After Max died, I just, I just didn't know how to function. Without Max I just couldn't be happy. Oh, god. I felt an uneasy feeling in my stomach. I know I have to be strong for the flock, though. I can't let this tear me apart, but it's torn everyone else apart, so I'm sure it's okay for me to feel a little bit of sadness even if I am the new leader, right? Honestly, I would have to suck this all up and not share my feelings from the flock. I didn't even know why this package was sent to me in the first place.

Angel, Iggy, The Gasman, Nudge, Dylan, Total and I were all that were left of the flock. Missing one member was like a downfall; none of us could breath the adrenaline air. I couldn't even enjoy myself anymore – it was as if when her soul died, mine did too.

Hearing myself crying was the last thing I wanted anybody to hear. Crying wasn't my thing, and I especially didn't want anybody to know I was crying, but of course this is my life and as we all know nothing ever goes right for me. So of course someone heard and it had to be Angel. She didn't even knock on my bedroom door. She just barged right in.

"Fang?"

I perked up when I heard her, covering myself with my angelic wings. God, I still couldn't stop thinking about this. I had to stop thinking about this, so I tucked the package underneath me.

She raised her eyebrows suspiciously, and I took a deep breath. "Were you crying?"

I shook my head, forgetting that she could read my thoughts, but she said nothing about it, because I figured that she missed Max just as much as I did. "Fang, I know it hurts, but as time goes the pain will cease. I know you loved her and I know you want to bring her back, but it's impossible. I . . . .I miss her too, but sometimes you just have to let things go."

How could she say that? What happened to her? How could she just tell me to let Max, Max of all people, go? Right now all I felt was death, like something was piercing through my heart, and I was unable to breath.

"I understand, Fang," she said, and I knew I had to be strong for her, not just sit around and sulk. "I know that I honestly can't say something that will make you feel better because I do know you're hurt, but what about us? We're hurting just as much as you are. So many of us."

Angel shrugged. Angel understood me more than I understood myself. She knew how sad, angry and betrayed I felt and yet she still knew how to make me get out of my sulking mood, well more like avoid my sulking mood. The flock needed my leadership and I need them. We have to protect each other. Since apparently Dylan was now apart of he flock that meant we had to protect him too, no matter how much I didn't want to.

I realized I had been silent that whole time. "Ange, go back to bed."

I wasn't as good as this parenting stuff like Max was. I watched Angel leave the room, turning her head to me, and then back, closing the door. I couldn't break her heart.

I pulled out a pair of scissors then ran a scissor blade around the package and lifted off its top. Inside the shoebox was a rolled-up tube of bubble-wrap. I unrolled that and discovered seven loose audiotapes.

Each tape had a dark blue number painted in the upper right-hand corner. Each side had its own number. One and two on the first tape, three and four on the next, five and six, and so on. The last tape has a thirteen on one side, but nothing on the back. Who the hell would send me a shoebox full of audiotapes? No one listens to tapes anymore. I almost let out a laugh.

I set the tapes down at my feet, and pulled out the ½ tape. It was the first number in the number system, so I guess that's what you'd start with, right? I opened the case to the stereo and slid the tape in, my finger hovering above the play button. When I finally pressed it, I was expecting music or something, but no. At first it was just static, kind of. Like, when a microphone isn't working right. Then, someone cleared their throat. I tensed.

PLAY

Hello, listener. I'm pretty sure you know who this is, but if you don't, hi. I'm Max, Maximum Ride.

Oh, god. I suddenly felt dizzy and sick, like I needed to hurl. If I could somehow just bring that voice back…. the voice I missed, then everything would be the same again.

So, I bet you're wondering why you have these tapes – and I'll just apologize now, I'm very straight forward and I'm not going to hold anything back. I'll be dead by the time anyone even gets a glimpse at these tapes. Anyway, 13 people will hear these tapes, and 13 people only. Let me explain the rules before I tell you why you have these.

She cleared her throat dramatically, before speaking.

Rule number 1: You must pass on these tapes. Give them to the person mentioned after you. But, if you're lucky listener 13, then you keep them, so they can haunt you and make you feel guilty, like you should. And if you don't pass them on, then a second set of identical tapes will be set out of the public, you are being watched.

I felt even more uneasy and sick, just thinking about which number I was, but I knew that I didn't want to find out.

Rule number 2: If you tell anyone about these tapes, that don't already know, the second tape will be released.

Got it? Good. Now, there's only 2 rules, but those are the only two rules you'll need. If you're on these tapes, then you'd also have gotten a map. A map with red stars placed on certain areas. You'll need it. But, if you've already thrown it away, my 'watcher' will give you another as soon as he or she is sure you're listening to this right now.

I suddenly got an image of Max in my mind. Her blonde hair and brown eyes…. like chocolate. . The way she could light up a room when she walked in. But... she killed herself, flew off a cliff a couple weeks ago, and we never saw her again. Yeah, that's right. I said flew. That's because the white coats, giving us 2 percent bird, and 98 percent human genetically altered us. Do I even care? Why am I even telling you this? I don't care whatever I am anymore! All I care about is Max…

I rubbed my eyes, trying to erase the pain I was feeling in the pit of my heart. God, Max. Why did she have to be so stupid? Why didn't she tell anyone? Ugh, you know, I think I could have Bipolar disorder or something. Do you know that most people experience depression between the ages of 15 and 25?

People see me as a quiet person; they think that I'm getting over Max's death. But I'm not. Nothing close to it. I feel like there's a black hole in my chest, and it's getting torn open even more by a shard of ice every second of everyday.

It was as if seeing Max in my head that I didn't control made her seem all the most viciously attractive. Just a hint of feminine uncertainty, the slight pout of her lower lip, the way she used to twist a loose tendril of her hair around her finger.

Now, this map has stars placed only on the places most important, or most mentioned on these 7 tapes.

She took a deep breath before continuing.

...And if you're listening to this right now, you're one of the 13 reasons why I'm dead.

PAUSE

I couldn't do this. I practically punched the stop button. I couldn't take this. There is no way that I could be a reason that Max killed herself. All I ever did was be her best friend and her boyfriend. I suddenly felt light-headed. A midnight flight sounded nice right about now.