The battle raged around us. Hork Bajir and animal blood seeped into the pine needle-covered ground. This was supposed to be a secret attack. Not expected. But it was. Visser Three was waiting for us there. He stood on his dainty andalite hooves when he told us all that we would die. The sound of his voice had sent shivers up my wolf spine. Now I was too busy to notice him moving towards Jake. I heard a loud roar, and Jake went down. The slash in his abdomen was so large. I jumped upon Visser three, a surprise attack. < Argggghh! > He yelled so loud in thought speech I was almost paralyzed. As my jaws closed around his thin andalite neck I could feel everything around me stopping, slowing. They all watched, breath held. I looked at where Jake was laying, blood seeping out of his abdomen as Marco, in gorilla morph, stood above him, trying to stop the bleeding. < Please don't kill me.... > The Visser said in my head. I stop closing my jaws but held his neck tight. < Do it Cassie! > Jake yelled. As he yelled I could hear all his energy gone in those 3 words. This was it. I could kill Visser 3. This war would be over! But still he prayed in my head over and over. Over and over. < Please don't kill me... Please. I will leave this planet forever! Just don't kill me.... > The war raged around me, but all I saw was the Visser and me. I loosen my grip and he swung his tail around, hitting me blade side down in the neck. The laughter in my head was insane. Then all I heard was nothing. All I saw was nothing. All I felt was nothing.
I awoke in the woods. My friends were all around me. All except Jake. I sat up right away. "Where's Jake?" hiding the panic in my voice. Rachel looked toward the ground. "He's over there," she said pointing to a large pile of rocks and weeds. I stood up, fully human. I must have demorphed while I was blacked out. I went to the other side of the pile. I saw Jake, head in his hands. "Jake..." I said. He looked up suddenly. I saw something on his face I'd never seen before. It was rage. Anger. "What's wrong?" I asked reaching out to hug him. He pulled away. He stuck a finger out at me. " You almost got us all killed! " he shouted. "Why didn't you just kill him?" He started to pace. I bit my lip to keep the tears in. "I... I... He said he would leave.. Leave this planet," I said sounding very weak. I looked at the ground. "You're sensitivy and moral is great, Cass. Just not on the battlefield," he said grimly before heading back to the group. I stood there a moment longer before leaving. I ran. I ran for longer then I ever have as a human. By the time I reached my pastures, I was panting. The tears streamed down my cheeks freely now. I was too sensitive. It wasn't good for the group. I jumped the fence, like I always did when I was younger. I ran across the pasture and into the barn. Luckily my parents weren't around. Seeing me like this would worry them. I fell on top of a pile of hay. Crying, I said, "It would be better if I had never walked through that abandoned construction site. It would be so much better... I wish I never had walked through the abandoned construction site." YOUR WISH IS MY COMMAND. I sat up. "Ellimist?" i said questionably. But I was no longer in the barn. I was in my room. Your wish is my command? I wondered. The phone rang somewhere downstairs. I heard my Mom answer it. "Cassie!! Phones for you! " She yelled up the stairs. I answered it. "Hello?" "Hey Cassie, it's Rachel. Lets go shopping tonight," Rachel answered, sounding happy. "Rachel... um sure. Can I ask you a question?" I asked. "Sure, what's up?" "What's the date?" She told me. I stood there, dazed almost. The date was 2 weeks after we had met Elfangor.
I hung up with Rachel and went out to the barn. I went to the last stall. I concentrated on horse. Nothing happened. What was wrong? I tried again this time trying to morph wolf. Nothing. I remember the ellimist telling me my wish was its command. What was my wish? I sat down on the hay I had been crying on before I came to this time. I wish I had never walked through the abandoned construction site, I remembered. I walked over to the phone in the barn and dialed Jake's number.
