I sat looking out the small window beside my bunk. The sky was dotted here and there with little pinpricks that I assumed were stars. I had listened to everyone talk about the up coming battle. Everyone put in his or her opinions on what morphs we should use, what the best way to approach the site would be, ect. I'd listened, but said very little. I had already grown to hate the camp even though I'd only been there a few days. Of course it wasn't really the camp that bothered me, that was just an excuse; The General was the one that bothered me.

Now don't get me wrong, I never hated my father. He was courageous, noble, honest, loyal, and dedicated to his job. Unfortunately that left little time to dedicate to his family. When he was my father and not "The General" he was one of the greatest people in the world, but once we were back at camp it was like I wasn't his daughter anymore. Instead I was one of the 'slackers', and was worked twice as hard as anyone else. No I never hated my father, just "The General" he turned into away from home.

It was dark inside our bunker, everyone had went to bed hours before. I had tried to fall asleep but my mind was plagued with thoughts about what was going to happen to us. Not just the next day, but in the future. A feeling of dread had hung over me since we'd set foot on the planet. I scanned the room and noticed I wasn't the only one awake. Jace sat on his bunk staring into space.

Jace never did get much sleep it seemed. He always told Zeek and Shane it was just a sleeping disorder he had. He always lied to cover up his troubled past. Jace had had a miserable child hood. His mother left him with his father when he was still an infant. His father was a very tormented man. Depression and alcohol were his two major problems along with a few others, throw in a little boy and what happens? That little boy gets the hell beat out of him whenever daddy isn't happy. When we were little Jace and I lived practically next door to each other. He'd always come over crying, his face and body bruised and in some of the more serious cases bleeding.

One day he stumbled into my house so battered his face wasn't recognizable. It was so bad my brother tried to stop me from seeing him, fearing it would give me nightmares to see my best friend so hurt. He was rite; it did give me nightmares. My reaction when I saw him was horror; I've never felt so sick in my life. He never said a word, he didn't even cry. Not to long after I heard my father talking to a local police officer. They said that they had video from a hidden camera that showed exactly what had happened. After severally beating Jace, not only with his fists, but with an old broken board as well, his father went onto find a gun. After firing it at Jace several times, and missing repeatedly, he put the gun to his own head and killed himself.

Jace can't sleep because of his nightmares. He told me once that it was like reliving the same event over and over every night. He even told me he hated that man for putting him through hell and then making sure he never forgot about it. I can't say that I blame him though.

He looked over at me, noticing I was staring at him. Our eyes locked and I knew he could tell what I was thinking. He smiled vaguely at me and then lay down on his bunk. I did the same, and, somehow, managed to fall asleep. _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

Jeeze, you never really notice how manay readers you have until you stop writing! I'm starting to lose count of all the people who are saying 'Update NOW!' *lol* ^_~

This chapter would have been out sooner but my computer deleted the original >.< So I had to re-write it.. I don't no whether or not I like this chapter as better as the original but I don't remember exactly what I originally wrote either...

No only Cally, Brad, Jace, Luke, Jessie, Shane, and Zeek can morph. I'd go into the reasons why but I just woke up and can't think of them at this moment -.- . o (zzz...zzz..)

Ok I used this chapter to go a little more indepth about Jace's character, because I think after the next chapter (battle scene!) I'll start telling the story from his point of view. Sound good everyone?

Oh and one more thing... To those of you who have read every single chapter: What do you guys think of these little authors notes at the end of almost every chapter? Do they bother you? Cuz I read somewhere you shouldn't do authors notes unless absolutly nescessary and when done they should be kept -really- short..