We Were Strangers in the Dark – Chapter 6
By MyNameIsCAL
I took Iggy and Gazzy to the empty house. Gazzy seemed distraught about his sister being left behind, but Iggy, well, he just seemed sort of lost and I felt bad for him. Not much time had passed, but I knew I wasn't supposed to stay here long. We were supposed to keep moving.
"How did you even get out?" Gazzy asked me, pacing.
"Fang got me out…" I trailed off, my eyes wandering to the back windows.
"Do you think they got him?" It was the first time Iggy had spoke since we had escaped.
That was something I didn't want to answer.
But we didn't have to wait much longer to receive our answer. Fang burst through the front door, stumbling in. I ran to him. It was almost instinct, an automatic response, and I pulled him into a hug. His arms rested around me stiffly, and then more comfortably, his chin rested on the top of my head.
"Max, I'm okay," he whispered. "You shouldn't have waited for me."
I let go of him after another second. "I...I know…"
Fang looked like he had taken a few hits, but at least he had gotten away without getting shot or something. He was limping, slightly.
"Angel kept saying one day we'd get out." Gazzy had stopped pacing. "She kept saying someone we never expected to come back would save us."
Fang took a seat, deep in thought. "I remember, even though I had only met you briefly, she told me everything I needed to know to get out. Because she can read minds, and read the scientists minds. And she told me, but like telepathically."
It suddenly made sense, everything.
"We have to go back for them." Gazzy insisted.
"I know you want to go back, but we can't just head back there. We need a plan, and we need to go back there when they're not expecting us." Fang shook his head. "We have to keep moving away from here. It won't be long until they find us."
"How would you know?" Iggy interjected.
"Because I've gotten out a few times," Fang answered.
We fell into silence after that. The sun was almost coming up now, and as the first tinge of pink hit the sky, we were flying towards the city again.
Our place had been undisturbed since we had left it. Over the next few days, Fang and I took turns leaving to get food. I had learned that the scientists had tried to give Iggy night vision, but it had failed miserably, leaving him blind. Gazzy, on the other hand was graced with the ability to mock people's voices with perfection and pass gas whenever he wanted.
He could probably clear a room, Iggy had told me. I hoped I would never have to experience that.
But I also learned than neither of them knew of their families. They didn't have anywhere to go. They didn't have anyone to look for. In fact, they had no recollection of their life before being caged up. Yet they somehow knew things, like about cars and cities and even who the president was. Iggy described it like they had always known the stuff all along, like the scientists had just planted it into them. That bothered Fang. It bothered me too. How could the world be so cruel to us?
Then again, Fang seemed to be distancing himself from us. I tried to tell Fang that we did all we could, that Angel and Nudge would be alright. His thoughts were somewhere else, and often when I tried to ask him something he'd just shrug and give me a muttered response.
It was late now. Iggy and Gazzy, unaccustomed to sleep, had passed our hours ago. Those two occupied opposite sides of the bed, as far away as they could get from each other without falling off. Fang and I took turns sleeping on the couch, which meant every other night, I had to sleep on the floor.
Right now I sat on the couch with Fang. He was reading the paper. Actually, he was staring at it.
"Are you okay, Fang?"
He glanced at me and then put the paper down. "I'd be lying if I said I was."
"Then what's bugging you?"
Fang shrugged. "Lots of things. Angel, my mother, whether Iggy and Gazzy will adjust well…" He trailed off. "But why does it matter? And why do you care?"
"I care because you're the only thing I got right now." The words came out of my mouth before I even thought about them. "And we're the only people that Iggy and Gazzy have that care about them."
He looked a little surprised.
"Fang…" I hesitated. "I mean, you've always been that one thing I held onto. The one thing that's kept me going through this mess and I just…It's just I wish there was more I could do to help you."
His eyes seemed to soften, and he let out a breath slowly. "I'm sorry, Max."
"Don't be."
He suddenly put his arm round me, drawing me close. "I wish we had met under different circumstances."
