A/N: We're going to go back in time a little bit. Now you find out what has been happening to Josh, Alexandria, and Sarah.
Disclaimer: As you already know, the Animorphs belong to K.A. Applegate. Sarah, Alexandria, Josh, Bade, and Hope belong to me.
~~Josh~~
My name is Josh.
Just Josh. The only thing even remotely special about me is the fact that Cassie the Animorph is my third cousin. I've always just been a regular guy.
Well, not anymore.
I don't even want to go through all the beginning of the party, so I'll start after I left Bade, Sarah, and Hope.
I didn't really want to go look for Alexandria or anyone else. I wanted to be alone. But I also wanted to get away from Hope and that weird necklace she was wearing, and finding Alexandria was the best excuse I could come up with.
Well, whether I wanted to be with Alexandria or not, I was stuck with her when we met at the punch bowl.
I guess you could say I have a crush on Alexandria. I'd call it deeper than a crush. Here's the problem though: I also have the same feelings towards Sarah.
I try to avoid both. I don't know why, maybe because I hope that if I keep avoiding them, I will be able to choose between them. I know this is bull, but I still try.
Unfortunately, they hang around me. I don't know if I like it or not.
Anyways, I had met Alexandria at the punch bowl.
"Hey Josh!" she said sort of flirtingly.
"Oh, hey Alexandria." I said.
I would had left then, but Hope was nearby and I didn't want to offend her. Hope is a really good friend, but I just needed to get away from that freaky necklace.
"Josh, did you see Hope's necklace?" Alexandria asked me.
"Yes! Isn't it weird?" I said kind of quickly.
"Yeah, especially when I touched it. I got sort of a shock."
"Me too." What else could I say?
"Probably just static electricity."
"Yeah." I agreed.
Now I wish we had taken it more seriously.
* * * *
The party was winding down. It was at Rick's house so I needed to go home. Fortunately or unfortunately, two certain teenage girls decided to go home with me. I'll give you one guess.
"Hey Josh!" Said Sarah, "I might as well go home with you since we live on the same block."
"Yeah me too. My house is only a couple blocks from yours." Alexandria offered.
So, I was walking home with two gorgeous teenage girls that I adore. We had decided to cut through the abandoned alleyway next to my block. That was our second hugest mistake of the night.
"Give me all your money!" A guy in a mask came up behind us and demanded.
"We don't have any." Sarah said in a panic. I could see why. The guy was pointing a gun at us.
"Look," I said calmly, "We don't any trouble. All we want to do is go home. We're going to back out of this alley slowly and pretend this didn't happen. You don't want murder on your hands."
"SHUT UP!" He screamed. "SHUT UP. I'll kill you." He started clutching his head. This guy was probably one of those people who here voices that aren't there.
He regained his resolve and pointed his gun at us, "You die now!" Then he fired.
The bullet was hurtling towards me at blinding speed. Or…not?
The bullet was inches from my neck, just frozen in mid-air. I looked around carefully. Two other bullets had stopped centimeters from hitting the girls. The mad man had a frozen look of contempt on his face.
In one way I was relieved, in another I was confused. Time had just stopped. For everyone but me, Sarah, and Alexandria.
Then we heard it. A voice or more rather, thoughts exploding into my head.
YOU WILL NOT DIE.
We were frozen, but not from the time stop. We were frozen from fear. Then it (spoke?) again.
YOU WILL NOT DIE NOW. RIGHT NOW YOU WILL LIVE.
A/N: Please review!