The Enemy Among Us
Authors Notes: This story takes place when all the Animorphs are 16 years old. Tom is still living at home with his parents and Jake. The killer's thoughts are in asterisks.
Part One (Loss)
I was at home doing my chores when the phone rang.
"I'll get it!" I yelled to my parents and rushed to answer it.
"Hello _____ residence."
"Hey Cassie."
I felt a rush of pleasure run through my body when I realized it was Jake on the phone.
"Hey. What's up?"
"Cassie I want you to get everyone together for a meeting. We'll meet in the barn in half a hour."
"Why the emergency meeting Jake?" I asked in a tense voice because anytime there was an emergency meting things never turned out well.
"I'll tell you later when everyone is together."
"Okay." I hung up the phone and immediately picked it back up. I then called Marco and Rachel. Rachel said that she would tell Tobias about the meeting because he was in hawk form in her room. I would go tell Ax because his territory was near the barn. We met in my barn half an hour later. We stood in expectant silence for Jake to tell us what was going on.
"Well are you going to tell us why we are all here or not?" Marco asked impatiently.
"Mr. Tidwell contacted me today. He said that another controller wanted to meet with us. Mr. Tidwell says that he's another member of the Yeerk peace movement."
"Why did he contact you and not the rest of us?" Marco asked suspiciously
"I don't know."
"It could be a trap. The Yeerks could have found out about Mr. Tidwell and changed his Yeerk." Ax said.
"I realize that Ax and that's why only a few of us will go if we decide to meet him."
"That won't make a difference if any one of us is caught. We'll all be made into controllers because the Yeerks will know who we are." Rachel said like she was talking to a child who didn't understand something.
"I know that Rachel. I thought that I would meet with him alone and Cassie along with you could stake out the situation from a distance. If I'm taken you can warn the others and that will give you time to hide."
"Hide where?" I asked.
"I don't know Cassie."
"And what will we do about our families?"
"Don't worry Cassie. I don't think it will come to that."
"I think that we should put it to a vote." Rachel said breaking the tension.
"Okay Rachel. We will put it to a vote." Jake said although he looked hurt that we would question his judgment.
"Raise your hand if you're in favor of meeting this controller." Rachel said.
I raised my hand along with Rachel and Tobias.
"Okay. Raise your hands if you're against going to meet this controller."
Ax and Marco raised their hands.
"That settles it. We go." Rachel said.
Jake said that he was going to meet Mr. Tidwell tomorrow and set up the meeting. He then closed the meeting between us and set up another one for tomorrow afternoon after school.
I got home from school the next day and did my homework and chores. I went to the barn after leaving my parents a note and waited for the others to arrive. I didn't have to wait long before Jake arrived followed by Rachel, Tobias, Ax and then Marco.
"Okay guys. The plan is as follows: Cassie, Rachel and I will go to the meeting place. I'll meet the controller alone while Cassie and Rachel watch from a distance in battle morphs. The meeting is to take place on the cliffs over looking the beach at Tyler's Cove at 11:00 tonight. You guys all understand what you have to do?" Jake said taking control of the meeting.
"We know." I said answering for both Rachel and myself.
"Okay then. I'll see you and Rachel tonight. We'll meet in the barn at 10:45 and go together. We'll morph to birds and fly there because it will be faster. After the meeting is finished we will check in with the others."
He broke the meeting with that and we went our separate ways. I went back to my house and waited anxiously for 10:45 to come. I made a show of getting read for bed but as soon as I was sure that my parents were asleep I go ready to leave. I stripped off my nightshirt under which was my morphing suit. I concentrated on the harrier and felt the changes begin. When the morph was complete I flew out the window and to the barn. Jake and Rachel were already there in bird form and together we went to the cliffs. We got there at five minutes to eleven and demorphed to human. I then morphed to wolf, which was my battle morph. Rachel morphed to grizzly and Jake stayed in human form. He thought it could be a test to find out whether it was a trap or not. If he weren't a member of the peace movement he would be shocked to see a human. If he were a member he would not be shocked because Mr. Tidwell would have told him about us.
