A/N: HELP MEEEE!!!!!!!!!!! Must get away from annoying brother!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Just kidding. OK. Just a few clarifications: 1) This is a FLASHBACK, occuring just after the sample chapter for book 53 in book 52. Does that make sense? I read the sample chapter and eventually there will be a reference made but not for awhile. The reference to the yamphut was that it was something in the past and it was just to prove a point. 2) I probably will continue at least through a week and a half unless I run out of ideas.
Also, thanks to everyone for the great reviews and suggestions.
OK I am *trying* not to have any major OOC-ness but if I do tell me. I've been reading all the J/C parts of all the books I could find . I think I write sick people good.
I have nothing against BBMak but part of it is based on my own experience in science class *yuck*. I really like BBMak.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own them but I wish I did etc yadda yadda yadda...I don't own any song lyrics they all belong to their various owners...yadda yadda yadda..
SPOILERS:THESE GO FOR ALL THE CHAPTERS SO FAR
50 (the most major event in that book as well as some others)
49 ( DITTO [the most major event in that book as well as some others])
29 (the sickness in "The Sickness", if that makes any sense -_^ and ^_^, as well as a smart remark courtesy of Marco.)
::thinks very hard:: Nope no more so:
ON WITH THE STORY
THE NEXT CHAPTER
~Tuesday 3rd period~
"Oh great. Science. Cassie was in my science class, and so was Rachel.
Mrs. Reuler, the science teacher, had us raise our hands for attendance. When she got to Cassie's name, she said, "Cassie _______". When no hand was raised, she asked,
"Does anybody know where Cassie is?"
Rachel spoke up."She's sick."
Yeah. Cassie was sick with the flu, I was sick with worry.
"Okay then class. Today you get to write vocabulary words," She said. There was a collective groan from the class.
'Well, at least Cassie doesn't have to write vocabulary words. She'll probably need to copy mine. I better not doodle on the margins,' I thought.
Mrs. Reuler turned on the radio. "Until you're back here baby...Miss you want you need you so. Until you're back here baby yeah..." BBMak played. 'Great. Matches my mood. Until Cassie's back "here" at school I'll be a total basket case.' I thought.
"OK class you're all done with the vocabulary words so we're going to watch a video on tornadoes." Another collective groan from the class.
I spaced out. It was all live footage of tornadoes spinning across the screen. I thought of Cassie. What was she doing? Was she asleep? What were the Yeerks doing? Were they going to cause any more trouble? Where were we going to meet for the next 3 weeks? Suddenly the stress from worrying about Cassie and the Yeerks and everything was
too much. What was I going to-
*BRINNNG BRINNNG* The bell rang. Time for next period. Thank goodness.
~Tuesday after school~
I walked in the front door, exhausted. I didn't know why, but I was so tired. A few people had been absent in each of my classes. So far Cassie was the only sick Animorph. We had very little homework, but I had to bring what we had to Cassie.
But first I had to make a few calls. I'd call Erek first. Since we couldn't meet in Cassie's barn, I was going to ask if we could meet there.
I dialed Erek's number.
*RING RING*
"Hello."
"Hi Erek. It's Jake. Can I ask you a,um,you know, favor?" Man! Why was I so spacey? And tired?
"Yeah, what?"
"Well, you know how in,you know, school there's been a few people, um, absent?"
"Yeah. Cassie wasn't in my Social Studies class today, I noticed."
"Yeah," I said dejectedly," Anyway,uh, we can't exactly meet in, you know, her barn, so can we meet maybe in your house?"
"Sure, Jake,anytime. Just come over whenever, just call if you can." I scrubbed my hands over my face
I called everyone else, telling them that we were meeting there, but only if an absolute emergency came up, something huge.
Then I went over to Cassie's house. I wanted to get there ASAP because I was really worried; I decided to ride my bike.
~At Cassie's house~
I rang the doorbell, backpack on my back, bike parked on the side of the long driveway. I shook my head to clear it and rang the doorbell.
Nobody answered. There were no cars in the driveway. I waited.
And waited.
And waited.
And waited.
I rang the doorbell again.
Waited.
And waited.
I decided that Cassie was probably home alone, too tired or weak to come downstairs.
I tried the doorknob. It was unlocked.
