Roommates (A Maximum Ride Fanfic)

...23...

Disclaimer: Refer to all of the other chapters.

Max POV

"Get up," Sam's voice broke through to me in sleep. I groggily blinked and got up from my curled up position on the mattress. My nose was stuffed and my head hurt from crying all night. Last night had been plagued with nightmares.

"Time for the fun to start," Dylan said and smiled maliciously. Sam's face stayed impassive. He untied the ropes from around my wrists and retied my hands behind my back without looking at my face. I studied his movements only to notice the tension in his muscles, almost as if he was reluctant to tie me up. I kept my thoughts to myself as I was helped to my feet and shoved out the door. Ari stood next to the front door.

"Ah, I see our guest is up." He smiled at me but there was no happiness in it. Just evil intentions. The outside of the cabin was densely wooded. The trees rose to heights of fifty feet in the air. The road was covered in dirt and leaves. They shoved me into the back of the van and my back leaned against the metal side. Sam climbed in behind me and sat directly in front of me. Dylan climbed into the passenger seat next to Ari. The car's engine revved to life and we were off. Bumps in the road pushed my body this way and that. I refused to feel. I refused to feel the sadness and the pain and the hurt and the anger that would overtake me if I did feel. I refused to even think about my life. What happens happens. There is nothing I can do to stop it. At least my family and friends are safe. At least Fang is safe. This thought brings tears to my eyes. I will never see him again. A single tear slips down my cheek but I hold the rest back.

"Aw, missing Fangy boy, are we?" Dylan teased from the front seat. I deliberately ignored him. "Yeah, I can't even imagine what he'll feel like when he fails to save you." Dylan continues and I try my best to ignore his attacks. "When he finds your mangled body in a ditch or bloated from water."

"SHUT UP! If you even try to say one more word I'll make your life a hell of a lot worse than mine is right now in my final hours!" I spat at him with so much hatred even I almost flinched.

Right then the song Watch Your Words by Alter Bridge came softly from the speakers. It would have been funny if I wasn't so dead set on maiming Dylan if his mouth so much as opened. His eyes were wide as he stared at me and his face was pale. He turned back to face the front and turned the radio station to a different one. I turned back to look at my bound feet with a glare on my face. I felt Sam's eyes studying me but didn't even pay him a glance. The radio was the only noise heard as the car moved on.

Fang POV

I sat on the couch with my head in my hands. Max hadn't returned and it had been a full twenty four hours, eighteen minutes, and fifty three seconds. I felt nothing. I was numb. I hadn't slept a wink and I couldn't even feel tired. A knock on the door made my head snap up. I slowly made my way over and opened it to see Ella and Iggy. Both had red eyes from crying. I stood aside and they walked past me. I sat back in my original position on the couch. Ella and Iggy stood awkwardly by the couch as if waiting for me to say something. I didn't. My stomach growled but I ignored it.

"Fang, you need to eat." Ella said and I shook my head. She walked into the kitchen and made a whole bunch of loud noises. A few minutes later she walked out with a sandwich. She stuck it out to me but I made no move to grab it. "Fang, Max would want you to eat it." That got me. I snapped my head up and glared at her. I stood and towered over her small frame.

"Don't you dare use Max to convince me. How dare you even say her name when she's not here. Not safe. Not with us." My voice was so cold it sent chills down my own spine. Ella looked terrified under my intense gaze.

"Yo, Fang. No need to be so mean. She was just trying to help you. It isn't her fault Max isn't here." Iggy said and stepped between me and his girlfriend. His words pulled me back to reality.