"You can't be here…it's impossible." I stammered, backing into the kitchen sink behind me. "We left you on that island…"
"Yes. You all left me to die on that island." David agreed, smiling up at me. He was in his human body, wearing actual clothes. He looked as though his body had aged a bit; he could have been our age…but he shouldn't be. He should not have a human body. And yet there he was, sitting at my kitchen table. He, David, was in my house! He spoke to my sister, to get inside my house! Unless he snuck in like the rat he was; crawling through one of the cracks in the side of the house, or maybe even through the garage. How did he get his human body back? How did he get off the island?
"You're supposed to be a rat." I said, lamely.
"Oh, am I?" He didn't say anything else. Instead he smiled up at me.
"You can't be here." I repeated. "You just can't…you can't..."
"And yet, here I stand." David grinned, waving his arms around in a gesture to show that he did, in fact, exist. And all the while he grinned. He should not be grinning; he couldn't possibly be grinning.
"Your sister….Jordan, I think her name was; she's really, really nice," David smiled. "She's a very well-mannered young girl. I doubt t she would have let her friends trap a poor, lost boy in the body of a rat; do you?"
"Stay away from Jordan!" I snarled. "Get the hell out of my house and stay away from my family!" And, just to hide the fact that I was terrified of him, I added, "It would be safer for you if you went back to your island."
"Fine, Rachel. But you won't get to hear about how I finally returned." He said, picking at his fingernails. He should not have fingernails right now. He put his feet on top of my kitchen table. "And I know that you're dying to find out how I got here."
"Not really," I lied. "I always found you a tad boring."
"Huh. That's funny. See, I always found that I was the most interesting of the seven Animorphs—you're tied with bird-boy for second, though."
"You are not an Animorph!" I snapped. "You were never one of us!"
"No thanks to any of you." David replied. He kept his voice calm, like the two of us were having a mild debate over a trivial topic. "I know how you all felt about me. I know you didn't like me. I know Jake disapproved of me; high and mighty Jake Berenson. And I know that Marco never liked me. To you, high and mighty Animorphs, I was just a burden; a child for you to babysit."
"Don't give me that, David." I said. "Cassie was nothing but kind to you. Tobias and Ax could relate to you. But no; technically, they weren't human. They were beneath you. Face it David; you don't have any friends, because you don't want any friends."
"Ah, yes. It's the age old Animorph arguments. I was evil, and you and your friends were the victims."
"You tried to kill us!" I snarled. I tried very hard to keep my voice level, lest I alarm Jordan or Sara. "You nearly killed Jake! You thought you killed Tobias! You beat Ax with a baseball bat!"
"Now, we can go around and around in circles all night," David said. He sounded as though he was bored of my recount of his many attempts at murder. "But it's getting late, and I know how much you want to hear my story…unless there's an extra seat for dinner tonight?"
"Sorry David, we're out of cheese." I replied.
"That is a common misconception." David said. "Rats are more likely to eat trash than cheese…but you and your friends probably over looked that tiny fact when you were choosing the rat to trap me in."
"Are you going to tell your little story, or are you going to shoot your mouth all night?"
"Yes and yes." David smiled. He sat up straight; removing his feet from the top of the kitchen table He cleared his throat. "Where do we begin? Ah, yes. The last time that we all saw each other I was inside of a small, steel cage, taking on the appearance of a small, white rat. Yes. That seems to be as good a place as any to start, wouldn't you agree, Rachel?"
I ignored him and waited for him to continue. It was only after a full minute of dead silence that I realized that he was asking me an actual question.
"Yes. That sounds about right." I mumbled. "Go on…"
"If I remember correctly, there were only two Animorphs on guard duty that night…but who were they?"
"David…"
"Tobias was probably chasing a mouse in a field at the time…Jake went home with Cassie—since he is incapable of doing his own dirty work—and Marco…I think Marco was jerking off in a shed…"
"It was me and Ax!" I snapped. "We were the ones watching you that night. Ax has some sort of watch built into his system; he wanted to make sure that you were trapped."
