My name is Tom.
I can't tell you my last name for reasons that will become obvious to you later. For now, you have to hear my story of the events that led up to me having to be so...strange.
It started on Friday. Coach pulled me aside after gym class, to let me know that he was going to post the results for the junior basketball team this afternoon. I knew, from his expression, that Jake hadn't made it.
"Can you give him another chance?" I pleaded. "We've been practicing all month. He'll be crushed, Coach!"
Had it been anyone but me-the star of the team-it would have come across as whiny. Or, at least, asking for favors. Well, the second was true.
Coach just sighed. "He was good, Tom, but the others were great. I can't kick off someone who's legitimately better than your brother just because..."
I nodded. It was a hard choice, and I was glad that I never had to make it. Junior high basketball wasn't like high school basketball, with the potential for recruiting for college scholarships and all, but it still mattered. Especially if you wanted to play in high school.
"I get it." I managed a smile. "Thanks for letting me know."
Coach put a hand on my shoulder. "Tell him to keep practicing, okay? He shouldn't give up."
"I will. Tell him, I mean," I promised.
I had my doubts, though. How would Midget be able to compete in a year, against kids who had been on the team? Well, maybe some would quit after a year...
Jake would be crushed, even though I knew he would try to hide it. Not that he would be able to hide his disappointment very well from me. I was, after all, his big brother, and we had always been close.
After a couple more classes, in which I paid less attention than I should have, the school day was over. Me and millions of other kids around the country were officially released from our prison, at least for two days.
Good thing we rarely had practice on Friday. Don't get me wrong, outside of my family, basketball is my life. But, with the news about Jake's rejection, I wanted to check in with him as soon as possible.
Since I took a different bus than Jake, I realized I didn't know if I would see him as soon as I got home. He sometimes went home with Marco. Poor guy lost his mom over a year ago, drowned, and his dad has barely been hanging on. He used to live in our neighborhood, but he lost his job and had to move to a really bad part of town.
Naturally, Jake spends a lot of his free time with him, even more than before the accident.
Not that Marco doesn't come around here. I joked, in the beginning, that he was starting to look like he lived here, but stopped after it was obvious it wasn't funny.
"Mom? Dad? Midget?" I called as soon as I was inside the house. "Anyone home?"
Jake entered the hallway, looking more reserved than usual. "Dad's still at work. Mom's at the store, I think."
I grinned. "House all to ourselves, huh? Should we throw a party?"
Jake rolled his eyes. "She'll be back in like thirty minutes."
"Not enough time for a party," I agreed. "You hungry? I'm starved. Do we still have that leftover pizza?"
"I think so?"
We headed to the kitchen, and after some digging around in the freezer, I found four slices.
"Score! You want any?" I offered.
"Yeah, okay," Jake said, without much enthusiasm. Not enough for pizza, anyway.
I separated the fused slices and placed them in a pan before turning on the oven. After setting the timer, I turned to Jake, who was leaning against the counter. Facing him, I grinned.
"How was prison?"
That got a laugh. Mom and Dad usually react to my referring to our mandatory twelve year sentence to formal education with a groan or an eye roll, but Jake appreciates my humor.
Of course, given Marco's sense of humor, almost anything anyone says is an improvement.
Except, maybe, Dad jokes.
Those are just painful.
"It was school," Jake replied, noncommittally. "Not great, not horrible, you know?"
If it weren't for the fact that he was avoiding my gaze, I would have believed him.
"That's the highest endorsement we can give for it," I laughed.
Jake managed a grin, but his heart wasn't in it.
I waited for another minute or so, drumming my fingers on the counter, but he remained silent.
"Midget," I began, but the timer beeped.
Great timing, really.
Oven mitt in hand-it had cats on it, but I would take cats over third degree burns-I opened the oven and retrieved our afternoon snack. The heavenly smell of pizza filled my nostrils, and my attention.
Even Jake seemed to perk up at the smell. We each grabbed a plate from the shelves, and I divided the pizza into two slices apiece before sitting down at the table.
Jake took a few bites before looking up at me. "Tom?"
"Yeah?" I asked, putting my half devoured slice down.
"I, uh, I didn't make the team."
I got up from my chair, then pulled him into a hug. "Next year, maybe? We can practice like crazy until then."
Jake squeezed me back, holding on a few seconds longer than normal.
"I just... I let you down. I really wanted to get your old spot, you know?" He asked, not looking at me.
I considered saying there was only room for one star in the family, jokingly, but I decided against it. Midget might think I was being serious.
"You didn't let me down, Midget. From what he said, competition was harsh."
He raised his eyebrows. "Oh. You knew."
"For a couple of hours. He told me after gym. I didn't ask," I added, quickly. "He told me you were good."
