Chapter 4
Katie
Two people were holding my head underneath the sludge of the Yeerk pool. I'd imagined I would have to pretend to struggle so as to make it seem realistic, but I wasn't pretending.
When I felt the Yeerk begin to crawl into my head, I'd been terrified, and couldn't believe I'd actually done this. Even more terrifying was when the Yeerk took control.
I was struggling, screaming, kicking- Then the Yeerk stopped my kicking. My screaming. It raised my head and used my voice to talk to the others.
It walked me out of the Yeerk pool, and looked around at the sky. I felt its surge of joy at seeing the sky for the first time, and I wasn't scared anymore. I was joyful too. I knew I had made the right decision, even if it was difficult and frightening.
I couldn't solve everything, make everything right, but I could help one creature. And I had. It felt really good.
Hello? I said tentatively. The Yeerk had searched my memories about my decision to become a controller. It'd been confused at first, and I'd been able to tell some of what it was feeling but now it had closed itself entirely to me. I didn't know why.
The Yeerk raised my hand to look at my watch.
It's almost dinner time, I said, knowing it really didn't matter. Mom will flip if I'm not home.
The Yeerk bit my lip, one of my habits that I do when I'm trying to decide something. I guess the Yeerk decided I was right, so it searched my memories until it learned how to go home. It began walking me home.
I have soccer practice after dinner, I said. It's really important that I go because I'm team captain and we have a really big game tomorrow.
The Yeerk made no reply. I knew it heard what I was saying. It just didn't feel I was important enough to respond to. It was probably also trying to organize its thoughts as it searched my memory to become familiarized with the way I would act.
We had soon reached my house. "Mom? Dad?" The Yeerk called, "I'm home!"
"Oh, good," my mom responded, "Honey, can you come in here for a few minutes? I need you to help set the table."
"Okay mom. I'll be right in. I just need to put my back pack upstairs," 'I' said. It was scary. It was exactly what I would have said. Same tone of voice, same words. No difference whatsoever.
The Yeerk made me run up the stairs to my bedroom and dump my bag next to my desk.
On my way back downstairs it made me peek into Jason's room. "Hey Shorty," my mouth said, "Come on downstairs and help set the table. It's just about time for dinner."
"Did mom say I have to come?"
My voice called down the stairs, "Mom? Does Jason have to come too?"
"Jason! Come down stairs and help set the table!"
The Yeerk stuck my head back in Jason's room and smirked at him.
"Yeah, yeah," he said and jumped down from the bunk. When Amy had gone to college, our bunk had gone in to Ian and Jason's room. Ian is seventeen and Jason is twelve.
Everything the Yeerk made me do was just the way I would have done it.
We went downstairs and helped Mom clear and set the table.
We had dinner accompanied by normal dinner chit-chat. The Yeerk reminded Dad about soccer practice and he sent me upstairs to get ready. I came down and started walking towards the school's soccer field.
At practice we played hard, and despite being a controller, I had fun. I think the Yeerk did too. After we were through, the Yeerk took me over to my best friend, Emily. We started walking home together.
"Hey, Emily!" my mouth said.
"Hi Katie."
"I haven't seen you around much," my mouth said.
"Nah, I've been pretty busy with school and homework and all. Maybe we could get together tomorrow?"
"That would be great!" the Yeerk said. "Do you want to maybe go see a movie or something? Go rollerblading?"
"Rollerblading," She said decidedly, "Why go see a movie when the weather is so nice?"
My voice laughed. "You've got a point there! How 'bout you come over to my house around, say, 1:00? Then you could stay for dinner too. Maybe even sleep over?"
"I could do dinner," She replied, "But I'd have to come home after that. I have plans Sunday.
"Oh, okay. Hey, I've got an idea!" The Yeerk said suddenly. "The Sharing's having a big bonfire tomorrow evening. It wouldn't be too late. Maybe instead of dinner at my house we can have dinner there. I heard from some kids who were in the Sharing a long time ago that these bonfires are really fun."
"Maybe," Emily said hesitantly. Her mood had suddenly changed at my mention of the Sharing. "I'll have to think about it." She paused. "You're really into that Sharing thing, aren't you?"
"Uh-huh. It's a lot of fun. You'd probably like it."
"I don't know," She said, "I've already got a lot of things to do. I don't really have time for all the extra activities and stuff."
"Well, think about it," my mouth said, "We're just about to my house, so I'd better go. I'll see you tomorrow!"
"Bye!"
We split off and I headed to my own house.
Chapter 5
Illarim
Katie was angry with me. Why are you trying to make Emily join the Sharing? She demanded. She doesn't want to, and I don't want her to. Isn't it enough that I joined?