"That's right!" David said, snapping his fingers like he had forgotten the finer details of the worst night of his life. "It was the Prom Queen and the Blue Guy…yes! That's right. Now I remember. So there I was, waiting out ever last painful minute in that cramped cage. I remember yelling a lot; screaming. I was using public thought speech, hoping that some passers-by would hear the voice of a fourteen year old boy in their heads and come to my rescue…but they didn't. Nobody ever walks by that old construction site…
"I started chewing on the little wires of the cage. I think I was hoping that, if I chewed on them hard enough, long enough, I would be able to bite my way out of the cage and escape into the night to demorph…But I knew that any attempts at escape would be futile. So, I started to scream some more. Do you recall what I said that night, Rachel?"
"My mom will be home any minute, David." I threatened. "You might want to speed up your story a bit."
"What did I say, Rachel?" He repeated. His voice was practically a whisper.
David's brown eyes met mine, and they were burning with such intensity. His face was quite still. His expression was blank, like Tobias' or Ax, when he's in human form. I saw something in David's eyes; obviously revenge and resentment, but there was something else there, as well.
"You were begging us to let you go." I answered, quietly. "You told me that you were very sorry that you tried to kill Tobias. You told me that you just wanted me to know how much I had hurt you…You asked me what I would do if I were in your position…if my parents had been taken away from me by the Yeerks; if everything that I had ever loved or cared about had suddenly been ripped to shreds…"
"What else did I say, Rachel?" David asked. He wouldn't stop staring into my eyes. Even when I looked away, I could still feel his eyes staring at me.
"You started talking to Ax," I answered. "He was relaying everything that you were saying to him. He told me that you asked him if Elfangor would condone such a thing; if he would have given the same order Jake gave him."
"And what was it that Ax said to me?" David asked.
"He said, 'I do not know what Elfangor would have done; monster's like you murdered him.'"
"Things got very quiet for a while." David continued. "I gave up hoping that either one of you would feel sorry for me or let me go; so I started insulting you…I won't deny what I said. I cursed every last one of you—even those who weren't around to hear me. I called Ax a coward and an arrogant prick. I told him that Elfangor would be ashamed of his little brother…then, I laughed at Elfangor's death…I called him weak and pitiful.
"I called Marco an arrogant wimp. I called Tobias a loser and a freak of nature. I called Cassie a tree-hugging moron. And I compared Jake to some of the worst men who ever walked the face of the Earth—Hitler, Stalin, the guy who shot John Lennon…you name it, I said it. And to you…
"To you, I made sure that I was extra hurtful. I called you a heartless bitch. I said that you were an unstoppable monster, who thrived on danger and violence…that lusted for bloodshed…who relished the thought of war and murder.
"I said a lot about you Animorphs that night; things that the old David would have thought anyway, but he wouldn't have said those things out loud…I can't deny what I said to you, Rachel, but I would never take it back. I wouldn't apologize. I'm not going to kick myself in the head for being honest."
David waited for his words to sink in. I guess he wanted me to take his little speech into consideration. Maybe he thought that I would cave in and admit that I had been wrong—that we had all been wrong.
"And then, I did something…strange; even for a twisted guy like me…" David said. "I spent my last few moments of humanity crying out to my parents. I was calling for my mommy and daddy; telling them that their little Davey boy was still alive, and he needed them. You know, they say that all mothers have this…instinct—that they're able to sense when their children are in trouble…I wonder how my mother felt during those last few minutes…
"But do you remember what you did that night, Rachel?" he asked me. "Do you remember what you said to me, while I was crying for my mother?"
"I forget…" I lied. "It was a long time ago…"
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" he shouted. That was the first time he raised his voice. I was worried that Jordan would run into the room, wondering what was going on; and then what would David do?
"I said, 'Grow up David. You're a big boy now. Your mommy's in a place where she can't hear you.'"
"And then you laughed at me." David finished. "Two people lost their humanity that night, Rachel. I'll leave it up to you to decide who they were.
