Chapter 6
Illarim
I walked my host back to her home. Her parents appreciated knowing where she was at all times, so I informed them using my host's mouth that 'I' was going to the Sharing bonfire and asked Katie's father if he could pick me up at around nine.
The bonfire was to be held on the beach, and was not too far away. It was not dark, so I walked to it. There were sounds of humans playing volleyball, talking, and there was also the sound of a radio.
As I walked my host onto the beach, I used her eyes to search for the other girl, Emily. I soon spotted her. I could feel Katie's disgust. *She* knew that the weapons fired at the mall were Dracon beams. This other girl, however, did not, and would not have assumed any connection between them and the Sharing.
I ran over to her.
"You came!" I shouted, careful to use the same inflection Katie would have used. "I didn't see you after that thing at the mall."
I had decided beforehand not to pretend to have not seen the Dracons at the mall. It would be pointless. Emily knew I had seen them.
"I didn't see any reason not to come," Emily said. "But that was just too weird, doncha think?"
"Way too weird," I agreed. "I bet they were probably filming for a Star Trek episode, or something."
"Must have been. Want to go play some beach volleyball, or something?"
And that was how it went. To my great relief, nothing more was said about the incident at the mall.
* * *
Katie
Illarim had to regenerate the next day. He walked me to the Yeerk pool, and actually had about as little affection for the place as I did.
As he exited my head, two very tough-looking Hork-Bajir held my arms so that I couldn't escape. As they pulled me to my feet, rather roughly I might add, I tried to pull away not because I wanted to escape, but because I was getting bruises. Ow.
They shoved me into a cage with several other teens my age, as well as a few adults. Most of them were sitting dejectedly, all hope lost.
Suddenly, I got an idea. Now, I'm not a great singer. I like singing, and I used to have dreams of being the next Britney Spears or Celine Dion, but I'm not *that* good. I wish, but not quite. Well, anyway, I figured I'd only be in control of myself for a little while, so I might as well make the best of it, right? So, I started to sing. Christmas was only a little over a month away, So I sang some Christmas carols.
"Stupid," A boy muttered.
I raised an eyebrow, and said loudly enough for more than just him to hear even over all the shouts and screams, "Look, there's no way for us to escape, right? And we'll only be in control of ourselves for a little while before we're infested again. Why not make the best of it?"
"She's right," a girl whom I recognized from my school said. "If there's no hope of escape, which there doesn't seem to be, why spend our only amount of freedom in despair?"
I grinned, and started singing again. She joined in with the harmony. A few other people joined in, and eventually, there were at least fifteen of us singing. For a little while at least, the horror was almost forgotten.
When my turn came for re-infestation, I went along sadly, but without struggling. I noticed a few others doing the same. With just one little action, I'd helped make their lives a little more bearable.
Chapter 7
Illarim
I swam in the pool for my allotted amount of time, blind, nearly deaf, unable to taste or smell, until it was my turn for re-infestation. I swam over to the pier and felt Katie's head being held down in the liquid. I crawled into her ear and proceeded to take control of her body.
Don't you want to know what I did while you were gone? She asked playfully.
Humans, I thought exasperatedly. I sighed mentally. What did you do while I was gone?
Oh, you're no fun. I'll make you find out on your own. With that, she was silent.
I really had nothing better to do, so I searched her memories until I found what she wanted me to see.
Causing problems again, I see.
Oh, come on. Singing never hurt anybody.
Maybe so, I conceded.
Besides, She continued, I helped cheer them up a bit. Very few people don't mind being controllers.
True. It was a kind gesture, I suppose. Katie seemed pleased with herself and said no more.
I walked Katie out of the Yeerk pool and headed for the park near her house.
Illarim?
What? I said.
I didn't really need to ask, I could easily read her thoughts, but I had agreed to let her keep her thoughts to herself and share them with me only when she wanted to. I suppose my fellow Yeerks will consider me, to borrow an Earth term, a 'softy'. But as I have said before, I liked Katie, and saw no harm in allowing her a bit of freedom especially seeing as it could not possibly pose a problem.
Could you maybe, possibly, consider granting me a favor? She spoke slowly, hesitantly.
What is it?
Do you think that maybe, on occasion, I could have a little bit of control? You know, like, being able to move and talk a little.
I was startled. I, I couldn't... I said. I could get in a great deal of trouble, I mean, well, I suppose I could...