"I think I see him." Jake said and started walking towards the controller.
I watched him leave and then impulsively called his name.
"What's wrong Cass?"
I just wanted to tell you to be careful. I care about you too much to loose you I said in private thought speak although I was sure that Rachel knew what we were saying to each other.
"I care about you to and I'll be careful." He said and turned back around and started walking towards the controller again. Rachel and I watched him from the shadows. We could barely make out his form even with my keen wolf eyes. I knew that Rachel probably couldn't even see him anymore with the bear's dim eyesight. I told Rachel that I wanted to get closer and that's when we heard Jake yell.
"Get out of her guys. It's a trap." Jake screamed and then there was the sound of a dracon gun. I saw the shadowy forms of Jake and the controller go over the cliff.
Jake I screamed and raced to the edge of the cliff and looked down. I was still in wolf form so I couldn't get as close to the edge as I liked. I couldn't see anything but the waves crashing over the jagged rocks below.
What are we going to do Rachel?
I don't know Cassie. I just don't know.
What are we going to tell his parents?
The truth Cassie.
Are you crazy? I screamed at her. We can't tell them the truth.
Then we'll have to tell them as much of the truth as we can.
Which is?
We'll tell them that Jake got to close to the edge and fell off. We have to tell the others what happened first though.
I can't believe he's gone Rachel. He was there one minute and gone the next.
Cassie you have to get yourself together and demorph. We have to fly back and tell the others
I don't know how I had the strength to do it but I did. I demorphed to human and then morphed to bird. Rachel did the same and we flew to the woods behind my barn. We got Ax and told him what had happened. He listened and morphed to bird without saying a word. We then flew to Tobias's territory and told him what happened. He looked like he was in shock but he pulled himself together and we went to Marco's house. Tobias flew through the window that he had left open to tell him what had happened. A few minutes' later two birds flew out the window. We then flew back to my barn and morphed back to human. I went to get some clothes that Rachel had left for all of us in case we needed them. We couldn't tell my parents what had happened wearing morphing suits. I looked around and saw that everyone looked like they were in varying degrees of disbelief and shock. Marco looked like he was going to cry and out of instinct I went to hug him but he tuned his back on me. I knew that he blamed me for Jake's death and I didn't blame him. He knew that I had voted to go because I didn't want to go against Jake. I had wanted not to make him angry and as a result I had sent him to his death. I had been the deciding vote and if I had voted no he wouldn't have gone. Rachel saw what had happened between Marco and me and came over to hug me. She started crying and it was the first time that I remembered seeing her cry. She hadn't even cried when she though Tobias would forever be trapped as a hawk. I looked around and saw that Ax appeared emotionless but I knew that he was mourning for the loss of his prince. He would probably perform a ceremony for Jake in the tradition of his people.
"What exactly happened Cassie?" Tobias asked as he stepped closer to Rachel who had stopped hugging me. She turned to Tobias and collapsed in his arms.
"It was a trap. The controller shot Jake with a Dracon gun. Jake must have attacked him with the last of his strength and pushed the controller over the cliff with him."
"Okay. We have to figure out what to tell his parents."
"We'll tell them that all of us snuck out and decided to meet at Tyler's cove. Jake got to close to the edge and fell off the cliff."
"Do you think they'll believe it?" Tobias asked skeptically.
"They'll have to."
