Unexpected Love (A Johnny Cade/Maximum Ride Love Story)

The Past Sucks

JOHNNY’S POV:

                Jenna looked cold. Why won’t she just take off her jacket? Maybe… maybe it’s cause’ of her past? I mean, I know it is cause’ of the way she looked at Soda when he asked her to take the jacket off. But, could her past be really that bad that she’d rather freeze then tell us?

                “Guys?” Jenna stopped in her tracks and so did we. We all turned to look at her. She looked scared. I went up to her and took her hand in mine.

                “What’s wrong?...” I said.

                “Come with me all of you.” She lead us back past the house to the lot and looked around to make sure no one could see. Then she took a breath and stared us down. She looked terrified to say what was on her mind. Then she spoke.

                “If you didn’t know already, I had it pretty bad at home. My mom was a crack addict and died during child birth. My dad brought me home and took care of me. Everything was great until I turned 5. Every night my dad would come home and beat me. And every night he would throw me down the basement stairs and lock the door. He rarely fed me and I never went outside. Then, when I turned 10, I looked up at the only small window that was in the basement. It was slightly cracked open. I’d never been able to reach it until I turned 10. So, with all my strength I pulled myself out the small crack. I guess I was so skinny that I fit through.”

                “Is that why you were so skinny when we met you?” Two-Bit asked.

                “No. I was better back then, wasn’t as skinny. Things got a lot worse after I made it to a town a few miles away from the tiny, rundown shack that was my prison for so long. I was just about to pass an ally way when I felt a hand grab me and pull me into the ally way. The man that grabbed me whispered into my ear. Something that I still don’t understand…”

                “What was it?” Soda asked.

                “He said, ‘Shh, I’m going to take you to the lab, you’re the perfect candidate for project X’ Now I still don’t know what ‘project X’ is but let tell you. It’s definitely not some rinky dink operation. Anyway, the people- no- the things that took me were these evil scientists that conducted horrible experiment on people- little kids! Just to make the perfect hybrid of person and animal! They were gonna use me as a weapon! Sell me to different countries!” She started to get teary eyed. I walked up to her and as she sat down I did too. Keeping my arm around her shoulders. She collected herself and began again. “The whitecoats (The scientists) grafted the DNA of a bird into mine. I’m going to show you something, but promise you won’t freak out. Not until I’m done.” We just nodded not finding any words able to leave our mouths. She stood up and slowly took of her jacket. Then… she spread out her wings! I gasped along with everyone else. This kind of stuff just doesn’t happen. Anywhere! But, they were beautiful! She was beautiful! And I still loved her, And I always will! I walked up to her and looked at her. Mentally asking her if I could touch them. She nodded. I reached out and brushed the feathers down. It was amazing. The whole gang came over and did the same. She started talking again. “They conducted horrible, painful experiments on me. Physically and mentally. I have scars to remind me of some of the surgeries they performed on me. One on my hip and one on the side of my head.” She lifted up her shirt to show us the long scar on her hip. The gang gasped and some of them even started crying when she showed them the horrible scar on the side of her head. “They tried to make me stronger by switching some of my organs and bones with those of stronger animals. And I guess I can thank them cause’ it did make me stronger. It helped me escape. I escaped after I turned 16. I found a small town a few miles away and looked at a newspaper. The date… the date was July 14, 2014…” When she said that I looked at her. Studying her facial features, looking for any signs of her playing a joke on us. But I found none. I started to cry. That’s why she was so shocked when I told her she was in Tulsa. That’s why she was so untrusting. That’s why she dressed weird and acted different too. And it definitely explains all the powers she seems to have. Like reading minds, sending thoughts, how she can run so fast. It all makes sense now.