CHAPTER 12

Rachel

WE WERE GOING TO DIE. I knew it. I was absolutely positively sure. "We need to bail," I said. "We need to pack our bags and get out of here."

"You're overreacting, Rachel," Jake replied.

"Overreacting? You guys are under-reacting! Don't you understand what's going on? She's turning us in!"

"Are you blind?" Marco cried. "Don't you see what Allie is doing?"

"Yes, she's turning us in."

"No she's not." An unexpected voice. Cassie. "Didn't you recognize Voxfra. It's her brother."

"Exactly. Who do you think she's reporting us to?"

She's not reporting us to anyone, Tobias said. He was perched on top the dumpster. She just tried to kill her brother.

"A lot more than I could do," Jake remarked. "I came close to almost killing Tom but I still don't know if I could have done it."

Were my ears betraying me? Were my friends insane? Even Tobias thought Allie was innocent. She's not, I know. I can just sense it. We can't trust her.

"Let's just hope she gets out alive," Marco said sadly. "That place was heavily guarded. There's no way-"

"Have you all lost your minds?!" I cried.

"Rachel, what is it that you don't understand?" Marco asked. "Can't you see what she's done? She's sacrificing her own brother for us. Somehow, she knows how deadly he is and she's trying to stop him. She's killing her own flesh and blood."

"But she's got a Yeerk inside her head, Marco. There's something weird going on and I know she's the cause of it. Every instinct in my body is telling me to get my butt outta here because I can't trust her. None of us can -"

Time stopped. All of my friends were frozen. Marco's face was red and troubled. Jake was watching me, wondering what I had against our new "animorph." Cassie was looking at me with those eyes of hers, full of pity.

The time has come for a decision, Rachel.

The Crayak. Of course. Forty-eight hours.

I know it's tearing you apart, but I only see one answer. Since the time that I've left you, your friends have turned against you. Your killer instincts are strong - overpowering. I can help ease the pain that you feel. Become a soldier in my army and you will be happier than you can imagine. I can make your wildest fantasies come to life, Rachel.

"And your worst nightmares!"

A familiar voice. I whirled around. Allie was running over to us. Why wasn't she frozen like the rest of the betrayers?

"Rachel, you can't listen to him. You can't." She put her hand on my shoulder but I quickly took it away.

"And why not?"

"Just trust me, Rachel. You've got to trust me."

"Trust you? Trust you?! How can I trust you when you've done nothing but lie to us. You've turned everyone else against me."

"Rachel, he's playing with your mind. What you're feeling isn't real. The instincts, the paranoia. When he leaves you'll be back to normal. Then I'll explain everything. I'll tell the truth and answer all your questions. You've just got to trust me."

"I wish I could Allie. I really wish I could. But you're a Yeerk, and no one can trust a Yeerk."

"I'm not a Yeerk, Rachel," she shook her head. "Search your heart, not your mind, not the gnawing at your soul. You know I'm telling you the truth. If you just say no to him all the agony will go away. If you join his army it will always be the back of your mind, eating you - the brave Rachel - up. You're not evil like him, Rachel."

I looked at this girl who had only been in my life for three days, this girl who had turned my reality upside down, this girl who asked me to trust her. She was right. I could feel in my heart - I know it sounds corny - but I knew she was right. I though of my little sisters. They would never want me to join the Crayak. And Tobias, the one person who I cared about most, would never give me another look if I joined the evil side. He believes in me, and his faith is something that helps me fall asleep at night after I've been in so many battles.

I'm not evil.

I turned to the bright light of the Crayak. "I decline your offer."

In an instant the bright light disappeared. Marco stopped in mid-sentence and realized Allie was with us. He ran over and hugged her, nearly knocking her over. He gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"You're alive!" Cassie cried. "How'd you get here so fast?"

Allie tore herself away from Marco's arms. "It's a long story. One that I've been meaning to tell you guys about."

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