We decided to all go together with the exception of Ax and Tobias to tell my parents what had happened. We thought it would be best without them because my parents would have wanted to call their parents. That would have been difficult to say the least because they didn't have any. My parents listened to our story with anger for us sneaking out and then sadness when we told them what had happened to Jake. They sat there in disbelief for a few minutes but then they called Jake's, Marco and Rachel's parents and told them that Jake had been killed in an accident. We sat in silence until Jake's parents; Rachel's mom and Marco's dad arrived. They asked us what had happened exactly and we told our story to them. They then called the police because the nature of Jake's death. We sat in silence again until the police arrived. They asked us what had happened and once again we told the story of how Jake had accidentally fallen off the cliff. They listened to our story and said they would go to the cliff tomorrow and investigate. We could only hope that there would be no signs of what had really happened. The police left after a few more minutes and then Rachel, Marco and Tom went home with their respective parents. I was left alone with the pitying look my parents were giving me. I sensed that they wanted to talk to me but I ran from the room before they could. I ran upstairs and locked myself in my room. My parents followed me and pounded on my door calling my name. When I repeatedly ignored their calls they left me alone. I guess they figured I wasn't the type to commit suicide. I cried for a long time and eventually fell into an exhausted sleep. Over the next few days I walked around in a daze. I didn't go to school because I knew that people would look at me with suspicion in their eyes. I later learned from my parents that Marco and Rachel hadn't gone to school either. All of us wouldn't be together again until Jake's funeral. The police had ruled Jake's death an accident. They told us that they hadn't found anything to indicate otherwise. They had never found his body but that didn't surprise me. The waves would have carried his body away. Jake was buried somewhere in that cold sea and I would never see him again. The funeral was going to be held the next day but they would be burying an empty box. I cried myself to sleep that night as I had done every night since Jake had died.
The day of the funeral was cold and rainy. I stood huddled under my umbrella shivering. Rachel and Marco were beside me. I looked around at the people who had come and my eyes rested on Tom. He was crying and I wondered if it was an act or if the real Tom had broken through if only for a moment. Ax and Tobias were attending the funeral in bird morph. I saw them perched on the branch of a very large cedar tree. It was the only way they could safely attend the funeral. I was broken out of my thoughts by the minister's voice.
"We are gathered here to lay to rest Jacob____ May his soul find eternal peace in the kingdom of our lord.
The lord is my Shepard,
I shall not want,
He maketh me lie down in green pastures,
He leadeth me beside the still waters;
He restoreth my soul;
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake,
Yeah, Though I walk through the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil for thou art with me;
Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me,
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of thine enemies;
Thou annointest my head with oil:
My cup runneath over,
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
And I will dwell in the house of the lord forever"
I watched numbly as they lowered the coffin into the ground. I couldn't hold back the tears any longer and I sank to my knees sobbing. I felt Marco and Rachel take me by the shoulders and lift me up. They led me out of the graveyard to my parent's car. I rode home with my parents distantly looking out the window not saying a word. When I got home I went upstairs to my room and fished out the photo album that had pictures of Jake that I had collected over the years in it. I looked at each picture running my fingers over them like I was caressing him.
"I love you Jake." I whispered and put the album away. It was time to try to put my shattered life back together again. Over the next few weeks I thought that it might be possible to be whole again but then the murders began.
Part Two (Revenge)
* I watched the Andalite safely from my hiding place in the woods. He was running at full speed along the grass. I knew that he would stop as soon as he was finished grazing so patiently I waited. My fingers caressed the trigger of the Dracon gun I was holding in my hand. I thought about how I would carry out my revenge and I smiled grimly. They would all pay for what they have done. I would kill the Andalite first then the humans Marco and Rachel, the freak Tobias and finally Cassie. I would wait to kill her because she was the worst of them all. She was the killer with a conscience but that didn't stop her from slaughtering and killing people. I hated her the most and would savor the moment when I snuffed the life out of her. I snapped out of my thoughts when I noticed that he had stopped feeding. I lifted the hand held Dracon gun and aimed it at his chest, which was facing me. I pulled the trigger and the beam lanced out. He turned quickly at the sound but it was too late. The beam struck him point blank and he fell down onto the grass not moving. I cautiously came out from the bushes in case he was pretending. I approached him slowly with my finger on the trigger ready to shoot again if necessary. I got to within a foot and that when I saw what I had done. The beam had cut a large hole in his chest. Its edges were still smoking and the smell of burning flesh penetrated the air. I took out the note that I had typed earlier and pinned it to what was left of the chest area. I smiled in satisfaction and walked calmly away into the night.*
I groaned as the alarm on my clock went off. I got up out of bed and headed towards the bathroom. I showered and ate a quick breakfast then headed towards school. I got there 5 minutes before the first bell and went to my locker. I fished out the books I would need before lunch and slammed the door shut. I then went to meet Rachel at her locker.
