Ch 4~ Trouble
I don't know how far I flew, but when I landed, exhaustion forced me onto my hands and knees. The spot where my wings connected to my back burned like heck. I let my head hang as I caught my breath, sweaty strands of hair clinging to my neck and face.
Eventually, I recovered enough to get my bearings. I was kneeling on pine needle-covered moss, surrounded by tall trees. As my lungs and heart started working at a normal pace, my brain started functioning again, grasping questions that I (or anyone, for that matter) couldn't answer.
Why? Why me? Why did my life have to be so messed up? Out of all the mutants in the entire world, why did I have to be the one with a deranged (and possibly psychopathic) clone following me around like a lost, lovesick, puppy?
You're calling him a psychopath? You do realize that you just tried to choke him to death, right?
"SHUT UP!" I screamed. My hands gripped the ground, and I felt the sting of pine needles as they punctured my skin. I let out a scream, one that startled birds out of trees and made my own ears ring. That's right, how could I have forgotten adding the Voice to my Grand List o' Problems?
I stood up and punched the closest thing to me, which happened to be a large tree. Ow. A gasp tried to escape me, but I clenched my teeth, and the air came out as an angry hiss. I gripped my injured hand, trying to stop the blood that was already making my fingers slick.
"You don't need to take it out on the tree." I heard the voice behind me. Without thinking, I spun around, balling my un-injured hand into a fist and slamming into the face of-
Iggy.
The bird kid spun a full 360 before landing on his butt. His hand cupped his cheek with one hand, a look of complete shock conveyed on his face.
For a moment, I couldn't say anything. I just stood, staring down at him uncomprehendingly. Snapping out of my daze, I started to speak. "Iggy. I-I didn't know-"
He put up a hand. I watched as he slowly got to his feet, spitting blood out of his mouth.
"You…" Iggy started, but trailed off. He looked down and shook his head, trying to find the right words. After a moment, he brought his sightless gaze back up to me.
"You're insane, Max." Iggy concluded, wiping the corner of his mouth on the back of his hand. He grabbed his jaw and moved it around, checking to see if it functioned properly. I watched him, bewildered. My brain was having trouble making sense of what he just said.
"Wh… what?" I scoffed. His comment seemed completely random, but it started to sink in. It was true. I was crazy, cuckoo, two fries short of a Happy Meal… you get it. I tried to change the subject.
"How'd you find me?" I looked down at my feet, but I could feel the bird boy's unseeing eyes boring into me.
"You screamed. I have sensitive ears. Do the math." There was a slight quiver in his sarcastic voice, like how it shakes when you get angry.
I leaned against a tree, still clutching my throbbing hand. A dejected sigh escaped me and my shoulders slumped.
"I'm sorry." Yeah, I know it was insensitive, but c'mon, what else could I have said?
"Glad to hear it, but you know that 'sorry' doesn't cut it." Before I could say anything, Iggy continued.
"Things have changed, believe me, you aren't the only one who noticed, but there's nothing I wouldn't give to make us a family again. Sure, we were never a 'normal' family, but I'd rather have a happy flock of mutant bird kids with our talking dog than have everyone at each other's throats. Literally." He laughed a little bit. I frowned.
"What? Too soon for strangling jokes?" Iggy asked. The corners of my mouth turned up. I smiled, then tried not to, which of course made me grin even wider. Something bubbled up in my chest: laughter. I couldn't help but let out a snicker. Then, the giggles turned into something else.
My gut twisted, and the laughter transformed into sobs. I slid down the tree into a sitting position, legs straight out, the trunk supporting my back. Iggy's jaw dropped.
"Max… are you… crying?" he asked.
"No!" I replied hastily, but my voice was high-pitched. Way to be tough, Max. I quickly wiped my cheeks. No tears. Thank God. If any of my flockmates saw their fearless leader break down… I don't know what would happen.
Iggy came over, taking a seat on the opposite side of the tree that I had my back against. We just… sat there. It was quiet, but not awkward; you know, one of those nice silences where you can just enjoy not having to speak or think.
But after awhile of letting my mind go blank, bad thoughts started flooding my head. The back of my eyes started to sting. Crap. If I didn't say anything, I was gonna start crying.
"Iggy,"
"Yeah?"
"You're right… about everything. Things have changed… but… I don't know if we can ever be 'normal.' With Nudge and Fang and Angel gone…" I couldn't say any more.
"I know. It's just that… this whole 'two separate flock' thing is…"
"BS," both of us said simultaneously. We laughed.
"Max?"
"Yeah?"
