TO THE LAYMAN!

I told you, I read it late. Apparently you don't read author's notes, you need to. Some of it is important. I made this plot when I hadn't gotten past Fang's Gazzy/Beyonce Facebook. I've tweaked my plot a little. You will see in a few chapters.

Journal NOT a Diary!

Max's Journal

June 22, 2010

THE LAYMAN ABOVE!

"I don't think they're here, Max," Angel said. We had been looking for hours, showing people the picture, seeing if we could get a thought picked up by Angel. We were all tired, and upset, and ready to quit. We were already loosing hope. If they weren't here, there would be little hope to find them. We all knew that.

"It's all MaryEllen's fault. If she hadn't -" I paused, remembering. "If I hadn't accepted it," I whispered, "none of this would have happened. It's all my fault."

"It was their decision. Apparently they were more serious than they thought." Angel sighed and looked down.

I took out the phone and unlocked it. Half a battery and no missed calls or texts. "Mom and Nudge would have called if they went home. And they know we're looking for them." I looked at Fang. "They saw us at the theater. They ran off. They didn't want to be found."

Fang placed his hand on my shoulder. I was fingering the forever necklace, which I do when I get nervous, apparently. "It's about noon. Let's go eat."

We slipped into the nearest McDonald's and ordered. Angel made them put in the Shrek Forever After toy she wanted, and a size down on my drink, which didn't fly well. We got a booth near the window, collapsing in the seat as soon as we got to the table.

I picked at my Quarter Pounder, really not in the mood for food.

"Max," Fang said. "I know you're disappointed. But there's nothing you can do."

"I know," I said, picking up a fry and eating it. "We might as well just head to Manhattan tomorrow, look there for a while."

Angel sighed. "Maybe. But something tells me we'll never find them."

"Don't tell me that! This is the second time my flock slip up, and I hate it even more then the first time!"

Fang averted his eyes, remembering that he called the split. "Max, none of us like it. Iggy and Gazzy were brothers to all of us. We hate this is much as you do."

My hand was at the necklace again. I sighed and close my eyes, trying to get my thoughts together. "I know," I said quietly. "But for now, let's not talk about this anymore. Let's just enjoy Micky D's." I opened my eyes again and grabbed my burger. Fang and Angel exchanged looks.

Thirty minutes later, we were back at Mary Lou's house. Analie giggled and jumped into my arms as soon as she saw us. We all joined Mary Lou in watching Dancing with the Stars. I, personally, don't care for dance shows. But it's popular. Who am I to judge?

"We're leaving tomorrow," I told Mary Lou, brushing a strand of Analie's dark hair behind her ear. "Iggy and Gazzy aren't here."

Mary Lou looked down. "Why? I just found you guys, found William after fifteen years. Don't make me loose him again."

"You're going away?" Analie asked. "Don't go!"

"We have to. Our home is in Arizona, with our family. All of our family. That includes Iggy and Gazzy. Home isn't home without all of us."

"Exactly," Mary Lou said. "Our home isn't the same without William. And you, of course. We've gotten too use to life with you."

The look on Analie's face almost broke my heart, but I had to say it. "Our home is in Arizona. Yours is here in New York. We have to go to our home."

"You're leaving?" Analie asked. "For good? I knew when you came it couldn't be true!" A tear ran down her cheek and she jumped out of my arms, running to her room. I heard a door slam. Poor kid. I stared down the hall for a minute.

"I'll talk to her," Fang and I said at the same time, standing up. We looked at each other and sat down. "You can. Stop." We said that all in unison. Oh yeah. That takes skill.

I took a deep breath. "We'll both talk to her." I stood up and walked down the hall, Fang right behind me. I gently nocked on the door. "Analie? It's Max and F-William."

First Fnick. Now Fwilliam. What's with that?

"Go away!" Analie yelled. I heard more crying.

Fang wiggled the doornob. Analie had locked it. He picked up a paper clip and picked the lock. The door swung open. Analie's head shot up, saw us, and buried in the pillow. Fang and I sat at the edge of her bed. I waited for a few more tears before putting my hand on her back. "Analie, the longer you spend crying the closer we get to leaving."

Analie glared at me but sat up. "Why do you have to go and leave me with Momma? Why? It's so boring with just us! Don't make me go back to life with just us! Why couldn't ... why couldn't you and your family just move in with us? It's so much more exciting with you two there!"

Fang and I exchanged looks. "Analie, my family has seven members," I said. "Eight if you count Ella, but she'll be gone for a while. The house is already stuffed with just me, Fang, and Angel. We just, couldn't do that. I'm sorry. We have to stay in Arizona."

"It's not fair! Why don't you just stay here? There's enough room!"

"Our own family needs us," Fang said.

"Me and Momma are your family, too! We need you, too!"

I reached up and wiped her eyes with my thumb. "I'm sorry, Analie. It's just not possible."

"Everything is possible."

I looked away, my hand at the necklace. If everything was possible, why hadn't we found Iggy and Gazzy? Why are all those kidnapped kids killed before police find them? Why isn't the BP oil spill stopped? But then again, we found Analie before anything happened to her. There are thousands, possible a million people and NYC. It's not very likely you'll find a little girl.

"There will be a lot of people coming and going in your life, Analie," Fang said. I looked at him. "It's something everyone goes through. And this is not going to be the last time. We'll call, visit every once in a while. But we all knew we couldn't stay forever."

Wow. Who knew Fang was so deep?

Analie looked at her bed sheet. "Yeah, I guess so. But it's so sad! Why can't everyone stay where they are and never leave?"

Fang shrugged. "I don't know. I wish the same thing. But that's not the natural scheme of life."

"I don't know or care what that means. But I don't think I like it. I hate the natural shem of life!"

"Scheme. It means - oh, never mind. Will you please come back to the living room?"

Analie nodded. "Okay." She sniffled as she stood up and followed us to the living room.

"Are you okay, honey?" Mary Lou asked.

She nodded. "I guess." She looked at me and Fang and tried to smile. Emphasis on tried. She looked down as Mary Lou put her hand on Analie's shoulder. Mary Lou bent down and whispered in her ear. Analie nodded. "I know."

"Well," I said, rubbing my hands together. "Fang, Angel, we better get packing." We stood up and went off to our rooms to pack. As I stuffed my clothes in my backpack, I couldn't help but finger the necklace. What if Iggy and Gazzy weren't in Manhattan? Then this whole trip would have been for nothing.

But even though Mary Lou seemed weird, I couldn't help but feel sorry we had to leave. She was Fang's mom, after all. Analie. The sweet five year old. She looked so much like Fang it was extremly uncanny. And she was about the size of Angel. It was hard not to take her. She looked - acted like a member of the flock.

I had to forget about them. They were Fang's family, but we were his family. He was a member of our family. After we found Iggy and Gazzy, our family would be complete again, just like it was before. We could all forget this nightmare and act like it never happened.

And that was exactly what I expected us to do.

-Maximum