All that disclaimer stuff and I am SO sorry to be uploading this again, but could you people who already rated this rate it again? There IS a little more, and I'd really appreciate it. Beware of typos and sappiness, but, other than that... You may read on:
And you wake up to realize
Your standard of living
Somehow got stuck on survive—Jewel
I'd been running nonstop for over an hour. I don't know how. I guess it was the adrenaline. Because I wasn't the slightest bit tired.
Anyway, after I'd run for about an hour, it began to rain. Ha. How ironic is that? It always rained in movies during the action scenes. In Disney movies, I mean. Or else it got dark out very suddenly.
Well, this was the action scene in real life and it was raining. Odd, isn't it?
But what I thought of then, as the rain started to fall in great big splotches, was that my mother had been right. My mom was always right, then, wasn't she? Then was my mother's voice my mind had taken on, the voice that was saying, You're end is near, Rachel. You're at a canyon. You either jump and hope for the best or you turn back. And if you jump, you die. Ha, ha! Your end is near, so very near, that voice, was it right then? I didn't know, but it sent a chill through me.
As I still ran, swiping the rain out of my eyes, the voice changed. It no longer said my end was near. It said his end was near. I didn't know what that meant. I guess I was still naïve then, though you wouldn't have thought that was possible when you look at all I'd been through. But I was. Running away from the Yeerks when they probably all had the power to morph? That was insane. So stupid, so innocent, to think.
I kept telling myself that I'd already outsmarted the Yeerks. That I'd gotten away once before.
But a nagging part of my brain kept going, You didn't outsmart then, you little idiot. You are stupid. You didn't do a ______ thing. It was all the Ellimist. Don't be so stupid, girl. You aren't gonna when this fight.
I pushed it out of my mind. Or else far in the back of it, saying out loud as I ran, my voice coming out in raged spurts, "I did it myself. It wasn't the Ellimist. I did it."
Tobias, I guess, had fallen asleep in my backpack. He still had about half-an-hour in morph. I'd let him sleep.
My adrenaline high was going down. I had to rest. I knew it. Maybe there was a cave somewhere.
Fate has a funny way of playing out. Just as I thought I was tired and needed rest, I took another long stride as I ran and I suddenly landed with a clash on a hard rock ground. I'd fell into an entrance to an underground cave. My God, my life was suddenly more Hollywood than ever.
I hoped with all hope I had in me (which wasn't very much, and don't go ditching on me now, because I have reasons not to hope very much) that the cave was empty as I scooted farther in it. I ended up sliding down some rock before I land with a clash again deeper in the earth. It was completely dark and now I prayed, not hoped, that it was empty.
I hoisted my book bag off my shoulders and unsnapped the snap and untied the strings. It's one of those kinds that snap up, you know? Well, if you don't, too bad.
I stuck my hand in the back and touched something warm and fluffy. Tobias. That's kinda funny. Tobias. Warm and fluffy. Heh, heh.
Anyway. I was tired, okay?
I grabbed him up and brought him out, setting him on the floor. He woke up and went, < Huh? What? >
I ignored him and felt around for my flashlight. When I found it, I set it on the floor next to where Tobias was scurrying around, asking me where the bleep he was. I ignored him some more until I found a candle and some matches. I set them out too and snapped up my book bag.
Then I grabbed the flashlight and switched it on. I inspected the cave.
It was small, probably about as big as my old room was, when I'd lived in a house. Smaller than my old cave. I wasn't planning on staying here long. It was too risky. Maybe just for a little while, that night, while I rested up and came up with a plan.
The best part about the cave was it looked abandoned. That was good.
I finally centered in on Tobias.
< Rachel? Are we in trouble? Is that why you aren't talking to me? Can I demorph, now? Hello? >
"You can demorph, Tobias. It's safe," I said, loud enough for him to hear, soft enough for any enemy ears not to hear.
< Okay, > he answered.
I didn't watch as he demorphed. I went to work on setting up the cave into a nice place to stay for a day or so.