You know me, Katie said. You probably know more about me than I know about myself. You know I won't do anything that would harm you. Besides, you're still in there and would be able to stop me if I did.
I suppose, I said. That it wouldn't really harm anything to allow you *some* freedom on occasion.
I felt Katie's immense wave of gratitude. Thank you. She said simply. Thank you.
Katie
By the time we'd finished our conversation, we were walking along the busy street that takes you to the park. And I had that feeling, the one that humans get when we feel like we're being watched or followed.
Can we maybe walk a little faster? I asked Illarim nervously.
Why?
It's just, uh, because... Oh, just do it. Please, I said.
My feet began to walk faster and Illarim searched my thoughts to find out why I was so nervous. He seemed perplexed, but did trust human instincts to some extent and made my head turn to look behind me.
There's nobody in sight, he said.
Yeah... Okay, I said. I still couldn't shake that feeling of being watched, but I tried to ignore it and hoped it would go away.
As we neared the park, I saw Jason, Ian and a two of their friends playing soccer. Please? I asked Illarim. He relinquished control of my legs and arms, and I ran over to where the boys were playing. Without a word, I deftly snatched the ball away from Jason's friend Michael, and headed toward the two cones that marked Ian's goal.
"Hey, wait a minute! That's not fair! Katie, get out of here! I was just about to slaughter Jason!" Ian yelled at me.
I turned my head back to look at him, and smiled an impish grin. I then proceeded to score a point for Jason's team. Jason, Michael and I exchanged high fives.
"I hate it when you do that," Ian said.
"I know," I responded. Then, I ran away because Ian started to chase me. He's fast. I'm faster. "I'm going in," I called over my shoulder. "Homework!"
"Uh-uh. No way are you getting out of it that easy. You are overdo for a tackle and half-nelson."
Right at that moment, I burst through the front door. "Mom!! Ian's trying to tackle me!" I shouted.
"Ian! Leave your sister alone. Katie, go upstairs and do your homework."
I looked back at Ian and made a teasing expression. "Sorry. I guess you'll just have to injure me later."
He sneered in response.
I went upstairs and Illarim took control again. Thank you, I said. Thank you so much. You have no idea what that meant to me.
Yes, he said slowly. Yes, I think I do.
Illarim
I walked my host back to her home. Her parents appreciated knowing where she was at all times, so I informed them using my host's mouth that 'I' was going to the Sharing bonfire and asked Katie's father if he could pick me up at around nine.
The bonfire was to be held on the beach, and was not too far away. It was not dark, so I walked to it. There were sounds of humans playing volleyball, talking, and there was also the sound of a radio.
As I walked my host onto the beach, I used her eyes to search for the other girl, Emily. I soon spotted her. I could feel Katie's disgust. *She* knew that the weapons fired at the mall were Dracon beams. This other girl, however, did not, and would not have assumed any connection between them and the Sharing.
I ran over to her.
"You came!" I shouted, careful to use the same inflection Katie would have used. "I didn't see you after that thing at the mall."
I had decided beforehand not to pretend to have not seen the Dracons at the mall. It would be pointless. Emily knew I had seen them.
"I didn't see any reason not to come," Emily said. "But that was just too weird, doncha think?"
"Way too weird," I agreed. "I bet they were probably filming for a Star Trek episode, or something."
"Must have been. Want to go play some beach volleyball, or something?"
And that was how it went. To my great relief, nothing more was said about the incident at the mall.
* * *
Katie
Illarim had to regenerate the next day. He walked me to the Yeerk pool, and actually had about as little affection for the place as I did.
As he exited my head, two very tough-looking Hork-Bajir held my arms so that I couldn't escape. As they pulled me to my feet, rather roughly I might add, I tried to pull away not because I wanted to escape, but because I was getting bruises. Ow.
They shoved me into a cage with several other teens my age, as well as a few adults. Most of them were sitting dejectedly, all hope lost.
Suddenly, I got an idea. Now, I'm not a great singer. I like singing, and I used to have dreams of being the next Britney Spears or Celine Dion, but I'm not *that* good. I wish, but not quite. Well, anyway, I figured I'd only be in control of myself for a little while, so I might as well make the best of it, right? So, I started to sing. Christmas was only a little over a month away, So I sang some Christmas carols.
"Stupid," A boy muttered.
I raised an eyebrow, and said loudly enough for more than just him to hear even over all the shouts and screams, "Look, there's no way for us to escape, right? And we'll only be in control of ourselves for a little while before we're infested again. Why not make the best of it?"
