Chapter 6- Rachel

Cassie told me about the mountain lion episode on Saturday.

I had an oldies song stuck in my head, thanks to my mom. That 'So Happy Together' song. You know- 'You and me, and me and you, no matter how they toss the dice it had to be. The only one for me is you. And you for me.' And so on. Playing over and over and over. To a point that I felt almost sick.

I looked Cassie up and down. She DEFINITELY needed to go shopping. On a scale of 1-10, she ranked a 4. And that was putting it nicely.

"Have I ever told you about Ralph Lauren?" I asked her.

She rolled her eyes. "I hate shopping. And I have way too many chores, Rachel. Ever since the mountain lion escape, I've had a bit more work. Like, sweeping the floor twice a day. And cleaning the cages six times a week."

I smiled slightly. Cassie the animal lover. For once, sick of her chores. I wondered if the war was finally affecting us in bigger ways. When Cassie stops loving animals, you know something's wrong. In a major 'Doomsday' way.

"Tomorrow then?" I prided.

"Maybe. But I DO hate shopping. And the mall besides."

"Alright. What time?"

"Around noon," She told me. "By then I won't have so much stuff to do- and when I get back it won't be to late and I can finish it."

"Alright. C-Ya then."

Chapter 7- Lauren

My 'parents' hadn't been home yesterday. They weren't home now. They usually tried to avoid me, unless- unless the principle called. Or someone's parent. Then it was a confrontation. I usually won; I was the 'orphaned' girl. The poor, disgruntled effect of what happened when…what had happened. I didn't want to think about…that….

I opened a book, and turned to the page I was on, and started reading. I read a lot. I didn't need anyone; just my books. They helped to escape the madness, the incessant voice that said insulted me, that reminded me what I was. Who I was. The guilt, the voices of the hurt, the parents, the-

The madness

The books helped, kept it away, and I was free- free from all the twists and turns that ran through my mind, that manipulated everything around me, so all I felt was-

Hate. Hate, the burning anger for everything around me, near me, touching me. Eating me alive. I only liked one thing: books. Fiction books about vampires and werewolves and shape-shifting and witches and warlocks and dragons and magic and… The like. They kept me from the past, my life. Now isn't that ironic? The mad, orphaned, bully was a lover of books…

Chapter 8- Cassie

My parents decided we had to find the mountain lion, so that it didn't get any more hurt than it was; or cause any trouble. So, we headed out around 9, armed with a cage, and a tranquilizer mom had borrowed from the zoo. For protection- so we didn't have to kill it.

We drove on the road that was next to the forest, and pulled off where we figured the mountain lion wouldn't have gone by, and decided to start there and work our way back. It would be hard with three people, but if we didn't find it today mom said she'd get some people from the zoo to help. Which would probably help, a lot.

I remembered the eyes it had looked at me with, and shivered. Eyes that knew something more than I. Hypnotizing eyes…

We started off into the woods, and I wished Tobias was there; he could help more than any zoo workers. As we got into the woods, I felt eyes on me. I looked around, but I didn't see anything. Suddenly I understood. The lion-

The mountain lion leapt, and landed on me this time. It growled and dug its claws into me, piercing my flesh, and I couldn't do anything! My parents ran over to me, but they were helpless. They couldn't shoot because the lion and I were rolling over and over- they might hit me. I screamed, the lion staring into me, when I realized.

It could kill me- could've killed me awhile ago- but hadn't. Why…

The lion let go as I landed on the bottom of a roll- let go, stood up- stared at me, in the eyes, mesmerizing me- I stood, and watched it move.

"What are you doing?! Cassie…? Cassie!" My parents cried.

I realized I was moving toward the cat, following it deeper into the woods- but I couldn't stop. I cried out, trying to free myself from its grasp.

My dad cocked his gun, and aimed at the mountain lion. Fired.

As it fell to sleep, so did I. I landed on the ground, sunk into a deep slumber.

Chapter 9- Jake

Rachel told me what happened. She had gone over to get Cassie to go shopping- and found that she had fallen asleep. A drugged sleep.

She wouldn't wake up- even when her parents tried to use the stuff that woke you up. They couldn't figure out why she had even fallen asleep. All they had done was shoot the mountain lion that had escaped.

Which made you wonder what was going on.

I don't know what they expected me to do. Explain why she was asleep? Wake her up?

I sighed. At least she was alive though. I hoped. Who knew what that drug could do?

Chapter 10- Lauren

I put my book down. It was over. And they still weren't home. I curled my lip with disgust, then got up. I had more books; but I didn't feel like reading. I decided to take a walk.

I put a coat on, and black boots. Then I headed outside.

It was a muddy, dreary day. Not muddy from rain that day, just…muddy. I headed purposefully…nowhere. I knew something was making me walk somewhere. To a place I had no real knowledge of…

I spotted the construction site ahead. My feet moved me inside. I walked around, peering around half-walls and ones with holes through them, camp fires' ashes laying around here and there.

I recalled something one of my fosters had told me once, when I had gotten a week's detention for beating up a kid repeatedly.

"I almost hope on one of your midnight runs that an ax murderer from that construction site would get you, you ungrateful brat."

A smile played upon my lips, and I remembered what I had thought to him, wouldn't he wish it would? Then he'd be free of me. Everyone would be SO pleased.

Someone gag me.

Suddenly, I heard words. I ducked down behind a wall as the voices came closer.

"-We need to search the site. We might find something of use."

"Is Visser One behind the project?" Another voice asked. A gruff voice. I peered around the corner, and spotted my assistant principle and some other man, who looked about thirty and had a beard.

"Yes. He decided that the Andalite Bandits might have hidden something here- or there may be leftover wreckage from the Andalite Fighter."

Visser One? Andalite Bandits? My mind buzzed. What was all this talk from a sci-fi movie or novel?

My principal spoke up again. "Alright. How are we going to cover it up?"

"I don't know. Shouldn't that be your job? After all, you ARE the Visser's favorite." I could see a small look of fright on the bearded man's face.

"Very well. I'll ask the Visser if he has any ideas. If he doesn't, I'll expect something from you."

The man scowled, but he looked like he liked the idea better than talking to this 'Visser' person.

They walked by me, and I scuttled behind some more wrecked walls. Something was up, and my assistant principal was involved.