I rolled out my sleeping bag and the extra one I had for Tobias. They aren't big ones. Tiny, actually. Even so, they'd taken up almost all the room in my book bag.
"Where are we?" Tobias whispered.
The flashlight wasn't shining directly on his face, but I could see it enough to tell he was trying very hard not to let me see how much pain he was in.
"A cave," I said, answering his question. "I'm tired and fell into here, so I figured it was fate. We'll stay here for a day or so. Or just till tomorrow morning. I dunno. Here. Lie on the sleeping bag. Your rib is probably dying."
Tobias obeyed, lying down on the sleeping bag I'd set out for him.
"Okay, I don't mean to be rude or anything, but you have to take your shirt off. I have a ice pack. You need it because breaks swell, okay?" I said.
I dug around in my back pack for that freezing gel junk I'd brought. It stays frozen longer than ice.
Tobias sat up a little and, grimacing, took his shirt off.
My hand touched the ice pack and I closed my fingers around it. It was beginning to melt.
I took it out and went over to where he was laying. The cloth that was wrapped around him was still on, so I guess he'd morphed it. But he was in him morphing clothes, other than that.
I delicately, as not to hurt him, unwound the cloth. I set the pack on the area of Tobias's skin that was swollen and was a purplish color. He flinched.
"Sorry," I said, placing it more firmly on the area. Then I wound the bandage back around him, tightly.
"There," I said when I'd finished.
Tobias collapsed back down on the bag, exhausted.
I turned to my backpack yet again and pulled out a blanket. To this day, I still don't know how I managed to fit all of this in that pack. It's beyond me.
I covered Tobias up. He looked as though he were asleep. I tucked the blanket tightly around him. He was shaking, as though he were cold.
I sat back on my sleeping bag, which was next to his and stared at his face in the light the flashlight provided, thinking, I have him back. And he's the reason I lost him in the first place. And he's the reason I'm here. He's the reason I was even in the woods in the first place. God, I should hate him. But I don't. I love him.
Before I knew it, I'd bent down and kissed him gently on the forehead. It was hot and sticky. That got me worried. He had a fever. That wasn't good.
I felt so sorry for him and I almost started to cry. But, instead, I sat down next to his head and pulled it into my lap, so it wouldn't be on the hard ground and stroked his hair.
A little explained, a little endured, a little forgiven, the quarrel is cured. --Mary H. Waldrip
It's funny, actually, the fact that it was only ten o'clock in the morning. I'd been sleeping about three hours before. It sure didn't feel like it. It felt like it'd been a thousand years since I'd slept last.
In other words, I was tired. So very tired.
Tobias was sound-asleep but his breath was coming out in short, sharp gasps. Probably because it hurt to breathe. Maybe he was going to stop breathing soon.
That wasn't right. You don't die from a broken rib. That'd be insane.
My mind wandered as a ran my fingers through Tobias's damp, messy hair.
I wondered where the Yeerks were. Were they standing outside of the hole, just waiting for me to come out again? That was possible. So sad, so horrible, so cruel of fate, but it was possible.
I started thinking about why the Ellimist had so suddenly stopped helping. Did it get in trouble or something? Or did I do something that caused it to just drop me?
Then I started thinking about my old life. That's funny, because I hadn't thought of my old life, the life I lived in a real house, in such a long time. I hadn't thought of it, except for my friends, since…well, since I'd befriended the Ellimist.
I thought of my mother and father, of Sara and Jordan. I wondered if they were Controllers yet. I hadn't received, or stolen, depending on how you want to word it, any information on them being infested. But it was likely they had been.
See, the Yeerks were still trying to keep the invasion quiet. They didn't want open war or they'd kill thousands of hosts. So, to keep the invasion quiet, and to clear all suspicion on my sudden disappearance, which no one seemed to notice, oddly enough, they'd have to make hosts of my family. Or else say I was dead.
I was so tired. The darkness of the cave was making my eyelids get heavy. I decided to take a nap. What harm could that do?