"Hey, Cass."
"Hey, Rachel.'
"So how are you doing Cass?" She said giving me a sympathetic look. I considered lying to her and saying that everything was all right but she would know that I was lying.
"I miss him Rachel. I miss him so much that it hurts."
"We all miss him Cassie but we have to go on with our lives."
I know that sounds cruel but she was right. We all knew that one-day one or all of us would be captured or killed. We had to keep fighting for our freedom and the freedom of all mankind.
"So are you going to see Marco tonight?" Rachel asked changing the subject.
"Yeah. I thought that I would go check on Ax too"
She looked at me with understanding in her eyes. Ax had become very withdrawn and despondent since Jake had died. He avoided everyone every chance he could. I wasn't afraid that he would kill himself but that he would get himself killed trying to get revenge. I knew that was the Andalite way. He told us all that when he said that he had to kill Visser Three in revenge for killing his brother. I was broken out of my thoughts by the ringing of the bell that signaled the start of homeroom.
"See you later Rachel." I said and turned to go to my homeroom.
"Bye Cass." She said and went to her own homeroom. The day passed slowly but finally it was time to go home. I met Rachel and Marco and we walked home together. We got to Rachel's house first where we said goodbye to her and then it was just Marco and I.
"How are you doing Marco?"
"I'm okay Cassie. It's just hard to believe he's gone. I expect him to show up in class or at my house and say, "Stop goofing off Marco." Or something like that.
"I know but we have to get on with our lives." I said mimicking Rachel's earlier words.
"I realize that Cassie but it's hard to do that."
"I know Marco believe me I know all too well." I said and suddenly my mind shifted to Jake. I felt like I was going to cry but I held the tears back.
"Can we get together tonight?" Marco asked softly almost like he was ashamed. He had needed someone to talk to after Jake's death and he had turned to me. I guess he found me the easiest to talk too.
"Sure Marco. We'll meet in the usual place at 12:00.
"Thanks Cassie."
We got to Marco's house and said goodbye. I walked the rest of the way to my house alone. I got home, did my homework and chores and ate dinner. After I finished eating I told my parents I was going for a walk and they reluctantly let me go. I guess they knew that I probably would have gone anyway whether they said yes or not. I had become more rebellious since Jake's death. I guess a psychologist would say that I was acting out my guilt over Jake's death in the form of aggression. I would have to say that they were probably right. I went out the door and headed towards the woods bordering my house. I had to find Ax and talk some sense into him. I approached his territory calling out his name so he would know I was coming. I didn't want him to blindly attack or kill me accidentally. He didn't answer and I sighed thinking that he was purposely avoiding me.
"Ax, I know you're out there. You have to talk to me sometime." I called out in exasperation. I stepped father into his territory and that's when I saw him. He was lying on the ground on his side not moving. I walked cautiously over to him and that's when I saw what had happened to him. There was a gaping hole in his chest from what could only be a dracon gun. The edges of the wound were burnt and raw and I could see his internal organs inside. I turned blindly away and threw up what I just ate for dinner. I straightened up after a long while and began to morph to bird. I had to tell Rachel, Marco, and Tobias what had happened and I had to tell them fast. I decided to fly to Rachel's house first because Tobias would probably be there too. The less time it took to get everyone together the better it would be. I flew as fast as I could to Rachel's house. I finally got there and flew through the window that she had left open for Tobias. I landed gently on her dresser but Rachel didn't hear me. She and Tobias were on the bed together. Tobias had his shirt off and was leaning over Rachel kissing her. I would have been totally embarrassed if the situation wasn't so grim.
