Chapter 3
Winds of Change
A/N first off thank you for getting this far, secondly I hope you enjoy it at least half as much as I enjoyed writing it. Third, I ask you to realize that my efforts are to include current and topical events into the story. As for the use of alcohol and limited use of narcotics in this story I realize you may find it distasteful; however, the world I grew up in and the world that far too many of our teenagers grow up in, is a world which involves these things. I feel that I should include them in order to stay true to reality as much as possible. I am not promoting the use or abuse of them with this story, that is not my intent at all. I merely want to illustrate that these things do happen and teenagers do use drugs and have sex whether we as parents like it or even know about it. Not all teens do obviously but I guarantee they know someone who does. It is an epidemic in our society and I wish to portray that and the impact that it has on all of us, directly connected or otherwise. Last but not least I sincerely hope you can overlook my terrible grammar, I didn't have much education and I'm doing the best I can with it. I hope that it is legible enough for you to still enjoy the content I'm certainly not the best writer out there, wouldn't even consider myself to be one at all. However; this series really means a great deal to me and I was heartbroken with the way it ended officially. So I took it upon myself to make an attempt at retelling this magnificent story with my own thoughts and influences. It surely won't be for everyone and the concept in my head may not get translated to text as much as I would like it too. I warn you much of the language is offensive to many though I personally find pejoratives and curse words to be an excellent way of adequately expressing the sentiments I am trying to portray. The level of emotion is high and I want that to show through in my writing. I may not get there this chapter but be warned much violence and gore is on its way. Once again I thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving this a chance. Reviews and P.M.'s are always welcome though I beg you to bear in mind that while I appreciate comments and constructive criticism, I am very much unwilling to compromise the direction of the story. Feel free to pass along your ideas just don't be offended if I don't use them.
Jake
Friday morning I awoke with an ominous feeling in my gut, I knew today would be the day my friends decided whether or not they were going to be in this fight. This war that had come to our door step from a galaxy far far away, I know what I will do. I know I wouldn't blame any of my friends if they chose to stay out of it, after all, we are only teenagers; and fighting a secret alien invasion would be a lot to ask of grown-ups, let alone us. Still, in my heart of hearts I also know that anyone of us who choose to stay out of the fight will soon be ostracized. Operational security and battles would breed a distance between us that cannot be traversed. I am especially sad because I figure if anyone chooses to stay out it will be my very best friend in the whole world, and the girl I sort of like maybe even love. Cassie and Marco are sure to abstain themselves from this arising conflict. Sweet caring Cassie, she could never take a life, she spent all of her time saving lives, at least animal lives that is. Marco, morbidly funny Marco, he just lost his mother to a boating accident a couple of years ago and his father had spiraled into a drunken stupor as a result. I know Marco is no coward the only thing he is considering is the impact his death would have on his father. I have to fight, I can't prove it yet but my gut tells me that the slugs have already gotten to my brother Tom. Basketball used to be his only focus, I just found out he quit the team to join some non-profit organization called The Sharing. On the surface they seem like any other charity organization, they recruit teens and their families they go on camping and hiking trips, sponsor youth rallies, etc. etc. The way Tom talks about them, the way he devotes so much of his life, I just get this creepy feeling like they are some kind of cult or something. At least until I learned about the Yeerks. Now I'm convinced that The Sharing is a front to enslave witless humans who just want to be part of something bigger than them. There is nothing I won't do to free Tom from the internal slavery he is being subjected to, nothing. All these thoughts were running through my head as I got dressed and prepared or school, I hadn't finished my homework assignment and I knew I would soon be failing Mr. Kitchner's history class, funny a week ago I would have been freaking out about that, now it seemed so remotely unimportant that I didn't even bother asking Rachel to copy hers. I got to school on time, barely as the final bell was ringing, this was starting to become a pattern I didn't care, today was going to be one hell of a day. I didn't have any classes with others till after lunch so it would be a few hours before I got to see any of them, I let my mind wander as the teacher began her lesson on variables.
JULIUS
As I was no longer welcome at school, I stayed at the cabin while Elfangor borrowed my truck and took Tobias to class. They seemed to be making a go of establishing a relationship; I had to admit to myself, that the slightest twinge of jealousy reared its ugly head. I reminded myself that I had had years with my father, and poor Tobias had only ever known abusive and neglectful guardians.
I used the time alone to go hunting, one of my favorite pass times and completely necessary for my survival. I only had the crossbow, but it didn't take long to find a small squirrel; which I nailed on the first shot. I took it back to camp cleaned it, cooked it, and ate it. My thoughts drifted to what Cassie would say; I smiled malevolently as I savored another bite, picturing the look of horror on her face. When I was done eating I meandered about the cabin aimlessly, suddenly I remembered that I had received a text the night my father died, I searched through my bag and found my phone, it barely had any battery life left so as quickly as I could I searched the mms.
There it was, a message from my father, with shaky hands and tears forming I opened the message. I was surprised; I expected to find some last minute I love you, or something along that line. Instead it was five numbers 87062; it must have been all he had time to type before… before the end. The numbers didn't make any sense to me. It had been nearly a week since my father's death and his portrayal as a domestic terrorist. I cursed myself for waiting this long to read the message; I cursed him for only sending some vague, coded sequence of numbers. I immediately felt bad for cursing him, and sought out a bottle to drown my sorrows in; fortunately for me all the booze was gone. It was for the best I couldn't be of use to anyone let alone my father's memory if I let myself become a worthless drunk. Just as I was sulking and feeling sorry for myself memories of time spent with my father here at this cabin flooded my brain, but one in particular stood out and I focused solely on that memory. It was a few months ago, just after we moved here, in an effort to cheer me up and keep me on the right path my father had given me my crossbow. He said, "Now I know it's not the same as a rifle son, but I'm afraid that ship has sailed. Your actions bore consequence and one of those consequences is no longer being allowed the use of a firearm. But I'm your daddy; I kept your rifle and many of my own in the event that we will ever need to take up arms domestically.