Besides, I was getting hungry. If I slept, I wouldn't be hungry.
So I set Tobias's head down ever so gently, as not to wake him, and scooted into my own sleeping bag. I reached out and switched the flashlight off and rolled into a ball in the bag. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep.
There is still today, and tomorrow fresh with dreams: Life never grows old. --Rita Duskin
I couldn't sleep. I was tired, sure, but somehow my body just knew it was way too early for sleep. My mind fell for the fact that I was exhausted, but my body knew it was all in my head. Is that making sense?
I just lay in my sleeping bag, staring up at the way-too-close-for-comfort ceiling of the cave. I was suddenly extremely claustrophobic.
My eyes saw light, colorful specks in the complete darkness. Well, not complete. There was a sort of dim light coming from the opening of the cave.
I sighed and tried to focus my wandering mind on my problem. But all I could come up with, all I could plan as a way of staying alive, was leaving the cave that night with Tobias morphed rat again. But what to do after that, I didn't know.
I'd die, most likely.
I cursed into the darkness.
"Rachel?" Tobias whispered. So either he'd never been asleep or else he just woke up. "You awake?"
"No duh," I snapped.
He fell quiet, like he was hurt.
I sat up and felt around for the flashlight. I found it and switched it on, so I could see Tobias.
He was laying on the sleeping bag, clutching his stomach.
"Sorry, Tobias," I said. "Didn't mean anything. I'm just mad. What do you want?"
He looked sheepish. "I kinda have to go to the bathroom…"
"And…?"
"I can't get up and I don't know where I'm supposed to go."
"And you expect me to take you to the bathroom? God, Tobias—"
"Never mind. You're right. I deserve to have to go. I'll just sit here."
I sighed. "You know that's not why… Oh, all right. Lemme go check and see if the coast is clear outside and I'll help you up there, okay?" I crawled to my feet and shone the flashlight ahead to I could see where I was going.
"No, Rachel. I'm fine. Didn't mean to—"
"You are going to the bathroom, all right? Now shut up," I growled, expecting him to be scared of me.
"I am not going to the bathroom," Tobias snapped back.
I glared at him and he glared back at me. "Tobias, I'm not gonna have you pee, and I hope you've got to pee—"
"Yeah."
"Good. I'm not gonna have you pee in your pants, okay? And I'm not gonna give up on this argument so you'd better just let me do what I'm doing."
I'd found the exit of the cave and started to crawl up to the ground. Tobias quit arguing.
I stuck my head out into the air and it felt so good on my face. The rain was falling harder and I couldn't see very far because of fog, but there didn't seem to be any Yeerks. Of course, there still could be some, even if I didn't see them. But I didn't care. Might as well let Tobias use the bathroom then.
I slid back down into the cave.
"It's clear," I said, slipping the string that the flashlight had attached to it around my wrist. The light wobbled around but I could see well enough.
I crawled over to where Tobias was struggling to get up all by himself but failing, and slipped my arm around him, pulling him to his feet. He groaned in pain, but stayed up on his feet.
I led him over to the exit and said, "You have to go up by yourself. It's not big enough for me to help you. I'll help you get back up when I get up there."
Tobias didn't answer. He was probably having enough trouble crawling up the hole.
Once he got up, I followed. I peeked around. It still looked clear.
Tobias was sprawled out on the ground, looking exhausted.
I went over to him. "You okay?"
"Yeah… Fine. Just…have to go…to the…bathroom…" he gasped, smiling weakly.
I pulled him up again. "You can probably go over behind those bushes."
He nodded and staggered over to the bushes and pushed his way through. I courteously looked away. I took the time to study where we were.
I'd must've run fast, because it looked as if we were miles away from my old cave. We were deep into the mountains. The trees were dense here. The Yeerks would have trouble finding us, even if they could morph.
Tobias came staggering back from the bushes, looking a little relieved.
I decided to go, too, and them we went back into the cave, soaking wet. As I slipped into the little hole in the ground, I saw something moving. It sent a chill through me, but I ignored it, telling myself it was probably some animal.