Rachel I yelled in thought speak. Rachel yelped and pushed Tobias off her. She hastily buttoned up her shirt and looked around the room. When she saw me sitting on her dresser she gave me a murderous look.
"Cassie. What the hell is your problem?" She yelled.
I take it your parents and sisters aren't home I said looking at Tobias who was desperately trying to get his shirt on and then at Rachel's hastily buttoned top. She followed my gaze and blushed.
"No. They are going to be got till late. Why did you come here like this Cassie?"
Ax is dead Rachel
Ax is dead? I can't believe it. How did he die Cassie?" She asked and I could see the beginning of tears in her eyes.
He was shot in the chest by a Dracon gun
"When did it happen?" Tobias asked softly coming to Rachel and taking her hand.
It looks like it happened last night. I found him about half an hour ago in the meadow
"Who could have done something like this?" Rachel said in a quivering voice.
A controller obviously but I don't know who or why
"Why is this happening to us Cassie? Jake is dead and now Ax is to." Rachel said tightening her grip on Tobias's hand.
I don't know Rachel. We have to go get Marco and tell him what has happened. Then we will go to the meadow and bury Ax
"What?" Rachel exploded.
We have to bury him. We can't have a dead Andalite lying in the woods behind my house. Someone might see him and then it would all be over
"Cassie's right Rachel." Tobias said softly.
"Okay." Rachel said although she was very reluctant. She morphed to bald eagle and Tobias morphed to his hawk form. We then flew to Marco's house and told him what had happened to Ax. He seemed to be in shock but he quickly recovered. He morphed to bird and the four of us flew to where Ax's body was. We saw him clearly from the air and if we had been human we probably would have thrown up. We landed a few feet away from his body and demorphed. We then walked to his body and looked at it. Rachel gave an almost inaudible gasp at the gruesome sight of Ax and reached for Tobias's hand.
"What's this?" Marco asked and pointed to a piece of paper pinned on his chest.
"I don't know. I didn't notice it before but then I was too busy hacking my guts up." I said sarcastically.
"Well I want to find out." He said and before any of us could stop him he reached down and unpinned the paper.
"It looks like a note." Marco said looking at it.
"What does it say?"
"You will all pay for what you have done."
"Who is doing this to us?" Rachel said angrily.
"I don't know but whoever it is wants us all dead."
"We'll he's not going to kill me. I'll kill whoever it is first." Rachel said vehemently.
"I'm going to get some shovels so we can bury him." I said and left to go to the barn. I returned with two shovels and Rachel and I watched as Tobias and Marco buried Ax. We each said a prayer for him and then got ready to go our separate ways. I said goodbye to Rachel and Tobias and told Marco I'd see him later. I then took the two shovels back to the barn glad that both my mother and father were out. I don't know how I could have explained why I needed two shovels. I then went to the house and made dinner for the family. My parents got home soon after I finished and we sat down to dinner. I ate my dinner in silence but my parents didn't say anything to me. I hadn't been saying much of anything at dinner since Jake's death. After dinner I went up to my room and did my homework, read for a while and then got ready for bed. Later that night when I was sure that my parents were asleep I stripped off my nightgown under which was my morphing suit. I then morphed to bird and flew out my window to meet Marco. We have been meeting at least twice a week at the beach. It was a spot that was near Tyler's Cove. It was a spot that Marco had chosen. When I had asked him why he told me that it reminded him of Jake and why we were fighting this war. I thought that he was punishing himself but at least he was talking about his feelings. I flew over the beach and saw that Marco was already there. He was sitting on the sand staring out into the ocean. I landed beside him and demorphed. When I was human again I sat down beside him.
"Why is this happening Cassie?"
"I don't know Marco."
"Are we really so bad that we deserve this?"
"We aren't bad Marco. We are in a war and in a war we have to do things that we would never do otherwise."
