Eyes.
The red eyes continued to stare through her in a state of perpetual emptiness. A void of life…that she had caused. A hissing gurgle of a final breath seeping from a shredded throat. Two lives ended. All of it because of the fangs.
All because of her fangs.
Tellion sat upright in her bed, screaming hysterically as the memories of Raddoch's death continued to plague her mind. She rushed into the bathroom and leapt into the shower, hardly noticing the immediate scolding of her skin from the steaming water she turned on. Tellion fell into the hard floor of the tub and curled into a feeble ball as her skin was scorched with hardly any notice.
It still didn't feel real.
Any of it.
She had stayed on that desolate cliff side for what had felt like half the night, crying her tears of regret until there were simply no more left to shed. No one was there for her in that most vulnerable moment. Not the Andalites. Not the Ellemist. Not Crayak. Not even Mark. She was all alone in her suffering. It took all the remaining mental strength she had left to remorph her bird of prey and fly home. The empty house she returned to was a reflection of how devoid of any feeling Tellion was in. And that was the truly hardest part that Tellion had to endure.
When there were simply no more tears left to cry, and nothing left but silence and time to dwell on it all. She had wandered about aimlessly in the house for a length of time she couldn't comprehend, until at last fatigue of both the body and the mind finally forced her to collapse on the bed. But even allowing her mind to drift away into the realm of dreams did nothing to relieve the pain that she was suffering through. And now she was alone, hurt, and ultimately lost. Because the guilt was ever present in her mind.
The guilt from having ended not just one life, but two. Raddoch's death had been hurtful, but he had been trying to kill her, so her weary mind could manage a weak justification for Tellion. But then there was Raddoch's host, the unnamed Hork-Bajir slave, a prisoner within his own body that had been forced into a deathly battle by his Yeerk overlord, and had paid for it with his life…that was the death that haunted Tellion the most. She didn't want to dwell on that understanding. She just wanted to forget that everything that had happened this night. But, deep within her conscious, Tellion knew that such a thing would never happen, ever. Her perfect Yeerk memory would never allow her the peace of it fading away into obscurity. The images of those two lives she had taken would remain with her, perfectly clear. Forever.
With nothing left to do, Tellion could do little except lay in the tub until the very last of the hot water had been drained. Then, and only then, did Tellion force herself to exit the tub and return to the bed. And there she laid, for the remainder of the night, staring endlessly up at the bleak ceiling, until dawn finally came. Still lost in a daze and exhausted, Tellion wearily dragged herself downstairs and ate a quick breakfast of milk and cereal. Everything that she did was slow and methodical, devoid of anything except the most basic use of muscles and attention. As she took her last bite, the phone in the kitchen ringing startled her.
Its sudden echo caused Tellion to jump, dropping both the bowl and the spoon she had been holding onto the floor. She made a fleeting attempt to grab for them as they clattered onto the floor, then she just stood there for a moment, her body shaking uncontrollably as a mass of emotions ragged through her. It was only when the endless ringing of the phone finally drew her attention again that Tellion instantly felt herself drawn to the phone. As she slowly dragged herself towards the receiver, Tellion finally realized that Mark hadn't come home that night. She had been so lost in her own suffering to notice his absence. Fearing for his safety, she hurried across the rest of the kitchen and picked up the phone.
"Hello?" she weakly asked into the receiver.
"Susan," Mark's voice echoed in from the other side, sending vastly needed waves of relief through Tellion. "You didn't answer for a long time. I didn't wake you, did I?"
"No. No you didn't." Tellion answered, doing her very best to keep her voice from breaking down. "I didn't sleep well, I…had a very bad night. I've been up for a while."
"I'm sorry that you had a bad night."
"Why didn't you come home?" Tellion questioned in a voice that sounded more like a demand. "What happened?"
There was a long pause before Mark finally answered.
"That kid…Saddler…something happened."
That powerful fear that was lurking inside Tellion swelled up suddenly and took a firm grip over her heart. She was terrified of what Mark would say to her next.
"Is he…"
"No." Mark replied with a strange tone in his voice. "He was…he was about to. His heart finally gave up and the staff were rushing him to the emergency room, they were going to try to one last attempt to save him. But none of us, not even his mother, really thought that he would make it."
He didn't say anything after that. The silence was maddening for Tellion.
"What happened Mark?"
"There was some kind of incident when they were taking him there, no one will really explain it to me, but when the elevator reached the floor, Saddler was…"
"Mark." Tellion spoke out her words very slowly and clearly. "Tell me what happened."
