Chapter 13 - Tag

Back at the school, Odd was enjoying a beautiful summer's day with Max as they sat next to each other under the shade of a tall oak tree outside the campus woods, and watched the clouds go by.



“That one kinda looks like my dog, Kiwi” Odd exclaimed as he pointed at a distant cloud.

“That one over there looks like my old cat, Mittens.”

They smiled at each other, and Max began to laugh.

“What? What's so funny?” Odd asked puzzled.

It took Max a few seconds to catch her breath before she answered.

“Nothing, its just back home, I never really enjoyed just sitting around doing silly things like watching the clouds. But now, I feel like the happiest person alive!”

Odd stared at her in befuddlement.

“You mean to tell me that you've never just sat around for hours doing nothing but daydream or listen to music?”

Max shook her head. “No, we were always on the go because of my parents' work. I could never find the time to try and have fun like normal kids because, before I knew it, we were all set and ready to move again. Finally, I just lost all interest and became one of those uptight loners.”

This made Odd a little uncomfortable. How could Max have been like that? To him, she seemed like the most beautiful, fun-loving girl he had ever met.

“But right now, I finally know what its like to have fun and enjoy a whole day doing silly things with a boyfriend.”

Max realized what she had just said, and Odd immediately perked up.

“Did you just day . .”

“No! No, I didn't say anything” Max exclaimed, practically dying of embarrassment.

“Don't worry. I didn't hear a thing” Odd said, and winked at her.

Max looked away, still aware that Odd was smiling and watching her every move from that point on, and tried to think of away to change the subject.

Quickly, she punched him, hard, in the arm.

“Ow!” he yelped.

“Um, tag! You're it!” Max said, and she sat up and ran off, back into the woods.

Odd, baffled by Max's behavior, got up and bolted after her.



He followed Max through the woods for what seemed like forever, until he finally found her in a small clearing. She was hunched over and seemed to be looking at something in the ground.

As he tried to catch his breath, he walked over toward where she stood.

“Well Max, you sure can run. I'll give you that” he said breathlessly.

“Hey Odd, come over here and look at this” Max shouted and motioned for him to hurry.

Odd walked up behind, looked down at the ground, and shuddered with a shocking terror. Odd knew immediately where they were, but more importantly, how much trouble he was in. What he saw in the ground was the entrance to the waterway that led to the factory which, up until now, had remained a secret between Jeremy, Yumi, Ulrich and him.

Max looked up at him, and saw the look of anxiety.

“What is Odd? What is that thing?” she asked curiously.

Odd grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the strange object embedded in the ground.

“Let's get out of here, Max” he said as he tried to lead her away.

“Odd, wait! What is that thing?” Max was utterly confused by Odd's behavior.

“I don't know, but we really shouldn't be out here. I mean, what if someone were to notice that we weren't at school?” there was a definite nervousness in his voice.

“Well, I guess” Max looked at him worriedly. It was as if something was wrong with him.

With that, Max took one last glance at the mysterious object in the ground, and Odd led Max by the hand through the woods back in the direction of the campus.

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