"She's right," a girl whom I recognized from my school said. "If there's no hope of escape, which there doesn't seem to be, why spend our only amount of freedom in despair?"
I grinned, and started singing again. She joined in with the harmony. A few other people joined in, and eventually, there were at least fifteen of us singing. For a little while at least, the horror was almost forgotten.
When my turn came for re-infestation, I went along sadly, but without struggling. I noticed a few others doing the same. With just one little action, I'd helped make their lives a little more bearable.
Chapter 7
Illarim
I swam in the pool for my allotted amount of time, blind, nearly deaf, unable to taste or smell, until it was my turn for re-infestation. I swam over to the pier and felt Katie's head being held down in the liquid. I crawled into her ear and proceeded to take control of her body.
Don't you want to know what I did while you were gone? She asked playfully.
Humans, I thought exasperatedly. I sighed mentally. What did you do while I was gone?
Oh, you're no fun. I'll make you find out on your own. With that, she was silent.
I really had nothing better to do, so I searched her memories until I found what she wanted me to see.
Causing problems again, I see.
Oh, come on. Singing never hurt anybody.
Maybe so, I conceded.
Besides, She continued, I helped cheer them up a bit. Very few people don't mind being controllers.
True. It was a kind gesture, I suppose. Katie seemed pleased with herself and said no more.
I walked Katie out of the Yeerk pool and headed for the park near her house.
Illarim?
What? I said.
I didn't really need to ask, I could easily read her thoughts, but I had agreed to let her keep her thoughts to herself and share them with me only when she wanted to. I suppose my fellow Yeerks will consider me, to borrow an Earth term, a 'softy'. But as I have said before, I liked Katie, and saw no harm in allowing her a bit of freedom especially seeing as it could not possibly pose a problem.
Could you maybe, possibly, consider granting me a favor? She spoke slowly, hesitantly.
What is it?
Do you think that maybe, on occasion, I could have a little bit of control? You know, like, being able to move and talk a little.
I was startled. I, I couldn't... I said. I could get in a great deal of trouble, I mean, well, I suppose I could...
You know me, Katie said. You probably know more about me than I know about myself. You know I won't do anything that would harm you. Besides, you're still in there and would be able to stop me if I did.
I suppose, I said. That it wouldn't really harm anything to allow you *some* freedom on occasion.
I felt Katie's immense wave of gratitude. Thank you. She said simply. Thank you.
Katie
By the time we'd finished our conversation, we were walking along the busy street that takes you to the park. And I had that feeling, the one that humans get when we feel like we're being watched or followed.
Can we maybe walk a little faster? I asked Illarim nervously.
Why?
It's just, uh, because... Oh, just do it. Please, I said.
My feet began to walk faster and Illarim searched my thoughts to find out why I was so nervous. He seemed perplexed, but did trust human instincts to some extent and made my head turn to look behind me.
There's nobody in sight, he said.
Yeah... Okay, I said. I still couldn't shake that feeling of being watched, but I tried to ignore it and hoped it would go away.
As we neared the park, I saw Jason, Ian and a two of their friends playing soccer. Please? I asked Illarim. He relinquished control of my legs and arms, and I ran over to where the boys were playing. Without a word, I deftly snatched the ball away from Jason's friend Michael, and headed toward the two cones that marked Ian's goal.
"Hey, wait a minute! That's not fair! Katie, get out of here! I was just about to slaughter Jason!" Ian yelled at me.
I turned my head back to look at him, and smiled an impish grin. I then proceeded to score a point for Jason's team. Jason, Michael and I exchanged high fives.
"I hate it when you do that," Ian said.
"I know," I responded. Then, I ran away because Ian started to chase me. He's fast. I'm faster. "I'm going in," I called over my shoulder. "Homework!"
"Uh-uh. No way are you getting out of it that easy. You are overdo for a tackle and half-nelson."
Right at that moment, I burst through the front door. "Mom!! Ian's trying to tackle me!" I shouted.
"Ian! Leave your sister alone. Katie, go upstairs and do your homework."
I looked back at Ian and made a teasing expression. "Sorry. I guess you'll just have to injure me later."
He sneered in response.
I went upstairs and Illarim took control again. Thank you, I said. Thank you so much. You have no idea what that meant to me.
Yes, he said slowly. Yes, I think I do.