They are kept in a hidden vault in the back wall of the cabin when the time is right I will give you the code to get in, until then you will learn to use this bow as efficiently as any rifle. It worked for the Native Americans for centuries; this is no wooden bow with animal gut string, this is a modern replica with all the features of modern technology. Polymer stock carbon fiber arrow shaft…." I leapt to my feet and ran to the back wall of the cabin I punched and felt around the wall till I found the opening. To my surprise, the wall itself swung out and revealed a walk in vault. Its steel door exterior had a keypad like that of a phone, I punched in the numbers my dad had text me. A tiny speaker embedded on the keypad broke the silence. (CODE ACCEPTED: AUTHORIZATION JULIUS ACCES GRANTED: PLAYING PREPROGRAMMED RECORDING) The massive steel door slid into the wall to my left; speakers inside the room accompanied by a small computer monitor came to life, an image appeared on the screen… my father.
(Julius, son it's good to see you! I'm sure you have many questions I will do my best to answer them for you. First, I programmed this vault with two codes one for me and one for you. Yours comes with this prerecorded message if you have accessed this room then it can only mean one thing… I am dead. I hope I went out like a warrior and not of old age or sick in my bed, at any rate son I don't want you to mourn me. I lived one hell of a life, I got to see the world, and I got to stop the evil monsters who would seek to destroy it, and our way of life. Most importantly I got to raise one hell of a kid. No matter what Julius I'm proud of you, proud of the man you have and will become. You had your setbacks but you took them in stride you really turned your life around. I know I wasn't always there for you especially when you needed me most, I will always regret that. I'm just grateful that you were stronger, are stronger than I've ever been. You walked through hell, through the valley of the shadow of death and you came out on the other side a tougher, smarter, better, man. Whether I was able to give you the code or if it was delivered by my attorney in the reading of my will doesn't matter; I had this vault built for one reason, since you're here it means my worst fears have been realized. It means this country that I love has fallen under attack, I don't know what enemy plagues us now, Islamic Jihadists, Tyrannical Government, Aliens from outer space; doesn't matter, this room was built to equip you to fight that enemy with the very best Uncle Sam has to offer! I never wanted you to have to face combat like me, even though it seems it's what you always wanted, I never intended for that to happen. I served my country because I felt it was my duty to do so, but my service came with a reward that reward was supposed to be that you would never have too. Now I must ask you do what I have always feared you would and wanted to do, I must ask you to go to war. To fight and kill these bastards whoever they may be. Protect this great nation, our home, our world, as I would. I know you can do it son; its inside of you, if you ever have any doubts, just remember that I always love you Julius. I'm always proud of you know matter what. "Alea Iacta Est." The Die is Cast)
The screen flickered and the power drained from it, the only sound left in the room was my beating heart, the room went dark for only a moment then the ceiling lights came on. I rushed to the monitor tried to power it back up, it would not come on. I replayed the message over and over in my head; committing it to memory, before taking a look around the room, taking it all in.
"The Die is Cast." I whispered to myself as I searched through the various assault rifles, pistols, hand grenades, rocket launchers, gear and ammunition. My father must have stolen all this from the military and possibly the enemies he fought as well. I wondered how he was able to sneak all this gear here without anyone, least of all me, knowing about it! I couldn't help but smile as I found my AK-47, the semi-automatic civilian version father had given me on my twelfth birthday. Taped to the polymer collapsible stock was a short note (I told you I kept this for you Julius, use it well.) The little message brought tears flowing to my eyes again, I quickly regained my composure. I grabbed my rifle held it to my shoulder then checked it to make sure it was in good order, it was, I held it up again and shoved a magazine home.
"This is my Rifle, there are many others like it but this one is mine. Without me my rifle is nothing, without my rifle I am nothing. This is My Rifle!"
I recited the credence without thinking; a habit father had drilled into me at an early age, I took my rifle and a load bearing vest off the shelf, found extra magazines and loaded them. Then I grabbed a pair of Glocks off the wall, stuck one in my waist band, the other into the drop leg holster on my vest. It took nearly an hour for me to pack and load the battle rig with what I required; I would use everything in this room eventually, for now I needed a go-to platform to run with. I completed it with a B.U.G. out bag; once the bag was packed, I set it and the battle rig by my cot and closed the door to the vault. A noise behind me caused me to jump; I turned and drew the pistol from my waist in a flash, I found myself pointing it at a big blue deer-scorpion –centaur.
(Please do not shoot Julius! It is only me, Prince Elfangor.)
"Sorry about that man you scared me, announce yourself next time I could have shot you."
(Yes I will take that into consideration. It seems you have found some gear, from your father I presume, he was a very smart man to plan for such a time as this. It will not be enough; we will require currency to legally purchase the remaining items we need so as not to draw any unwanted attention to ourselves. I have a plan on how to do this, though I will need your help. I do not believe the others, if any of them decide to join this fight, will approve of it. I will also need your help convincing them that it is our only safe course of action, well safe in the sense that Yeerks should not be aware of what we are doing.)
"Sure thing Prince Elfangor! What's the plan?"