"Cassie? Cassie, it's me, Jake!" I yelled. I clomped up the stairs like the one-legged lumberjack Marco once deemed me.
I went down the hall and into the second room on the left, Cassie's room.
Cassie was sitting there, eyes closed. It looked like she was attempting to get the energy to answer the doorbell.
"Cassie?" Cassie looked up, startled, then looked relieved, then looked anxious, almost upset.
"Oh, Jake," she began, her tone an odd mix of sick, raspy, happy, upset, and sad, " Yesterday, there was...something I didn't get to tell you. The doctor said...she said that
this flu is extremely contagious...So you're probably going to get it..." She trailed off.
"Oh. So there was more to me being spacey today than just worrying about you. I was having problems finishing sentences. My mind was just gone. Well that sure explains it. Let me give you our very minimal homework...this thing must be going around school, so the teachers are giving out less homework...
and then crawl under the covers and come out as little as possible for the next 3 weeks.I think I've already got this thing." I sniffled, coughed, and continued.
"We have math, yuck, pages 152-153, numbers 1-10, and a science worksheet. I got it for you."
"Thanks," she commented dryly, and asked," Jake, why did you come instead of Rachel?"
"Do you want the real answer or a made-up answer to save my manly dignity?" I replied.
"Whatever," she said, and I knew that she had already figured out the real reason.
I sniffled, then I said, "Well, it's easier...for the teachers...if one person gets your homework for you because it's less confusing that way," I stammered.
"Okay," she replied.
"I guess I gotta go;I'm starting to feel pretty lousy," I said, thought for a moment, and then continued," And I'm already sick, and I'm probably not going to see you
for about 3 weeks, so...why don't I kiss you good-bye?" I said, and sniffled, almost as if to prove my point, that I wasn't feeling well.
"Ummm, ok, I guess. Actually, I'd like that." She said, a little hesitantly.
I bent down and kissed her on the cheek.
"I'll call you as much as I can. At least once a day, I promise. Unless you don't want me to. Or I'm too sick and I can't. But I'll try, okay?" I asked. That was hard, to say all that. My mind was gone. I was tired.
"Okay, I'll miss you." She said sleepily. I went down the stairs and out the door.
~After the visit to Cassie~
went home, went up to my room, threw off my backpack, kicked off my shoes, and fell asleep. That was about 5pm.
The next thing I remember is my mom coming into my room at 7:30 and saying,"Jake, honey, time for dinner," feeling my forehead, and going down to dinner, leaving me to sleep.
~Wednesday morning~
I woke up at 10:24 in the morning, shaking. I had fever chills and I couldn't stop them. On my desk was a box of tissues, a bag of cough drops, and a note that said:
Hi Jake!
You are at home alone. Your dad and I had to work and Tom has school. We figured you could manage. Last night I took your temperature around 8:00 pm. It was 101.8 degrees Fahrenheit. Need I write more?
I stocked your room with anything you might need, and you have a doctor's appointment as soon as I get home. You can call me at work if you need anything, and Tom mentioned something like this bug going
around so if you want to call a sick friend go ahead. Misery loves company.
Love, Mom.
I turned on my radio. I half-paid attention to the song. "No More (Baby I'ma Do Right)" by 3LW. I didn't really listen.
I decided to call Cassie. I dialed.
*Ring Ring*
"Hello?" Cassie answered.
" Hey Cass. It's Jake," I said in a raspy voice sounding much like hers.
"You're sick too?"
"Yes. How exciting," I said in a dry tone of voice.
"Listen, I'm watching MTV and there's something interesting on so I have to go, okay? I'm not mad, but it's interesting, you know how it is." She said.
"Okay. Talk to you later. Bye," I said.
~Wednesday afternoon~
My mom took me to the doctor, who said that I had the same thing as Cassie. Then we went home, where Tom(and his Yeerk) had just gotten home from school.
*Ring Ring* "I'll get it!" Tom yelled. Then, a second later ," Jake, it's for you! Cousin Rachel!"
I picked up the extension in my room. "Hi Rachel!"
"Hi Jake," she said.
"So you're sick too, I take it?" I asked.
"Yup," She said, then," I'm only allowed on the phone for so long today, so bye."
"Yeah. Bye," I said, and hung up.
