We were at some random hotel, and I was chilling in my bed watching TV.

Angel and Gazzy were in the other room, and the rest of the Flock was lying on the carpet beside me. Nudge was asleep in Fang's lap again. The three of us were watching the news, because we were in it again. Another emergency escape gone wrong.

Gazzy and Angel were supposed to be playing Monopoly. We didn't want to hurt Gazzy's feelings by telling him that Angel would obviously win. I mean, mind reader!

I was drifting to sleep. Fang put Nudge in her bed and he crawled into mine beside me. Iggy was closing his sightless eyes. The sounds of the city didn't even keep me awake, and I was just too used to hearing my name on TV to care anymore.

Fang put his arm around me. I remember I liked the warmth. I remember thinking that nothing and no one would wake me up, because I needed the sleep.

I… was… almost… asleep…

…when Gazzy burst through the doors.

"MAX! IT'S ANGEL!"

I bolted upright, sliding my feet into my slippers and sprinting into the boy's room. Clothes were all over, but at that point I didn't actually care. Angel was lying with her eyes wide open and her back arched, her head near the discarded Monopoly board. Her teeth were clenched and her veins were popping. Fang slid into the room behind me.

I dropped to the ground, feeling Angel's pulse. There wasn't one. I put my ear to her mouth to hear her breathing. There wasn't any.

"Gazzy what happened?" asked Fang. I started pumping Angel's heart.

"She just collapsed in the middle of our game! I didn't do it Max, I promise!" Gazzy wailed.

"It's okay Gaz, we know, it's okay."

I pumped more, with no response. In exasperation, I pounded on her chest. Suddenly, she blinked. I jumped back, terrified.

"Angel, are you okay honey?" I asked in a kind tone. She said nothing. I felt foolish, and wondered if it was just my imagination.

But no. After a few seconds of silence, she squeezed her eyes shut. I crawled closer to talk to her.

Before I could say a word, she started to scream.