(As I said we will need currency, and copious amounts of it. We need vehicles, more weapons, ammunition, false identification for you, properties for safe houses, fuel, food, etc. Now, I would like us to raid a known drug trafficker hiding out in the forest. I spotted the um… trailer house, I believe you call it… on one of my morning runs. I morphed a small creature that would not be noticed and gathered intelligence on the target. It seems these people hiding out up there, manufacture and sell, something called crystal meth. I overheard them talking about it, I am unsure what exactly crystal meth is. Is this some type of weapon, does this crystal focus energy?)
"No, Crystal Meth is a drug."
(What is a drug?)
"Oh you know a chemical that reacts to human biochemistry, a narcotic."
(Ah, I see. We Andalites have no use for such things, beyond medical purposes.)
"Your people are very fortunate then!"
(My recon also revealed that they have a large supply of cash on site; it is my intention to rob them of this cash, and destroy their narcotics in one foul swoop!)
"But why take that risk? Any drug dealers with that size of an operation, out in the middle of a national forest, are bound to have connections to the cartels. Cartels are an organized crime syndicate that feeds on the weak. They have enough power and money to buy off, bribe local law enforcement. Can't you just hack into a bank system and steal all the money we could ever need?"
(Yes I could quite easily "hack" as you say, even the most advanced computer systems on earth. They are Childs play to an Andalite, however; I have no doubt that the Yeerks will have infiltrated law enforcement at every level, as well as your intelligence agencies.
Any breach with my level of sophistication will certainly raise a flag. That, they will then be able to trace back to us… NO! Cyber infiltration is simply out of the question.)
"Well you might want to rethink your plan to jack a major drug dealer they are sure to have guns and armed guards."
(My latest recon suggests there are only two guards and a man I overheard being called the chemist. We must act quickly the boss; whoever that is, is due to arrive this Sunday afternoon to pick up the cash, and resupply the chemicals needed for the manufacturing of the narcotics. Are humans really so foolish as to ingest deadly toxins into their bodies? What purpose could this possibly serve? Besides certain death, I mean.)
"Dude you have no idea how stupid some humans can be, and they do it to get high you know alter their state of mind, make them feel better, even euphoric. The problem, other than the chemicals being toxic, is that the euphoria is short lived; but so intense, that once it's gone humans will do just about anything to get that feeling back. It's called addiction. These scum prey on people who are weak minded, or children that have had terrible lives; they convince them that the drug will solve their problems, by the time they figure out what's really going on its too late. They are hooked, and they will do anything, even murder, to get high again. It's truly evil incarnate; my dad told me about an operation he went on one time, to stop a cartel down in Latin America. They were kidnapping small children, addicting them to drugs, and selling them for sexual exploits. The Yeerks picked the wrong planet to infest we kill each other off in record numbers every day, hell I'm not even sure we are worth saving Elfangor. You should probably just steal a ship and go home forget you ever heard of a place called earth."
(These drug dealing humans sound like Yeerks. It is possible that they have been infested already, we should keep an eye out for a portable Kandrona.)
"Maybe, it is more likely that they are 100% human. Really shitty humans, the kind not worth the air they breathe."
(Do not say that Julius! I spent nearly twenty of your years on earth, in human form of course. I saw what you are talking about, though I admit it was far less prevalent in those days. I also saw the very best humanity has to offer; your kindness for strangers, your compassion, your ability to achieve things in a short time that even we Andalites took centuries to master. No, you are wrong Julius! Humanity is worth saving, I wouldn't be surprised to discover that the Yeerks are behind much of what you see as lost humans.)
"I hope your right Prince; I hope we don't disappoint you as a species."
(You could never disappoint me Julius. I fell in love with a beautiful human woman, we shared hardship and tribulation, but most importantly we shared a kindred spirit. I loved her so much that I became a Nothlith, I stayed in human morph past the two hour time limit to live out the rest of my days with her.)
"What happened to her, why did you leave?"
(It is a very long story Julius; one I will eventually share with you, but for now suffice it to say, she became pregnant with my son, Tobias. A few months before his birth an omnipotent being called the Ellimist came to me told me I had done irreparable damage to the timeline that my actions would result in both the loss of earth and my home-world, he used his power to force me back into my own timeline but promised to allow Lauren to give birth to my son. If I had known the fate I would be condemning him to I would have told the Ellimist to... what is that expression Lauren used to use when she was terribly angry at someone, oh yes I would have told the Ellimist to go fuck himself. And Julius Tobias knows that I am his father but I wish you to feign ignorance if he wants you to know he will tell you himself in his own time.)
"Of course Elfangor my lips are sealed, I care about Tobias too much to hurt him by divulging his secrets, I can't tell you how many nights I spent with him in abandoned houses and stuff just so he wouldn't have to go home to that uncle of his, Lauren's brother. I have offered to kill that bastard many times, but Tobias being who he is he wouldn't let me he would say we all deserve a second chance Julius. I love your son like a brother I would die for him and for any of my friends, and now for you too Elfangor my Prince, thank you for telling me the truth."
(Julius you and I are more alike I think than either of us knows, in my language we call it a Shorm. It means true friend, one you can trust with their tail blade to your neck. You are my Shorm Julius! I hope that I am yours too.)
"Of course you are my Prince I trust you with my life! I will follow any order you give me, no matter what. No matter how hard or terrible you can count on me to do the things the others are incapable of doing."
(I know that Julius thank you. I must apologize, for I know the day will come when I have to take you up on that offer likely many times. I will do it knowing the damage it will cause you, knowing that it is the only way to defeat our common enemies, the verminous Yeerk filth.)
