Okay, I'm back sooner than ya all thought! WHEEEEEEEEEE!
Ok, here we goes… and don't 4get to review… I lyk reviews…
Hmm… yummy reviews…
I stepped into the room, a cold air hitting my face. A computerised voice told me to get a pressure suit before I entered the lab. I did, realising it fit amazingly well, not the big bulky suits you see on TV. Well, only the helmet bit of the suit was slightly wonky, but I didn't care. I stepped in, along with a very dark-haired woman.
Inside it was a gigantic bluish-white room, with very large lab tables in rows, stretching very far. On the other side I saw a large glass window, and I barely saw that there was movement beyond that room.
"Hey, Jelred!" Someone called, and I turned to see a red-haired woman waving at me. I went over to her.
"Where you been? You're late" She said, smiling at me through her clear mask.
"I…uh… host troubles. Still can't focus properly"
"Oh, all right. I'll start us off today, shall I?"
"All right"
"Here, look at these samples" she moved a microscope around so I could look at it. I leaned over to look…
"Jelred!" I jumped as if my own name had been called, and I spun around to see…
Amanda. Only… it wasn't Amanda. I knew that now. Her eyes were too cold, even for Amanda.
"Yes… boss?" I took a shot in the dark. She glared at me through her own mask.
"Come will me! You're being transferred"
I looked back at the other woman, who smiled sadly and shrugged, then meekly followed her and her two guards into a small clear plastic hallway at the other end of the room. Once in there, she took off her mask and pressure suit, to reveal her jumpsuit. Her guards did the same, and I quickly followed suit, getting the message.
Once back in my own jumpsuit, she smiled at me.
"You're getting a promotion for your brilliant work, Jelred-seven-two-eight.
"I… I am?"
"Yes. Guards! Prepare her new work station in the back. Jelred? Come" She led me down the hall, and I had no choice but to follow. Or did I…
I watched her walk, looking back and seeing the guards were gone. No one coming…
"Amanda, I'm sorry" I murmured, just before I smashed into her from behind, pinning her against the wall. She let out a startled gasp, then a pained one as I shoved her harder into the wall.
"All right Yeerk, you-"
She suddenly burst into laughter "Oh really, do you think you're going to get far with that?"
"Let her go!" I suddenly screamed, surprising myself. But what else could I do now? I'd wanted Amanda back so badly I'd lost my head for a minute. Nothing made sense anymore…
"All right" And from where I had her face sideways against the wall, and her arms shoved tight behind her back, I saw her facial expression change. Fear, pain, longing…
"Jade… no point anymore… just give in… dead…" Then her face snapped back, and the Yeerk was in control again.
"As you see, you can't fight us. We're everywhere…"
"Hey!" Someone yelled, and I shoved my best friends body down towards the floor as I saw more than one guard coming for me. The Yeerk controlling my best friend laughed…
"I knew all along it was you Jade! I could always read you like a book!" she screamed, laughing hysterically as I ran in the opposite direction. But her voice followed me through the now winding halls.
Then I saw, to my horror...
Clones! Underneath me! On the floor of a factory-like room! I stopped and stared. They were in rows, and only varied by the next row…
Then I saw one set of clones that I couldn't take my eyes off…
"There you are!" three guards grabbed me, but I couldn't take my eyes away… then I saw another row, and I knew… I'd not only betrayed my friends, I'd betrayed my family!
One row was full of girls that looked like Tina! The other… Ryan! Older, but… still my little brother and sister!
"No. Nonononononono…" I moaned as the guards put my hands behind my back, and something was clipped around my wrists.
"You're going back to the boss, little missy!" one snarled, and they started to pick me up…
"NOOOOOOOOO!" The scream erupted from my throat! Had to get out! Had to!
I focused… and focused again… they carried me between them like a sack of potatoes…
(NOOOOOOOOOOO!) Another scream, and then someone shouted. I was dropped, barely aware that I'd screamed in thought-speak until I'd landed on all four feet.
I was a cheetah.
I leapt at their faces, taking them out. Then I ran.
I bolted, finding myself out on the street again. I don't know how… I looked back again… and all I saw was a door… plain old, wooden door…
I shook my head, taking off running. I knew I should shift back, but I thought if I did I might not be able to shift again. Dracon fire soon singed my ear, and I bolted.
Where I was going… I had no idea…
I ran into what looked like an old book store, stopping only long enough to catch my breath… and it all came rushing back to me…
My brother and sister… cloned! But… where were the real Tina and Ryan!
I must have fainted or something, because when I came to, I was human again. A worthless, defenceless human. I leaned against an old book shelf, trying not to cry…
I heard a moan, and looked to where I'd come from to see…
Wait, it wasn't there anymore! It was there, then it vanished!
I jumped up, thinking of making my way out some other way. But before that…
I stood stock still, closing my eyes and listening. I thought I'd heard something.
"Who are you?"
A child! And not just any child… a Chanaiben girl!
"Oh! You scared me!" I said, managing to smile and kneeling down to her level. She came towards me, a stuffed toy in one arm, smiling.
"You're not evil. I can see it" She rocked backwards and forwards on her feet, then leaned her bodyweight on her small but still impressive tail. Her smile just made me smile. It was actually nice to know she wasn't about to rip my face apart.
"Well, thankyou. Are you alone"
"Hmm… no. Not really. My friends are close by"
"How old are you?"
"Six"
"Oh. Okay. Can I meet your friends?"
She shook her head, giggling. It was such a sweet sound after so long, and it reminded me of Phoebe. I wondered where she was in this harsh place.
"Aww, why not?"
"They're hiding" She played with the arm of her toy, smiling cheekily.
"Oh. What from?"
"Evil people" she said simply.
"But I'm not evil" I smiled encouragingly at her.
"I know. They don't think so"
"Storn! Where are you?" Came the voice. The little girl put a finger to her lips.
"Don't tell them you're here" she whispered, then gave me a quick hug and was gone. I followed her, keeping hidden as I watched her meet up with a small human boy, and an Andalite female, both perhaps only a few years older than the little Chanaiben girl.
(Storn! Don't do that again! We were worried) the female said, and each took a little hand as she held the small soft toy with her tail. I tried to follow, but found they were gone by the time I stepped out into the back alley.
"There she is!" A sudden yell, and something missed shooting me by inches. I ducked involuntarily, looking left and right. I was surrounded!
I ran and grabbed the old ratty wooden fence beside me, vaulting myself over it and taking off at a run as soon as my feet hit the floor. This just made no sense! Where the heck did those kids go! And… and where…
I looked up, suddenly realising it was close to nightfall.
I ducked and dove and dodged, until I was sure I'd lost them. By then, I was exhausted.
Wham! I was down! I struggled and fought, but I was too tired to even fight a little kid. Whoever had me, pulled me up, and…
"Jake!" I cried, wrapping my arms tightly around him. It was glad to finally see someone I trusted. He hugged back just as tightly.
"Oh god, you're ok!" He cried "I was scared… thought you'd meet me at…"
"I'm sorry. I… Amanda, and… saw clones of Tina and Ryan… couldn't…"
"Come on, let's get inside for a minute" He led me into a building, where I leaned against a wall, fighting for breath. It seemed to be all I was doing here. Running and trying to get my breath back afterwards.
I still wasn't sure about what was going on, but I was definitely not liking it one bit.
Then Jake gave me the bad news… and I literally fainted.
Wheeeeee! I'm stuffing it all up!
Bet you all hate me now, dontcha! MUUAAAHAHAHAHAHAAHHA!
I AAAMMM THHEEEEEE EEEEEEVIIILLL!
