horse was maybe a sign of something more to come. Not like it really mattered to him.

He looked back at Max, noticing the way her face scrunched up in concentration, how the small freckles across her nose and cheeks stood against her pale skin, the way her natural blond highlights accented her face like a halo. He figured that she sort of looked like an angel, if that angel was badass and very bossy.

Then again, today she really wasn't acting like herself. Maybe it was, dare he say, the Voice? He wasn't sure if that was real either, but he could definitely tell that something freaked her last night. Maybe she was going crazy? On all those lawyer TV shows it's always the crazy schizo kids that had voices in their heads that committed murder. But Max wouldn't do that. Besides, if she was insane than he was dying of some kind of terminal illness that caused him to be invisible.

"I'm done," Max said, emerging from the stall with a rake in hand. "You can take her back in and then take off her halter. Then remember to close the door as soon as you get out."

He led Gale toward her stall. The gate was small, just wide enough to fit her and the two teens through. They brushed up against each other, and Max looked away nervously. She was walking toward the racks at the other end of the barn.

"Wait," Fang called.

Max paused, turning around to look at him with a puzzled look. "Yeah?" she questioned, seeming annoyed for an unknown reason. He hoped that he wasn't the cause of it.

"You okay?" He made sure to busy himself with Gale so that she couldn't read the look on his face. His usual mask of impassiveness was beginning to fade as he let his guard down around the Martinez's. He needed to work at keeping it through all situations. The halter slipped off Gale's head easily since she was comfortable with him.

"I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?" She sounded distracted.

"Your head. Last night, our conversation." He didn't know if it was something he should bring up, but he had to ask.

She sighed, causing him to look back at her. He maneuvered around Gale to get out of the stall and slid the door closed behind him. "Like I said before, I'm fine," she persisted stubbornly. She rubbed her head with the palm of her hand.

He shrugged, knowing she was lying. It came over him with a smug approval that he was getting better at reading her actions. The look he shot her said "if you say so…" He tried so hard to keep from smirking.

She groaned and stalked off in the other direction. He stifled a laugh, deeming that it would be rude, especially if he was trying to be someone that Max could trust. Thoughts of her made him sigh. If he had to think of her the rest of the day, it was going to be difficult concentrating in school.

He had a lot of things to sort out.

As I promised it was another Fang chapter, but I hope it wasn't too forward. I'm not really sure what goes through a guy's head when they like a girl (Oh my, Fang likes Max?!?!? No freakin' way!). So I hope it wasn't like really stupid or sudden or anything. It's not like he loves her... not now anyway. hehehe :)

Thank you 123-Cat-Cat-321 for the idea! I think the next chapter will stir things up a little more (hehe, a love song by Skillet. If no one's heard it please listen to "A Little More" by Skillet. It's really good!) RukiWolff95, I want to see your zombeh carrots! I love carrots and zombies, so that seems like a pretty good mix to me. Thank you Lixz-Axel-Me and 4everHoldYourPeace for the encouraging words. It means a lot!

It also means a lot to me that everyone keeps reviewing! Computer getting computer time is hard cause our desktop broke, so my dad chases me off the lap top all the time even though he has no idea how to use it. So please reveiw!!!!