~Friday Afternoon~
It was about 2:45, and I was bored to tears. I turned on the radio. I felt really lousy. I turned on the radio.
"Next time you see my girl, won't you say that I,I would die, I would die to hold her. The next time you see my girl, won't you tell her, I love her, the next time you
see my girl..." BBMak. Those people haunted me. Monday it was, "Back Here", Friday, "Next Time". But they both fit perfectly. I felt like I was going to die without some human contact.'
Which, I think, is why Marco called right about then.
"Hello?" I said.
"Hey, Jake, buddy, it's Marco," He said in his normal voice, thank goodness he wasn't sick. Hopefully he would stay like that.
"Oh hey, thanks for calling. I'm bored to tears. I can barely stand up, I keep losing my train of thought, and I have not
talked to anyone except the same four people since Tuesday afternoon, and BBMak is haunting me!"
"Whoa, buddy! BBMak is haunting you?"he questioned.
"Well, every time I turn on the radio a BB-freaking-Mak song comes on! Tuesday, before I got sick, in Mrs. Reuler's class, she had the radio on,
and a BBMak song came on,'until you're back here baby,' and now today another one came on and now it's haunting me and they both fit my mood perfectly at the time!"
I exclaimed.
"Oooooooookayyyyy," he said, then continued, "Well here's the lowdown on the Animorph front. Rachel,you, and Cassie are down for the count. I expect she'll call
you soon, if she hasn't already. Erek and I have talked, and as of 5 minutes ago, nothing is going on. You just rest up and get better quick."
"Rachel called already. We talked. Did you ever think of how many ways there are to say really bored? Bored to tears, bored out of your skull, more bored than a board game,
just plain bored. Very bored. Extremely bored. Tremendously bored. It's just tedious. I feel like a caged lion. No, tiger. Like a caged tiger. At the Gardens. I'd even go ride a roller
coaster, even though it isn't that fun anymore. Maybe I'd see Cassie's mom. Oh, Cassie! I would love to see Cassie! And you, of course. I feel like I haven't seen you in ages."
"Would you love to see Cassie as much as you love Cassie?" Marco teased, then, without waiting for an answer, said," Oh well, gotta go. Homework. *Yuck*"
I hung up.
That's when Erek called.
A/N: Okay, another cliffhanger to my romance with a cliffhanger ending, ^_^ !::sings:: Do ya like it, do ya like it? Cause, it's a romance!
Also, thanks to everyone for the great reviews and suggestions.
OK I am *trying* not to have any major OOC-ness but if I do tell me. I've been reading all the J/C parts of all the books I could find . I think I write sick people good.
I have nothing against BBMak but part of it is based on my own experience in science class *yuck*. I really like BBMak.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own them but I wish I did etc yadda yadda yadda...I don't own any song lyrics they all belong to their various owners...yadda yadda yadda..
SPOILERS:THESE GO FOR ALL THE CHAPTERS SO FAR
50 (the most major event in that book as well as some others)
49 ( DITTO [the most major event in that book as well as some others])
29 (the sickness in "The Sickness", if that makes any sense -_^ and ^_^, as well as a smart remark courtesy of Marco.)
::thinks very hard:: Nope no more so:
ON WITH THE STORY
THE NEXT CHAPTER
~Tuesday 3rd period~
"Oh great. Science. Cassie was in my science class, and so was Rachel.
Mrs. Reuler, the science teacher, had us raise our hands for attendance. When she got to Cassie's name, she said, "Cassie _______". When no hand was raised, she asked,
"Does anybody know where Cassie is?"
Rachel spoke up."She's sick."
Yeah. Cassie was sick with the flu, I was sick with worry.
"Okay then class. Today you get to write vocabulary words," She said. There was a collective groan from the class.
'Well, at least Cassie doesn't have to write vocabulary words. She'll probably need to copy mine. I better not doodle on the margins,' I thought.
Mrs. Reuler turned on the radio. "Until you're back here baby...Miss you want you need you so. Until you're back here baby yeah..." BBMak played. 'Great. Matches my mood. Until Cassie's back "here" at school I'll be a total basket case.' I thought.
"OK class you're all done with the vocabulary words so we're going to watch a video on tornadoes." Another collective groan from the class.