His dad answered. "Hello?" "Hi may I speak to Jake please?" I asked. His father said nothing. "What is this? Some sort of sick joke?" he almost yelled into the receiver. "Im sorry sir... I ... I didn't know.. What happened to him?" I asked, expecting the worst. "He died. 2 weeks ago." I could hear sobbing on the other end. I was shocked. I hung up the phone without another word. I left the barn on my bike. I rode all the way into town. By the time I got there it was getting dark. I heard something around the corner. I stopped my bike and got off. I looked around the corner. To my amazement, there was a gorilla. I looked closer and saw it had a can of spray paint in its hand. He was vandalizing the building. Marco! Marco, vandalizing a building. Without Jake, who knew. "Marco!" I yelled into the alleyway. The gorilla stopped suddenly. He looked at me, obviously not remembering me. Even before we became animorphs, he had know me. Through Jake. I wiped the memory from my mind. Jake wasn't really dead. This was not the real world. "Marco!" I yelled again. < Who are you? > he asked. < If you are what I think you are, I will kill you. > "I'm not what you think I am. Remember me? I'm Cassie. Jake's friend." I stumbled on the word Jake. < Jake's gone. > he said somberly. < He's gone forever. > He sat down on the road in the alleyway, looking almost comical. < It's my fault. > He said. < I was too ruthless. No one was there to tell us no. To tell us it wasn't right. > He went on and on, not really remembering I was there. I had to get to the mall. Rachel was there. Maybe she was the same. Same old Rachel. I almost expected it. I grabbed my bike, leaving Marco behind. I rode to the mall. I saw Rachel outside, smoking a cigarette. I looked at her as I locked up my bike. "I didn't know you smoked," I said sounding casual. Rachel's eyes were red and her clothes were wrinkled. This was not Rachel. Not her at all. "Ever since he... he...," she stopped. "I do now anyway." Over head I saw Tobias. He soared above us, tilting his wings ever so little to fly little circles above Rachel, only about 100 feet up. I smiled. At least he was the same. I looked at Rachel. "So where to, oh great shopper one?" I said smiling still. She laughed. "How about some Mickey D's first? Im starved." She asked. "Alright," I said. I looked up at the sky again. Tobias was gone. I wonder where he went I said in my head. Probably to dinner himself. I followed Rachel into the busy food court. Still smoking the cigarette, she dropped it on the floor and put it out with her toe. I frowned. The food court was as busy as ever. The loudness of everything almost hurt my ears. The neon signs glowed from above all the stores and restaurants. We walked toward the Mc Donald's. Rachel ordered. " I would like a happy meal with extra happy." She said almost so casually I didn't realize it. But I heard her and my heart stopped. She grabbed my arm. "Cassie, this is my friend Christopher," she motioned to the cashier. "He wants to show up some cool stuff in the back." I panicked. "Hey Rach, um I kinda have to go already." I pulled away from her. Christopher grabbed my arm. "I don't think so," He said in a very recognizable voice. "Jake....?" I muttered. We walked into the back room. "Yes, little Jakey is a controller now. As you will be in about..." Jake said checking his watch. "5 minutes." I kicked at him, but i knew I couldn't get away. I acted dumb. "What's a controller?" I asked stupidly. "A controller is well... you'll find out soon. It's great don't worry about it. It's fun!" Rachel said sounding way too giddy. "Rachel? You... You... You too?" Tobias appeared behind Rachel, kissing her on the lips, PG-13 like. "Me too." Tobias said. He smiled. "Are we ready?" He asked. Was this what would happen if I was never an Animorphs? This was terrible. Was I really that important? Were my morals and sensitivity that important to the group? YES the ellimist erupted in my head and suddenly I was in another place. Maybe it was another time. DID YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SAW CASSIE? he asked. "No!" I screamed, crying. "That was terrible." I put my head in my hands and sobbed. WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO BACK TO BEING AN ANIMORPHS? he asked. "Yes!! Take me back please!! I'm sorry!" I yelled, my eyes red and nose runny, from crying. I closed my eyes. When I reopened them I was back in the woods. I was laying against the rock pile. My back ached. Had it been a dream? THAT IS FOR YOU TO DECIDE the ellimist answered in my head. I heard someone coming towards me. It was Jake. He stood in front of me for about 30 seconds and we said nothing. Then I burst into tears and he put his arms around me. "Im sorry Cassie," he said into my ear. "No, I'm sorry," I said through my tears. " I shouldn't have let my morals interfere with the battle. If it wasn't for me, visser three would be dead." I sobbed. He pulled me back at arms distance. "You know that's not true. If it wasn't for your morals, we would probably be all dead." he said. I smiled and he pulled me close again. I felt his heartbeat through his shirt. This was the heartbeat of the guy I would do anything for as he would do for me. For a while, im not sure how long, we stood there. Then he kissed the top of my head and we walked back to the group.
