Chapter 1
It all began about three months ago now. My best friend, Leo, and I had been out at a house party of a mate's, Freddies.
Now, Leo is not the most likeable guy ever to everyone but we had been friends since nursery, and, from then on, we had been through everything together.
So, there at Freddie's, there had been Leo's twin sister, Lindsay- now, don't get me wrong, Lindsay is great and everything but you really do not want to get on the wrong side of her. I'll tell you that she has black hair, and as does Leo. Then, there was Sara too who is this really cool girl. I guess she doesn't really take the most pride in her appearance as other girls do, she is more casual in her dress sense, but she has an amazing personality and can somehow just get on with everyone! Sara had long blonde hair which was half way down her back- h yeah and then there was Freddie (obviously...), and Freddie was pretty the most popular guy ever! He was even taller than me and also had blonde hair.
See, Leo and Lindsay had to leave early though because they have these super obsessive parents, so I thought I might as well leave the party too because Leo was leaving and there was no one else that I truly got on with as much as I did with him. Sara decided to leave too. Then, Freddie, thinking he'd be the perfect party host, said that he would walk us half way home because "You never know what is out there!" as he justified- boy, was he right!
To get to Leo and Lindsay's house there are two ways: the easy route which was quicker or the longer route- and by "longer", I mean way longer! Of course, being teenagers after all, we took the easier of two, which consisted of us walking through the local allotments.
Now, I don't understand why parents get so stressed out about us walking through the allotments at night: there is nothing in there that'll hurt us. Ok, I admit, there is the off homeless guy sleeping in there but they won't hurt you: they just want shelter for a night.
There we were, the five of us, walking through the allotments when, suddenly out of nowhere, popped a figure. Understandably, we were all freaked out but then the person removed the hood of their jacket that was covering their face and it was revealed to be a guy from our school called Elliott. Now, at school I hadn't really got a chance to know him because, apparently, he had just moved to the area after his parents had separated.
"Hi guys" he greeted us
"Hey" I greeted him as no one else would have done I could tell "What you doing out here?" I never found that out what he was doing in the allotments actually now that I think about it because this is when our adventure properly began...
Elliott slowly pointed to the sky behind us "What is that guys?"
We all turned to see a bright light hurtling towards us at an extremely fast pace.
Now, why we didn't just run at that point I do not know. We just froze in awe of this light.
The light suddenly hit the Earth and we felt the ground shudder under foot from the impact.
"Oh my God, the aliens have landed!" Leo joked in his typical fashion- no one laughed though. We were all scared for our lives- had aliens really landed...?
"Should we go and check it out?" Sara looked to the group for reassurance but just set off towards where it landed without actually receiving an answer.
"Yeah..." I slowly nodded my head and followed
Fear of what could be there was what I think spurred the rest of the group to follow on behind Sara and I.
We walked down the little alleyways of the allotments, straying away from the main path and then through a gate into someone's allotment- the one that the thing had landed in.
It had dug deep into the ground from its powerful impact.
Sara looked to me "What is it, Zach?" Now, for some reason that was oblivious to me, everyone was looking to me as their leader.
Leo jokingly pushed me forward to the front of the group to be like the leader right at the point when the thing came to life. It all lit up brightly and a section of it began to lift upwards, creating an entrance or an exit.
"What the hell?" I heard from someone behind me- I don't know who.
A figure then came up from the entrance/exit.
Now, I really do not know how to fully describe this thing other than saying it was a blue Sagittarius-like creature with eyes on stalks on the top of its head and then it had fish gills instead of a mouth and nose. I then noticed a scorpion-like tail pop out from behind it.
It slowly came towards me and I backed away from it until I realised that the thing seemed to have a limp, almost, in its step.
"Are you ok?" I said out to it, suddenly concerned for it
Help me I looked around confused by the voice in my head Yes, it is I who spoke to you I looked from my companions to the thing that was even closer now.
"Is that you speaking to me?" I took a step closer
I heard a gasp from behind me "No, don't Zach!" It was Sara.
"Is that you speaking to me?" I repeated
Yes There was an awkward silence as I contemplated what to do in the situation I am an Andalite
"Whoa... did you hear that?" Leo, behind me, looked about the group
"An Andalite?" I asked of the creature
My name is Ledoni-Farnam-Buguruli. I need to warn you of the Yeerk invasion I frowned at the Andalite I have just escaped their attempts to thwart my race's attempts to protect your world. Unfortunately, they succeeded as far as I know
"The Yeerks?" Elliott suddenly came forward, beside me "What do we need to do?" It seemed like Elliott the Andalite's mind and was volunteering us for some unknown mission.
The Yeerks are a parasitic race who infest the minds of particular hosts, for example the Hork-Bajir. They enslave race upon race, working their way up the evolutionary chain and their next target is the human race. I ask of you that you carry on the Andalite's battle against the Yeerk, continue the war I could see a sadness in the Andalite's eyes, both the usual ones on his "face" and the ones on top of the stalks.
"Look, if you are unable to defeat these Yeerks, how the hell do you expect us to beat them, a bunch of teenagers? You have a scorpion tale thing going on, what do we have?" Freddie did not seem convinced on the idea
I am able to aid you now in preparation for your battle The Andalite conjured up something in his hand: a small blue box Place your hand on a side
"What does it do?" I asked him inquisitively
It shall provide you with the ability to morph into the creatures that inhabit your world. If the Andalite knowledge of your world is correct, then you should have a whole host of creatures here that you are able to morph into
"Yeah" I nodded to confirm what the Andalite had said
"What the hell do you mean by morph?" unenthusiastically enquired Leo
Change your form into forms that the Yeerks will not expect to encounter
Elliott held out his hand to the blue box and placed it upon one of the box's sides. Surprisingly, Sara came from the group behind and did the same action.
You will now have the acquired the ability now
I looked at the Andalite, looking him up and down- deciding upon what to do. I then looked to his eyes on the stalks, I saw absolute fright in them The Yeerks are coming!
I looked to where he had been and noticed several other lights also heading in our direction. "Ok" I quickly placed my hand on the box too.
"No, I'm not doing it!"protested Leo.
Lindsay then quickly came also and placed her hand on the box "Just do it, for God's sake, Leo!"
Reluctantly, Leo came towards us and placed his hand upon the box too "You owe me one" He looked at me
We all looked at Freddie "Oh, I don't know guys!" He was hesitant about it
Sara left the group and went over to Freddie "Freddie, please- just do it. This is all just probably a dream or something" Sara didn't actually seem to convinced by her own argument as she obviously believed that this was reality.
"Pinch me then and get me out of it then" His tone was actually quite offensive
"Freddie" Sara looked to him with pleading eyes
"For God's sake!" He impatiently came to the group and placed his hand on the box "This better be a dream!"
Thank you I could see a smile-like expression come across the Andalite's face Now go and escape the Yeerks wrath! You will know when you are needed to fight them...
I stared at him "We can't leave you" I then looked to the lights in the sky and saw them nearing ever more so
You must... I beg of you! I stood my ground against the Andalite but then he looked at me with such seriousness that I knew that I should go.
"Come on guys" I began to run and the others followed me
We ran and ran, all going our separate ways to our own homes. I got in and went straight to bed, quickly removing my jeans and getting in. I closed my eyes with the thought of what the Andalite had said to us: save the world from an alien race called the Yeerks, wondering whether this was all real or not...