"I know that Cassie but I still hate myself for what we have done. I've lost so much because of this war."
I thought about what he said and knew he was referring to more than Jake and Ax. Marco's mother had turned out to be Visser 1. We didn't know for sure whether she was dead or not. Marco was right though. He had his life turned upside down more than any of us.
"We are going to find out who's doing this and stop him."
"What if we can't? What if he manages to kill all of us before that? Who will fight the war then?"
"I don't know Marco." I said flatly. "But we'll get through this together. Rachel, Tobias, you and I."
"Thanks Cassie." He said and hugged me. I hugged him back and we sat there hugging each other for a long time.
"I have to go. My parents have been checking on me late at night since Jake's death. I don't want them to come in and not see me there."
"Bye Cassie." He said and I morphed to bird and flew home. I got home and put my nightgown and fell asleep thinking about Jake and Ax.
*I watched him as he slept. He looked like any other teenager but I knew better. He was a ruthless killer who had taken out hundreds of yeerks in the three years since the war had begun. I hated them all and they would pay for what they had done. I stepped closer to the bed and raised the knife that was in my hand. I brought the knife down and ran he blade roughly over his throat. He made a strangled noise but didn't wake up. His blood started to run in rivulets staining the pillows and sheets. I took out the note and pinned it to his chest and left his room. I left through the front door that they had foolishly left unlocked*
I awoke the next day and went downstairs to find my parents waiting for me downstairs. I knew immediately hat something was wrong by their faces.
"What's wrong?"
"Sit down Cassie. We have something to tell you."
"What is it?" I asked with a sinking feeling.
"We don't know how to tell you this Cassie."
"Just say it!" I yelled in frustration.
"Cassie, Marco's dead."
"How?" I asked but I already knew the answer.
"He was murdered in his bed. His throat was slit and there was a note."
"What did the note say?"
"You'll all pay for what you have done. Do you have any idea what that means?"
"No." I lied. "Does Rachel know?"
"Yes. She is on her way over now."
Almost on cue the doorbell rang and I went to answer it. I opened it and saw Rachel looking like she had been crying. I hugged her for a long time.
"We have to talk Cassie." She whispered softly as she pulled away.
"I know." I said and then turned to face my parents.
"We're going for a walk." I told my parents and we rushed through the door before they could stop us. When we were sure that we were far enough away we stopped walking.
"We have to stop whoever it is who is doing this Cassie."
"We will Rachel."
"I mean Tobias or you could be next and I couldn't live on if all of you were gone."
"You have to Rachel. If you're the only one left you have to live on. You would be the only one left to find a new group of people to fight this war."
"I don't want to fight anymore Cassie. We have been fighting this war for three years and what have we gotten out of it. Jake, Marco and Ax are dead. You, Tobias or me could be the next to get killed. I can't take it anymore!" She cried and began to morph to bird.
"Where are you going?"
To tell Tobias about Ax. I have to go see him Cassie and I have to do it alone She said and left leaving me wondering what I would tell my parents when I returned without Rachel.
Rachel
I flew to Tobias's meadow and wondered if I was going to find him dead too. I frantically began to flap my wings and drew nearer to his territory. I got there a few minutes later and landed while already demorphing to human.
"Tobias!" I yelled and when he didn't answer I yelled again louder than before. I was about to yell again when I saw a red-tailed hawk land on a rock.
Jeez Rachel. You don't have to yell like that.
"Where were you?"
I was hunting. I heard you yelling but I was too far away to answer you in thought-speak. You know Rachel, I'm pretty sure that people in the next state heard you calling my name Tobias said jokingly.
"Tobias. This is no time for jokes." I said a little too harshly then I had intended.
What's wrong Rachel Tobias said looking at me with his piercing hawk eyes.
"Marco is dead Tobias. Whoever it is that is after us killed him last night."
I'm sorry Rachel. I didn't know
"Hold me Tobias." I said pleadingly. I needed to touch him and make sure that he was alive and well.
