FAX ( A Maximum Ride FanFic )

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen : SEVEN, SIX, FIVE

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ANGEL

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WE LEFT THAT NEXT morning, and I make sure to hug Gazzy extra, as if my hug will somehow protect him. His stitches, while they aren't infected looking, the skin around them is still a pale purplish-pink. He still picks at it, which is what worries me the most. But Iggy seems better, especially with Ella as his personal nursemaid.

When we finally take off, we head a little further north than before. The trees that surround Dr. Martinez and Ella's home start to thin out the further we move. Since both Max and Fang are following their cardinal (directional) instincts, it's harder for Ignus to follow us in the car. Eventually, however, we reach a wide expanse of mud river, with thin, dying trees clumped together.

When Ignus slows to a stop, I turn to land. By this time we have crossed into New Mexico, I'm sure. We were originally in Arizona. Eventually Fang, Max, and Nudge swing back around as I do, landing behind me with a loud woosh of feathers. Ignus and the others exit the car, and we all regroup.

"We can't drive through that, guys." Minn speaks for her. Sometimes I forget bout Ignus being a mute. Like Iggy being blind. I wish I could sometimes forget about Gazzy being gassy. Suddenly Delaney walks over to the mud and dips his foot in. Retracting a brown-covered to, he nods in agreement. "It feels really deep, guys."

"And you know that from sticking your toe in there?" Max places two hands on her hips, frowning. Fang wraps an arm around her shoulder. "We could walk around it, I guess." Fang shrugs. Max shakes her head, and glares at everyone.

"Let's start moving then, peeps." She says.

We abandon the car, which is too wide to maneuver around the clumps of trees, and to overcome the branches and leaves lying around. The trek on foot starts as we make our way around the mud river. Nudge sighs. "Couldn't you guys have taken a different route. Now we have to walk." Her complaining makes me roll my eyes. I don't want to walk either.

"Crap!"

"Get your foot outta that mud!"

"I'm stuck."

"That's exactly what you get for trying to walk over it, you idiot."

"Oh really?"

I turn to watch the exchange between Arron and Gina. They remind me somewhat of Gazzy and I, except the fact that Gina's blonde hair is darker, and her eyes are a bit more green than blue. It's the same with Arron. He flings mud from his fingers and onto Gina, who shoves him further down into the muck. It's then that Minn and Midge intervene.

Minn pulls a dirty Arron from the mud, and Midge herds Gina away. "You guys. Really?" She scolds, and nudge looks to me at a smirk.

In the few weeks I have known Minn, Delaney, Arron and the others, I know this. Minn is wuiet, but not shy. She has a raging temper, and can scold like a nun in Catholic school. Delaney is way to easygoing, while Midge talks a lot. Arron and Gina argue over most things, and Ignus ... is mute. There's not much to say about the person who had nothing to say, I guess.

After Minn's rant, things were quiet. Save for the the soft whispers from Max and Fang, and the cracking and shuffling noises of feet, and the by incessant screeching of a bird off in the distance.