But my mind kept freaking, because I knew that that was no reassurance. Animals could be my enemies too.
Tact is the rare talent for not admitting you were right in the first place. --Funny Funny World
It was still only around noontime, exhausted how I was. I'd never be good on a stakeout, even though I'd waited often for the Yeerks to come so I could free people, and that was pretty much a stakeout itself. But something about just sitting in that underground cave, waiting… It didn't feel very good, even though I now had someone other than an all-power, "non-interfering" alien to talk to.
I guess I was just restless. I knew I was going to die soon, so I wanted to get it over with. How wrong I was, about dying soon. But I'm getting ahead of myself again.
Tobias was exhausted, but he couldn't sleep either. So we played the "names game." My mom and I used to play it when I was little.
I had to teach it to Tobias, because he'd never played it before. No surprise there, really.
If you don't know how it goes, I'll explain: You think of a name, any name, and you go, "I'm thinking of a girl's/boy's name that begins with _____," whatever the first letter of the name you're thinking of is. The other person has to try and figured out the name. Yeah, such a fun game. What else was there to do?
"I'm thinking of a guy's name that—" Tobias started but was cut off by a sudden rush of feet above us. "Hey…listen…"
I put a finger to my lips, though Tobias couldn't see it in the dark. He shut up anyway.
I could hear muffled voices.
"How would the human get this far in such a short time?" someone said.
"I don't know. But we have to look anyway, but orders of Sub-Visser Thirty."
"You mean, 'Visser Three,' Eret. Visser Three."
"Oh yes. I still can't believe that Yeerk was promoted to Visser Three's place so fast. It's unbelievable. One day she's Sub-Visser eight, the next day she's Visser Three."
Tobias gasped in the darkness and grabbed my arm suddenly. He grabbed it hard, too. "Oh, God," he moaned quietly.
"What—" I started to say, but Tobias slapped his hand over my mouth, silencing me.
"Ssshh, don't say anything," he hissed.
I shut up and tried to pry his hand off my mouth. But it was on tight. I don't think he knew it was still there.
"Well, you know how Visser Three felt about her. He probably begged the counsel into it, if he died. But she's a good Visser now. The human shouldn't have killed her lover, now, huh?"
Tobias cursed. I tried to get loose of him, but he had me tight. When I tried to wiggle away, he pulled my closer and tighter. I felt as if I was being held hostage.
"No. Let's get going. 'Visser Three' will get ruthless if we don't find that human who killed Off."
Whoever they were began to walk away, chuckling as they did. "You call him 'Off?'"
"Of course," I heard, the voice growing fainter and fainter. "We used to be good friends…"
Once I considered them a good distance away, I jerked away from Tobias with all my might. I managed to get away.
I rubbed my arm and mouth. "God, Tobias, you don't have to get all lethal on me."
I couldn't see him, but I felt him look at me sadly, stunned. "It's over, Rachel. We're dead. Oh, God, why me? Why'd You have to chose me to be the traitor?"
I reached out and felt for Tobias's hand. When I found it I gave it a squeeze and said, "You aren't a traitor, Tobias. I just didn't appreciate you grabbing me like that."
He squeezed my hand back but didn't stop. His hand felt cold and clammy but strong. My hand felt as if it would break but I didn't both to say anything about it.
"Uh, Tobias, what exactly is suddenly making you think we're gonna die?"
He shook. "You killed Off. Geap and him had grown really close. They were in love, I think, thought Off always said that was stupid. That's why he tried to get me buff. He wanted to impress her. And now Geap's Visser Three. Geap wants us dead. Most likely she'll get what she wants…"
"Hold up," I said, confused, trying to ignore the fact that my hand felt like it was breaking. "Who's 'Geap?' Who's 'Off?'"
I tried to pull my hand out of Tobias's a subtly as I could. It didn't worked. He squeezed harder.
I took a deep breath.