Anything for you Rachel Tobias said and demorphed to human. When the morph was complete I rushed over and collapsed into his arms. I started crying and tightened my grip on him.
"I'm scared Tobias."
"Don't be Rachel. We'll find this bastard and kill him."
"What if we can't Tobias? What if he decides you're next and kills you?"
"I won't let that happen Rachel."
"What if he decides to kill me next instead?"
"I won't let that happen either."
"I love you Tobias." I said and kissed him. The kiss was desperate and needy because I needed to reassure myself that we were both still alive. I wanted to lose myself in him forever and not have to worry about anything else.
"I love you too Rachel." Tobias said when we finally broke away.
"I have to leave now Tobias. Cassie's parents are probably wondering where I am."
"I'm coming to see you tonight Rachel so leave your window open"
"I always do. Goodbye Tobias." I said and morphed back to bird. I went back to Cassie's and then I went home. I spent the day in my room and when night fell I succumbed to an exhausted sleep.
*I watched her as she slept. Her long blonde hair was spread out on the pillow like a halo of gold. I knew that she was no angel though. Her parents like Marco's parents had left the front door unlocked so it was easy to come into her room. I had been in her room so many times before so it was easy to find it in the dimness. I took the knife out of my pocket and crossed over to the bed. She stirred but didn't turn around to face me.
"Tobias?" She murmured sleepily.
"I'm afraid not Rachel." I said and brought the knife down. I plunged it into her body until the sheets were stained in red. When I was satisfied I took out the note and pinned it to her chest. I then left her bedroom and carefully made my way down the stairs and out the front door. I was so deep into my thoughts that I didn't notice the hawk that was flying in the shadows above Rachel's house.*
Tobias
I was on my way to Rachel's window when I noticed Jake's brother Tom coming out her front door. I wondered why he was here so late especially since Rachel's parents were asleep. I thought about it for a while and then realization came to me. I frantically flew through Rachel's window and that's when I saw her. She was lying on the bed and her body was covered in what seemed like dozens of knife wounds. Her blood was soaking the sheets and splatters of it were on the ceiling and walls. My beautiful, sweet Rachel was dead. Her own cousin who was a controller had murdered her.
"I'm sorry Rachel. I should have been her to protect you but I'll avenge your death. I'll kill Tom for what he has done to you and the others. We'll be together again soon my love." I whispered and flew out her window to go to Tom's house. I got to Tom's house a few minutes later and flew through an open window. I looked around the room and realized that out of sheer luck it was Tom's room. Tom wasn't in the room so I demorphed to human and decided to wait for him. I looked around the room again and spotted a knife lying on the dresser and took it. I didn't have to wait very long before Tom came back.
"Tom." I called and stepped out of the shadows carefully hiding the knife behind me.
"Who in the hell are you?" He asked harshly.
"That's not important. What's important is that I know who and what you are. You are a lowlife who has killed my friends and my girlfriend."
"I don't know what you're talking about." He said nervously looking around the room. I knew that he probably had a gun hidden somewhere but he wasn't going to get a chance to use it.
"So that's how it's going to be. You're just going to pretend that you just didn't kill your cousin."
"Rachel's dead?"
"Yeah. Rachel is dead as if you didn't know."
"I haven't killed anyone."
"I know you're lying Tom but that won't matter in a few minutes."
"What do you mean?"
I didn't answer him but just stepped closer. He realized what I was going to do and tried to step away but it was too late. I brought the knife down and plunged it into his chest and watched in satisfaction as he fell to his knees. I then stabbed him in the back and he fell to the floor and was still. I laid down the knife beside his body and then morphed to bird. I flew out the window and headed for Cassie's house.
I was lying awake in my bed when I heard a tapping at my window. I got up out of bed to open it and Tobias flew in. I knew he had something bad to tell me because he never comes to my room and never this late.
"What's wrong Tobias?"
I know who the killer is Cassie
"Who is it?"
Tom
"Tom is the killer. Why did he do it?"
