Chapter 23
Tobias
Rachel met me at the cliff. I stayed hawk as long as possible. I still wasn't completely well from earlier that day. I still felt off my game. Rachel had already demorphed and was looking at me expectantly. I sighed and morphed to human.
I instantly felt my mind grow fuzzy. I could not form a thought nor hear Rachel's panicked cries. I had a faint buzzing in my ears that kept getting louder. Rachel's mouth was moving with silent words. I closed my eyes and when I opened them, I felt like someone had put their hand around my stomach and was squeezing it with their every bit of strength. The pain and nausea were consuming. At the same time, the explosion of sudden light hurt my eyes and made my brain explode and the drummer take up residence, my head pulsating with his beat. I felt instantly faint and started to sway.
Rachel grabbed my shoulder and looked concernedly at me. I tried to tell her I wasn't feeling well, but I couldn't form the words. She seemed to understand and helped to ease me down so I was leaning against a tree. I pulled my legs up to my chest and rested my head on them. I was sweating and panting slightly. I knew Rachel was scared, but I couldn't say anything to re-assure her. My mind was too muddled and painfilled to be of any use.
I tried to think about demorphing…I knew I could thoughtspeak..maybe. I felt the changes begin and I wondered briefly if some higher power was helping me. I knew I couldn't concentrate enough to speak, let alone dimorph. As soon as I was hawk, my brain cleared slightly. The illness ran different in the hawk body, but not that much. I still couldn't think and had a headache, obviously was running a high fever still, and I felt like I could vomit. I didn't even know birds could vomit. Go figure.
"Tobias?" I heard Rachel say, distantly, like she was hundreds of yards away from me.
((I don't…)) I started to say and my vision blurred and my mind went numb.
"You what!" Rachel demanded. "Come on Tobias, talk to me here."
((I don't…feel…right.)) I said, feeling the darkness taking over my mind again.
"Stay awake Tobias. Just stay awake." I heard her say, her voice even further away.
((O….ka…y…)) I said, feeling weaker by the minute. All I wanted to do was sleep, but I wasn't going to let myself. I wouldn't disappoint Rachel.
((It's going to be ok Tobias. Cassie will know what to do.)) Rachel's voice came from in my mind. I couldn't comprehend what she was talking about. What's a Cassie? My brain asked. I lost the ability to keep my eyes opened.
((Cassie?)) I said, still unable to figure out what a Cassie was.
((Yes Cassie. I felt myself being picked up and in motion. It made me feel queezier. We're almost there Tobias. Just hold on a bit longer.))
My mind was almost asleep. I couldn't hold on much longer and not as long as Rachel wanted and needed me too. I gave into sleep as I heard Rachel calling my name in my head. I'm sorry, I thought, Just too tired…