"Off was the Yeerk who controlled me. Geap was the Yeerk that controlled Cassie. I don't know what Yeerk controlled Ax. He was stationed on another planet. Well, Geap and Off got close during the search for you. I guess they fell in love or something. They even kissed, which was extremely uncomfortable, since if they kissed, Cassie and I ended up kissing too."
I didn't like that very much. Maybe because that made me jealous of Cassie. I squashed down that feeling and continued listening. My fingers were popping as the were popped out of their sockets. Not a very nice feeling when you're not doing that voluntarily.
"But, see, Rachel, Off convinced Visser One, who happens to be the Visser Three you know, to convince the Council to let Geap become a Visser. The Council decided that if Off died, Geap could take his place, because even though Geap was a Sub-Visser, she was a softie. The only reason she was a Sub-Visser was because she was so brilliant.
"Anyway, you killed Visser Three, Off, so Geap is now Visser Three. Normally, I wouldn't be worried. If it had been any other Yeerk who'd died and Geap would take their place. But this is Off you killed. Geap is going to get you back. And since she probably figures I was associated with your killing him, I'm probably gonna be killed too. And that means Earth is doomed. Unless the Andalites come, which is very unlikely, since the Yeerks are now after their planet, too, now that they have the morphing cube."
I grimaced in pain as Tobias's hand tightened more still. "Um, first I have to ask you to please release my hand, Tobias. You're breaking my bones."
"What?" he asked, surprised at my answer. Then he must have realized he was gripping my hand and laughed shakily as he let it go.
I sighed and rubbed my hand. "Thank you. Now. Why do you think we're going to die now? How are you so sure?"
"I don't know. I just have this feeling. And the odds aren't likely."
"'Aren't likely?'" I said. "C'mon. When was the last time I gave up when the odds 'aren't likely?'"
I saw Tobias eyes glitter a little in the darkness. I heard him laugh. "Never, actually."
"Exactly, Tobias. We're gonna in this war. Or at least live for a little while longer, okay? We'll leave this cave in about an hour, and head through the woods till we reach a city. Then we'll—"
"How unlikely is it that will work, Rachel?" a voice asked.
"What the--?" Tobias started.
"Haley!" I said, surprised.
I couldn't see her, but I knew, somehow, that she was sitting beside me. "Yes, yes. I'm back."
"I thought you'd abandoned me," I said.
"Uh…the Ellimist?" Tobias asked.
I reached out my hand to where I figured his shoulder was and rested it there reassuringly. "Yeah, Tobias, the Ellimist."
"Oh," he said. I heard the sound of fingers snapping and suddenly the cave was light enough for me to see.
Haley was sitting Indian style on the floor, looking like any other little girl. Except her face was way too solemn.
I was sitting on my sleeping bag next to where Tobias was sitting on his. My hand was on his shoulder, but I took it off because it was beginning to ache.
I turned my attention to Haley. "Of course it's unlikely," I said. "But someone left me all alone with no help, so what else am I supposed to do?"
Haley smiled. "I'm here to help, Rachel. I'm here to help you win this war."
"And how?"
"Another bit of technology. It's like a virus. There is some resemblance. It's like the Quantum virus the Andalites tried to use to eliminate the Hork-Bajir. But it's quite difference. As you know, we Ellimists don't like interfering with the affairs of other species, because it could lead to mass destruction. But it seems necessary to save Homo Sapiens. It will eliminate over a million Yeerks, but if it's to save a species, then so be it."
"What are you getting at?" I asked.
Haley smiled a sad, watery smile. Her eyes filled with tears. " I love life. But if I have to, I will destroy life. I have some bombs for you to bury near Yeerk pool entrances you know of. Then tomorrow we'll set them off and they will kill all Yeerks."
"How?" I asked.
She took a deep breath and looked down at her little hands. "They contain a chemical that floats through the air at the speed of light and will…kill any of the correct DNA that it's programmed to kill. Very much like the Quantum virus, though it causes no pain to what it kills. We Ellimists will take care of the Yeerks in orbit above your planet."
