Chapter 13
It was nearing midday. I was still hanging from last night, but the four of us had agreed to meet up at Ferdie and Philips' house to discuss what we were going to do from here. I'd said goodbye to my parents. I had spent a long time saying goodbye, in fact, and even started crying, and had to mumble something about not getting more As when they asked what was wrong. I had no idea what to say. I would be leaving them, probably for a long time, and I had to face the possibility that I could die. But I couldn't let them know. Not only would it tear them apart, it might also be a clue for the Yeerks if my parents were ever infested. I shuddered at the thought. Eventually I told them I'd probably be late home, and might be staying round a friends' for a couple of days, and not to worry if I didn't phone. It was one of the hardest five minutes of my life. Eventually, I tore myself away. I went upstairs and quickly slipped my morphing leotard on under my tee-shirt and jeans, said one last goodbye, and left the house.
Ferdie and Philip's house wasn't difficult to find, but it was a long walk. I began thinking that we'd definitely need some good cross-country morphs – I was having difficultly surviving the five miles to the Lawless' house! Eventually, I came to the dirt track road that led to their house and turned into it. I gasped. The house was massive. A beautiful Georgian manor house, set on a hill in several acres of Yorkshire parkland, surrounded by paddocks, fields and a lake. Wow. Certainly a contrast to the surroundings when we'd last all been together. I reached the end of the tree-lined drive and gingerly knocked on the enormous oak front door. I could here the sound of the knock echoing through the hallway. I wondered if the Lawless's had a butler to open the door for them.
Just then, I heard a voice. I spun, searching for the source. Philip was traipsing across one of the paddocks, wearing a rather odd ensemble of brown plus-fours and a green tweed jacket.
"Samantha!" Now that he was in his own surrounding, his voice sounded almost as grand as Ferdie's. "We're round the back, having a late breakfast. Come and join us."
I followed Philip round the side of the large, ivy covered house and into the garden, which, in my opinion, was more like a small county. Philip led me into a smaller area of the garden, partly hidden by tall bushes and mature trees. An old wrought iron picnic table stood on a cracked, paved area, sitting at which was Asha.
"Hey, Asha," I said.
"Hiya!" she squawked. She looked very different to how she did on the space ship, wearing a very shiny yellow football shirt, and black and white designer tracksuit trousers. A huge, gold coloured chain hung round her neck. Her feet were clad in ultra-white, brand new trainers. Her black hair was scraped back into a tight ponytail, and enormous gold earrings hung from her ears. Her dark skin was caked in make-up. No offence to her or anything, but she could not look more out of place if she'd tried.
Asha caught me staring at her necklace. "You like me bling?" she asked.
"Uh, yeah," I said hesitantly. "Very, um, in."
I sat down at the table and poured myself some tea. Tea first, milk second. Philip joined us. I was about to summon up the courage to mention my little experiment last night, but then, I noticed one of us missing.
"Where's Ferdie?" I asked, looking around.
"Oh, he'll be along…" said Philip, sounding rather vague.
Suddenly, I heard a thundering in the distance. It sounded like a cavalry charge. "That should be him now, actually…" said Philip. He looked upwards. "And over he goes!"
I put down my tea and turned my head towards the thunder. Out of nowhere, a huge pair of hooves flew over my head. I screamed and ducked, slopping the tea everywhere. The horse, a beautiful chestnut mare, soared over the bushes and landed perfectly beside us. It cantered around our private bit of garden for a bit then came to a stop in front of us.
--Yee Haaa!-- it cried.
"Hello, Flawless," said Philip.