I am trying to get her to join because that's my job. And no, it isn't enough. It is my job to help recruit hosts. I'm not the only Yeerk who didn't have a host you know. Besides, I sneered, There's nothing you can do about it.
I didn't really want to be cruel to Katie. But I knew I had to. I had to do what I had to do. If I hadn't made her feel helpless and defeated, she might have been troublesome and gone into host rebellion, and cause all sorts of problems.
I felt an immense wave of sadness coming from Katie. I understand, She said softly. I just wish it didn't have to be this way.
There was really no use in continuing to try and frighten Katie. Yes. I replied. I wish that could be.
Yeerk? She said after a time. What is your name?
My name?
Mm-hmm.
My name is Illarim 7-4-6.
I'm Katie. It's nice to meet you.
Katie
The next day 'I' did my chores then waited expectantly for Emily. When she finally arrived the Yeerk made me run outside and greet her excitedly.
"I thought we might go over by the lake," my mouth said. "All the trees are turning colors and it's really pretty."
"Sure. Let's go."
We pulled on our blades and started off for the lake. "What have you been up to lately?" the Yeerk asked. "I haven't seen you around much."
"Oh, you know. I've been really busy what with school and stuff. I just haven't really had time to get together."
My head nodded. "So, have you decided about coming to the bonfire tonight?"
She hesitated. "I guess I'll go, but I don't want to stay long."
"Cool."
After that, we just bladed for the most part and didn't talk very much. I guess the Yeerk had gotten from Emily what it wanted: her to say yes to the Sharing bonfire.
After a while, the Yeerk made me say, "You know what? We've been blading for a long time, and I'm getting tired. Do you want to go to the mall for a while?"
She grinned. "I would *love* to go to the mall."
My mouth grinned back. "Let's stop at my house, get some sneakers on, then go."
We rollerbladed back to my house. My dad even volunteered to drive us. (Yes!) And we went to the mall.
We wandered around for about a half hour. Emily bought some very nice leather boots, I got a new purse. Then we went to the food court and got soft pretzels from Pretzel Time.
As we were walking towards the benches, I saw some other kids about ten yards away. They were acting like normal teenagers, teasing each other about some book one girl was holding. She put it back in her bag and one of the boys yelled, "The Yeerks are here! They're going to kill us all! Aaaahhh!!!" and started laughing.
Obviously a kid who doesn't think Animorphs are real, I muttered.
My eyes kept watching to see what would happen. A couple of men slowly pulled dracon beams out of their shirt pockets and aimed at the kids. "Run!" I wanted to scream. But the Yeerk didn't let me. Luckily, the guy who had been holding the new Animorph book yelled it for me, and they started running towards the parking lot.
Tseeewww! Tseeewww!
They were shooting at the kids!
Illarim made me run after them. Emily didn't say anything. Her face was white and she looked like she had just seen a ghost. She got up and followed me.
Fools, Illarim muttered. If Visser 1 finds out they have been firing weapons in a public mall…
Then we'd best not tell him, I said. What he doesn't know can't hurt them.
Illarim made me smirk. Quite an interesting, and accurate, change in the expression. But you're right. We won't tell him.
We had reached the parking lot.
Amazingly, all the kids had escaped safely by jumping over the guardrail. They'd landed in some bushes, and were cut up pretty badly, but otherwise okay. They ran off quickly.
One of the men came over to me and tried to grab me.
Illarim gave an exasperated sigh, and said, "There's no need to imprison me. I'm Illarim 7-4-6 of the Sulp Niar pool. You should be glad the Visser wasn't here to see what you just did. He would be very displeased."
The man nodded abruptly. "I am Tedor 3-7-8. Where is the girl who was with you?"
Illarim looked around, startled. "I-I don't know. She was here a minute ago."
"You should be glad the Visser wasn't here to see that you let a girl get away after seeing what she did. He would be very displeased."
My cheeks colored, but Illarim could say nothing. I could tell by their numbers that Tedor was a more important Yeerk than Illarim was.
"I have a suggestion to make," Tedor said. "You will say nothing of our firing weapons in the mall, and I will say nothing of the girl. Agreed?"
"Agreed. I wouldn't have told the Visser anyway. He likes those who tell him of mistakes about as much as he likes those who made them."
Tedor rolled his host's eyes knowingly. "Then I suppose we will now go our separate ways." His tone changed. "Well, bye then! Thanks for your help!"
"Bye! Glad to be of assistance!"
Let's hope the Visser doesn't find out about this, Illarim muttered to me. Then he walked me back in to the food court. Emily was nowhere to be seen. I searched some, then left and walked home.