I don't know. He didn't say
"What do you mean Tobias?"
I meant I went to see him and I killed him before he had a chance to tell me why
"Why did you kill him?" I asked even though I already knew the answer. Tobias would kill anyone who hurt Rachel. I knew in my heart that my best friend was dead. I started crying because it had been too late to save Rachel.
He killed Rachel Cassie. He brutalized her like no human being should have to be brutalized. I went to see her and that's when I saw Tom leave her house so I went to his house and that's where I killed him. He had to die. Don't you realized that Cassie. He brutally murdered the only girl I had ever loved and now it's over. The terror is finally over
"You're right Tobias. It's over but we'll never be the same again."
I know that Cassie. I know that only so well He said and got ready to leave.
"Where are you going?"
I need to be alone Cassie He said and then he was gone. I sighed and looked at the clock and that's when I noticed the date. Tomorrow was the one-month anniversary of Jake's death. I lay back down on the bed but I didn't get anymore sleep that night.
The next morning I got up early and got dressed even though it was Saturday. I went downstairs and saw my parents sitting at the kitchen table waiting for me to come downstairs. I knew what they were going to tell me but it was still a shock.
"What's wrong?" I asked them and they glanced at each other with sadness in their eyes.
"Cassie, Rachel's dead."
How?" I asked starting to cry.
"She was stabbed with a knife. The police found a note on the body just like the one they found when Marco died."
"I have to get out of here." I said and ran out the front door. I heard them call my name but I didn't pay any attention. I ran into the woods and there away from my house I morphed to bird. I blindly flew towards the place where this whole nightmare had begun. I landed behind some dunes and morphed to human. I needed not to have hidden because there was no else that I could see around. I walked to the edge of the cliff and looked down. I could see the ocean crashing over the jagged rocks below. I started to cry again when I thought about what had happened over the past month. All of my friends were gone except Tobias. I hadn't seen him since last night but I knew in my heart he was proably dead. I knew that he had most likely killed himself. Rachel was his life and without her he probably wouldn't want to keep on living. I was startled out of my thoughts when I heard footsteps approaching from behind me. I turned around and gasped because standing there right in front of me was Jake.
"Jake!" I cried and ran to him. I hugged him tightly and like a puppet he stiffly hugged me back.
"Your alive."
"Yes Cassie. I am alive and well."
"But how?"
"I faked my own death Cassie. Do you remember that night? I want you to think hard Cassie. Did you actually see me go over the cliff or did you see another person?"
"I don't know. It was dark that night."
"That's right Cassie. It was dark and that's why it was so easy to fool you."
"You're not Jake. You're a controller." I said and tried to pull away but he held me tight.
"Yes. I am a controller Cassie but you still haven't figured it all out yet have you?"
I don't know what you mean."
"I thought you were smart Cassie. I killed them all. I killed Ax, Marco, Rachel and Tobias. It was so easy to do."
"Tobias isn't dead."
"Oh, yes he is. I killed him last night."
"Why did you do it?" I cried shrilly.
"Why? I tell you why. Do you know how much trouble you and your so-called andalite friends have caused us Yeerks? This host body and four other humans along with an Andalite cadet have killed some of our best warriors. You have been an embarrassment to the Yeerk empire and you have to die for what you have done."
"You're crazy."
"Maybe so but that won't matter when you are dead." He said and pushed me to the edge of the cliff. He tried to shove me over but I kicked him and managed to get free. I looked and saw Jake teetering on the edge of the cliff and then with an agonized scream he fell. I clapped my hands over my ears at the sound until there was silence. I stepped to the edge of the cliff and looked down. His body was lying crumpled on the sharp rocks below. I thought about all that I had gone through and I knew that I couldn't leave anymore. I had told Rachel that whoever was left had to live on but I couldn't.
"I love you Jake and I forgive you." I whispered and then leaned forward with arms stretched open to the sky. I teetered for a moment and then fell over the edge to the waiting ocean below.
The End