"I hope so! Elfangor, my Prince, it is my destiny. My father prepared me for the future atrocities my entire life, and in prison I saw things that would make the hair on your back stand on end. I saw horrible things. The lengths men will go to, the atrocious things men are capable of doing. In fact, I had to do a few of them myself to survive. I never told anyone, not even my father, Elfangor I have taken life. I have killed another human, and not in self-defense I murdered him because of what he had done. He was my cellmate, for over a year he refused to tell me what he was in prison for, I even grew to like him a little. One day he revealed to me that he was serving five years for kidnapping. The truth, he boasted, was that he had raped and murdered a small ten year old girl. He bragged that the only reason he got five years is because they couldn't find any DNA evidence linking him to the rape or the murder. Only the kidnapping, so he was going to be released to do it again. I couldn't let that happen! I purchased a shiv from one of the other inmates. I waited patiently; one day when they let us out for yard time I snuck up behind him, and stabbed him forty three times in the kidneys! I watched as he bled out on the ground. I thought I would feel elated or at least justified once it was done, but the truth is a part of me died that day as well. I hope this does not lower your opinion of me but I couldn't let you go on thinking I was some kind of would be hero I'm not, I'm a monster. A monster whose fate it is to eradicate other monsters, just as my father killed many men in his operations with the seals and recon platoon. All of them were just as evil as the one I put down."
(Aristh Julius I… I don't know what to say to that except that I thank you for your honesty. I realize it wasn't easy to tell me. Especially, when you don't know how I would react, I still respect you Julius. I don't believe you, or your father, are monsters or evil; the man you killed was absolutely evil. To be perfectly honest, we do not have things like that on my home-world. We used too, manygenerations ago; we have been fortunate to outgrown these kinds of things. It was not an easy road; we had our share of hardships and setbacks, murders and civil wars, for thousands of years till we reached the level of sophistication we are at today. Still; I must confess that if I were in your shoes, confronted by the same abhorrent evil of the mind and soul, I feel confident in saying I would have acted the same way. Though I probably would have severed his head with my tail on the spot and been caught, you were smart to bide your time so that you could regain your freedom. You are my Shorm Julius, no matter what! As my son says everyone deserves another chance, even you, even me.)
"Thank you my Prince, now what do you say we talk about something more pleasant get started on a tactical analysis of that trailer house you spotted we need to be ready to hit them hard and it them fast."
We sat down, well I sat Prince Elfangor stood at the table and I began to draw a map of the trailer and the guard posts from his memory. We went over and over the plans we would later share with the others tonight at Cassie's barn, where we would learn who would fight and who would run. I didn't tell Elfangor but I felt that anyone who chose not to fight with us was a big security risk, I mean they knew too much what if they talked we would be swimming in the Yeerk pool before our first battle, they couldn't be allowed to just walk away, with only a promise of silence. No they had to be made to be silent.
LISA
"Lisa honey, come down its time for dinner."
I heard my mom calling from the base of the stairs. I stuffed my finished homework into my binder and turned off my computer, it was meatloaf night my favorite, I hurried down the stairs two at a time. My father and coincidently my principle as well was sated at the head of the table his usual spot, but there was nothing usual about his behavior lately, for the last year or so he had become very distant only speaking in short sentences or one word answers. I wasn't old enough to know the full extent of their marital problems, but I was mature enough to realize they were having problem. These days my father barely said two words to my mother and I can't remember the last time he told either of us he loved us, he ate his food as quickly as possible and then headed down to his office in the basement like he did every night. Once he was gone my mother told me there was something she needed to discuss with me,
"Lisa honey I need to talk to you it is very important, and I need you to be the big mature girl I know you are." "Sure mom what is it?" Lisa i… I can't do this anymore I don't know what happened where I went wrong but I just can't take it any longer I'm going to leave your father. I have already spoken to an attorney Rachel's mom in fact and she has drawn up the papers for me, I'm going to tell him tonight. I need you to understand that you have done nothing wrong this is in no way your fault; I'm not really even sure whose fault it is. It's just that your father and I have fallen out of love with each other, I will be moving out this weekend and I need to know if you want to live with me or your daddy, I want you to think about it you don't have to decide anything right now, and no matter what you decide I will always love you and I promise not to be upset if you choose to stay with your father."
"Wow… well I can't say I didn't see it coming he has been acting strange for a while now. I don't know what it is either, but I can't say that I blame you. He has been very distant; I wonder if he even still loves me?"
"Oh honey of course he does, he's your father nothing will ever change that. Nothing will ever change the way he feels about you darling, your father loves you deeply. Whatever he is going through right now he won't let me in on, and I'm sure that it is what's been causing his distance. I know for a fact your daddy loves you Lisa."
"Well this is a lot to think about I have mixed emotions and I don't know what to do I'm going to go to my room now."
"Lisa wait oh ok it's alright honey you need your space right now I'm sorry to drop this on you like this I really am, I hope one day you can forgive me."
I didn't say anything what was there to say to that I just dropped my fork on my plate and went upstairs. I shoved the ear buds in my ears and cranked up the volume on my iPod till I eventually fell asleep.
The battery must have died in the night; I awoke to the sounds of yelling and screaming. I checked the clock, a little after three in the morning; they must be arguing, she must have told him she was leaving. I wrapped the pillow over my head and tried to go back to sleep, a few minutes later I heard a different kind of screaming. The kind of terrible screaming that turned my blood to ice, and made the hair on my neck stand up. I quietly crept down the hall to the stairs stopping halfway down, what I saw and what happened next would haunt me for the rest of my life. There in the kitchen standing over my mother was my father a kitchen knife in his hand, the blade dripping crimson liquid. I looked down and saw my mother lying in a pool of her own blood, motionless and quiet.
My father pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and I heard him speaking into the receiver, "This is Einiss 226, there has been an incident. I need a cleaner sent to my house right away."
