I don't own MR

Max

It's funny how fast time moves when you're stuck in your own little world of suffering. To think I'd been stuck in this house for a month without any erasers knocking on my door, or without Fang to talk to me, seemed insane. But according to the calendar Ari had hung up on the kitchen wall for my sake, it had been exactly one month. It was March 3rd.

Subconsciously, as I stared at the calendar, my hand trickled to the back of my neck, rubbing over the smooth skin that was slightly… off in some areas. "Ari," my voice came out sounding foreign to me. I didn't talk much unless I was busying myself with a sarcastic-off with Iggy anymore.

"What's up?" My older brother asked, taking yet another bite of the omelet the chef himself had managed to cook even in his blind state before going off to find Lupo. Ever since he had lost his vision again he'd hung on to her a lot more than he normally would have. Sometimes I wondered if he used it as a handcuff to their relationship. After Ari told me about everything he did to us I wouldn't put it past him.

"I have to leave at the end of the month. And I'll be gone till mid-May. I'm just going to disappear so that way Lupo and Iggy don't suspect anything. Don't come after me." I pushed aside any emotions I felt and began to morph myself into stone. What I used to be. That monster was a hell of a lot stronger than who I am now.

"I can't believe you're really doing this, Max. If he ever wakes up-"

"When,"

"When he wakes up," Ari corrected apologetically. "he's going to want to be apart of it."

"I can't do that to him, Ari. Not yet." I argued, knowing our conversation could last for hours on end.

"You should at least think about it," he suggested for the umpteenth time, causing me to roll my eyes in annoyance.

"I have. Too much. It's for the best if it happens like this. I'll be back before the end, I promise."

"Fang won't be happy when he finds out."

"He won't find out for seven years. By then it will be too late." I reasoned, turning to face my brother for the first time since the conversation started. His plate was wiped clean and he had a sort of calculating look on his face as his irises flickered from my face to my neck to my stomach to the floor.

"If my girlfriend ever did to me what you're about to do to him, I'd probably hate her."

"Oh trust me, I know he's going to hate me. No- he's going to wish he'd never met me, but if I keep lying to myself, and saying this is for the best, then I don't have to think about how much he's going to hate me."

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March 4th. A whole twenty four hours flew away with a gust of wind, leaving me outside with the rest of the world, laying on a branch that barely supported me and the extra ten pounds I had gained and would hopefully lose soon. It wasn't noticeable if you weren't looking for it, but I was. I always did. There was nothing else to look for than all of my insecurities and fears anymore. Once I found them I could get rid of them all over again, like I had done before Fang found his way into my heart.

"Oh Max." A familiar voice sing-songed through the woods, causing my unfocused gaze to lock in on the slightest movement from behind a thick tree trunk.

"What do you want, Tanner?" I snarled, watching as he emerged with the sound of his name.

"Oh just to see if it's true. The boys back home would all love to know if the Great Maximum Ride is on her way to Hell."

"I am." I responded, brushing my fingers through my hair as I moved the curtain of brown over my shoulder so it didn't catch on the rough bark.

"Really? I don't believe you," Sighing to myself at his taunting words, I hopped off the branch with ease, turning my back to him as I headed back towards the door that would lead me back into my latest temporary home. Tanner whistled.

"Guess I didn't need to rig the house after all," He said, causing me to pause mid step and slowly turn to face the man who I had once thought was my ally.

"You didn't." I growled, although I knew he had. There was no other explanation for why he was here. He didn't want to know about my problem, he wanted to kill me, and anybody else who could save my life.

"Step inside and find out." With those words he was gone. He turned and disappeared deep into the brush of the forest, and I was left to stare at the spot where he had once stood.

"Hey Max, who were you-" Ari began, opening the back door and stepping out of the house onto the back porch.

"No!" I shrieked, my voice louder than the clap of thunder that brewed over head.

"What! What's going on?" He asked ducking slightly and looking around, although every limb was still intact, and the house hadn't been blown to smithereens.

My heart beat faster than mutantly possible, and I felt relief I hadn't known to exist fall over me as I collapsed onto my knees, catching the breath I didn't know I was holding in. "He was lying," I breathed out quietly, my arms wrapping around myself in a desperate hug.

"Uh… Max, are you okay?" Ari asked cautiously, walking over to me with gentle, slow footsteps. How could I tell him about Tanner? He'd go after him, and I couldn't have that.

"I just uh, I thought I saw a snake. One of the poisonous ones." I lied, my voice slightly shaky.

"Oh, that's all?" He chuckled. Ari had the nerve to chuckle at my false fear as he helped me to my feet. "For a second I thought So-"

"Let's not say her name, okay?" I interrupted, brushing the dirt and dead leaves off my jeans.

"Alright, alright. Sheesh." Ari threw his hands up in an I surrender gesture and took a step back. "Let's go back inside alright?"

"Alright," I muttered, following my brother's lead as he headed towards the porch. I risked a glance back to see if Tanner still lurked in the trees, but there was no sign of him, and I began to wonder if he had ever been there at all.

Not really edited much, hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. Tell me what you got XD

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