AN: First of all, I would like to thank everyone who sent me reviews encouraging me to write more. Frankly, this was suppose to be a one shot deal. I've never written a fictional story before (unless you count the one I did in third grade) and personally, I didn't expect the responses I got. My head swelled so much I can hardly get through the door. *snicker*
I don't write well when I try to make myself. I seem do best when my muse is with me. So please be patient if the next installment is slow in coming. I'll try to get it out as soon as possible.
(PS I realize I spelled "a coma" wrong in the last chapter. Instead of Rachel being unconscious, I made her a punctuation mark! Sorry!)
Thanks!
AN2: I don't own the Animorphs. K. A. Applegate and Scholastic, Inc. do. This fanfic is for entertainment purposes only.
End of the Beginning: Part II
"Rachel? Are you coming down to dinner?"
I was startled out of my thoughts by my mom calling my name. "No thanks, mom. I ate something at Cassie's."
"OK, sweetheart, but don't forget to finish up your homework before you go to bed."
"All right, mom." I rolled my eyes as I answered her. My mom has a tendency to forget that I'm 16, not 6, anymore.
I sat on my bed and stared out of the window. I thought back to the last couple of hours and cringed.
When Cassie had told me about going to the Sharing, I totally freaked. It's like those words punched a major panic button I didn't even know I had.
I remembered the look on Cassie's face when she asked me if I was all right. I must of told her something, because the only thing I remember after Cassie saying THOSE WORDS is pulling into my driveway in my old VW Bug. I came straight up to my room and haven't come out since.
That was over three hours ago. I've tried to convince myself that this Sharing has nothing to do with the one from my memories, but so far, logic isn't winning.
I keep telling myself, that the memories I have of the Sharing, the Yeerks, the invasion, EVERYTHING, is just some weird nightmare I had while I was in a coma. That somehow the whole "we have to save the world, we're just a bunch of kids, how are we possibly going to stop the Yeerks" is just some bizarre jumble of images and impressions that my mind made up while I was unconscious.
There are no such things as rat-sized, parasitic slug-like aliens trying to take over the world. I said this out loud to show myself just how crazy it sounded. Unfortunately, part of me refused to be convinced by this.
I grew frustrated with myself. "Enough of this nonsense Rachel Lynn! You are 16 years old, not a child who believes in the bogeyman!" I told myself sternly.
I had no desire to do my homework. I could do it in study hall tomorrow. I turned on the television to try to get my mind off of my foolish fears. I flipped the channels around. Maybe there was something on AMC.
I have a secret passion for old movies. Sounds kind of corny, but ever since I was little, my parents would rent old movies like "Casablanca" or "The Maltese Falcon" and we would spend Friday nights watching them. It was our family time together.
We don't do it very much since my parents got divorced. I think it's because it hurts my mother to remember all the fun she and dad had watching those old movies together. It hurts me too, but it also makes me feel closer to my mom and dad. It brings back good memories, ones I want to remember.
I settled down on my bed just as the movie started. Less than a minute later, I almost fell off my bed when I realized what the movie was. AMC was having a sci-fi marathon and "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" was the movie currently running. I quickly turned off the television. I wanted to forget my stupid dreams, not dwell on them.
I took a deep breath and tried to put all of my fears into focus. "It's just a nightmare Rachel. The Yeerks don't exist. The Sharing is just a club for people to get together. It's not a front for an alien invasion. Just keep repeating to yourself, 'There are NO aliens. It was all just a dream.'"
Why can't I make myself completely believe this? I mean, I know there is a possibility that on some planets, somewhere in the universe, intelligent life exists. Even the scientists agree on this fact. But as most of them point out, the distance between those worlds is so far apart, the chance of contacting another planet with intelligent life, let alone visiting it in person, is almost non-existent.
I knew there was only one way to solve the doubt in my mind for once and for all. The clock on my desk said it was 9:20 p.m. It was kind of late to call Cassie. Her parents went by the motto "early to bed, early to rise" and they didn't like to get calls after 9 o'clock at night.
I debated for another minute whether or not I should call Cassie tonight or wait until I saw her in class tomorrow. I picked up the phone before I could change my mind and dialed her number. I knew I wouldn't get any sleep until I got this out of the way.
"Hello?"
"Hi. This is Rachel. I know it's kinda late, but could I talk to Cassie for just a minute?" I asked hesitantly.
"Well Rachel, we normally don't like for Cassie to get calls this late, but let me go see if she's in bed yet," her dad replied.
"Thank you." I answered.
I suddenly heard another extension being picked up. "Hello?" Cassie's voice asked.
"Hi, Cassie. Sorry to bother you so late but I wanted to tell you this, and it couldn't keep until tomorrow. I'll go to the Sharing meeting with you."
End Note: OK peeps, you know what to do, read and review. (Hey, I made a rhyme. Cool!) I'm kinda enjoying this so let me know if you want more.
Dedications: My mom (who was impressed with my story), my sister (who so kindly informed me I spelled "a coma" wrong, after I re-posted my story), and to Fall Angel, who's stories I enjoy reading). Thanks guys!