I spaced out. It was all live footage of tornadoes spinning across the screen. I thought of Cassie. What was she doing? Was she asleep? What were the Yeerks doing? Were they going to cause any more trouble? Where were we going to meet for the next 3 weeks? Suddenly the stress from worrying about Cassie and the Yeerks and everything was
too much. What was I going to-
*BRINNNG BRINNNG* The bell rang. Time for next period. Thank goodness.
~Tuesday after school~
I walked in the front door, exhausted. I didn't know why, but I was so tired. A few people had been absent in each of my classes. So far Cassie was the only sick Animorph. We had very little homework, but I had to bring what we had to Cassie.
But first I had to make a few calls. I'd call Erek first. Since we couldn't meet in Cassie's barn, I was going to ask if we could meet there.
I dialed Erek's number.
*RING RING*
"Hello."
"Hi Erek. It's Jake. Can I ask you a,um,you know, favor?" Man! Why was I so spacey? And tired?
"Yeah, what?"
"Well, you know how in,you know, school there's been a few people, um, absent?"
"Yeah. Cassie wasn't in my Social Studies class today, I noticed."
"Yeah," I said dejectedly," Anyway,uh, we can't exactly meet in, you know, her barn, so can we meet maybe in your house?"
"Sure, Jake,anytime. Just come over whenever, just call if you can." I scrubbed my hands over my face
I called everyone else, telling them that we were meeting there, but only if an absolute emergency came up, something huge.
Then I went over to Cassie's house. I wanted to get there ASAP because I was really worried; I decided to ride my bike.
~At Cassie's house~
I rang the doorbell, backpack on my back, bike parked on the side of the long driveway. I shook my head to clear it and rang the doorbell.
Nobody answered. There were no cars in the driveway. I waited.
And waited.
And waited.
And waited.
I rang the doorbell again.
Waited.
And waited.
I decided that Cassie was probably home alone, too tired or weak to come downstairs.
I tried the doorknob. It was unlocked.
"Cassie? Cassie, it's me, Jake!" I yelled. I clomped up the stairs like the one-legged lumberjack Marco once deemed me.
I went down the hall and into the second room on the left, Cassie's room.
Cassie was sitting there, eyes closed. It looked like she was attempting to get the energy to answer the doorbell.
"Cassie?" Cassie looked up, startled, then looked relieved, then looked anxious, almost upset.
"Oh, Jake," she began, her tone an odd mix of sick, raspy, happy, upset, and sad, " Yesterday, there was...something I didn't get to tell you. The doctor said...she said that
this flu is extremely contagious...So you're probably going to get it..." She trailed off.
"Oh. So there was more to me being spacey today than just worrying about you. I was having problems finishing sentences. My mind was just gone. Well that sure explains it. Let me give you our very minimal homework...this thing must be going around school, so the teachers are giving out less homework...
and then crawl under the covers and come out as little as possible for the next 3 weeks.I think I've already got this thing." I sniffled, coughed, and continued.
"We have math, yuck, pages 152-153, numbers 1-10, and a science worksheet. I got it for you."
"Thanks," she commented dryly, and asked," Jake, why did you come instead of Rachel?"
"Do you want the real answer or a made-up answer to save my manly dignity?" I replied.
"Whatever," she said, and I knew that she had already figured out the real reason.
I sniffled, then I said, "Well, it's easier...for the teachers...if one person gets your homework for you because it's less confusing that way," I stammered.
"Okay," she replied.
"I guess I gotta go;I'm starting to feel pretty lousy," I said, thought for a moment, and then continued," And I'm already sick, and I'm probably not going to see you
for about 3 weeks, so...why don't I kiss you good-bye?" I said, and sniffled, almost as if to prove my point, that I wasn't feeling well.
"Ummm, ok, I guess. Actually, I'd like that." She said, a little hesitantly.
I bent down and kissed her on the cheek.
"I'll call you as much as I can. At least once a day, I promise. Unless you don't want me to. Or I'm too sick and I can't. But I'll try, okay?" I asked. That was hard, to say all that. My mind was gone. I was tired.
"Okay, I'll miss you." She said sleepily. I went down the stairs and out the door.
~After the visit to Cassie~
went home, went up to my room, threw off my backpack, kicked off my shoes, and fell asleep. That was about 5pm.
