Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports

132

After my fourth chocolate-chip cookie, I started calling her Mom. All of us, the whole flock, plus Ella, Mom, and Jeb, rested up. The flock and I took fabulous hot showers, and Mom came up with some clothes for all of us. Everyone seemed to adore her and gave me envious but happy looks. I felt so proud of her.

It was weird to see her trusting Jeb. He seemed normal, like he used to when we lived with him. We all kept our distance, though, even when he tried to reach out to us. Maybe in the future we could get over everything that had happened. He did his best to explain the stuff he'd done. Part of it was because he truly believed it was the best way to train me to save the world. Part of it had been designed to seem much worse than it was. And basically, he'd helped me escape any number of times. And part of it had been stuff he'd been forced to do-playing along with the Director so he could stay in a position to help me and know what was coming.

I was like, whatever. Deep down, I was glad to learn all that, but I wasn't going to make it easy for him.

"Okay, everyone," Mom said, coming in from the small kitchen. "Food's up!"

We all crammed in around her tiny dining table. She had made real Mexican food herself. We're not talking Taco Bell here. It was incredible, and she'd made enough for a big crowd because she knew how hard it was for us to get enough calories.

"Oh, man, this smells so good," Iggy moaned.

Ella watched him as he started eating, not spilling a drop. "It's so amazing, how you can do that," she told him.

Iggy seemed taken aback. "I've had a lot of practice."

"Well, I think you're amazing," said Ella, and Iggy blushed.

I glanced across the table and saw Gazzy and Angel sitting next to each other, looking calmer and safer than they had in so long.

"And Max, I've put some scraps in a bowl for your dog," Mom said. "It's on the floor, by the back door."

The flock and I went still.

Uh-oh, I thought.

Total stomped up to me, his glare accusing. "A bowl on the floor!" he seethed. "Why don't you just chain me to a stake in the yard and throw me a bone!"

Mom stared at him, and Ella looked like her eyes were going to pop out.

"Uh, well, they didn't expect-," I began.

"No, no, it's fine!" Total snapped. "Just put an old towel on the floor for me to sleep on! Listen, I've been practicing my barking! Arf! Or is it bowwow? I can never remember."

I looked at Mom. "Uh, do you think Total could maybe have a plate here?" I pointed to a tiny space next to me. "He, uh, likes to eat at the table."

"Because I'm not a complete barbarian!" Total said.

"Certainly," Mom said smoothly. "I'm sorry, Total."

I looked at Fang, and he rolled his eyes and reached for seconds. Everyone started talking again, and it was like a Norman Rockwell painting, all of us sitting there, eating together. Well, maybe Norman Rockwell with, you know, mutants and a talking dog. But still.