Why wasn't he calling 911 surely it was an accident surely she was still alive! I mean my father didn't mean to stab my mother, things just got out of hand. Right? He cleaned the knife off with a hand towel and tossed it back into the drawer, then he leaned down and felt my mother's neck for a pulse, I'll never know if he found one because after he checked he then went into the den. I could hear the plinking of glass, and the sound of liquid being poured into a glass full of ice. I made the decision then, I would call 911. It was now apparent, that my father murdered my mother. I couldn't let him get away with it! I snuck back to my room crying, panicking, and praying he wouldn't hear the floor creaking. I grabbed my iPhone and dialed; when the operator answered I whispered that I had just seen my father kill my mother in the kitchen, and gave them the address before hanging up. What felt like an eternity later I heard the sirens of the police, and an ambulance approaching. I went to the window; only to be utterly shocked and mortified for the second time that night, my father went outside to greet the police who shook his hand, and followed him inside.
From the living room their voices travelled all the way to my bedroom, "No it must have been the girl who called! She must have seen it, we will have to take her now!"
"Einiss 226 what will the cover story be? This host is just a patrolman, we have one of our own infesting the lead homicide detective, but we haven't been able to infest the captain yet!"
"Einiss 991, we will report this as a murder suicide. My wife, who secretly suffered from postpartum depression went off her meds and snapped, she stabbed the girl to death before turning the knife on herself. Here cut me, not too deep 991, but make it look good! I tried to stop her, and was severely hurt in the process. Once that's done go upstairs and retrieve the girl she will likely resist subdue her, but do not kill her. My host is already making it difficult for me to control him. We had an arrangement he would volunteer for infestation, as long as I agreed not to infest his precious little girl. As you can see 991, we are about to renegotiate our contract. I may have to cancel him if his daughter dies. Chapman is a resilient host when he wants to be. Take her to the pool and hold her till I get there! I want to personally oversee her infestation!"
I screamed and tried to leap out of my window. The policeman, or whoever whatever he was, got to me first. He fired his Taser; I felt like I had been struck by lightning, my muscles tightened, then constricted. I fell to the floor, my mind swallowed up by absolute darkness.
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RACHEL
Lunch time, all my friends were there Cassie, Jake, Lisa, and even Marco. Wait where were Julius and Tobias, who were Julius and Tobias? I pushed the thoughts from my mind as Lisa sat down next to me she passed me a slice of pepperoni and I traded a pudding cup. Marco and Jake were sitting across from us, Marco across from me, Jake across from Cassie, who was seated on my left. Conversation started up about which teacher was the bigger jackass, I drowned them out. For a while, I kept asking myself who were Julius and Tobias, why weren't they her? They should be, but that couldn't be right because I didn't know who they were.
I took a chance and whispered into Lisa's ear "Hey have you seen Julius or Tobias around lately?"
"WHAT, you mean those guys who got arrested last month for trying to imitate the trench coat mafia and brining guns to school? Why would I have seen them around, they are in prison hopefully. Why you want to know about them for anyway Rach, I know you had a crush on that Tobias guy but honestly he was clearly bad news. Good riddance." "Yeah you're right silly me. I'm… I'm just having an off day, sorry Lisa I didn't mean to worry you. I don't want anything to do with that creep." I lied. "Good, now let's talk about something else instead. Like where all the sales are this weekend."
"Sounds great."
I still couldn't shake the feeling that something just wasn't right. Tobias bring a gun to school that wasn't like him, not at all. I pretended to talk about the Gap and other stores Lisa wanted to hit for the big Memorial Day sale. That's when I caught notice of Marco leaning forward slightly, staring at me with a strange look in his eyes.
After a long awkward silence I challenged him, "WHAT THE F YOU STARING AT MARCO" I half yelled at him. He took a few moments still staring at me before he spoke, "I was just thinking" he said still smirking.
"Oh yeah, be careful wouldn't want you to hurt yourself." I sneered.
His smile didn't fade, if anything it magnified, "I was just thinking you should give me a kiss, just one little kiss; right here, a little peck on the lips come on Rach, you can manage."
I leaned in closer to him; the smirk on his face was infuriating me. I wanted desperately to punch him right in the nose, but I couldn't afford to get expelled. My mom would kill me.
So instead I replied with as much fake sincerity I could muster, "You know Marco I have heard other girls saying how cute you are." And I leaned in a little closer. "Oh yeah?" he asked his eyes betraying his excitement.
"Oh yeah, I just never believed them."
I smiled and leaned back.
"Ouch Xena, very ouch, you know that really hurts, cuts like a knife. Especially when you know I'm in lloooo-ooo-vvvv-eeeee with you."
He puckered his lips and batted his very long almost attractive eyelashes at me, eyelashes I was honestly a little jealous of and would like to have for myself. This was a game he played often. I knew deep down inside he really did like me, and wasn't likely to give up very easily. I was extremely frustrated at trying to figure out where I was and what was going on, I had this nagging feeling in the back of my mind that I was very much out of place. They were all acting so normal but I kept having fleeting thoughts of Tobias, Julius Yeerks and becoming a giant grizzly bear, the thoughts were like some sort of distant memories from another life! I knew better than to say anything to these people; who looked, acted, and talked like my friends, but who were definitely not. So I gave in hoping once and for all he would quit pestering me if I gave him what he wanted.
"Alright Marco, one kiss, one time. It never happens again and we never speak of it especially to … well we just never speak of it deal?"
"Absolutely Rach, it's a deal." He said, barely able to stay in his seat.
"And you leave me alone for good afterward right?"
