The Last Flight (A Maximum Ride fanfiction)

TLF Chapter 40;

Fang woke to a rather loud and close crash of thunder and sat up only to be plunged into complete and total darkness. Aaron mumbled in the bed next to him and sat up, rubbing his face. It was then that Fang became aware of a hideous noise

The horses, dogs, cats and cows in the big metal barn were making a horrible racket, screaming…

Fear tangled itself around Fang's heart and squeezed.

A light in the hall whipped his head left and he heard Allan's voice, "Everyone OK? Everyone alright?"

There were murmured 'Okays' and Max walked into the hall wearing only a mid-thigh length T-shirt with a frog on it. She scratched her head, "What was that noise?"

"Lightning must have hit the power pole outside, I'll get flashlights, you guys better stay put so you don't run over each other.

Then Iggy's voice rose above a whisper, "Oh, cool! I CAN see in the dark!"

Ella giggled, "Stop tickling me!"

Allan returned with a few flashlights and passed them out and a stray beam fell on Angel's ash-white face.

"Ange? Angel, what is it, sweetie?" Max said from her side.

Fang climbed out of bed and absently scratched himself, glad it was dark or Max might have seen him. "What's going on, Angel, are you OK?"

"T-the an-animals," She pawed at Max's arm her eyes wide.

Everyone went quiet listening to the horrible screaming coming from the barn, the high pitched, unholy wail of innocent animals in great pain.

Ella groaned, "The lights! OH MY GOD, THE LIGHTS!"

Angel's fingers bit into Max's arm and she turned her tear streaked pale face to Max and whispered three words in a low monotone, emotionless voice;

"They're very hungry…"

And the wall behind Fang exploded, sending him forward through the air, crashing into Aaron, who fell against the wall all the breath gone from his lungs.

Rain blew in, bringing with it a Wizard, void of its mask.

A flashlight's beam fell on it and Angel screamed her little hands clawing at the bloodcurdling sound escaping her lips as if it were a living thing.

The Wizard roared at Angel and the sound shook the walls, knocking pictures from their nails, its mouth flopping open.

Aaron gave a shout and tried to shove Fang off of him to protect his brother.

The Wizard's tongue shot forward like a bullet and wrapped itself around Max's arm, yanking her away from Angel with a revolted cry.

Fang lunged at her, grabbing her other hand and latching onto the doorframe with his free hand.

Max froze for three seconds, her fingers slipping in Fang's her brown eyes wide staring deeply into his and then she slipped free and the wizard caught her and was gone, leaving a thick trail of steam behind it where the rocket broom evaporated the rain.

Fang ran and leapt out of the now gaping hole in the side of the house and was in the air, flying after her screaming her name, but the Wizard was only a little yellow pinprick of flame in the distance.

"MAX!"

Aaron grabbed his foot and gave it a yank, "NOT THAT WAY YOU BLITHERING IDIOT! YOU'LL BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING!"

Fang turned his head and starred at his brother in contempt his eyes reflecting the red of a lightning bolt as it hit the earth half a mile away. He nodded and they streaked downward back into the house.

Fang grabbed his bag and took off at a run, leaping down the entire flight steps and out the door followed closely by Aaron in a hastily donned pair of khakis carrying his and Fang's shoes in one hand his pack and truck keys in the other.

"You guys get HOME NOW!" Fang screamed as he slammed the truck door and Aaron planted both bare, muddy feet on the gas, shooting the truck forward through the gate and field, following the shrinking dot that was Max and the Wizard.

"Bloody hell, I HATE standards!" Aaron shrieked and shifted the trick into gear, jumping forward across the field and through the back fence heading north-north-west…

"They'll stop at dawn and we'll be able to catch up," Aaron said.

Fang had one hand on the ceiling to keep his head from banging into it at every bump and rut they hit. The other hand was clutching the safety belt to save himself a slit throat.

Max … They'd taken Max … His Max…

'If they hurt her, I swear I will KILL THEM ALL!' He ground his teeth together in rage and squeezed the safety belt so hard it cut into his hand. Heat began to build in his chest again.

Aaron grumbled beside him and rubbed his palm over the windshield to clear away the fog. "They knew it was her … Why didn't they come after me? Why didn't they come after ME?" He sniffed absently, "Do … Nicky, do you smell smoke?"

Fang gave his head a shake and sniffed at the dashboard noticing the smoky smell was coming from around the radio. He lifted his fist and slammed it down on the dash above the cassette player.

"SUNDAY, BLOODY SUNDAY!"

Aaron growled and punched the dashboard, "NOT NOW, BONO!" And the tape went quiet.

Fang suddenly grabbed his head his eyes squeezed closed and something flashed behind his eyes, stabbing down to his ankle. Cold … Wet … PAIN! And then it was gone, leaving him with a sickened fear in his stomach … And a suddenly deeper, more painful need to move straight ahead, to follow that Wizard.

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