I awoke in the woods. My friends were all around me. All except Jake. I sat up right away. "Where's Jake?" hiding the panic in my voice. Rachel looked toward the ground. "He's over there," she said pointing to a large pile of rocks and weeds. I stood up, fully human. I must have demorphed while I was blacked out. I went to the other side of the pile. I saw Jake, head in his hands. "Jake..." I said. He looked up suddenly. I saw something on his face I'd never seen before. It was rage. Anger. "What's wrong?" I asked reaching out to hug him. He pulled away. He stuck a finger out at me. " You almost got us all killed! " he shouted. "Why didn't you just kill him?" He started to pace. I bit my lip to keep the tears in. "I... I... He said he would leave.. Leave this planet," I said sounding very weak. I looked at the ground. "You're sensitivy and moral is great, Cass. Just not on the battlefield," he said grimly before heading back to the group. I stood there a moment longer before leaving. I ran. I ran for longer then I ever have as a human. By the time I reached my pastures, I was panting. The tears streamed down my cheeks freely now. I was too sensitive. It wasn't good for the group. I jumped the fence, like I always did when I was younger. I ran across the pasture and into the barn. Luckily my parents weren't around. Seeing me like this would worry them. I fell on top of a pile of hay. Crying, I said, "It would be better if I had never walked through that abandoned construction site. It would be so much better... I wish I never had walked through the abandoned construction site." YOUR WISH IS MY COMMAND. I sat up. "Ellimist?" i said questionably. But I was no longer in the barn. I was in my room. Your wish is my command? I wondered. The phone rang somewhere downstairs. I heard my Mom answer it. "Cassie!! Phones for you! " She yelled up the stairs. I answered it. "Hello?" "Hey Cassie, it's Rachel. Lets go shopping tonight," Rachel answered, sounding happy. "Rachel... um sure. Can I ask you a question?" I asked. "Sure, what's up?" "What's the date?" She told me. I stood there, dazed almost. The date was 2 weeks after we had met Elfangor.
I hung up with Rachel and went out to the barn. I went to the last stall. I concentrated on horse. Nothing happened. What was wrong? I tried again this time trying to morph wolf. Nothing. I remember the ellimist telling me my wish was its command. What was my wish? I sat down on the hay I had been crying on before I came to this time. I wish I had never walked through the abandoned construction site, I remembered. I walked over to the phone in the barn and dialed Jake's number.
