I stumbled to my feet, dodging Fang's next move. He scowled, and came at me again—I wasn't at full strength, and I'm sorry to admit that he got a few good punches in.
I did not hit back.
Instead I threw up my hands protectively, trying to cover the worst of my injuries with my arms.
"Fang!" I shouted as loud as I could, hoping that maybe I could talk to him, make him remember. "Stop this!" He flew up into the air, his beautiful black wings reaching out to their full length. This action was met with many claps from the idiots watching us.
His shadow fell over my face, and I turned my gaze upward, wincing as my head throbbed; the collision with the rock before had re-opened the wound to the back of my head—not to mention the fact that I most likely had a concussion. Fang looked like nothing less than the angel of death, and I knew at that moment that this really could be the end of me.
"Fang, please," I whimpered, almost to myself. I couldn't remember a time before this when I was more miserable; maybe at the hospital, when I thought Fang was going to die. He dove, crashing into me at full force, and I went flying backwards. I felt my back collide with one of the old rusty, broken-down cars that littered this gorge. The sharp rust and a few pieces of glass from the broken windows scraped against the bare skin of my back and I felt warm blood soak into the ratty t-shirt I wore. I was losing too much blood, I realized in surprise. I needed to do something to get away from him.
I looked around, didn't see him, then looked up. About fifty feet up, Fang was circling me the way a hawk circled it's prey, which was exactly what was happening. I couldn't hurt Fang, but I could defend myself.
I took the opportunity to test out my wings. Painfully and very, very slowly, I extended my beautiful brown and white wings, trying to will the feeling back into them. I climbed on top of the old car and leapt off delicately, hoping with all my might that my wings would work. As I crumpled to the ground in a panicked ball, I heard Ethan's howl of laughter.
"My…wings," I said dazedly to the rock that was acting like a pillow. I felt like crying—my wings were not functioning, and I really really needed to be able to fly right then. The sound of huge, fluttering wings made me glance up, and there he was, ready to strike.
I leapt to my feet, dodging his dive by a half inch. He cursed, taking aim and diving again. This time I jumped sideways, landing in a crouched position. I had an idea then. Looking over at Fang, who was coming at me on foot, I charged him—I just needed to get by. Surprised by my maneuver, Fang dodged me, spinning expertly and kicking me right underneath my ribs. I cried out, not bothering to pretend that that hadn't hurt, but I didn't stop.
Ethan realized too late that I was coming for him. His beady black eyes widened in surprise and he had time to stiffen as I lunged over the table, pouncing the way I've seen lions pounce of gazelles on Animal Planet. The thought made me smirk as I made contact, rolling us both over the table. I heard a satisfying crack as Ethan collided with a huge boulder, and then I heard him yell out. I didn't have time to find out which bone broke; I couldn't allow Ethan to get back on his feet.
With a sound that could only be described as a war cry, I wrapped my hands around Ethan's neck and squeezed. I might have been at my weakest, but I was still way stronger than a normal human. Ethan wheezed, gripping at my hands with his nails. The fake me was yelling something at the top of her lungs, but I was a little busy, so I didn't pay much attention.
Instead I squeezed even tighter. "This," I began, squeezing even tighter and working to put as much anger as I could into my voice, "is for my flock!" Ethan's eyes rolled back into his head and his hands began to loosen. That's when I felt it; a searing, intense pain in my wings, and suddenly I was flying—though not in the way I'd wanted. More like someone had taken hold of my wings and had thrown me as far in the opposite direction of Ethan as possible.
I felt my head ram into another rock, and as I slipped painfully to the canyon floor another stone cut up my side really bad. I was beginning to fade; and quickly. As my eyes adjusted, I saw the fake me sitting Ethan back up; he was rubbing his neck—which had a big purple and black bruise circling it—and cradling his arm. Ethan sent me a glare that said that if I wasn't just about to die, he'd leap over that table and finish me off himself.
My gaze fuzzed out for just a second, but I was still brutally aware of my body, so the pain seemed to be magnified. As little bits of light came in through my vision, I watched as Fang, in all his dark glory, marched determinedly to the spot where I lay. I needed to move, and I needed to move now.
"You see, fellow researchers," I heard Ethan as I began inching my way to my feet. I needed to go faster, but my body wouldn't listen to my brain. "Maximum Ride has lost enough blood to kill a normal human, has broken quite a few bones, and yet she continues to fight for her life." I grunted, wanting to run over there and plow into him again. "Her body will be up for researching after she is finished off, by special permission only." I heard many murmurs of approval.