"I promise. Scouts honor." he put his hand over his heart in a mocking gesture.
I was painted into a corner now, if I hit him like I really wanted too, he and the others would know that he had gotten to me. After all I'm the one who opened my big dumb mouth and made the offer, no choice but to see it through.
"Alright you little troll. One peck on the lips silences your unwanted advances forever. Deal?"
"Deal." Now there was something new in his eyes, I leaned forward anyway, and he did the same. I pressed my lips to his, it was supposed to be a one second peck, but he grabbed the back of my neck and forced his tongue into my mouth. Before I could shove him away or notice that his eyes had distorted into one very large blazing eye, I heard TSEEER TSEEER.
I knew that sound! It was a hawk, a red tailed hawk circling the courtyard just outside the window. Moreover, there was something intimately familiar about this hawk. Realization dawned on me; I jumped back from Marco, my hands flying to my face, my feet carrying me toward the window.
"TOBIAS!" I screamed through the glass vaguely aware that every eye in the cafeteria was watching me, I didn't care one iota. "TOBIAS!" I screamed again.
My heart felt like it was growing too large for my chest and my breath felt ragged and difficult to come by. (How could you Rachel? I thought you loved me, How could you betray me like this? Of all the people in my life who have hurt me repeatedly, I never thought you would be one of them!)
"TOBIAS, IM SORRY! IT'S... IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK, ITS JUST STUPID MARCO AND…" He jerked his head ever so slightly, fixed that cold raptor eye on me, turned and flew off. He looked back just once…that's when it happened… he slammed right into a power line, the metal watch I had given him from another life made contact with the wire. For a millisecond his body luminesced, then he fell for an eternity to the cold wet earth. I bolted through the double doors, knocking the campus security guard off his feet as I went, sprinting full out to the edge of the football field. His body lay in a crumpled heap still smoldering from the thousands of volts that had just coursed through it.
Cassie was right on my heels, many other students had followed suit curious what all the commotion had been about. I knelt beside him and scooped him up into my arms; his body was warm but stiff as a board and totally lifeless. Tears filled my vision as I stood and turned to walk back inside, I wasn't even aware that Cassie had taken the corpse from me; all I could focus on was Marco.
Marco still standing in the window Jake next to him mouthing what I could only imagine was something like "dude you better run, run far away you're my best friend but dude Rachel is seriously going to kill you."
"For what it's just some dumb bird besides it was an accident I didn't make it fly into those power lines and what the hell is a hawk doing with the face of a wrist watch tied to its leg."
"Oh man you have really done it now, Rachel has been volunteering with deaf kids for like four years now, you dumbass she can read lips. RUN"
"Oh shit she's coming this way I'm outta here dude, see ya." Marco turned and bolted the opposite direction, it didn't matter I'd catch him his stubby little leprechaun legs were no match for mine.
"Hahhahaha what a stupid f-ing bird I wish I had my camera out I would have gotten like ten million hits on you tube."
Some senior remarked as I passed, without thinking I punched him in his laughing face and kept swinging blood and tears staining my blouse... I kept punching but the laughter only grew louder, and louder. The face I was busily disfiguring turned into a single solitary eye, blazing red and lidless. The eye stared at me and the laughter echoed in my ears something about that I eye shook me to my very core. I collapsed to the ground, wrapped my arms around my knees, and began shaking uncontrollably. The scene around me dissolved, I was no longer on the football field of my school. I was in the city center, downtown surrounded by burned out hollow buildings, and piles, upon piles of bodies. Stacks of them, mounds made of putrid rotting human flesh as high as I could see. The eye hovered over me. I looked away from it only to see the bodies of my friends lying beside me mutilated, and covered in gristle and blood stained tissue. Before I could do, or say anything, the eye blinked without eye lids and terrible pain seared through my body. I collapsed in a heap on top of dead Jake and Tobias. The last thing I heard was that terrible evil laughter ringing in my ears.
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I awoke, soaking wet with sweat like I had just climbed out of a swimming pool, "Oh my god… Tobias." I reached for my smart phone on my nightstand, nearly falling out of bed as I did "Dial Tobias" I whispered to it barely noticing it was 4 a.m. ring, ring…
"Uh hello"
"Sorry to wake you Tobias, it's me Rachel."
"I know it's you Rach, no one else would call me, especially not at four in the morning so what is it, what's wrong?" he asked, noticeable genuine concern in his voice.
"I … uh well. I guess I had a nightmare." Feeling stupid and silly the second the words were out of my mouth.
"Rach not that I mind cuz I definitely don't I mean you're the one who got me this phone, aside from that I always like to hear from you. But just out of curiosity, why did you call me and not Cassie? Again I totally don't mind, I'm actually kind of flattered, it's just so not you to admit any vulnerability. I just assumed that if you ever did admit to being human it wouldn't be to me. I mean you barely know me, and let's face it I'm not exactly Doctor Phil."
"You're wrong Tobias! I do know you, probably better than you know yourself. I car…. I mean I care about what happens to you Tobias and I… I... I just thought you felt the same way."
"Oh Rach of course I do! I lov…. I mean we have grown very close even for such a short time… I don't know how to explain it hell I don't even know if I understand it but there is something about you Rachel, like I've known you my whole life. I'm sorry for what I said a second ago I don't know why I say stupid things like that, I guess I just don't see any worth in myself so it's hard for me to believe anyone else does. But you didn't call to talk about me you called because something scared you and I would really like for you to share it with me. I'm not sure how I can help but I want to I really want too."
"Tobias you are worthy, worthy of me, worthy of a good life that you haven't had. One I fear you will never have… Tobias, I want you to tell the others tomorrow that you are not going to fight. If something happened to you I… I might… look I just don't want anything more to happen to you alright, you've been through enough!"