"I can't really explain it honey, words can't describe it. But I need you to come to the hospital. His…Saddler's family…they want to speak to you. In person. Can you come?"
"Mark…" Tellion spoke, her voice giving away slightly the emotional agony that was lurking just under her physical exterior. "I told you I had a terrible night. I don't think I can handle any more grief."
"This won't be sad honey, I promise." Mark assured her. "I just…I need you to be here. Just so I can make sense of the situation. Please."
Tellion released a weary sigh, knowing that she couldn't possibly refuse Mark's plea.
"Alright. I'll be over in a little bit." Tellion reluctantly agreed.
"Thanks sweetie. I promise you, this will be worth it. Just come as soon as you can." Mark said in a very happy voice.
Felling both confused and curious about what was going on, Tellion got dressed and drove over to the hospital that Mark had told her he would be at. When she arrived at the main lobby, Mark was there waiting to greet her. Tellion couldn't explain why, but his entire demeanor had changed. A mere day ago he had been dejected and full of despair. Now his eyes and face shined brightly with, hope. Tellion didn't understand any of it.
"Honey!" he said, embracing her warmly. "I'm so glad that you're here!"
"Of course." Tellion replied, lightly patting his back. "Now, can you please tell me what is going on?"
Mark pulled back and just smiled at her. "Come with me."
Tellion said nothing as Mark led her to the elevators and they went up to the third floor. The moment Tellion stepped through the sliding metal doors, her ears were assaulted with a massive deluge of chattering voices. Behind the medical station Tellion saw at least a half dozen medical personnel in white coats like the kind Mark wore at work. They were speaking rapidly among themselves about something. Tellion could not make out the fullness of the conversations, all she heard were passing words of 'indescribable' and 'miraculous', among many others. She still had no idea what was happening. Mark took her down one of the hallways, and it was easy for her to see where she was being taken. Out in the hall around one of the doors was a large group of people. Tellion instantly spotted Mr. Langley standing among them, with three young ones standing around him, possible his other children. The others nearby Tellion could only assume were other members of the extended family. They were all happily speaking to each other to the point where they didn't notice Tellion's approach. It was only after Mark announced themselves that the Langleys and the others were aware of them being there.
Mr. Langley immediately approached Tellion and firmly shook her hand.
"Thank you Susan." he sputtered in a near babble. "Thank you for everything that you did for us!"
"I'm not sure…"
Mr. Langley pointed to the door, "My wife's inside with Saddler, she's been asking for you all morning."
"But I thought, Saddler…"
Mr. Langley pushed the door open and motioned for her to go inside. Tellion looked questioningly at Mark, but he just smiled and motioned for her to go inside. Tellion reluctantly entered the room, and was left completely shocked by what was waiting for her.
Mrs. Langley was sitting ever vigilant next to her child's bed, but that wasn't what caught Tellion's eye. No. It was Saddler. He was sitting straight up in his bed, devoid of any medical wrapping or attached to any of the other medical devices that still surrounded his bed.
And he was devoid of any kind of injuries.
He was completely, and absolutely healed.
Tellion's mind reeled at this shocking development. She had no words to explain what she was seeing. Both Saddler and his mom looked over at her, their faces full of joy.
"You're here!" exclaimed Mrs. Langley as she leapt from her seat and rushed over to her. Mrs. Langley grasped Tellion's hands firmly and stared at her with bright and hopeful eyes.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she repeated over and over as she shook her hands frantically.
Her hand shaking quickly evolved into a warm embrace as if she and Tellion were true family. A few faint sniffles came from her as she blubbered into Tellion's ear.
"You were right! Miracles do happen! I almost didn't believe…but I do now!"
"I…I don't understand…" Tellion said, trying to make sense of all of this. "How can any of this…"
Her weakened mind was already trying to process how any of this was possible. There was no scientific explanation that Tellion had that could rationalize what she was witnessing. Before she had any true time to process anything, Mrs. Langley pulled Tellion over to her mysteriously healed son's bedside. The boy, Saddler, looked up at her with bright and happy eyes. Tellion had no words, because there simply were none that she could say about any of this.
"Hello there." Saddler said, his young voice tickling Tellion's ears for the first time since she had first seen him. "My mom's been talking about you all morning."
"H…hello…" Tellion muttered, her eyes still scanning his completely healed face in a desperate search for an explanation.
