Chapter 29: War
Max PoV
I flew through the crisp morning air, looping and spinning. I had absolutely no idea where I was headed, so I was flying in a vaguely eastern direction.
Where to go, where to go. I sang in my head. Maybe I was going mad. Or gone really, I suppose.
Go back Maximum. The Voice seemed louder than usual, and was that a desperate edge to it?
I need to do this.
No, you do not. Head back.
Make me. Yes, childish, I know.
Maximum, this is not a joke. Stop behaving like an insolent little baby, and face up to your responsibility, or I will make you.
Insolent, that was a new one.
I am facing up to my responsibility. I'm protecting my Flock. It's what I do.
Turn around. Now.
I ignored it. Big mistake.
It started gently at first, picking its way carefully across my head, as if searching for weak spots. When I continued to pretend ignorance, it started hammering, bashing my mind from the outside in. The brain attack had declared war.
I fought with everything I had to keep my wings flapping, knowing if I fell now I was definitely dead, with no 'ninety-nine percent chance' about it. Apparently though, everything I had was no match for the imaginary chisels being rammed into my skull. If only the pain was imaginary.
My wings folded and I plummeted.
Sure, this had happened before, but this time there was no Fang to catch me.
I, Maximum Ride, was going to die.
