Disclaimer: I don't own anything outa the original Animorphs

Chapter 2

I awoke the next morning to find I'd slept through my alarm again. I really needed a new alarm, perhaps louder, the only time my alarm clock had ever woken me up was when I was daydreaming in my bedroom.

It was nearly nine in the morning and the party started at midday, I'm not really an organised person so I needed a lot longer than four hours to prepare, not to mention helping with the food and stuff.

I pulled on my jeans and put on some shirt that said "Girlz Rule" not bad, I thought, perfect to tease Lee and James. I brushed my hair quickly, I didn't know what to do with it so I left it down. Not that there's much to do with my hair, it only just goes past my ears. Ruthi has really long wavy hair, it's quite funny, it sticks up all over the place.

I rushed downstairs, there was a note on the fridge.

Tina,

Gone down to the vets, help yourself to breakfast, we'll be back soon.

Love

Mum and Dad

Of course! How could I forget? Sparkie had appointment with the vet (In other words my Grandparents) today. It was just a checkup so I wasn't worried about Sparkie. That's why the reunion wasn't held sooner I realised.

I reached for the cereal and a bottle of milk, and made myself breakfast. It tasted dry and sour and horrible. Only later did I find out the milk had gone off. After that I lost my appetite for breakfast. I was still a bit tired so I got into my unmade bed and went straight back to sleep.

*****

Next thing I knew I was being shook awake. I opened my eyes, Ruthi eyes were staring right into mine, of course, I didn't know they were Ruthi's at the time.

"Ahhh!" I screamed. Ruthi started smiling, and soon she was giggling uncontrollably. "Haha, very funny," I said sarcastically. Then I yawned and looked at the time, I wiped the sleep from my eyes and stared closer...

"Yeah, I know, it's half twelve, everyone's here, we've been wondering where the hell you were," Ruthi blabbed on. "I myself, was helping myself to a delicious-looking bowl of crisps when I had to come and look for you," Ruthi said.

"So we better go," I said sleepily, I brushed my hair again and stomped out of bed. Ruthi went sliding down the banister while I took the stairs. We raced to the back door, I'm quite a fast runner, so I beat Ruthi.

"I wasn't running my fastest yaknow," Ruthi said when she caught up. I rolled my eyes.

"Whatever," I said.

The first thing I noticed about the garden was that it smelt like there was a barbecue, which meant I was missing lunch. I picked up a ready-made hotdog and was about to eat it when I heard Lee's voice yelling at me.

"Oy! That's my hotdog!" He was all the way on the other side of the garden playing football with James.

"I don't see your name on it," I laughed cruelly and took a bite.

"Everybody! Tina's sabotaging my hotdog," Lee yelled, everyone heard, I choked on my mouthful of hotdog with laughter.

"Quieten down Lee, you'll wake the whole neighbourhood, you can have mine," James yelled from the goalposts.

" Wow, thanks," Lee said and he strode down to play footie with James once more. I looked beside me to see Ruthi's reaction to the whole conversation. She wasn't there, I looked around and saw her listening to Rachel telling her something. She finally finished and Ruthi ran up to Tina.

"Rachel's just told me this awesome story!" She said enthusiastically. "She said that she died in order to defeat the Yeerks!" I laughed, Ruthi was into anything about stuff like that.

"She looks pretty much alive to me," I replied.

"Yeah, well, you know the Ellimist? he brought her back, or so she says," Ruthi grinned. "Opened any presents yet?" with that Ruthi ran back inside. I decided to open my present from Rachel, as she normally gives the most exciting gifts. I grabbed the plastic carrier bag that had my name on it and looked for the present from Rachel.

It was there. The one with the pink and silver wrapping paper. I opened it and saw a fairly big box, I opened that and found a hairset. It was pretty much cool, it had everything to do with hair, including a load of accessories. And a book of hairstyles. I grapped two clips and put them in my hair. After that I closed the box, and looked into the bottom of the bag, brand-new clothes from the gap! I loved clothes from the gap! Somebody tapped me on the shoulder. I spun round quickly.