"I… I heard Nudge leaving. I didn't- I couldn't stop her." Iggy muttered. My eyes widened. I whipped around to face him.
"Augh! Don't hit me!" The blind kid brought up his arms to protect his face. His voice sounded like he was joking, but there was a twinge of fear in his voice.
I looked down at my side to see that my hand was clenched. I shook the fist away. Inside, my heart sank. I felt awful; I had gotten that close to punching him… again.
"But… why didn't you stop her?" I struggled to keep my voice calm.
"Because Max!" Iggy jumped to his feet, throwing his arms into the air.
"Don't you see? She stepped up!" Slowly, I stood, staring at Iggy.
"Stepped up? For what?" I stared at him with a 'how hard did I hit you?' look. Of course, he couldn't see it.
"She left for a reason. Nudge is having the same problem we are. She went-" Just then, a twig snapped loudly. We both looked at each other.
When you're in the middle of a forest and a twig snaps loudly, it is a definite sign of trouble.
Kate was eating breakfast when she heard a knock. Her head swiveled left and right, a puzzled expression on her face. Nobody should have a reason to come to their door. She dismissed it as her imagination. Then, there were was a rapid 'knock-knock-knock,' and a muffled "open up please!"
She stood up, confused. Was this a trick? Kate had every right to be paranoid. She was a genetically enhanced super mutant, after all. The superhuman girl walked to the door and glanced through the peephole. Upon seeing who was outside, she gasped and swung the door open.
"W'sup Kate?" Ratchet slurred through his swollen lip.
"Ratchet! What happened? And uh, who are you?" Kate asked curiously, looking down at both the battered teenager and the girl supporting him.
"Well, he got beat up by some mandroids, and I'm Nudge!" The girl piped.
"Hey, what-" A blonde girl peeked around the corner. She caught sight of Ratchet.
"What the hell happened to you?" The girl seemed to be laughing.
"Ha. Yeah, Star. It's so funny when people get their faces beat in by superstrong robots." At that moment, Ratchet swooned, tipping forward.
"Whoa!" Nudge exclaimed, trying to hold the boy up. He would've fallen on her if the Asian girl hadn't stepped in. Kate hooked her arms under Ratchet's and half-carried half-dragged him past the blonde girl into the next room. Star watched them as they passed, then turned her attention back to Nudge.
"So... who are you?" She asked.
"I'm Nudge! I came all the way from- well, it doesn't really matter- what matters more is why I came-hey, is-" Nudge stopped her rambling suddenly when Fang appeared further down the hall. His eyes widened.
"FANG!" Nudge cried gleefully as she sprang forward, using her wings to propel herself. She crashed into the dark-haired avian, wrapping her arms around him. Fang lost his balance, falling to the ground.
"Soo… I take it you two know each other?" Star peered suspiciously at the bird-kid-doggie pile.
"Yeah! He's my older brother." Nudge replied. Star gave her a very skeptical look.
"Oh! I mean, you know, not really, but kinda, see, we were like, in this flock, you know, like birds!"
"Wow, I think we found somebody who can talk faster than you Star," Max's clone came around the corner.
"Oh! Hi M-Maya!" Nudge almost said 'Max' by mistake. She quickly tried to change the subject.
"So, I saw most of the gang-" As if on cue, shouting from the other room interrupted her.
"Ah!"
"Shut up you moron! I haven't even touched the cut yet!"
"Star,"
"C'mon Kate! He totally started it!"
"Oh, ok, blame this on the guy who got beat up."
"Yeah, you really got your ass whooped!"
"OW!" Both yelled simultaneously.
"Both of you: stop." There were grumbles, but not much else.
The three bird kids snickered.
"Ok, so that's part of the gang, but isn't there-"
"Hey, what's all the noise?" A sleepy-looking boy stepped out of his room, rubbing his eyes. He caught sight of Nudge and Fang, who were still on the floor.
"Uhh…" he started, contemplating what to do. There was a loud shout and a string of curses from the other room.
"… I think I'll go back to bed," he decided, retreating into his room.
But before Holden could get far, there was another knock on the door. Fang glanced up suddenly, looking at the door, then back to Nudge.
"You didn't bring anyone else, did you?" Fang's voice sounded frighteningly placid. Nudge's eyes were wide. She slowly shook her head.
The apartment was dead quiet as three slow knocks sounded off again.
"We're in big trouble." Maya whispered.
Nudge Fan: Thanks, that means a lot!
PhonixInTheAshes: Thank you! And I dunno, you'll just have to see ;)
As for all you other readers, well, thanks for reading! Make sure you tell me if you want to see more of someone!