I got out of there as soon as I could. Demorphed to hawk and flew away,
never looking back. Erin had said that she didn't intend to let Mr. Bloyd
come back. Well he had returned, but then I had...
No, it was an accident. Nothing but an accident. I had faked a jab to his throat to scare him. Never in a million years would I have killed him. I didn't know that there was a teddy bear under his foot. I didn't know that he would slip over the railing. I definitely didn't know that he was going to impale himself on a spiked fence and die.
Good God.
I landed on the grass. I was in the woods, but far from where I usually hung out with Ax. I wasn't ready to face anybody yet. I also couldn't perch on a tree when I was already clutching something between my claws.
The music box. The music box that Elfangor had given Erin. I had taken it before the Yeerks swarmed all over the place looking for clues as to Mr. Bloyd's death. I morphed to human as fast as I could and picked it up. I smoothed myfingers over it's cool exterior. I had grappled with it, struggling not to drop it while flying upwind and there wasn't a single scratch on this metallic baby. It was definitely a work of art.
Erin.
I wondered if she was with Elfangor now, in whatever after life the Andalites believed in. Maybe heaven? I wondered if she knew Charlotte was safe, or if she knew Mr. Bloyd was dead. I wondered if she knew how important Charlotte's mother was to the Yeerks.
So many questions.
I pressed the small bump on the sphere. It opened, and that haunting melody filled the woods. The birds seemed to fall silent, and even the wind stopped rustling the leaves. Everything seemed to be in reverence of the song. My eyes blurred with tears again watching the two Andalite fingers in their slow dance around the music box.
Lindale Mahalma. I quickly rubbed the tears from my cheeks with my hands. After blinking a few times to calm myself down, I turned around.
"Hey Ax." I said, faking a small smile.
Where did you get this from? It is Andalite art, nothing humans are equipped to make yet. Ax said. He picked up the music box with his slender Andalite fingers and turned it over slowly. I have seen this before.
"Elfangor made it for Erin." I told him. He nodded and held it out to me. I didn't take it.
He was very excited about giving this to her. Ax said. I think he truly loved her.
"I know." I didn't look at Ax. Just stared at the music box. It was hypnotic, just watching the spikes circle around the figurines. And strangely soothing. "Ax, I want you to keep it."
Ax looked at me. His gaze seemed to pierce through me. It is the only thing you have of Elfangor's. You do not want it?
"Elfangor made it for Erin." I sighed. "He didn't make it for my mother."
I understand. Ax did a little smiley thing with his eyes. He patted me on the shoulder. Together, we walked back to the barn. Everyone was there waiting for us. They looked sympathetic. But I didn't want their sympathy.
No, it was an accident. Nothing but an accident. I had faked a jab to his throat to scare him. Never in a million years would I have killed him. I didn't know that there was a teddy bear under his foot. I didn't know that he would slip over the railing. I definitely didn't know that he was going to impale himself on a spiked fence and die.
Good God.
I landed on the grass. I was in the woods, but far from where I usually hung out with Ax. I wasn't ready to face anybody yet. I also couldn't perch on a tree when I was already clutching something between my claws.
The music box. The music box that Elfangor had given Erin. I had taken it before the Yeerks swarmed all over the place looking for clues as to Mr. Bloyd's death. I morphed to human as fast as I could and picked it up. I smoothed myfingers over it's cool exterior. I had grappled with it, struggling not to drop it while flying upwind and there wasn't a single scratch on this metallic baby. It was definitely a work of art.
Erin.
I wondered if she was with Elfangor now, in whatever after life the Andalites believed in. Maybe heaven? I wondered if she knew Charlotte was safe, or if she knew Mr. Bloyd was dead. I wondered if she knew how important Charlotte's mother was to the Yeerks.
So many questions.
I pressed the small bump on the sphere. It opened, and that haunting melody filled the woods. The birds seemed to fall silent, and even the wind stopped rustling the leaves. Everything seemed to be in reverence of the song. My eyes blurred with tears again watching the two Andalite fingers in their slow dance around the music box.
Lindale Mahalma. I quickly rubbed the tears from my cheeks with my hands. After blinking a few times to calm myself down, I turned around.
"Hey Ax." I said, faking a small smile.
Where did you get this from? It is Andalite art, nothing humans are equipped to make yet. Ax said. He picked up the music box with his slender Andalite fingers and turned it over slowly. I have seen this before.
"Elfangor made it for Erin." I told him. He nodded and held it out to me. I didn't take it.
He was very excited about giving this to her. Ax said. I think he truly loved her.
"I know." I didn't look at Ax. Just stared at the music box. It was hypnotic, just watching the spikes circle around the figurines. And strangely soothing. "Ax, I want you to keep it."
Ax looked at me. His gaze seemed to pierce through me. It is the only thing you have of Elfangor's. You do not want it?
"Elfangor made it for Erin." I sighed. "He didn't make it for my mother."
I understand. Ax did a little smiley thing with his eyes. He patted me on the shoulder. Together, we walked back to the barn. Everyone was there waiting for us. They looked sympathetic. But I didn't want their sympathy.