"The mutant, who stole my hotdog, is cornered, with nowhere to run she-," Lee began, James laughed.

"Oh, shut up," I said impatiently, "What's up?"

"Just wanted to know if the mutant and the sister wanted to come for a stroll with us, that is, unless you're scared," James said.

"Us, scared? No way! Me and Ruthi will come!" I said angrily, then I lowered my voice a bit, "ecxept I don't know where she is," I admitted.

"I bet I know," Lee replied, and he led us to the bathroom, he opened the door and yelled, "Boo!"

"Aaaaah!" Came Ruthi's scream, "oh it's just you," she said quietly. It appeared as if she'd been checking her reflection in the mirror. She blushed, going redder each second.

"We're going for a stroll, Tina's already said you're coming," Lee said.

"Fine," Ruthi snapped, still abit annoyed at Lee for terrifying her. Without another word from any of us, we walked out of the door – without telling our parents – as soon as we were out of the door Ruthi broke the silence.

"You know, I wasn't really scared, back then," she babbled.

"Yeah, just terrified," replied Lee.

"You know, we shoulda brought the cricket stuff," James said thoughtfully.

"Might as well go to the park anyway," I said, everyone agreed. Cracking jokes and having fun we walked over to the park.

"Now what do we do?" Lee asked.

" I don't know, what dya wanna do?" I said.

"Tina! This is no time to be acting like the vultures in the Jungle Book!" Lee snapped. I had no idea why he was in a bad mood.

"Sorry," I said a little huffily.

"Let's explore over there, you know in the woods!" Ruthi exclaimed. Neithor James nor lee looked very enthusiastic.

"Unless you're scared?" she teased.

"We're going in," Lee said. We walked for what seemed like miles, after a while we stopped chatting.

"Um, Ruthi? Do you know where we are?" James asked.

"I was thinking the same question," Lee and me said together. It was cold out here and I did not like it one bit.

"I thought you knew," Ruthi squeaked, shivering in the cold.

I think we all didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"Maybe it's just me, but this is not a very good situation," Lee said.

"Hey! Why's it dark, it's only half three?" James asked, staring at the pitch black sky.

"Um, winter came early?" I replied.

"Oh haha, that was really funny Tina," Lee said sarcasticly. I turned to Ruthi, she was being amazingly quiet.

"Ruthi?" I asked.

"Does anyone else hear that?" she asked quietly. The goosebumps on her skin meant she was feeling the cold more than any of us. I strained my ears.

And then I heard it. A low humming noise, so quiet you could only hear it if you set your heart to it.

"I don't like this," I said quietly.

"This isn't good, the fearless leader's scared," Lee said. I was shocked at his words.

"What do you mean I'm the leader?" I asked him.

"Well it all makes sense, you wanted to go to the park, your father was leader, if you hadn't gone to the park wouldn't be here. Full stop." James replied for Lee.

"So?" I glared at him.

"Never mind," he muttered. All of a sudden a flash of purple light hit me in the face.

"Am I seeing things?" Lee asked himself.

"Afraid not," James said.

"I was afraid of that answer," Lee replied.

"If I'm the leader, we take a vote, choice number one we stay here and get killed, choice number two, we discover what this is," I said.

"I pick choice number three, run the opposite direction," Lee replied.

"Well I go for number two," said the freezing cold, unbelievably quiet, Ruthi.

"I agree with Ruthi," James said.

"Well that's the majority of the gang," I said acting if things were settled.

"No, it's not, the majority's three," Lee shot at me.

"I vote for number 2 also," I told him.

"Damn," said Lee, but he was too scared and cold to complain further. We ran towards the edge of the woods, now I wished we hadn't, but we had. We stood in the cold of the harsh woods. We all peered through a small gap in the trees. Then Ruthi said in a small and unimportant way:

"Um, anybody, what's that?"

*****

Thank you Lisa-Ann for reviewing the first chapter of my story. Please R&R

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