Katie
Two people were holding my head underneath the sludge of the Yeerk pool. I'd imagined I would have to pretend to struggle so as to make it seem realistic, but I wasn't pretending.
When I felt the Yeerk begin to crawl into my head, I'd been terrified, and couldn't believe I'd actually done this. Even more terrifying was when the Yeerk took control.
I was struggling, screaming, kicking- Then the Yeerk stopped my kicking. My screaming. It raised my head and used my voice to talk to the others.
It walked me out of the Yeerk pool, and looked around at the sky. I felt its surge of joy at seeing the sky for the first time, and I wasn't scared anymore. I was joyful too. I knew I had made the right decision, even if it was difficult and frightening.
I couldn't solve everything, make everything right, but I could help one creature. And I had. It felt really good.
Hello? I said tentatively. The Yeerk had searched my memories about my decision to become a controller. It'd been confused at first, and I'd been able to tell some of what it was feeling but now it had closed itself entirely to me. I didn't know why.
The Yeerk raised my hand to look at my watch.
It's almost dinner time, I said, knowing it really didn't matter. Mom will flip if I'm not home.
The Yeerk bit my lip, one of my habits that I do when I'm trying to decide something. I guess the Yeerk decided I was right, so it searched my memories until it learned how to go home. It began walking me home.
I have soccer practice after dinner, I said. It's really important that I go because I'm team captain and we have a really big game tomorrow.
The Yeerk made no reply. I knew it heard what I was saying. It just didn't feel I was important enough to respond to. It was probably also trying to organize its thoughts as it searched my memory to become familiarized with the way I would act.
We had soon reached my house. "Mom? Dad?" The Yeerk called, "I'm home!"
"Oh, good," my mom responded, "Honey, can you come in here for a few minutes? I need you to help set the table."
"Okay mom. I'll be right in. I just need to put my back pack upstairs," 'I' said. It was scary. It was exactly what I would have said. Same tone of voice, same words. No difference whatsoever.
The Yeerk made me run up the stairs to my bedroom and dump my bag next to my desk.
On my way back downstairs it made me peek into Jason's room. "Hey Shorty," my mouth said, "Come on downstairs and help set the table. It's just about time for dinner."
"Did mom say I have to come?"
My voice called down the stairs, "Mom? Does Jason have to come too?"
"Jason! Come down stairs and help set the table!"
The Yeerk stuck my head back in Jason's room and smirked at him.
"Yeah, yeah," he said and jumped down from the bunk. When Amy had gone to college, our bunk had gone in to Ian and Jason's room. Ian is seventeen and Jason is twelve.
Everything the Yeerk made me do was just the way I would have done it.
We went downstairs and helped Mom clear and set the table.
We had dinner accompanied by normal dinner chit-chat. The Yeerk reminded Dad about soccer practice and he sent me upstairs to get ready. I came down and started walking towards the school's soccer field.
At practice we played hard, and despite being a controller, I had fun. I think the Yeerk did too. After we were through, the Yeerk took me over to my best friend, Emily. We started walking home together.
"Hey, Emily!" my mouth said.
"Hi Katie."
"I haven't seen you around much," my mouth said.
"Nah, I've been pretty busy with school and homework and all. Maybe we could get together tomorrow?"
"That would be great!" the Yeerk said. "Do you want to maybe go see a movie or something? Go rollerblading?"
"Rollerblading," She said decidedly, "Why go see a movie when the weather is so nice?"
My voice laughed. "You've got a point there! How 'bout you come over to my house around, say, 1:00? Then you could stay for dinner too. Maybe even sleep over?"
"I could do dinner," She replied, "But I'd have to come home after that. I have plans Sunday.
"Oh, okay. Hey, I've got an idea!" The Yeerk said suddenly. "The Sharing's having a big bonfire tomorrow evening. It wouldn't be too late. Maybe instead of dinner at my house we can have dinner there. I heard from some kids who were in the Sharing a long time ago that these bonfires are really fun."
"Maybe," Emily said hesitantly. Her mood had suddenly changed at my mention of the Sharing. "I'll have to think about it." She paused. "You're really into that Sharing thing, aren't you?"
"Uh-huh. It's a lot of fun. You'd probably like it."
"I don't know," She said, "I've already got a lot of things to do. I don't really have time for all the extra activities and stuff."
"Well, think about it," my mouth said, "We're just about to my house, so I'd better go. I'll see you tomorrow!"
"Bye!"
We split off and I headed to my own house.
Chapter 5
Illarim
Katie was angry with me. Why are you trying to make Emily join the Sharing? She demanded. She doesn't want to, and I don't want her to. Isn't it enough that I joined?
