(*Authors note: This is something that came to me while I was staring at my Animorphs books (not reading; staring). This little monologue is applicable to pretty much all of the Animorphs (except for Ax). Just a few thoughts on what it would be like for someone to have concrete proof that one isn't they same as one used to be.)

Animorphs: The Scar

I stare at my arm. Nothing very remarkable about the arm in question: tanned on top and a little lighter underneth; a perfectly normal arm- an arm that could belong to any human. That's part of the trouble. Something is missing. Something small that most people didn't notice anyway. I've always noticed it; but then, it's my arm.

I trace the place where it used to be; right near my wrist. I can still see it in my mind- a small raised ridge of shiny skin. Nothing important. Just a little scar from a little burn.

I had had this scar for a long time, since a was a very small child. Childhood accident involving a heater and some ignored parental advice. No biggie now, but it sure was then. I cried and fussed and for my trouble, I got a scar.

Nothing important; better off without it, really.

I trace the place where it used to be. I feel strangly and uncharacteristically . . . Whistful? Nostolgic? It really was such a small unimportant thing.

But it was my small unimportant thing. It was a part of me- a part of my history that I can't replace. It made me different from every other person on the planet. It was special to me and now it's gone.

Does it make me less human not to have scars anymore? Because I don't have any now. Everytime I morph, it is as I've been reborn- perfect and flawless. It doesn't matter if I've been torn apart or just cut a little. It doesn't show. It isn't there. It's like there's nothing to prove that my life was in danger. That can't be natural.

I trace the place where it used to be. It's not right. Of course, very little has been right with my life lately. This is just another reminder that I'm not who I used to be. I'm not what I used to be.

Scars: I used to have them on the outside.

Now I have them on the inside and they almost hurt more.