"Yeah, just not good enough," Jake sighed. He took another bite of pizza.
"More like not as good as some of the tall athletic freaks in your grade, Midget," I pointed out. "You're no shrimp, but a few extra inches make all the difference. Anyway, you're due for a growth spurt any day."
That seemed to cheer him up. "You still gonna call me Midget when I'm taller than you?
"Not that that's ever going to happen, but in a hypothetical parallel universe, yes," I assured him. "Even after you reach six and a half feet here? Yes."
Jake grinned.
After our snack, we went our separate ways. As a sixteen year old in my sophomore year of high school, I had a ton of homework. Because it's not enough for us to be in prison for about seven hours a day, five days a week. They load us up with hours of homework for when we finally get to go home, and at least twice that amount on weekends. They say that teachers are overworked, but they wouldn't have to work so hard if they stopped giving out homework and papers and tests to study for!
I managed to get through my math and science before I heard Dad's voice. This meant that dinner would be pretty soon, so I packed up my books and headed for Jake's room.
After knocking and hearing, "Come in!" I saw Jake on the floor in front of his bed, playing a video game on his system. I love Midget, of course, but being the younger brother has advantages. Mom and Dad would never have let me have one of those in my room-even if he did save up his allowance for six months to pay for it.
Jake's face brightened when he saw me, and he paused the game.
"You want to play?" he asked.
I was going to tell him that Dad was home and we'd be eating soon, but I decided against it. After all, Mom could call up or come upstairs when she wanted us.
"Sure!" I answered instead, taking a seat next to Jake. "Racing, huh? Getting ready for your driving test already?" I teased.
Jake laughed. "It can't hurt, right?"
"Definitely can't hurt," I allowed.
I didn't play video games nearly as much as Jake, but I was pretty decent when I did. Back when I had started to go to Sharing meetings, they had the occasional game night. The fun activities they did almost made up for the innate creepy factor.
Almost.
Even though I didn't think losing would be a huge bust to Jake's ego, I knew it wouldn't help, so I made sure to let him win by a narrow margin. He wanted to play again, but Mom called, letting us know that dinner was ready.
"Ready" meant it would be out in five minutes, but it also meant that we needed to get our butts downstairs before then, or she would be annoyed.
"How about later?" I asked as we left.
"I can't. Meeting Marco at the mall after dinner. Unless you want to come? We'll definitely hit the arcade!" Jake added, giving me a hopeful look.
Not that he needed to.
"Sure, but I can't drive. Dad's got his meeting after dinner, remember?" I reminded him.
Unlike me, Dad hadn't been too creeped out by The Sharing to back out before they officially asked you to become a full member. He sometimes made a comment here and there about me giving it another chance, but I would say I had enough on my plate with school and sports.
They met a lot more once you became a full member.
If Mom didn't insist on family dinners, I think Dad would have just gone straight from work and picked up a burger or something. Kind of ironic that Dad is the doctor and Mom bugs us to eat healthy.
Which was definitely what our dinner was that night. Sure, there was meat and potatoes, but also plenty of vegetables. Including broccoli.
After saying grace, we dug in. Dad, I noticed, was eating a little quicker than usual. He also didn't talk about his day nearly as much as normal. Jake and I exchanged glances, because it was obvious he was in a hurry without trying to be noticed. Mom seemed oblivious, thankfully. She was a writer, and had just started a new novel. She was really excited about it.
Jake didn't say anything about tryouts. If Mom or Dad remembered he's gone out for the team, they didn't say anything. Maybe, they took the lack of information to mean he hadn't made the team. Or that he hadn't found out yet.
Some other older brothers, the ones who were jerks, would have asked and made Jake admit he'd been cut. Even though I was hardly perfect, I would never shame Jake like that.
After we finished eating, Dad pushed his chair out, got up, and gave Mom a brief kiss on the cheek.
"Dinner was great, hon."
Mom smiled. "Glad you enjoyed it."
This lead me and Jake to agree, probably a few seconds too late. Fortunately, Dad rescued us.
"The meeting tonight could get long. Don't worry if I'm not back before you're asleep," Dad cautioned. Turning to us, he asked, "Any plans this evening?"
"We're going to the mall. Probably hit the arcade with Marco," Jake answered, enthusiastically.
Mom beamed at us. "Well, have fun, and be careful!"
"Need any money?" Dad asked, then handed us each a 20. "Don't spend it all on one game!"
"We'll try!" I promised, pocketing my 20.
Ten minutes later, we were off.
It doesn't take too long to get to the mall on foot from our neighborhood, and it wasn't too hot or cold that evening. Plus, it was still light out, although I knew that wouldn't be the case by the time we headed back home. I glanced over at Jake, who looked considerably happier than he did earlier.
