Author's Note: In case you haven't noticed, "Songs of the Species" is up. This contains not only the full text of "Dirrabepe Shnaol" but Benny Angle's greatest hit. A Jubba-Jubba paraphrase is forthcoming.

"Ra-chel!" Jordan sang.

Blearily, I looked at the clock. "Okay, Jordan? We're going to do some math here."

"I don't like math!" She sprinted out of the bedroom.

"I like math," Sara whispered shyly.

"Okay." I rolled my eyes, or I would have if they had been open. "Sara, see the numbers on the clock? How many are there?"

"Three."

"Good job. Now, when you see three numbers that means it's time for Rachel to be asleep. When you see four numbers that means Rachel can wake up." I rolled over. A few minutes passed without me being able to go back to sleep. Realizing what might be going on, I turned back. "Sara?"

"Yeah?"

"You don't have to stay staring at the clock." Only when I'd fulfilled my duties as a big sister was I able to get back to sleep. I didn't even want to know what that said about me.

I was going to get into the kitchen and eat breakfast/lunch before Cassie's mom forced me to. However, it was empty. I assumed that I was just late. "Any cereal?" I hollered.

Jake's dad came up to me. "We're saving it for later tonight."

"We're gonna have a party!" Sara exclaimed.

I raised my eyebrows a little. "Oh. Cool."

"Yeah…" Jake's dad nodded towards the hallway. I followed him into his bedroom, where he closed the door. "We don't have much left, and we don't know how long we'll be in here. So we've-the other adults and I-'ve decided not to overdose, cut down on our meals. Y'know?"

"Yeah. Are Jordan and Sara the only ones in the dark?"

"Presumably. I implied to Jake that he could tell your friends, so I'm assuming they know." Sure it would go over well with Ax.

"Okay. Well, thanks."

I headed out of the room, only to be accosted by Jake. "Rachel? We've got a bit of a situation on our hands."

"How big a bit?"

"Eh, pretty big. C'mon."

Jake's mom was leaning against the door, arms folded. "What can be so important that you have to go out in this weather?"

"Mom, it can't be that bad," Tom answered. "Not after two nights."

"Oh, I think it can."

"What do we do?" I whispered to Jake. He waved the others over.

"What do we do?" Marco asked.

Jake rolled his eyes. "I don't think Tom can win against my parents, so all we have to do is make sure he stays in the house."

>How long has it been since his last visit to the Yeerk Pool?> Ax privately asked us.

"Erm, you know…I don't know. But I think before the party, uh, two days ago?"

>How long before?>

"I don't know. I can't do that freaky clock thing."

>What freaky clock thing?>

"Ax…let's just take it easy, okay?" We "broke huddle". "Dude, have you looked out the window?"

Tom turned to face Jake. "Yeah, actually, I have."

"There's no way you can go out in that."

"Yeah…there is."

"No," Jake's dad declared authoritatively.

"Fine. Fine. I'm going up to my room." He took off up the stairs, almost casually. Marco nodded to Jake and followed him, returning a few minutes later.

"Well?" Jake hissed.

"Just brooding."

"Good thing we don't still have that electric guitar."

"Yeah, I guess. There's enough angst here already."

>Rachel?>

What?

>What was that "freaky clock thing" Jake spoke of?>

Your, um, skill.

>My skill?>

Yeah. Um…yeah. That.