Two Schools Out - Forever

90

"Iggy! Iggy!" All of us were shouting and trying to rush him at once. He made a wry Iggy-face that I interpreted as deep happiness to be here. I edged closer and tried to hug him without getting our wings tangled. We managed sort of an arm's length air kiss. The boys slapped high fives with him, and Nudge and Angel managed air kisses too.

"I went by the school," he said. "They seem to be having a bad day."

I gave a dry laugh. "Yeah, you could say that."

"Do I hear a ruckus down below?" Iggy asked.

"You do indeed," I said, then I realized that he was here. "Oh, no-Iggy. What happened?"

"Well," he said, his face grim, "they didn't mind the wings. In fact, they loved the wings. Especially since they got eight different publishers and magazines into a bidding war for the all-exclusive rights to my life story, complete with photographs and interviews with the freak himself." His voice was indescribably bitter.

"Oh, no," I said. "They were going to tell people?"

"They were going to turn me into a sideshow freak," Iggy said. "I mean, a really public one."

I beat back the rush of joy I felt at having him here and let my sympathy get some air.

"I'm so sorry, Ig," I said, reaching out to rub his shoulder. "I thought they were the real thing."

"That's just it," he said, anger showing on his face. "Maybe they were. I don't know. Maybe they weren't. But they felt like the real thing, and the real thing wanted to make money off me."

I couldn't help reaching out to touch him again. "I'm so sorry, Iggy, really. But I'm so happy you're back."

"I'm glad to be back too," said Iggy. "Even before they went nuts on me, I just missed you guys too much."

"This is great, and we'll have a group hug later," Fang interrupted, "but can we pay attention to what's happening below?"

Oh, right. Way down below, Jeb, Ari, and Anne were still shouting at one another. Teams of Erasers were starting to report back, since obviously we weren't on the premises. Several of them shaded their eyes to look up at us, five hundred feet in the air.

"Hmm," I said. "Something's missing down below. Some important puzzle piece. Oh, I know: It's me. Hang on, guys." I folded my wings and aimed myself downward.