"Doing okay, Midget?" I asked, trying to balance out being a good big brother and not acting like...well, like an overprotective parent.
He nodded. "Yeah. Still bummed that I didn't make it, but not as much. Thanks," he added, "for helping me practice."
I put an arm over his shoulder. "It was fun. We'll keep practicing. Or playing together," I added, lest he think it was going to be all business from now on.
He'd grow to hate the game if we did that.
Jake sort of leaned against me for a minute, then decided that almost hugging in public was too much. Me, I would have no problem giving Jake a hug in front of his friends, and not just because he would practically die from embarrassment.
Hey, I am a good big brother, but I am not perfect. Teasing my kid brother comes with the territory.
Marco was at the mall entrance, and gave us a little wave when we met up with him.
"Hey, man," Jake said. "Were you waiting long?"
"Nah, dude, Dad just dropped me off. Ready for me to kick your butt at the arcade?" Marco ribbed.
"No, because I plan to kick yours," Midget retorted.
"Me too," I added.
"Ah, so not fair," Marco grumbled. "Two against one? Really?"
"There's got to be some three player games. And I can take turns kicking both your butts," I offered.
This seemed to satisfy Marco, because he nodded and gave me a sardonic grin.
"Well, should we head in?" Jake asked.
We did.
Being a Friday night, the mall was pretty packed. Not as bad as it would be on a Saturday evening, but still more than your average night. Lots of high school and junior high kids hanging out at the beginning of the weekend, families catching a movie, that kind of thing. Not that I'd been to the mall that much in the past year. Between wasting my time with The Sharing and playing basketball on the high school team and school stuff, I'd had a pretty full schedule. With The Sharing as something in the past-although Dad occasionally bugged me to give it another chance-I had more free time.
Another thing about the mall-the smells from the food court were really powerful. In a good way, because it wasn't like we were inhaling the scent of garbage or dog feces, but it also made you want to grab something to eat, even if you'd just had dinner.
Looking at Jake and Marco, they each had that slightly dazed look on their face that could only be brought on by a mall food court.
I grinned to myself. What the heck. Jake and I each had a twenty, and this way, we could get change for the arcade without seeming like jerks. You know, the kind who just want a roll of quarters without paying for anything.
"Hey, let's grab a snack before we hit the arcade. My treat," I offered.
"You don't have to-" Jake began, but I cut him off.
"My treat," I repeated, firmly, then smiled so he knew I wasn't mad.
He nodded, then gave me an almost sheepish grin. "Thanks, Tom."
In private, I might have slung an arm around his shoulder. Not wanting to embarrass him in front of his best friend, I gave him a light punch on the shoulder.
"You know this means I'll show you midgets no mercy at the arcade," I warned, teasingly.
"Ah, come on, Tom!" Marco interjected, looking mock wounded. "Midgets?"
We headed in the direction of the food court. "You're shorter than Jake, and he's a midget. Maybe, I can call you 'shrimp' instead?"
Marco raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, I'm beat."
At the food court, I chose a large soft pretzel, while Jake and Marco opted for one of those giant cinnamon buns with a ton of frosting. Jake and I each got a roll of quarters for the arcade, but Marco was all set, there. We sat down in the cafeteria, sustenance in hand, and Jake and Marco began to discuss which games they wanted to play. I didn't weigh in, being out of the loop, but I listened as they talked-and bantered-about normal teenage stuff.
Well, they were barely teenagers. I might not be an adult, but I could look at them and still see kids, especially since Jake was my kid brother, and would always be my little brother. No matter how old or tall he got.
We played a racing game for awhile, since it was one of those games where three people could play. The first time, I won, with Jake coming in close in second. The second time, Marco came in second, and the third time, he beat us both.
"How'd you manage that?" I asked, impressed.
He shrugged, and Jake grinned.
"Marco has this other worldly ability to analyze games and find the tricks in them," Midget explained. "Makes us pretty much even, although I practice way more than he does."
Marco rolled his eyes. "Not everyone has a game system at their house."
I had a feeling that was a reference to the fact that he and his dad had moved from our neighborhood to a way less nice part of town. Because his dad hadn't gotten past his wife's death. Even though it had been two years.
Before I could say anything to diffuse the situation, Jake raised his hands in mock surrender. "Yeah, I know."
Marco suddenly grinned. "Good thing for you, man. If I had a game system like yours, you'd have no chance on Earth."
Jake laughed, and I snickered, having seen Marco at work.
We moved to a console with enough room for just two players, but that wasn't too bad. I wasn't as much of a gamer as Marco and Midget, and I didn't mind not playing every round. By the time we ran out of quarters, Marco was in the lead, but the game hadn't ended.