The next thing I remember is my mom coming into my room at 7:30 and saying,"Jake, honey, time for dinner," feeling my forehead, and going down to dinner, leaving me to sleep.
~Wednesday morning~
I woke up at 10:24 in the morning, shaking. I had fever chills and I couldn't stop them. On my desk was a box of tissues, a bag of cough drops, and a note that said:
Hi Jake!
You are at home alone. Your dad and I had to work and Tom has school. We figured you could manage. Last night I took your temperature around 8:00 pm. It was 101.8 degrees Fahrenheit. Need I write more?
I stocked your room with anything you might need, and you have a doctor's appointment as soon as I get home. You can call me at work if you need anything, and Tom mentioned something like this bug going
around so if you want to call a sick friend go ahead. Misery loves company.
Love, Mom.
I turned on my radio. I half-paid attention to the song. "No More (Baby I'ma Do Right)" by 3LW. I didn't really listen.
I decided to call Cassie. I dialed.
*Ring Ring*
"Hello?" Cassie answered.
" Hey Cass. It's Jake," I said in a raspy voice sounding much like hers.
"You're sick too?"
"Yes. How exciting," I said in a dry tone of voice.
"Listen, I'm watching MTV and there's something interesting on so I have to go, okay? I'm not mad, but it's interesting, you know how it is." She said.
"Okay. Talk to you later. Bye," I said.
~Wednesday afternoon~
My mom took me to the doctor, who said that I had the same thing as Cassie. Then we went home, where Tom(and his Yeerk) had just gotten home from school.
*Ring Ring* "I'll get it!" Tom yelled. Then, a second later ," Jake, it's for you! Cousin Rachel!"
I picked up the extension in my room. "Hi Rachel!"
"Hi Jake," she said.
"So you're sick too, I take it?" I asked.
"Yup," She said, then," I'm only allowed on the phone for so long today, so bye."
"Yeah. Bye," I said, and hung up.
~Friday Afternoon~
It was about 2:45, and I was bored to tears. I turned on the radio. I felt really lousy. I turned on the radio.
"Next time you see my girl, won't you say that I,I would die, I would die to hold her. The next time you see my girl, won't you tell her, I love her, the next time you
see my girl..." BBMak. Those people haunted me. Monday it was, "Back Here", Friday, "Next Time". But they both fit perfectly. I felt like I was going to die without some human contact.'
Which, I think, is why Marco called right about then.
"Hello?" I said.
"Hey, Jake, buddy, it's Marco," He said in his normal voice, thank goodness he wasn't sick. Hopefully he would stay like that.
"Oh hey, thanks for calling. I'm bored to tears. I can barely stand up, I keep losing my train of thought, and I have not
talked to anyone except the same four people since Tuesday afternoon, and BBMak is haunting me!"
"Whoa, buddy! BBMak is haunting you?"he questioned.
"Well, every time I turn on the radio a BB-freaking-Mak song comes on! Tuesday, before I got sick, in Mrs. Reuler's class, she had the radio on,
and a BBMak song came on,'until you're back here baby,' and now today another one came on and now it's haunting me and they both fit my mood perfectly at the time!"
I exclaimed.
"Oooooooookayyyyy," he said, then continued, "Well here's the lowdown on the Animorph front. Rachel,you, and Cassie are down for the count. I expect she'll call
you soon, if she hasn't already. Erek and I have talked, and as of 5 minutes ago, nothing is going on. You just rest up and get better quick."
"Rachel called already. We talked. Did you ever think of how many ways there are to say really bored? Bored to tears, bored out of your skull, more bored than a board game,
just plain bored. Very bored. Extremely bored. Tremendously bored. It's just tedious. I feel like a caged lion. No, tiger. Like a caged tiger. At the Gardens. I'd even go ride a roller
coaster, even though it isn't that fun anymore. Maybe I'd see Cassie's mom. Oh, Cassie! I would love to see Cassie! And you, of course. I feel like I haven't seen you in ages."
"Would you love to see Cassie as much as you love Cassie?" Marco teased, then, without waiting for an answer, said," Oh well, gotta go. Homework. *Yuck*"
I hung up.
That's when Erek called.
A/N: Okay, another cliffhanger to my romance with a cliffhanger ending, ^_^ !::sings:: Do ya like it, do ya like it? Cause, it's a romance!