Her mind could only fathom one possibility. Somehow, when she had touched Saddler and absorbed his DNA, somehow her morphing power had transferred over into him. There was still so much about the famed Andalite technology that didn't understand. But that still didn't make any sense to Tellion. Even if such a thing had happened, he had no other form to morph into which would have facilitated the healing process. There was simply nothing that Tellion had in her stores of mental knowledge that could explain it all.
Saddler just continued to smile up at Tellion, almost seeming oblivious to her clear confusion. "Mom said that you stayed by my bed to keep me company when I was really hurt."
"I…I was just trying to help…" Tellion replied weakly.
"You did more than just help!" Mrs. Langley interjected, causing Tellion to look back at her as she hugged her warmly again. "You gave me and my family hope! You made me believe that miracles can happen! And one of them did! I can never thank you enough for that!"
"Mrs. Langley," Tellion said. "You don't have to…"
Mrs. Langley pulled back so that she could look Tellion in the face, she blinked a few times before wiping away the tears that were beginning to trickle down her face. "Oh please, you can stop with all this silly formality stuff. My name is Ellen. And as far as I'm concerned Susan, you're now part of my family!"
"Yeah." Saddler added. "You could be my unofficial aunt. Aunt Susan."
After he said that, the right side of Saddler's mouth pulled back into a half smile. It was a strange kind of smile, perhaps on the surface appearing to be humorous or warm, but was something else. Like Saddler was enjoying being the possessor of a joke or secret that only he understood. Only Tellion didn't smile back. Because she had seen that exact same smile once before. At another time. On another boy.
And in that instance, Tellion knew.
She finally had the answer that explained all of this clearly to her.
The boy laying in the bed in front of her. It wasn't Saddler.
It was David.
David disguised as Saddler.
Show nothing. Show nothing. Show nothing! Don't let him think you know something! Tellion screamed into her mind over and over as she stared into the face of her would be killer. She pulled her left hand behind her back, out of view of both David and Ellen, and clenched it so tightly that Tellion thought she would draw blood. Beyond that, she showed no difference in her face with the revelation. Every ounce of her mental strength was steeled to keep her own facade going. As she watched David disguised as Saddler smiling up at Ellen, the poor boy's mother completely oblivious to the reality of what was happening, Tellion felt a burning swelling up in her chest.
Where is Saddler, you horrible little monster? Tellion screamed in her mind. What did you do to him?!
It was all Tellion could do to keep herself from jumping onto the bed, grasping David by the throat, and strangling the life out of him right then and there. Her body began to move almost on its own, bringing her right to the edge of attacking David. As she did, the memory of Raddoch's lifeless eyes flashed through her mind, causing Tellion to freeze with dread. Even as the burning flame of anger began to quell within her, the door to the room flew open, and Tellion jumped with fright. She backed away slightly as more of 'Saddler's' family members entered. Ellen addressed the newcomers as Tellion quickly tried to excused herself. Ellen grasped her hand before she could go, forcing her to look at the woman's joyous eyes.
"You don't have to leave just yet, Susan. You can tell the rest of my family about how you helped me through all this."
"This…" Tellion glanced around, deliberately avoiding catching David's eye. "this is a matter for your family. I'm just a stranger that was trying to help."
"No, you're not a stranger." Ellen protested. "You are family to me now. Will you please stay a bit?"
Tellion hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly nodded, still only keeping her focus on Ellen. "I'll stay for a bit. But I need a little air. This is all…too much for me."
"Sure, sure. Whatever you need." Ellen chimed.
With that said, Tellion quickly exited the room and into the crowded hallway in a nearly dazed state. Her mind was a confused mess as she tried to process how David had acquired and replaced Saddler. She needed to find the real Saddler, but had no idea where to even look for him.
But she had to try, and quickly.
As she went back to Mark's side, several children of various ages quickly entered the room after her, too fast for Tellion to see who they were. All she heard was David/Saddler exclaim, "Hey, cousin Jake, cousin Rachel, it's so good to see you!"
Tellion watched from afar as the children rushed out of her view and to what they all believed was their miraculously recovered cousin. All except the one called Jake. Tellion looked on as he stayed where he was, staring over at where David lay. Everyone around her was so absorbed with Saddler's miracle recovery that Tellion was the only one that noticed Jake's actions. It was small, very subtle, but he kept his hand pulled back slightly from his side. Tellion saw his hand clench tightly behind his back into what seemed like an angry fist. Just like she had done when realizing the truth.