"Sorry, dude," Jake apologized, turning his pants out to show he had no more money.
Marco did the same, with similar results. I said similar because there was some link in one of his pockets, but no way could that be used as currency in any culture.
Having paid for the snacks, I was also basically out of money. I mean, I had a dime and a nickel, but that was pretty much useless in an arcade that only accepted quarters.
I glanced at my watch and saw that it was starting to get late. Not super late, like midnight, but still. We'd probably make Jake's curfew if we left soon, although he was with me, and mine was a couple hours later than his. I decided to chill. If Mom and Dad got annoyed, we'd point out that Jake had been with me, and I got to stay out later. As long as we arrived home together, it would be fine.
Jake must have seen me looking at the time, or maybe he had had enough of the mall for today, because he glanced at Marco, then at me.
"Should we call it a night?" he asked.
Marco shrugged a little, then nodded. "Yeah, man. I am out of money, and I don't want my dad to get worried."
So, we headed to the exit, only to find Tobias, another one of Jake's friends. I had seen him last week when he walked home with Jake, although he had left before I got a final introduction.
He was a little shorter than Jake, but taller than Marco. Not that this was hard. Sort of straggly blond hair. Looked a little insecure, even though he gave us a smile when he saw us.
"What's up?" he asked, stopping in his tracks.
Jake shrugged. "Not much. We're heading home."
"So, like, maybe I'll walk home with you guys?" Tobias asked, sounding hopeful.
"Sure," Jake agreed, amiable enough to this arrangement.
"I'm Tom," I put in, giving him a smile. "Jake's older brother."
Tobias reached out to shake my hand, which I took. "I'm Tobias. Nice to meet you."
"He's new this year," Marco interjected.
"How're you liking it?" I asked.
He shrugged. "Oh, it's okay. School is school, you know?"
I laughed. "Yeah, I hear you."
Before I could say anything else, we came across Rachel and one of her friends at the exit. I forgot her name-Jackie, maybe? Kathy? Had an "e" sounding ending, I was pretty sure.
Obviously, she wasn't around our house nearly as much as Marco. Jake turned a little red when he saw her, and blurted out something true, but totally politically incorrect, about how they shouldn't head home alone because they were girls.
Smart, Midget.
Rachel, naturally, shot back. "Are you going to come and protect us, you big strong man?" she demanded, hands on hips. "If you think we're helpless just because-"
We were spared Rachel's wrath when her friend cut in.
"I'd appreciate it if they did walk with us," she said, rather quietly. "I know you're not afraid of anything, Rachel, but I guess I am."
"Oh, all right, Cassie," Rachel agreed.
That put an end to things, and they joined us. I made a mental note to give Midget some lessons on using tact when talking with girls.
Also, I was glad that I now knew the name of the other girl in our group, because, unlike Tobias, I really should have known better. Come to think of it, I might have figured it out on my own, but...
We left the mall and crossed the street. There were two ways to get home from the mall. The long, safe route. Then, there's this abandoned construction site. They had planned to create a new shopping center, but either money ran out, or there was a strike, or some other reason. The end result was the same: instead of cool new buildings, there were a ton of half-finished ones, and the whole place looked like a ghost town. Mom and Dad had threatened to ground me and Jake until we were twenty if they ever learned we'd set foot there. Allegedly, there were druggies and axe murderers, but no one had ever seen one.
After minimal conversation, we took the construction site route.
Keeping our eyes out for any drug users or axe murderers, of course.
Tobias was the one who saw it first. He began pointing, then said, "Look!"
"What?" Jake asked, not looking.
"Just look," Tobias insisted.
So, we looked.
There was this huge bright light, sort of blueish white, was coming out from the sky. Whatever it was seemed to be traveling too fast to just be an airplane, but it slowed down.
"What is it?" Jake asked.
"I don't know," Tobias admitted, shaking his head.
We all looked at each other, pretty sure we knew what the other was thinking, but not wanting to look stupid and say the thing out loud.
Well, until Cassie did.
"It's a flying saucer!"
Author's note:
The idea of Tom as the leader of the Animorphs isn't a new one, but from what I've read, it came at the cost of Jake being in the group at all. In one fic, Jake was actually a Controller, so the whole dynamic was in reverse. I had an idea a few months ago of what could have happened if Tom had left The Sharing after a few meetings-which I imagine to be the case more often than not-and was with Jake when he met Elfangor. This would, I believe, lead to Tom taking on the role as leader, as well as de facto Animorphs Big Brother.
Of course, things can't be too easy for my favorite Animorphs brothers, so there's another Controller in the family. If you keep reading, you'll find out who it is soon enough!
If you're enjoying this, please take a minute to leave a few words of feedback!