Finally I was on my feet. Fang was almost upon me; his dark eyes were scrunched up in hatred, hands curled into fists, mouth turned down in a violent grimace. I used a small burst of energy and ran as far away from him as I could. At this point, avoiding him was my best shot at survival.
"Max!" I heard Nudge cry out my name. I looked up at the cage where my flock waited, watching to see what I would do. Nudge's little shoulders were moving up and down—she was sobbing. Total was curled up in Angel's lap, hiding his head in her shirt. I saw Gazzy; he was crying, whispering to Iggy quietly. Iggy was nodding; his sightless eyes were open wide, one hand covering his mouth. And Angel, my baby, was…still looking at Fang. I felt my face form a question mark, but she didn't even glance at me. My raptor vision was hazy, but I could definitely make out the small beads of sweat that were gathering on her forehead and sliding down her little face. I was too tired to wonder what she was doing anymore.
As a shadow moved over me, I glanced up just in time to see Fang drop down in front of me. I couldn't help myself—I reached out to him. My hand grazed the side of his cheek gently. I saw his dark eyes open wide in surprise, confusion taking hold, and something flashed through them. "Fang…" I tried quietly, my voice just a whisper. That seemed to snap him out of it because he swatted my hand away with such force that my entire body swayed in that direction. Then his hand, curled into a tight fist, came crashing into my stomach and sent me hurtling backwards. I hit the rusty car at full speed, and I couldn't stop the painful cry that escaped my throat. There might be a bone broken in my left wing, now, and I was definitely still losing too much blood.
"Fang, finish her," I heard Ethan say, but it sounded like he was speaking through a long tube.
I made some kind of half-hearted noise like Neh, and attempted to lift myself but one of my wings had lodged itself into the too-small car. If the white coats hadn't drugged my wings, I would have tucked them securely to my back. However, because of the injection, they'd basically just hung downward, about as useful as a sack of potatoes would've been in this situation.
I heard the crunch of the rocks as Fang made his way over to me. I was kind of hunched over, my ankle obviously twisted, but I managed to look up. He carried a long piece of metal, sharp and rusted with age. I cringed, couldn't help it, and met his gaze. What I saw brought on a new spark of hope.
Fang's face, it had been so brutal. Now, for some reason, it seemed softer. Maybe it was just because I was so close to death, maybe it was just wishful thinking, but I saw it. It gave me the last little bit of energy that I had.
Fang paused as I pushed myself to my feet, ignoring the burning pain as I agonizingly untangled my wing from the car. I glanced at him again, and his face seemed to be flickering; going from hard as the stones we stood on to soft; more like the Fang I loved.
Stone-faced Fang won, at least for a second, but I refused to let my heart give up the hope. Using the very last bit of strength that I had left, I threw myself at him. I wrapped him up in my arms and kissed him as hard as I could; I closed my eyes, hoping my last effort would work, would bring him back to us.
That's when I felt it—the sharp stab of pain that was so much worse and anything else. I stopped kissing him for a moment as my breath left me, keeping my eyes closed tightly. My face was already angled down, so as I opened my eyes a crack, I saw it; the piece of metal that had went in through my stomach. Fang's hand clasped it; the knuckles were white from holding it so tightly.
I felt my eyes fill with tears; I didn't care anymore if I cried or not. I was vaguely aware of a loud noise—cheering—and I knew that it really was the end for me. I could hear the heart-felt sobs and cries of my flock as they yelled for me, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. I looked up, at Fang, and suddenly my heart went all-a-flutter (as cliché as that is).
His eyes were wide, and they had light in them…the black was not that of a person who forgot himself; he was aware now, and his face had a look of total and utter shock on it. I glanced up at Angel, who had tears coming down her face, and she held onto the bars of the cage as though it was the only thing holding her up.
"Oh, Max…" she said quietly, and suddenly I understood. She'd been waking Fang up; opening his mind so that he could see the truth. Despite the fact that I was kind of impaled, I felt myself smile. Fang could be himself again, and that was all that mattered.
"M-…Max?"
I turned my head back to him—Fang, who hadn't said my name in far too long. I smiled sadly at him. His hand suddenly let go of the metal, jerking away as though it had bit him.
"Max! Max, I—" Fang said, suddenly panicky. His eyes filled up; I'd never seen him cry before.
"You…remember," I said, a smile on my face. "I'm…so glad…"
Then my arms went slack, and Fang's face was swallowed by a black hole; but as I leaned forward, it was his arms that caught and held me.
I could think of no better way to die…
Review review! Hope you enjoyed! Clearly, it's not over yet, though, so no worries!!
Falling Rose Petals