I stared at her in shock. She was actually interfering. And she was crying because of it. Tobias fidgeted around behind me.
"I'm sorry…" I said, for no reason in particular.
She sniffed and wiped her face off. "No, no. It's not your fault, Rachel. You're on of the bravest people I know. I look up to you. And I wish you good luck at planting the bombs. " She looked at me with eyes so sad and said, "And may the elders forgive me for what I am doing."
I wondered what she meant, but I decided not to ask.
Haley answered anyway. "It's against the law, what I'm doing, really. What we're doing. 'We' being a group of my friends and I. I am a female, in case you don't know. I don't see why I should keep anymore secrets from you anymore. What's the harm of you knowing? I trust you. My full name is Halianay Mefretol Johomay Klekesotto Apesh." She smiled a little. "A mouth full, isn't it?"
"Uh-huh," Tobias said.
"Worst than Andalite names. That's why I told you to call me Haley. It's easier. The Ellimist you first met, long ago who helped you destroy a Kandrona, was my brother, Carloit Ishmanok Dorw Wishnork Apesh. He'd been helping you all along. I decided to help you alone, though, Rachel, when the time was desperate. Pretania was a good friend of mine, an Ellimist also. I won't bore you by giving you her full name. Other than that, 'we' is Reneky, Carloit's mate, Amilynn, my best friend, Leeannian, a member of our group called the Anti-Yeerk Force, AYF, for short, and Lorangian, Leeannian's sister. ((((Note to Mrs. Lee Lloyd: Do some of those names sound familiar? Ha, ha…))))
"There are many other Ellimists involved in the AYF, but we are the ones who saw Earth's dilemma and decided to go against our laws to help." She fell silent for a few moments and I thought she was done before she went on to say, "But no matter how great the cause is, it still puts a heavy burden on my heart to destroy some creations. No matter how horrible the Yeerks may seem, they still are beautiful deep down."
I was slightly taken aback by her openness. I suddenly knew more about the Ellimists than ever before and I no longer considered them pains the butt; I considered them our saviors.
The love of liberty is the love of others; the love of power is the love of ourselves. –Reader's Digest
Haley gave me some bombs to plant near the entrances of Yeerk pools I knew. She fixed Tobias rib (why she didn't do this to begin with, I do not know) and gave him bombs to plant in the city we used to live in.
We each add a backpack to carry them in and went our own ways, wishing each other luck.
Haley told us that she and her friends were going to get together and plan what they would tell their "elders" as an excuse as she left Tobias and me on our own. Her leaving made me feel uneasy, for some reason.
But I still went on to the Yeerk pool, trying to hide from Yeerks as I went to the few entrances I knew, digging up holes with my bare hands and burying the bombs in hastily.
Somehow, maybe with some Ellimist help, I managed to do this without being seen at all. I finished by one in the morning of the next day, both tired in mind and body, and started to hike to the city to help Tobias out, if he wasn't done.
The most wonderful thing about miracles is that they sometimes happen. --G.K. Chesterson
I was tired. I don't know why I wanted to go all the way into the city when I knew how hard it would be to find Tobias, but something in me compelled me to go there.
It took a while, over an hour, even though I knew a shortcut. I slipped and slid and by the time I finally met a paved street, my bones ached.
But I went on. Somehow I knew where I'd find Tobias. I don't think I knew it then, but I know it now.
I went down a dark alley. It wasn't light out, because it was two in the morning, you know? And the moon was covered by clouds.
I went down that alley, and even today a part of me wishes I hadn't. Oh, God, it wishes I hadn't. But another part of me is so happy I went down that alley.
There was a murky echo between the buildings and as I walked down it, my feet not making sounds, because I'd learned not to make them, I heard a shout. Then I heard someone say, "What the ____ do you think you're doing in my alley? A pause, and then, "HEY! HEY! YOU'RE THE MORPHING BOY! VISSER THREE'S HOST!"
My heart stopped. Or at least it felt like it did.
I quickly stopped my walking and pressed myself as close to the wall as I could. I don't think they could see me. A Dumpster was in between us, if not very close to either of us. I couldn't see them.
