A/N: Bleh... This is one of those chapters that, when I initially wrote it,
I adored. In retrospect I don't particularly like it, but it's really
pretty important for establishing Katie's character, so I've kept it in
here. ::nods:: I leave it to my readers to make final judgement!
Illarim had to regenerate the next day. He walked me to the Yeerk pool, and actually seemed to have about as little affection for the place as I did.
As he exited my head, two very tough-looking Hork-Bajir held my arms so that I couldn't escape. As they pulled me to my feet, rather roughly I might add, I tried to pull away not because I wanted to escape, but because I was getting bruises. Ow.
They shoved me into a cage with several other teens my age, as well as a few adults. Most of them were sitting dejectedly, all hope lost.
Suddenly, I got an idea. Now, I'm not a great singer. I like singing, and I used to have dreams of being the next Britney Spears or Celine Dion, but I'm not *that* good. I wish, but not quite. Well, anyway, I figured I'd only be in control of myself for a little while, so I might as well make the best of it, right? So, I started to sing. Christmas was only a little over a month away, So I sang some Christmas carols.
"Stupid," A boy muttered.
I raised an eyebrow, and said loudly enough for more than just him to hear even over all the shouts and screams, "Look, there's no way for us to escape, right? And we'll only be in control of ourselves for a little while before we're infested again. Why not make the best of it?"
"She's right," a girl whom I recognized from my school said. "It's bad enough being infested. I'm not going to waste a few moments of freedom on a pity party- there's time enough to do that when it's basically all I *can* do. "
I grinned, and started singing again. She joined in with the harmony. A few other people joined in, hesitantly at first, but the voices soon grew stronger. Eventually, there were at least fifteen of us singing in cages all around the complex. For a little while at least, the horror was almost forgotten.
When my turn came for re-infestation, I went along sadly, but without struggling. I noticed a few others doing the same. With just one little action, I'd helped make their lives a little more bearable. I knew Illarim thought I was naïve, wishing for symbiotism, but I had seen it happen not just to me, but to others too. There is always reason for hope.
Illarim had to regenerate the next day. He walked me to the Yeerk pool, and actually seemed to have about as little affection for the place as I did.
As he exited my head, two very tough-looking Hork-Bajir held my arms so that I couldn't escape. As they pulled me to my feet, rather roughly I might add, I tried to pull away not because I wanted to escape, but because I was getting bruises. Ow.
They shoved me into a cage with several other teens my age, as well as a few adults. Most of them were sitting dejectedly, all hope lost.
Suddenly, I got an idea. Now, I'm not a great singer. I like singing, and I used to have dreams of being the next Britney Spears or Celine Dion, but I'm not *that* good. I wish, but not quite. Well, anyway, I figured I'd only be in control of myself for a little while, so I might as well make the best of it, right? So, I started to sing. Christmas was only a little over a month away, So I sang some Christmas carols.
"Stupid," A boy muttered.
I raised an eyebrow, and said loudly enough for more than just him to hear even over all the shouts and screams, "Look, there's no way for us to escape, right? And we'll only be in control of ourselves for a little while before we're infested again. Why not make the best of it?"
"She's right," a girl whom I recognized from my school said. "It's bad enough being infested. I'm not going to waste a few moments of freedom on a pity party- there's time enough to do that when it's basically all I *can* do. "
I grinned, and started singing again. She joined in with the harmony. A few other people joined in, hesitantly at first, but the voices soon grew stronger. Eventually, there were at least fifteen of us singing in cages all around the complex. For a little while at least, the horror was almost forgotten.
When my turn came for re-infestation, I went along sadly, but without struggling. I noticed a few others doing the same. With just one little action, I'd helped make their lives a little more bearable. I knew Illarim thought I was naïve, wishing for symbiotism, but I had seen it happen not just to me, but to others too. There is always reason for hope.