"But look at me; getting all teary eyed over the past." David laughed. "I guess I'll spare you the details on my time on that godforsaken rock; dodging hawks and eagles, scavenging for trash with the other rats, and the monotony of it all…really, all you need to know is that I spent a lot of time screaming out to the sea…swearing that I would come back. But nobody could hear me…"
"Someone did hear you," I interrupted. "He was some new kid; telling some other guys in the cafeteria about a haunted island."
"He was a new kid?" David laughed. "Did you guys turn him into an Animorph?"
"You claim to have an interesting tale to tell." I said. I was both terrified and irritated.
"I'm willing to bet that none of you brilliant Animorphs considered the possibility that a boat would pass by the island…Tell me I'm wrong."
"No. We hadn't thought that through." I admitted.
"I didn't think so."
"We thought you would have been dead long before that happened. At the very least, we were sure that you would just give into the rat's baser instincts."
"That's where you all went wrong." David grinned. "The eventuality of a boat passing by the island kept me sane. When I wasn't hiding from birds and eating the flesh of other rodents, I was waiting patiently by the edge of the island; biding my time. And guess what; a boat came. A group of ornithologists came by to count the bird population…imagine that.
"Well, I stowed away on the boat, and it was all smooth sailing from then on. It was only after we had finally reached civilization that I realized that I didn't exactly have a plan. I finally got off that godforsaken piece of rock; only to expose myself to more hawks, house cats and cars…I'll admit that I hadn't thought my situation through…
"I considered my options carefully." David said. He got up from his seat at the table and started walking around the kitchen; opening and closing the pantry doors, just to give himself stage business…David was always theatrical. He could have been an actor, if it weren't for the whole trapped as a rat for eternity thing.
"I had enough information on you guys; information that Visser Three would kill for. But I knew that, once I spilled all of your secrets to the Yeerks, the Visser and his friends would no longer have much use for me. They probably wouldn't be able to help restore my body anyway…So I stayed far away from the Yeerk Pool…for the time being.
"I spent a lot of time at home." David continued. "The Yeerks controlling my parents thought that I would eventually return…but they started to grow impatient—like most Yeerks. They moved away. Meanwhile, I stayed at home, scaring off any potential buyers interested in my home. I've started a myth about the place…they all think it's being haunted…I've had a few chuckles.
"But I haven't spent all my time skulking around the house, wondering what the hell I was going to do next. No. I've kept myself busy. I've spent the last few months gathering information on every last one of you…" David smiled at me from across the room. "Have you ever heard the expression, the walls have ears? That's where I've been all these months—inside your walls! Yours, and Jake's and Marco's…I've even been to Cassie's place…I think I can safely say that I know you Animorphs more than you know yourselves…except Tobias…those hawk eyes don't miss much; even at night….
"I've been inside your walls…I've been under your bed…I've listened in on enough of your little meetings; I know everything."
"You're lying!" I said. "You're just trying to break me."
"I know that Marco has a stack of playboy's under his bed." David replied.
"I'm sure everyone knows about that." I said. "Besides, he's a teenaged boy."
"That is true. Marco always did strike me as a horny little bastard." David agreed. "Say, Rach, what's in that leather box that you keep in your closet?"
I froze.
"I'm sure you know what I'm talking about." David grinned. "The leather one that you keep hidden in the box marked 'old family albums'…I guess bird-boy hasn't been pleasing you lately…But, man Rachel; I never would have pegged you down as a screamer!"
I lunged at David, betraying any of my previous attempts at composure. He could have been bluffing. Most girls my age have…things like that, somewhere in their bedrooms.
David laughed and manoeuvred around me. He ran behind the kitchen table, grinning like a ten year old boy.
"I know about Taylor, and how she tortured Tobias." David laughed. "I heard him tell you all about it; really touching, I must admit. And then, I watched the both of you kiss…"
I ran to David's spot, only to have him move to the other side of the table.
"I know about the genetically engineered Hork-Bajir and the existence of the arn. I know all about your little journey to the land of the Nartec. I know that Cassie nearly died, after Jake let you play team leader for a week. I know about the Garatrons as well; a couple of fast fuckers. I know about the Peace Movement and how Aftran became a nothlit…you couldn't let me get trapped as a whale? Oh, and I was there when Ax came down with the Andalite flu…Nobody told me that Erek was an Android; the guy has no scent….