I heard Tobias say, "Visser Three is dead. We killed him."
Why did he say that? I mean, God, of all the things to say, he goes and says that.
I heard the sound of someone being slammed into a wall. "You did what ?"
"I killed him."
"You killed my Visser?"
"What? You haven't heard?" Tobias gave a hoarse chuckle. "Geap is the new Visser Three."
Tobias, morph. Morph, ______, morph! I pleaded.
The Yeerk didn't seem to find anything funny about that. "Then it is my job to avenge his death, isn't it?"
"Yeah, I guess you could say that, but, see, I don't really care much if you kill me, because, see, we're gonna beat your butts just the same." I could practically see him grin nonchalantly. "Just wait until six this morning."
"Is that a threat?!" the Yeerk practically shrieked.
"Is it?" Tobias asked in a smug voice. "Oh, I guess you could say that."
What was he doing? I felt tears rise in my eyes. Tears of pure anger. Was he trying to get himself killed?
No, Tobias, no! Don't do this to me! Please! I don't want to lose you again!
"Oh, human, you've asked for it." I heard him dig around in his pockets for something.
"I have a name, you know."
The Yeerk punched him in pure frustration. I could tell by the sounds.
I wanted to come running up behind them but that wouldn't do any good. I didn't have my Dracon beam. I only had my own fists and a small dagger. I wasn't about to go up to the man and stab him. I couldn't do that. I might be considered ruthless, but that was a little too far.
But, just the same, I bent down and silently took the knife out of its sheath around my calf.
I brought it up and clenched it tightly in my hand, willing myself to calm down and think straight.
"Take that, human," the Yeerk sneered as he kicked Tobias.
Why wasn't Tobias doing anything?
Come on, Rach. Go up and save Tobias's butt.
But I stared frozen in my spot. Maybe I was too scared to move. Or maybe I just knew, somehow, some way, that this was the way it was to be.
I know consider Ellimisty interference.
"What? Aren't you gonna beg for mercy, human?"
I pressed my face again the cool, dirty brick wall, wanting to run and hide. Not from what was happening. From myself. I thought I was a monster.
Save Tobias! my heart screamed.
Save yourself! my mind screamed.
I shook.
"I would never—"
Tobias was cut off by another kick. I heard a crack and had to stick my hand in my mouth to keep from screaming. Literally, in my mouth. I gagged.
"Okay, fine, human. You're asking for it." I heard him pull something out of his coat. "I'm sure you know what this is. I'm sure you know how I can kill you with one, good shot. But, no, no. I'm going to make it slow. Exceedingly painful. I'm setting it in the middle, so you'll die a slow, painful death, lying here in this human alley, all alone."
TSEEEEEEW!
He shot and I heard Tobias scream in pain.
That was too much for my heart. He was going and killing Tobias. I didn't want that, not matter if it was supposed to happen or not.
I jumped out from my hiding and ran straight up behind the man, so fast he hadn't a chance to think, and kicked him so hard from the back that he flew forward, gasping for air, and rammed into the wall at the wend of the alley.
He fell to the ground, his eyes huge, and then he fell unconscious.
I let him lay there, and rushed to Tobias's side. He was lying on the ground, halfway, leaning on the wall to help hold him up. He clutched his shoulder with his right hand, and blood seeped through his fingers.
I gasped and put my arms around him, telling him to lie down, telling him I'd save him.
I tore off my sweatshirt, so I only wore my tank top, and shivered in the sudden cold. It stung, but Tobias was more important.
I gently unclasped his hand from his shoulder. He stared at me, surprisingly calm. He was even smiling.
His shoulder was completely soaked in blood. A hole was even burnt in the top. I smothered a cry and wrapped the sweatshirt around it tightly, hoping to stop the blood.
Then I reached out and felt Tobias's forehead. It was burning up.
I swallow hard, trying to stop the tears threatening to come. It worked, util Tobias started to cough up blood all over himself.