I rested my head against his chest. "Maybe we were supposed to meet this way."
Fang closed his eyes. "Maybe."
And we fell asleep like that.
"No, it's too dangerous. Only Max and I are going to go."
Gazzy shook his head. "She's my sister! I'm going to get her back!"
But Fang had already decided to put his foot down a couple of days ago. And we wouldn't be heading back right away. Their guard would be up, and returning shortly after would be a suicide mission.
"Gazzy," Iggy interjected, his pale blue, sightless eyes seemed to find him. "If something happens to you, Angel isn't going to be able to forgive herself. She's the reason we're out of here, and obviously she trusts Fang, so maybe you should listen to him."
"We don't even know them!" Gazzy pushed himself away from the table, fists balled up in anger.
"And they've all we got, Gazzy. Right now, they're our ticket for survival!" Iggy reached out, grabbing Gazzy by the arm. "You don't understand, Gazzy. I'd rather kill myself then go back there. And Angel told us to stick together. You can't leave me here alone."
Gazzy snapped his arm away, storming out the door. Fang exchanged a glance with me and then stood, going after him.
Iggy let out a sigh, leaning against the table. "I wish I could help him. He's just frustrated and…I don't know."
"I'd feel the same way if I were him," I said.
"They're on the roof." Iggy closed his eyes. "I can hear their footsteps. I think Gazzy just needs to clear his head. Fang hasn't said much to him."
"He's not much of a talker. I'm actually surprised he didn't send me after Gazzy."
"He talks to you, I've noticed." Iggy was changing the topic. "How long have you known each other?"
"I don't know…It's been like almost a month now."
"Is that all now?" Iggy let out a laugh. "Just seems like it's been longer."
"Yeah, I know."
"You know, the funny thing about being blind is that you pick up on everything that normal people don't see." Iggy gave me a little smile. "It's just…I don't think I'd ever be able to say this to Fang, not now anyway, but uhm, thank you."
"You're welcome, Ig."
He nodded.
We were getting ready to go out, finally all together at once. Fang had gotten Iggy and Gazzy a few changes of clothes, and they now had jackets to grace so we could go out to dinner. I think Fang was tired of being cooped up too with Iggy and Gazzy. Gazzy was still a little angry at him, I think, but Iggy took everything as it came up.
"I…I know this sounds weird." Iggy exhaled. "But, uhm, would you hold my hand? It's just that…I don't want to get hit by a car."
I took his hand and he grasped onto it tightly. Gazzy looked mildly amused, and as usual, Fang shrugged and led us forward.
It was snowing again tonight, and thankfully it was lightening Gazzy's mood. He was excited, and Iggy's emotions were now a mix of anxiousness and awe. A snow storm was supposed to be moving in, which meant on the way home, we would be stopping to stock up on some food in case the weather got too bad.
"Let's eat somewhere with real food." Fang turned the corner instead of crossing like usual.
I tugged Iggy in the right direction, Gazzy half prancing behind us as he tried to catch the snow on his tongue.
We entered a restaurant. They seated us in the far back corner, the place already overflowing with people. I sat with Fang on one side of the booth and Iggy and Gazzy sat on the other side.
"Can I have a burger?" Gazzy asked.
"Whatever you want," Fang answered gruffly, scanning his own menu.
Gazzy started to read things off the menu to Iggy. By the time the waiter got back with our sodas, we had all decided we would be getting the same thing.
Fang closed his eyes, leaning his head against the wall. He hadn't been sleeping. I'd wake up and find him trying to unlock the computer, or standing at the window. No matter how much I insisted, Fang always slept on the floor, well, if he ever slept at all.
"You should sleep on the couch tonight," I told him.
He shook his head.
"How much longer are you going to be able to go without sleeping then?" I asked him.
Fang took my hand under the table, catching me by surprise, his fingers interlocking between my own. "Alright, Max, I'll sleep on the couch."