He must have been lying…but then again…
"I was at Marco's father's wedding." David taunted. "It was a touching ceremony. Marco tells his dad that he's happy for him…but he hates Nora. Marco is still hoping that his Yeerk of a mother will be freed one day…"
This was insane…he couldn't have been there.
"Jake and Cassie have slept together." David grinned. "I watched them; they did it in the barn, on one of those haylofts."
Now that had to be a lie. Cassie wouldn't have done such a thing…and even if she had, she would have told me about it…I'm almost certain…
"Jake has contemplated leaving the group." David said. "He's thought about it on more than one occasion. He left one night; disappeared for hours…
David has finally lost it…he's delusional.
"Cassie and David talk behind your back…they agree that you have a problem."
He was definitely bluffing….but he knew things that he shouldn't; things that had happened long after he was gone. He knew about Taylor…but Tobias had only told one other person about her…He knew Nora's name…he claims to have been at the wedding…he knew about the Nartec and the Garatrons…
"Sometimes, Marco says your name when he...you know…and I know that you've done the same."
He really did know everything….
"How could you possibly know all of this?" I demanded. "How the hell did you come back?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" David grinned.
There were only two beings in this universe that were powerful enough to bring David back to his human form. One of them, the Ellimist, is supposedly on our side; he would only bring David back if he thought he had to test us…but I doubt that the Ellimist would have ever thought of using David…No. As far as I know, the Ellimist was a good guy. David was evil. They would never team up.
And then, there was the other one…perhaps just as powerful as the Ellimist. But this supernatural being used his powers for evil; to torture and kill. He created creatures known as Howlers to wipe out entire races of people. And this being hated the Animorphs as much as David did…if anyone were to help David, it was this guy.
"Crayak." I whispered. "The Crayak brought you back."
David smiled at me. I expected him to laugh like a madman. I expected him to shout "ding, ding; we have a winner!" That seemed to be the sort of thing a guy like David would say. I expected David to do something like that. But I've learned something about David; he's full of surprises. His next surprise was probably the most shocking of all.
"Close Rachel, but no cigar."
"That's impossible." I argued. "It had to have been Crayak. Nobody else would have helped you."
"You Animorphs should know by now that the word impossible no longer applies to people like us." He walked up to me and started to circle around my still body. I had the opportunity to hurt him; he had been within my reach. But I was repulsed by David. I didn't want to touch him…And, though I would never say this out loud, I was scared of David. He terrified me. Before he was a threat…but now, he was something much more. I had no idea of what David was capable of now. He had his human body back—he may even be capable of morphing. And he had the support of something more powerful than the Crayak or the Ellimist.
"You people think you know everything." David whispered into my ear. My spine tingled. "But I know just as much, if not more. I know about the game between the Ellimist and Crayak…I think I know how it's going to turn out, as well. You should know that there are forces out there in the universe that are more powerful than either of them…There are beings out there who scare even Crayak himself…forces that could even shut up the Ellimist. Sure, they aren't nearly as powerful as God; nobody is mightier than the ultimate. They know this. But these….forces also know how to use their power properly. They know the ways around the rules of the game…sounds like my kind of people, eh Rach?"
"Who are these forces?" I asked
"I'm fucked if I know." David replied. "Just think of them as…Observers. The Ellimist and Crayak organize the game; they make the rules and they choose their players. The Animorphs and the Yeerks are the players; pieces that are moved around the board. The guy I'm working for…he watches the game being played…he's like…he's like a scout, really. He's scouting for other players to use for other games; the biggest game of all, Rachel. He picked me…he picked me…"
"I don't understand." I said. "What's this other game?"
"That game hasn't started yet, Rachel." David answered. "They're still picking their players. Just think of this game—the one the Ellimist and Crayak are playing right now—as the tutorial; you're still learning the how to use the weapons, and you're trying to adapt to the playing field. Once the rules are set, and once the players are ready, the real game begins. But the stakes are higher, and there aren't any resets."