They burst out of my eyes. I wiped at them hastily.
He had an internal injury.
"You're gonna be just fine, Tobias," I whispered, not trusting my voice to be any louder or I'd burst into uncontrollable sobs. "You hold on a little while, and I can carry you to the nearest hosp—"
"No." Tobias raspy voice cut me off. He smiled a watery smile as he gasped for air. "No, Rachel. I'm gonna die either way. I…don't want you to…strain yourself. You've…done enough just being here."
"No, you aren't gonna die!" I said with surprising strength. I tried to cover my true feelings with anger.
He laughed, and, in the process, coughed up more blood, sputtering it all over himself. "Rachel, I'm sorry, but it's true." He closed his eyes tightly.
"No, it's not!" I cried. The tears streamed down my cheeks. I started banging weakly on his chest with my fists. "I hate you, Tobias," I said. "I hate you! You can make yourself live! I hate you for not trying! I hate you! I hate you, hate you, hate you!"
He didn't seemed hurt. He knew it wasn't true, that I actually loved him. He reached out and grabbed my hands with surprising strength, stopping my fists in midair. "That's too bad, Rach," he whispered, his eyes shining. "'Cause I love you."
It was too much. Too much. The guilt of not saving him earlier. The questions of why he didn't fight back. The pain of seeing him like this… I burst into tears, burying my head in his chest that was rising and falling in irregular breathing.
Tobias gently stroked my hair. He'd stopped coughing blood, and when I managed to control myself enough, I looked up and used the bottom of my shirt to wipe the blood from his face. I didn't care that it was dirty now. I didn't care.
I knew he was dying. Slowly but surely.
I didn't bother to wipe the tears that were streaming in heavy currents down my face. I didn't care.
I delicately picked him up in my arms and hugged him. "I'm so sorry, Tobias. So sorry."
He smiled again. "Then we're even." He coughed again, but no blood came up. His breathing was becoming even raspier.
He swallowed and said, "Rachel, you have to go beat the Yeerks, you know. You have to leave me here."
"No!" I said vehemently. "I'm not leaving you to…to die alone."
"I thought you hated me."
"Tobias, you know that's not true. I don't hate you. I love you."
He smiled again. "Me too. I love me too."
I had to laugh. "I hope so."
He was getting weaker. I knew he would be dead soon. I gently placed him on the ground and bent down and kissed him.
I didn't care that he tasted like blood. I just wanted to show him I loved him, so he wouldn't think it was just pity causing me to say that.
When I pulled back, he smiled one last time, his sad, crooked smile, and then he closed his eyes and he was dead.
Love is like a violin. The music may stop now and then, but the strings remain forever --Reader's Digest
I left Tobias lying in the alley, after I'd killed the poor Controller. I hadn't wanted to. I had to.
If I still lived by the end of the day, I would come back and get Tobias a proper burial.
But I didn't want to live. I would never commit suicide. I wasn't that type. I wouldn't give up. But if it was involuntary death, then I would take it happily. I didn't care if I would go to Hell for all the people I'd killed. I didn't want to go on living with Tobias being dead, no matter how sappy that sounds. He was all I had left. No, let me rephrase that: He'd been all I'd had left that would understand me.
Cassie would maybe still be alive. But I wasn't going to put my hopes up.
Haley told me all was ready when I reached the cave again. She handed me something that looked like a remote control.
I took it and asked what it was. She explained that I was to go into town and press the button at the point closest to a Yeerk pool entrance. As in, maybe at the door.
I took it and wandered back into town, exhausted, dirty, and mourning inside.
I managed to get to the mall. I'll never know how I had the strength. I couldn't get in there, but I knew that the Yeerk pool was directly under me and the germs could get into the wall and through any entrances there. Then down in the pool and the Yeerks would be demolished.
I took a deep breath and pressed the big, red button.
And then there was an explosion that sent me flying.
I remember lying on the ground, thinking maybe I would finally go home.
TO BE CONTINUED...to the last and shortest part, Part IV...