A few weeks had passed since I had joined Fun for Family. I decided that the organization was pretty cool. We did some community service and had a few campfires. We even had a sleepover while we had sing-a-longs until 11:00 PM. Of course we didn't actually go to bed then- we then had pillow fights and had a bonfire. We had lights out around 1:00 AM but there was lots of whispering until 2:30. Luckily we weren't expected back until 2:00 on Sunday, the next day. I decided that even if, by some chance, it wasn't a Yeerk front, I would still stay and become a full member, if I was asked.
My dad, though, was worse than having a cavity. Rob kept getting extremely poor grades in school, so after his teacher sent home a note saying that his grade in Math was averaging a D, my dad insisted that I take him to a few meetings.
I was opposed to this. Rob may not be my favorite person in the world, but I definitely didn't want him infested against his will.
I also didn't want him to be in the same group as me. It would be embarrassing, to say the least.
"Just to try it out, Amy? It would be a big help to your mom and me," he had begged me.
Rob had, of course, refused this, but gave no reason except that he heard from "his sources" that Fun for Family wasn't "cool enough"- as though an 11…excuse me, almost 12, year old would have any idea what it meant to be cool.
I'm talking about someone who starts food fights in the lunchroom and is labeled as a "weirdo" by his grade. My dad threatened Rob that if he didn't "shapen up his act", he would make him join Fun for Family and they would teach him to be a "more respectful citizen of this country."
Since when did my dad start feeling patriotic?
After the lecture, I still don't think Rob knew what half of what Dad was talking about meant.
Sometimes I thought that my dad was a Controller, but I never saw him at meetings. It wasn't something I could very well ask anyone. Besides, being a Controller usually wasn't the sort of thing you noticed.
So it was just my dad being weird. Again.
It was now Thursday afternoon. Jennifer told me that Anna wanted to see me after the meeting, but she implied that it was for a good thing.
My heart started beating faster as I croaked out, "Ok, sure."
I waited for the meeting to start. It was a long one. The hour seemed to last for centuries. All of my doubts came back to me, each one larger than the other.
What if I get a cruel Yeerk? What if it tries to infest my family? Am I a traitor to the human race? etc. I also wondered if the infestation would take place that day, or at the next meeting, or even later. I sort of hoped that it would be soon, but not right away. I mean, I had thought about this for a few years already, so I didn't exactly want to drag it out too much longer. Still, I hoped that I'd have a few days before the infestation.
"Amy? The meeting's finished," Jennifer whispered as she saw me still sitting there while everyone else was getting up. "You feeling okay?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm fine."
Amanda came over. I smiled and waved at her. It was a relief to see a friend there, even if the friend was not human…of course, she might be…
This was starting to give me a headache.
"Hi, girls," Anna greeted us cheerfully, coming in. She turned to me. "This way."
I raised my eyebrows at Amanda. She smiled and mouthed, "A ritual," rolling her eyes.
I nodded and Anna led me into a small room. She closed the door behind us.
"Amy, would you like to become a full member of Fun for Family?" Anna asked me.
"Yeah, I think so."
She smiled at me with her teeth, looking somewhat…predatory?
It was impossible to tell if it was my imagination.
"Well, it's exactly easy."
"What do you mean?"
Did she mean it was or wasn't a Yeerk front?
"You see, we are really Yeerks from other planets. We would like to give your body to a Yeerk so that we will be able to continue taking over the world. We hope you don't mind, oh, and have a nice day."
No, of course Anna didn't really say that. She didn't even use the word Yeerk. But I knew by the way she explained it that it was exactly as I had expected. She talked about self sacrifice and giving up parts of myself for a greater part. Stuff like that. I was used to it all and said that sure, no problem.
"We're going somewhere to officially initiate you into Fun for Family," she explained. "It's necessary to have these guards here."
So I had been right. All of this time. Now, there was truly no backing out of it. No escape. I just hoped that my instincts were right on this.
One of them took my hand, rather roughly, and we walked down the hallway. We walked down the narrow stairs and I had to be careful not to trip.
"No need to rush," Anna told me, smiling fakely. "It would be pretty pointless if you killed yourself getting there."
If I was dead, I would be useless as a host.
We were evidently going to the yeerk pool, but I knew it was a different entrance than people normally went because there were no screams.
She took me into a small room with the others. She explained it all to me then as she locked the door. I would need to surrender myself to the Yeerk. I could either be voluntary or involuntary. Either way, I would be infested.
I nodded. "I'll be voluntary."
She sighed with relief and led me to the pool. I guess there were two Yeerks ready; one if I was willing and one if I wasn't.