"And this…observer found you?" I said, somewhat sceptical. It's not that I didn't believe what David was saying. There was some truth to what he said, as far as I knew. But there had to be some catch. We beat David. We took away his humanity and humiliated him. Why would this observer want a loser like David?
"I'm still not sure how or why he came to me." David admitted. He was in front of me now, so I could see a look of contemplation come across his face. He really was thinking now. He wasn't pausing for dramatic effect, and he wasn't being arrogant. David really didn't know why he had been chosen. Maybe, deep down, David knew that he wasn't really worth a second chance.
"A few days ago—maybe a week…it could have been two—this Observer approached me. I was…I had been about to throw myself onto the street; hoping that some car would come along and…and put an end to it all…I had months and months of information on you guys, and I couldn't even use it. I had been saved, only to have the universe spit at me and throw me into a worse situation than before.
"Then, time itself stopped." David said. He had a really faraway look in his eye now. He was speaking in a monologue. I may as well have been another extension of the kitchen. "And I suddenly found myself standing in a crystal palace…crystals of black and white, and silver and gold. And I heard a voice calling my name…it sounded a lot like my own. And I saw the Observer speaking to me through the largest crystal in the entire palace…he had my face…my real face, Rachel; I had my real body back. But there was more to it…he was me…but he was nothing close to what I was, all at once…he was…he was a Paradox.
"He told me that I pretty much had two options: go back to Earth and have that car run me down, or serve a greater purpose in the universe…believe it or not, I was considering the first option… I was so tired of being used; tired of being somebody else's pawn. I was tired of Yeerks, and Animorphs, and morphing…but he told me that this was a new game. He said that he would respect whatever decision I made, but hinted that the second option would benefit more than the first…
"He couldn't show me the future, but he did show me that he could keep a promise. I would have my human body back, as well as morphing powers—only he wouldn't trick me the way the Ellimist had tricked Tobias. And, more importantly, he told me that I would be a major player in the next game…All I had to do was help him find the other players."
So there it was. David was the scout; the decider. He was an agent of this Observer; like the Drode was Crayak's agent. David's grand return had been revealed. And yet, I found that I was more confused and terrified than I had been when I found David in the kitchen an hour before.
And there was this game…new players. David was going to be a major player; he was the scout. Would this game involve the Yeerks? Would the Animorphs have a role to play? I had to find Jake; he needed to know everything. But I knew David would never let me go; not when I knew so much about him. The only way I would get out of the house alive would be by killing David…I wonder if he still had the same old morphs…
"Rachel, I've brought some dinner." My mother called from the front door. I could hear Sara and Jordan rushing to help my mother bring the food. They were walking into the kitchen.
"Get out. We'll settle this later." I snarled. David just smiled at me and stood where he was.
"Rachel, who's your guest?" my mother asked.
"He says that he's her boyfriend." Jordan giggled.
"Really, Rachel…your boyfriend?" my mother asked. Obviously she didn't approve of David; good.
"Actually, what I meant was that I was one of Rachel's friends from school." David smiled. "My name is David…here; let me help you with those bags."
David took both of the bags from my mother's hands.
"Would the sink be the proper place?" David asked.
"Um…yes. Thank you, David."
"Rachel and I were just catching up on old times." David laughed. "All those good times in math class…I hadn't realized that it was getting so late…I'm very sorry to intrude. But my family moved a few months before—really an inconvenience for me—and I wanted to see Rachel."
"But you were just leaving, right David?" I said through clenched teeth. "Come on, David; your parents are probably waiting outside."
"Rachel, don't be rude." My mother said. "I don't know where she gets her manners from. Besides," she turned to face me. "If you guys haven't seen each other in a while, it only makes sense that David stays for dinner."
"Oh, I don't want to be a bother…" David said.
"Don't be silly, kid." My mother insisted. "It's a free meal."
David gave me a smug little smile that my mother must have missed. Then, for good measure, he winked at me.
"A free meal sounds great." David said. "The last meal I had…well, it was just plain trashy."
A Happy Seventieth Birthday, John Lennon.