Wing It: A Maximum Ride Story {DISCONTINUED}

chapter 2

            As I sped up my pace, Gazzy, on his smaller legs, rushed to keep up.  I looked down at him and he looked up at me like I was insane.  “Max, I don’t think-,” He started.

            “Gazzy, she’s not d-,” I began but caught myself.  I started again, this time careful to watch what I said around him with his now fragile heart.  “Gazzy, I really think that she’s simply just missing, maybe lost.  But she’s still there, at the Place de la Concorde. We didn’t find a, a, body, only a shoe.  Somewhere there is a little girl walking around France with one shoe, and we’re going to find her.”

            “Max, I really don’t think-,” but I interrupted him again by holding up my hand.  He sighed and I stared down at him lovingly.

            “Gaz, just trust me.  Can you trust me?”  I looked deep into his ocean blue eyes, so much like his sister’s.

            We stopped walking and stood and stared at each other.  “Max,” I opened my mouth to interrupt him but he held up his hand to stop me this time.  “Max, listen to me.  This is not a good idea.  It’s only going to cause you, and me, more pain if we don’t find her or do find her but she’s, she’s not alive.  It’s just a bad idea all around.”  Gazzy was reminding me so much of Angel; I felt my eyes tear up.  For a seven year old, she had such wisdom.  If you just listened to her words, didn’t see her, you would think she was much older.  Someone older than me, like, my mom.

            I didn’t want to think about her.  I had finally made up my mind and decided that grown-ups were off limits, not only for me, but for the flock.  Even Dr. Martinez, my own mother.  But Ella, my step-sister, if I ever saw her again, I wouldn’t stay away.  I loved her.  She was my sister, even if I didn’t wish to go near my mother, no matter how much I still loved her.

            Anyways, as we stared back at each other, I realized that he was waiting for a response.  Finally, I sighed, for like the thousandth time today.  “Gazzy, I’m sorry, but I’ve made up my mind.”  I saw his shoulders sag as he looked at the ground in defeat.  “Maybe you should go back to the hotel.”  He looked up at me.

            “Are you sure?  You’ll be fine?  Alone?”

            I smiled faintly at his concern.  “Yes, Gasman, I’ll be fine.”  I began to walk away.  But then at the sound of his voice I looked back.

            “Should I get anyone to go with you?”

            “No, I think I can take care of myself.”  On that note, I strode off purposefully towards the Place de la Concorde.