I am trying to get her to join because that's my job. And no, it isn't enough. It is my job to help recruit hosts. I'm not the only Yeerk who didn't have a host you know. Besides, I sneered, There's nothing you can do about it.
I didn't really want to be cruel to Katie. But I knew I had to. I had to do what I had to do. If I hadn't made her feel helpless and defeated, she might have been troublesome and gone into host rebellion, and cause all sorts of problems.
I felt an immense wave of sadness coming from Katie. I understand, She said softly. I just wish it didn't have to be this way.
There was really no use in continuing to try and frighten Katie. Yes. I replied. I wish that could be.
Yeerk? She said after a time. What is your name?
My name?
Mm-hmm.
My name is Illarim 7-4-6.
I'm Katie. It's nice to meet you.
Katie
The next day 'I' did my chores then waited expectantly for Emily. When she finally arrived the Yeerk made me run outside and greet her excitedly.
"I thought we might go over by the lake," my mouth said. "All the trees are turning colors and it's really pretty."
"Sure. Let's go."
We pulled on our blades and started off for the lake. "What have you been up to lately?" the Yeerk asked. "I haven't seen you around much."
"Oh, you know. I've been really busy what with school and stuff. I just haven't really had time to get together."
My head nodded. "So, have you decided about coming to the bonfire tonight?"
She hesitated. "I guess I'll go, but I don't want to stay long."
"Cool."
After that, we just bladed for the most part and didn't talk very much. I guess the Yeerk had gotten from Emily what it wanted: her to say yes to the Sharing bonfire.
After a while, the Yeerk made me say, "You know what? We've been blading for a long time, and I'm getting tired. Do you want to go to the mall for a while?"
She grinned. "I would *love* to go to the mall."
My mouth grinned back. "Let's stop at my house, get some sneakers on, then go."
We rollerbladed back to my house. My dad even volunteered to drive us. (Yes!) And we went to the mall.
We wandered around for about a half hour. Emily bought some very nice leather boots, I got a new purse. Then we went to the food court and got soft pretzels from Pretzel Time.
As we were walking towards the benches, I saw some other kids about ten yards away. They were acting like normal teenagers, teasing each other about some book one girl was holding. She put it back in her bag and one of the boys yelled, "The Yeerks are here! They're going to kill us all! Aaaahhh!!!" and started laughing.
Obviously a kid who doesn't think Animorphs are real, I muttered.
My eyes kept watching to see what would happen. A couple of men slowly pulled dracon beams out of their shirt pockets and aimed at the kids. "Run!" I wanted to scream. But the Yeerk didn't let me. Luckily, the guy who had been holding the new Animorph book yelled it for me, and they started running towards the parking lot.
Tseeewww! Tseeewww!
They were shooting at the kids!
Illarim made me run after them. Emily didn't say anything. Her face was white and she looked like she had just seen a ghost. She got up and followed me.
Fools, Illarim muttered. If Visser 1 finds out they have been firing weapons in a public mall…
Then we'd best not tell him, I said. What he doesn't know can't hurt them.
Illarim made me smirk. Quite an interesting, and accurate, change in the expression. But you're right. We won't tell him.
We had reached the parking lot.
Amazingly, all the kids had escaped safely by jumping over the guardrail. They'd landed in some bushes, and were cut up pretty badly, but otherwise okay. They ran off quickly.
One of the men came over to me and tried to grab me.
Illarim gave an exasperated sigh, and said, "There's no need to imprison me. I'm Illarim 7-4-6 of the Sulp Niar pool. You should be glad the Visser wasn't here to see what you just did. He would be very displeased."
The man nodded abruptly. "I am Tedor 3-7-8. Where is the girl who was with you?"
Illarim looked around, startled. "I-I don't know. She was here a minute ago."
"You should be glad the Visser wasn't here to see that you let a girl get away after seeing what she did. He would be very displeased."
My cheeks colored, but Illarim could say nothing. I could tell by their numbers that Tedor was a more important Yeerk than Illarim was.
"I have a suggestion to make," Tedor said. "You will say nothing of our firing weapons in the mall, and I will say nothing of the girl. Agreed?"
"Agreed. I wouldn't have told the Visser anyway. He likes those who tell him of mistakes about as much as he likes those who made them."
Tedor rolled his host's eyes knowingly. "Then I suppose we will now go our separate ways." His tone changed. "Well, bye then! Thanks for your help!"
"Bye! Glad to be of assistance!"
Let's hope the Visser doesn't find out about this, Illarim muttered to me. Then he walked me back in to the food court. Emily was nowhere to be seen. I searched some, then left and walked home.