CASSIE

I didn't sleep that night.

How can you when your stomach is tied into a knot? When you've lost someone you care deeply about?

Someone that you love?

I tried, I really did, but I guess it was the tears that kept me awake that night. Anytime the tears stopped, sleep took over me for about five minutes, and then they started up again.

You can't go on like this, Cassie, I thought. Come on now, you've got to stay strong.

I don't think my thoughts helped all that much. It stopped the crying, sure, but did it bring me sleep?

Two words.

Hell. No.

The next morning, I woke up to find that I was the only one who slept in. According to the others, they had all been up since six o' clock. Except Ax, who looked very confused and wouldn't admit to it.

The lying pranksters.

At approximately 7:15, we sat down around a nice, warm fire and had breakfast which looked more suitable for fish than humans. It was a brownish color and was hard as the rocks that built the mountains hanging high over our heads. Occasionally, when I would pick it up, long, burnt flakes would rip off and what looked like jelly would pour out.

Needless to say, I lost my appatite.

Toby and many other free Hork-Bajir joined us a few hours later. They obviously had something very important to say. So, we listened to them.

"Friends and family," Toby began with one nasty alien smile plastered on her face. "Today is our day! Today is the day where we will fight the Yeerks and take back what is rightfully ours! They have taken a life from us, a great leader and a friend. Let us make them pay for this deed!"

The Hork-Bajir in the trees let out a battle cry. They were already pumped.

Toby's eyes twinkled in the firelight. "Today is the day for truth, and for honor. Today will be the day we mark down as the day the Yeerk Empire was overthrown! Today is the day for VENGANCE!" She screamed.

The Hork-Bajir screamed back.

Toby had seen it in her mind, I knew then. She saw us winning this war. And she saw us winning it today.

Then, I don't know what came over me. I was so excited, I wanted to win!

I leapt up and screamed to the free ones "FOR VENGANCE!" and they responded back with the same.

We would win. I would make sure of it.