I kneeled before it and tilted my ear into it when Anna told me to. I guess she somehow knew which Yeerk was supposed to infest me. Who knows how.
The Yeerk started to push its way in. I winced a little as the pain began, but it sprayed some painkiller in a second and I could feel my ear go numb.
The Yeerk began to crawl into my ear and I slowly lost control. I expected this, but I admit it, I kind of freaked out. Mentally, of course; I couldn't move my body now. There was this alien slug that was crawling in my head, and I had no idea if it would be like Aftran or like Visser One.
Hello? I asked. By now I couldn't move my body. I couldn't even blink! It was like being paralyzed. I couldn't move at all. I hadn't expected this. . .
Hello, human, the Yeerk responded. My name is Aoroa Two-Eight-Three.
I'm Amy. Could you call me that, instead of "human"?
Very well, Amy.
It's ok if I call you Aoroa, right? Without the numbers at the end and all? I asked, a little nervously, as we got up.Yes, that's fine.
She opened my memories. I mentally swallowed nervously as Aoroa searched through some of them, ignoring some of the worse ones for now. I guess she had to do this, in order to seem like me. But still, I was glad when she was done.
You seem to enjoy those books a lot, she remarked, obviously talking about the Animorphs series. We were now walking to my bike as she spoke.
I gave a mental nod. Now that this was becoming so real, I was pretty scared of Aoroa.
Yes, me, Yeerk lover Amy. Wonders never cease.I've had another human host who also read the books. She was also voluntary, but not as sympathetic towards the Yeerks. Of course, it doesn't help that the writer is an escaped Controller. One whose Yeerk, we believe, overdosed quite a bit on oatmeal.
She said that last part as an afterthought.
I just gave another mental nod. Thoughts went racing through my mind, but none that I actually directed at the Yeerk.
Of course, it didn't mean she couldn't hear them.
You're going to have to speak sometime, Amy, Aoroa noted. We are going to be living in the same head for some time.
I'm just nervous, I mumbled. Or what I thought was a mumble. Did all thoughts have the same amount of sound?
I could see that even if I couldn't read your thoughts.
Well, it is kind of strange, you have to admit. I waited awhile mostly because I didn't want to be embarrassed if it was all made up.
I know. Her tone was soothing, comforting. It calmed me down, a little. Made me less anxious.
By now, she had informed the other Controllers that she was in control, and that I was still voluntary. We walked outside towards my bike.
Are you a member of the Peace Movement?
This, in my mind, determined everything.
Of course. What with has been going on, many have joined the movement solely because they realize how quickly the Yeerks- well, the ones on the visser's side- have been losing power. I've been one for awhile, ever since I got a Hork-Bajir as a host. But all of my other hosts have been voluntary anyway. She had…misled her fans about the size of the movement.
Among other things.
Of course. She laughed. Do you want control, or would it be easier to talk if I'm in charge while we're riding the bike?
I'd like control, please.
All right.
I felt myself able to move my body again. It was definitely a relief.What else isn't true?
Hmm,
let's see. The part about Cassie and Karen really did happen,
but Aftran was never caught again. That was only done because
Applegate didn't have anything else to write about. And Taylor
is completely mythical, actually based on Visser Four's second
removed cousin who now infests a Gedd. Rumor has it he'll be
killed any day now. However, it's true that Visser One was very
nasty, and luckily Eva is rid of her.
And
the Animorphs?
They exist. They became members of the Peace Movement when it became obvious that they would need to join it in order to stand a chance at winning. The Andalites were showing no help, so it was only a matter of time. After Jake's brother joined the Peace Movement, Jake saw that it wasn't so terrible. The other Animorphs eventually came to that conclusion and decided to join forces, so to speak.
How many are in the movement?
About two thirds of us. Maybe as much as eighty percent. Usually fairly spread out on the hierarchy…our founder was Visser 8 when the movement started, and now she's Visser 5. Two Council members are in it. They hold Taxxon hosts.
I wondered about that.
I rode in silence for awhile. When we got home, I could hear my dad's yelling almost before I opened the door.
Is he usually like this? Aoroa questioned.
Not at all…
"This is the third detention you've gotten so far this month! That is it! You have to join Fun for Family like your sister. See how much you can improve? Amy went from B's to A's since she joined, and you can easily get B's if you work at it. Fun for Family has done nothing but helped you sister. You have two choices, young man. You can either join Fun for Family or be grounded for the next year. And no, I am not kidding for an instant!"
"But, da-ad, I really don't wanna."
"Enough of this, young man. Go to your room."
Oh great. If there was one thing worse than calling Rob Robert, it was calling him "young man." Now he was in for it.