His dad answered. "Hello?" "Hi may I speak to Jake please?" I asked. His father said nothing. "What is this? Some sort of sick joke?" he almost yelled into the receiver. "Im sorry sir... I ... I didn't know.. What happened to him?" I asked, expecting the worst. "He died. 2 weeks ago." I could hear sobbing on the other end. I was shocked. I hung up the phone without another word. I left the barn on my bike. I rode all the way into town. By the time I got there it was getting dark. I heard something around the corner. I stopped my bike and got off. I looked around the corner. To my amazement, there was a gorilla. I looked closer and saw it had a can of spray paint in its hand. He was vandalizing the building. Marco! Marco, vandalizing a building. Without Jake, who knew. "Marco!" I yelled into the alleyway. The gorilla stopped suddenly. He looked at me, obviously not remembering me. Even before we became animorphs, he had know me. Through Jake. I wiped the memory from my mind. Jake wasn't really dead. This was not the real world. "Marco!" I yelled again. < Who are you? > he asked. < If you are what I think you are, I will kill you. > "I'm not what you think I am. Remember me? I'm Cassie. Jake's friend." I stumbled on the word Jake. < Jake's gone. > he said somberly. < He's gone forever. > He sat down on the road in the alleyway, looking almost comical. < It's my fault. > He said. < I was too ruthless. No one was there to tell us no. To tell us it wasn't right. > He went on and on, not really remembering I was there. I had to get to the mall. Rachel was there. Maybe she was the same. Same old Rachel. I almost expected it. I grabbed my bike, leaving Marco behind. I rode to the mall. I saw Rachel outside, smoking a cigarette. I looked at her as I locked up my bike. "I didn't know you smoked," I said sounding casual. Rachel's eyes were red and her clothes were wrinkled. This was not Rachel. Not her at all. "Ever since he... he...," she stopped. "I do now anyway." Over head I saw Tobias. He soared above us, tilting his wings ever so little to fly little circles above Rachel, only about 100 feet up. I smiled. At least he was the same. I looked at Rachel. "So where to, oh great shopper one?" I said smiling still. She laughed. "How about some Mickey D's first? Im starved." She asked. "Alright," I said. I looked up at the sky again. Tobias was gone. I wonder where he went I said in my head. Probably to dinner himself. I followed Rachel into the busy food court. Still smoking the cigarette, she dropped it on the floor and put it out with her toe. I frowned. The food court was as busy as ever. The loudness of everything almost hurt my ears. The neon signs glowed from above all the stores and restaurants. We walked toward the Mc Donald's. Rachel ordered. " I would like a happy meal with extra happy." She said almost so casually I didn't realize it. But I heard her and my heart stopped. She grabbed my arm. "Cassie, this is my friend Christopher," she motioned to the cashier. "He wants to show up some cool stuff in the back." I panicked. "Hey Rach, um I kinda have to go already." I pulled away from her. Christopher grabbed my arm. "I don't think so," He said in a very recognizable voice. "Jake....?" I muttered. We walked into the back room. "Yes, little Jakey is a controller now. As you will be in about..." Jake said checking his watch. "5 minutes." I kicked at him, but i knew I couldn't get away. I acted dumb. "What's a controller?" I asked stupidly. "A controller is well... you'll find out soon. It's great don't worry about it. It's fun!" Rachel said sounding way too giddy. "Rachel? You... You... You too?" Tobias appeared behind Rachel, kissing her on the lips, PG-13 like. "Me too." Tobias said. He smiled. "Are we ready?" He asked. Was this what would happen if I was never an Animorphs? This was terrible. Was I really that important? Were my morals and sensitivity that important to the group? YES the ellimist erupted in my head and suddenly I was in another place. Maybe it was another time. DID YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SAW CASSIE? he asked. "No!" I screamed, crying. "That was terrible." I put my head in my hands and sobbed. WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO BACK TO BEING AN ANIMORPHS? he asked. "Yes!! Take me back please!! I'm sorry!" I yelled, my eyes red and nose runny, from crying. I closed my eyes. When I reopened them I was back in the woods. I was laying against the rock pile. My back ached. Had it been a dream? THAT IS FOR YOU TO DECIDE the ellimist answered in my head. I heard someone coming towards me. It was Jake. He stood in front of me for about 30 seconds and we said nothing. Then I burst into tears and he put his arms around me. "Im sorry Cassie," he said into my ear. "No, I'm sorry," I said through my tears. " I shouldn't have let my morals interfere with the battle. If it wasn't for me, visser three would be dead." I sobbed. He pulled me back at arms distance. "You know that's not true. If it wasn't for your morals, we would probably be all dead." he said. I smiled and he pulled me close again. I felt his heartbeat through his shirt. This was the heartbeat of the guy I would do anything for as he would do for me. For a while, im not sure how long, we stood there. Then he kissed the top of my head and we walked back to the group.