I felt tears forming and streaming down my face I prayed he couldn't tell. It was true. I had only known him for about a year, and not very well during that time. Yet, a part of me knows that I love him, that I will always love him. I don't even understand it all myself or how I could be crippled by my feelings for him, let alone when or how they developed in the first place. Still, there it was; I had admitted it to myself that I love Tobias, more than anything in this miserable messed up planet.
"Rachel I have to fight. I wish I could just step aside but knowing that my father, my friends the only family I've ever known knowing that most of all you will be fighting and i just say no. Rach I can't do that I never had the strength to fight off bullies or my uncle, but this is different see I didn't fight them back because it was only me that was getting hurt, now it's all of you in harm's way and I refuse to sit back any longer and let my friends fight my battles for me. I won't do It Rach. You guys are my family I love each and every one of you… i mean you know, like a family is supposed to. ..." he trailed off obviously embarrassed.
"Tobias…"
"Yes Rachel?"
"Do you think your dad could pick me up on the way to school tomorrow" "what oh um yeah sure I'll tell him at breakfast."
"Cool I'll see you in a few hours then, and Tobias…"
"Yeah"
"Thanks Tobias."
"You're welcome Rachel, goodnight."
"Night Tobias."
I hung up the phone my heart beating so loudly I thought it might wake my little sisters in the next room. I replayed the conversation over and over in my head was he really about to tell me he loved me? How could he, how could I love him? I guess the heart knows what it wants. I felt like I was thirteen all over again crushing over some teen idol in Seventeen the magazine. My palms were sweaty, my heart racing, my knees couldn't support my weight. I have know clue where it will go from here, if anywhere. All I know is that I never want Tobias to hurt again. If someone does, I'm gonna hurt them bad, real fucking bad. With all my emotions running a marathon inside me I knew sleep would not return. So, I got up spent an hour picking out the cutest sexiest outfit I owned, and headed for the shower.
When I got finished showering and dressing, my mom was already on her way out the door. I told her I was getting a ride to school, that I would handle breakfast for the girls, and make sure they caught the bus. Since I got home earlier than they did, and because I would need the car this afternoon to go to Cassie's house, I promised to pick them up. She thanked me gave me a loving kiss on the forehead then shuffled out the door. Once she was gone; I woke my sisters, got them dressed, and made them breakfast. I returned upstairs to check my hair/makeup one last time, when I heard the doorbell. Sarah, the younger of the two knew better than to answer the door, I could hear Jordan scolding her for it, Sarah cut her off calling up to me in a sing song voice. "Oooh Rachel it's for you, it's your Booooy FRiiieeend."
That got my attention, I checked the mirror one last time and headed downstairs, Jordan whistled when I got close, I shot her a shut the hell up scowl. From the landing of the stairs I could see Tobias standing in the doorway, whether he had the same thoughts I had this morning, or whether it was because he finally had someone at home who gave a damn about him and what he looked like I wasn't sure.
One thing was for sure he looked good this morning, damn good. He was dressed in clean unstained clothes, the first time I've ever seen him wear anything that had actually been pressed in its lifetime, a black polo with white thin horizontal stripes and neatly creased khakis. In fact; if I didn't know any better I would swear he had on brand new polo boots, you know the kind that cost like two hundred dollars. His face was clean so was his hair; I could tell someone had made an effort to comb it, they even went as far as putting some gel into it but it didn't help. His hair was just naturally unkempt I kind of liked it that way. I gave Sarah a gentle punch in the arm, "Jordan make sure ya'll catch the bus, I'll pick you up after school, oh and Sarah he's not my boooy friiennnd." I walked beside Tobias till we were out of earshot of my little sisters then mumbled "Yet" just loud enough for him to hear.
I couldn't help but smile as I watched his cheeks turn the color of cranberry sauce. He held the door open for me and together we sat in the backseat of Julius's truck, I noticed too that Elfangor in his human morph was smiling to himself.
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MARCO
So this was it, today was the day I would have to tell my friends that I wouldn't be fighting the Yeerks with them. I would let my friends put themselves in harm's way, while I sat back and played video games and watched T.V. I felt sick like throwing up, I felt like a coward, but as I passed my father sitting on the couch a nearly empty bottle of whiskey in his lap I felt reassured I was doing the right thing. You see my mom passed away a couple of years back; I guess I got over it, as much as anyone really can, but dad just fell apart. My dad used to work for the department of defense; he was a high level computer programmer, with a security clearance. Now he's a drunk who takes odd jobs maybe once or twice a month, just to keep the roof over our heads and very few groceries in our fridge.
Sometimes I get so angry with him, other times I pity him, but most of the time I just try to be there for him as best as I can. I don't have any classes with Jake until last period and I don't feel like telling the others about my decision till tonight at Cassie's barn. Jake is my best friend, we have been friends since we were both in diapers, I would tell him in study hall. I know it will hurt him, and I know we won't be friends much longer, that will hurt me too. Still, I have to do what's best for my family, for my father. If something happens to me he will lose it completely, he will put that bottle to his head and pull the trigger. I can't, won't be the reason he drinks himself to death, I refuse to do it. Nor can I shake the feeling that I have to fight, I'm not some gung ho warrior like Julius or Rachel, but I'm no coward either. I helped Jake defend Tobias from bullies on more than one occasion and I'm no stranger to taking a punch. But my dad, what about my dad?
