TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL
I don't own Animorphs!
Cassie's POV
I was visiting my parents when it happened. They still lived back at our old house. They still had the Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic. It was almost like before the war. Except Rachel wasn't with me. Jake wasn't with me. And I didn't live there.
My mom and I were chatting away. I kept her updated on the plans for the wedding. I had lost interest in my gown an hour ago, after deciding it would have a princess neckline and would be white and sleeveless. Mom kept trying to show me pictures of different gowns that fit the description, and I personally couldn't see the difference. A little beading here and there, some sort of waist variety . . . not only was I totally disinterested, I couldn't focus. I was getting a bad feeling. Like a premonition.
And suddenly, an awful feeling of loss hit me. I felt an huge hole in my heart. Where Jake, Marco, Tobias, and Ax had been. They were gone. I knew it. They were dead.
Suddenly I broke down in tears. My mom freaked out. "What's wrong, Cassie?" She jumped up and hugged me. I managed to get out, "They're gone. I'm the only Animorph left."
We sat there and hugged for what felt like hours.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
A few weeks later I was in tears in Mom's arms again. I had called it off with Ronnie. I gave him back his ring when he couldn't understand how I just knew that my friends were dead, he couldn't understand how deeply I was connected to them. Sure, he was sympathetic and sad for me, but he just didn't understand. It was then that I realized I could never love anyone like I had loved Jake once upon a time. I tried to deny it to myself. I tried kissing Ronnie, pretending everything was okay in our relationship. But each time I kissed him, Jake was in the back of my mind, and he wouldn't go away. I couldn't go through with the wedding. I wasn't in love with Ronnie like I had been with Jake. With Ronnie, it was a close friendship and a crush. But it wasn't as deep a connection as Jake and I had once upon a time. Now Jake was gone, and I was all alone.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
A year later, I was at the mall. I had made up my mind. I was going to buy some new clothes. Clothes that Rachel would approve of. I missed her so much. This was a way to feel a little better. I knew that if she could watch, she would be rolling her eyes and saying, "Finally, Cassie! How many times have I begged you to go shopping with me?"
I went into Express, one of Rachel's very favorite stores. There, a saleswoman walked up to me. She looked my age. I figured to go for it and ask her for some help in choosing new clothes. She was, after all, there to help. And something just drew me to her.
"Hi, can I help you with something today?" she asked.
I said I was looking for some new outfits and I wasn't that fashion-forward, so I'd like some help. She set to work immediately, finding the perfect clothes without even asking what size I wore. I could tell she was real expert . . . a lot like Rachel. I paid for my new clothes. Then as she said, "Thanks for shopping with us," I looked straight into her eyes. There was something familiar about them. And she winked almost imperceptibly. Immediately, I knew Rachel had come back to show me that she was all right. Rachel had gone to heaven and she was an angel, here to save me from darkness and despair. I turned around, looking for someone who would remind me of Tobias or one of the others. There were a lot of shoppers in the store, so I decided to just ask if the others were back too. But she was gone. In that moment I really was sure that I had been touched by an angel.
I don't own Animorphs!
Cassie's POV
I was visiting my parents when it happened. They still lived back at our old house. They still had the Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic. It was almost like before the war. Except Rachel wasn't with me. Jake wasn't with me. And I didn't live there.
My mom and I were chatting away. I kept her updated on the plans for the wedding. I had lost interest in my gown an hour ago, after deciding it would have a princess neckline and would be white and sleeveless. Mom kept trying to show me pictures of different gowns that fit the description, and I personally couldn't see the difference. A little beading here and there, some sort of waist variety . . . not only was I totally disinterested, I couldn't focus. I was getting a bad feeling. Like a premonition.
And suddenly, an awful feeling of loss hit me. I felt an huge hole in my heart. Where Jake, Marco, Tobias, and Ax had been. They were gone. I knew it. They were dead.
Suddenly I broke down in tears. My mom freaked out. "What's wrong, Cassie?" She jumped up and hugged me. I managed to get out, "They're gone. I'm the only Animorph left."
We sat there and hugged for what felt like hours.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
A few weeks later I was in tears in Mom's arms again. I had called it off with Ronnie. I gave him back his ring when he couldn't understand how I just knew that my friends were dead, he couldn't understand how deeply I was connected to them. Sure, he was sympathetic and sad for me, but he just didn't understand. It was then that I realized I could never love anyone like I had loved Jake once upon a time. I tried to deny it to myself. I tried kissing Ronnie, pretending everything was okay in our relationship. But each time I kissed him, Jake was in the back of my mind, and he wouldn't go away. I couldn't go through with the wedding. I wasn't in love with Ronnie like I had been with Jake. With Ronnie, it was a close friendship and a crush. But it wasn't as deep a connection as Jake and I had once upon a time. Now Jake was gone, and I was all alone.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
A year later, I was at the mall. I had made up my mind. I was going to buy some new clothes. Clothes that Rachel would approve of. I missed her so much. This was a way to feel a little better. I knew that if she could watch, she would be rolling her eyes and saying, "Finally, Cassie! How many times have I begged you to go shopping with me?"
I went into Express, one of Rachel's very favorite stores. There, a saleswoman walked up to me. She looked my age. I figured to go for it and ask her for some help in choosing new clothes. She was, after all, there to help. And something just drew me to her.
"Hi, can I help you with something today?" she asked.
I said I was looking for some new outfits and I wasn't that fashion-forward, so I'd like some help. She set to work immediately, finding the perfect clothes without even asking what size I wore. I could tell she was real expert . . . a lot like Rachel. I paid for my new clothes. Then as she said, "Thanks for shopping with us," I looked straight into her eyes. There was something familiar about them. And she winked almost imperceptibly. Immediately, I knew Rachel had come back to show me that she was all right. Rachel had gone to heaven and she was an angel, here to save me from darkness and despair. I turned around, looking for someone who would remind me of Tobias or one of the others. There were a lot of shoppers in the store, so I decided to just ask if the others were back too. But she was gone. In that moment I really was sure that I had been touched by an angel.