As the minutes went by, I grew more and more afraid. *It's only Jake,* I
kept telling myself. *It's no big deal. You told Cassie. You can tell Jake
now.*
What I was most worried about was that Jake would have to tell Rachel and Marco as well. Maybe I shouldn't have read each of the Animorph books at least 4 times. I just couldn't help thinking about that scene in #19. You know the one. Cassie becomes a voluntary Controller to save Karen. And then Marco says. Marco says, "You're a fool, Cassie. Now it's not the little girl who may have to die. It's *you.*"
I had that line running through my head, over and over and over again. And then of course when *Rachel* finds out.. Well, she just plain goes ballistic. They don't much like voluntary controllers.
Both Illarim and Cassie were silent as we waited. Cassie worked on some homework. When I had read the books, I'd always wondered how they did homework when they were so busy fighting Yeerks. Now I knew. It was done in short spurts, whenever they had a couple minutes. Do a few problems here, read a paragraph there.
Since I was still untied, I could turn my hand to look at my watch. Illarim allowed me this freedom most of the time. I was so nervous I was checking the time every two or three minutes. I tried to look again, but Illarim stopped me.
Why won't you let me look at my watch? I demanded.
Whether or not you know the time isn't going to affect how soon Jake gets here, He pointed out. It just makes you more nervous. Relax. He'll get here soon enough.
He made me take deep, slow breaths and tried to slow my heart rate to help calm me. But just because I didn't show the typical signs of nervousness, it didn't mean I wasn't nervous.
After what seemed an eternity, I heard footsteps nearing the shed. This is it, I muttered. The door creaked slowly open and Jake walked in.
He grinned. "Hi Cassie. Did you have a good- Wait a minute. What is she doing untied?" His friendly tone turned to the decisive, determined, leader- like tone I'd always imagined him using.
"It's all right," Cassie said quickly. "We'll explain everything." She looked at me. "Right Katie?"
"Right," my voice answered. I was way too nervous to say anything.
"I'll explain," Illarim made me say before Cassie could say anything. "Katie was a voluntary controller. She decided to become a host. She was aware of the Yeerks and the war long before she ever attended a Sharing meeting."
What I was most worried about was that Jake would have to tell Rachel and Marco as well. Maybe I shouldn't have read each of the Animorph books at least 4 times. I just couldn't help thinking about that scene in #19. You know the one. Cassie becomes a voluntary Controller to save Karen. And then Marco says. Marco says, "You're a fool, Cassie. Now it's not the little girl who may have to die. It's *you.*"
I had that line running through my head, over and over and over again. And then of course when *Rachel* finds out.. Well, she just plain goes ballistic. They don't much like voluntary controllers.
Both Illarim and Cassie were silent as we waited. Cassie worked on some homework. When I had read the books, I'd always wondered how they did homework when they were so busy fighting Yeerks. Now I knew. It was done in short spurts, whenever they had a couple minutes. Do a few problems here, read a paragraph there.
Since I was still untied, I could turn my hand to look at my watch. Illarim allowed me this freedom most of the time. I was so nervous I was checking the time every two or three minutes. I tried to look again, but Illarim stopped me.
Why won't you let me look at my watch? I demanded.
Whether or not you know the time isn't going to affect how soon Jake gets here, He pointed out. It just makes you more nervous. Relax. He'll get here soon enough.
He made me take deep, slow breaths and tried to slow my heart rate to help calm me. But just because I didn't show the typical signs of nervousness, it didn't mean I wasn't nervous.
After what seemed an eternity, I heard footsteps nearing the shed. This is it, I muttered. The door creaked slowly open and Jake walked in.
He grinned. "Hi Cassie. Did you have a good- Wait a minute. What is she doing untied?" His friendly tone turned to the decisive, determined, leader- like tone I'd always imagined him using.
"It's all right," Cassie said quickly. "We'll explain everything." She looked at me. "Right Katie?"
"Right," my voice answered. I was way too nervous to say anything.
"I'll explain," Illarim made me say before Cassie could say anything. "Katie was a voluntary controller. She decided to become a host. She was aware of the Yeerks and the war long before she ever attended a Sharing meeting."