I'm slightly worried that Julius or Rachel will attack me when I tell them what I've decided; more so about Julius, since his father just gave his life for all of us. Not to mention that Julius is more violent than any other person I have ever met. He gets this look in his eye that honestly scares me a little; I know that I pose a security risk by knowing about the aliens and choosing to do nothing, which might be the reason Julius kills me.
I'm serious the boy is not right in the head plus he just lost the only person he ever cared about I'm really worried, but like I said I'm no coward. If Julius wants to beat or kill me for standing up for what I believe; then so be it. I'll cross that bridge when I get to it, for now I gotta try to finish this math homework, and hope the teacher doesn't notice that my equations are complete nonsense. One day I will be able to look back on all this and laugh… but not today.
Lunch came sooner than I expected, I couldn't help but notice that Rachel looked especially hot today. I mean she always looked good; there was something different about her today though, like she actually put some effort into it. Rachel was naturally beautiful, we always joke with her that she could walk through a hurricane and come through without a single hair misplaced. Then I saw Tobias, he actually looked normal for once, well normal for Tobias. His clothes were new, and pressed his shoes were clean, and expensive; I wondered what was going on, but couldn't let myself be concerned with trivial things at this time.
I put on my daily façade and made a few corny jokes talked about the usual nonsense Jake and I always talk about, and did a pretty good job of seeming like nothing was out of place. Jake walked me to my next class; there was no fooling good 'old Jake, he knew something was up.
"What's going on with you Marco your acting unusually chipper, even for you?"
"Nothing man, it's just that… look I'll tell you in study hall alright." I took off before he could respond.
I dreaded what I had to do next, the minutes and the hours passed by with unusual speed. Not the typical droning on, where every minute felt like an hour as it normally did, but today was far from typical. When study hall rolled around I found Jake and we took our usual seats in the back, as far from the teacher or any other students as we could get.
"So what's up man? Are you going to tell me what's got you so weirded out today?"
"Jake listen buddy I know how this is going to sound and believe me I wish things were different but…"
"You have decided not to fight, cuz of your dad right?"
"How did you…"
"Marco you're my best friend, I knew what you were going to say before you did."
"Then why all the suspense? Why make me jump through hoops?"
"I didn't make you jump through anything, besides I couldn't be totally sure till you said it yourself."
"Well I guess that makes sense, anyway I'm still going to Cassie's tonight to tell the others myself."
"You don't have too. I can tell them for you."
"What, and seem like an even bigger weasel than I already do, thanks but no thanks bud."
"Marco no one will think you're a weasel."
"Oh no, I can think of two, Rachel Julius."
"Nah man Rachel thinks you're a troll but that's nothing new right, and Julius well he's Julius isn't he."
"Yeah I guess you're right, doesn't make me feel any better though."
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CASSIE
The barn was cold, full of noxious urine and feces aromas; I kind of liked it in a strange way. Not that I enjoy the smell of animal waste, just that it reminded me of my sense of purpose. These poor creatures were completely dependent on me and my father for their recovery. At four thirty in the morning, I donned my overalls and got to work. First all the cages had to be cleaned, currently in our little rehabilitation clinic we have two timber wolves who were shot by farm owners. We have a small badger, three seagulls, a red tail hawk that was attacked by an owl, and several ducks. The one resident I'm not supposed to care for without my father present; is a small female mountain lion. However; I found the lion to be quite receptive to frozen beef, as long as I fed it till it was full it didn't give me any problems. This morning I decided to start with the lion, I gave it a rack of beef ribs, and set about cleaning the others cages till it was finished. Once its' belly was full I returned to it and administered its' medication. Like the wolves this lion had gotten a little too close to some rancher's livestock and had been shot with a large caliber bullet. The wound nearly tore its right hind leg off, but my dad worked his magic and now the lion was almost fully healed, she would be driven deep into the mountains and released in a another week. The wolves and the raptor also got some frozen meat while I shoved pills down the throats of excited birds. Once my chores were finished I went inside showered and sat down for breakfast.
My family isn't religious like Jake's, we don't go to church or pray before meals; however, we always sit down for meals together. There is no eating in front of the tv or in my room like Rachel or Marco. No my parents insist on spending "quality time" together, sometimes I find it terribly annoying. This morning my father made pancakes and scrambled eggs with tofu bacon.
Neither my mother or father seemed to be awake until their fourth cup of coffee, "honestly I don't know where you get the energy honey?" my mom said to me taking her seat and the cup of Joe my father handed her.
"Please she's young when, we were her age we were working 18 hours a day to get through veterinarian school and keep jobs to pay for it!"
"Now look at you old and worn out, I'll be taking over the clinic before you know it, maybe even the gardens too!" I joked with them.
They laughed, we ate our breakfast then mom dropped me off at school on her way to work. My mother works as the head veterinarian for the amusement park/ zoo, down in the metropolis that borders our little suburban town. It's called The Gardens; they have a sea world exhibit, which includes several dolphins and one very large, very friendly killer whale. Then they have all the usual stuff you would expect to find at a zoo. I get to get in free because of mom, and my friends get a fifty percent discount. Sometimes we go there just to hang out, but truthfully it's more my thing than any of theirs. Oh I almost forgot, today is my parents anniversary, they have dinner reservations at a posh resteraunt downtown. Which means it is also the day my friends and a big blue alien will be coming over to discuss who will be joining the fight against the secrect invasion already underway. I know my friends will be expecting me to refuse to fight but how can I? these Yeerks aren't just after humans they plan to eradicate 90% of life on the planet. I won't let that happen, I just cant sit by and watch as helpless animals and trees are burned with a giant laser beam from some ghost ship in orbit. I have never been in a fight in my life, so I'm not really sure what to expect, or if I'll even be capable when the time comes. I have to try for the animals' sake!