A hand falling upon her shoulder startled Tellion out of her observation of Jake. Tellion glanced over her shoulder to see that it was Mark.
"How are you doing?"
"I'm…alright…" Tellion said, feeling the lie sting her insides a little. "I just don't know how to deal with all of this."
Mark smiled affectionately at her. "I understand…I just can't make sense of any of this either."
"But there has to be some explanation." Tellion stated, already knowing the truth. "Something like this, doesn't just occur."
"I know. I know. It's so strange how all of this happened. Everyone I talked to…no one can explain any of this. It really is a miracle."
It's not any of that. Tellion thought bitterly to herself. And if you knew the real truth your stomach would be sick with disgust, and your heart would be full of rage. Like mine is now.
She had no more time to dwell on the sickness of the situation. She needed to try and find where the real Saddler was. Before it was too late to save him.
"Please, Mark." Tellion begged. "Tell me everything that happened."
He motioned towards the elevator. "Let's go get something to eat in the cafeteria and let the family have this moment."
"Yes." Tellion agreed, but not for the reasons that Mark thought. "Let's go."
So they left the family, Ellen and the rest of her family, the fake Saddler, his cousins Jake and Rachel. All was left behind as Tellion followed Mark into the elevator and they traveled down to the ground floor. She moved behind Mark as if in a trance, her thoughts scattered and divided. Before she realized her surroundings, Tellion was sitting down at one of the plan tables near the edge of the small cafeteria. When Mark asked her what she wanted, Tellion bluntly answered that anything would be fine. Tellion sat in silence as Mark went to get a meal for them both, her eyes staring blankly at the table's surface.
Where could Saddler be? How long had it been since David had switched with him? Was there…even a chance that she could find that gravely injured boy and save him?
These were questions Tellion desperately needed to have answered, and quickly.
The moment Mark came back, Tellion's entire demeanor faded away and she constructed another facade of coming out of a saddened state. Always cloaked in deception, always wrapped up in lies, she didn't feel even remotely like the person that she was pretending to be now. But those thoughts needed to be pushed aside for now. When Mark placed the tray of food in front of her, Tellion looked up from it at him.
"Mark, I…need to know what happened. Tell me everything." she said as she began to eat.
Mark seemed a bit taken off guard by her sudden boldness to getting answers. But he quickly relented.
"Saddler was in really bad shape." he told her bluntly, the exhaustion clear seeping through his voice as he gently fiddled with his food. "I didn't want to tell his parents, but I was pretty sure he wouldn't make it through the night. Then…this happened."
Tellion finished swallowing her first bite, then stared directly at him.
"Mark, I need you to tell me everything. Exactly as it happened."
Mark shot her a questioning look.
"Why does this matter so much to you? I thought you would be thrilled that something like this happened to that boy?"
"I…I am." Tellion lied. "I just…I just need to know everything, so I can make sense of it all. Maybe, it'll help me cope with what happened to me."
It felt like a weak lie, but one that was acceptable enough for Mark. He cleared his throat before continuing.
"Like I said, Saddler was in bad shape. His heart rate was really weak, and kept getting lower with each passing hour. I didn't want to tell the Langleys the truth, but I think even they were starting to realize the situation."
"What…situation."
Mark gave her the most serious, and sad, look Tellion had seen in him for a very long time.
"That their baby boy was dying, and there was nothing that I or any of the other doctors could do for him. Then, his…"
Mark trailed off, clearly the sorrow of it all beginning to overwhelm him. He brought one of his hands up to him mouth and grumbled softly behind his fist. Tellion reached across the table and gently squeezed his other hand. She hated forcing these bad experiences upon Mark, but she needed him to reveal this information so that she still might have a chance to save Saddler.
"Yes?" she asked in a soothing voice.
Mark cleared his throat, lowered the fist from his mouth, and squeezed her hand back.
"Saddler's heart just stopped early this morning, just a little bit before sunrise. The doctors tried to rush him down to the ER area. But I think they knew as well as I did it was pointless. I'm glad you weren't here to see the Langleys in that moment. It was almost too much for me to deal with."
Dreaded, frozen fear washed through Tellion as she heard Mark recanting everything that she had missed. She felt overwhelming hesitation at what she was going to ask next, because deep down, Tellion already knew the answer before she could even ask the question, and it was one that she desperately didn't want to know.
"Could he…have lived?"
"No." Mark answered in a distant voice. "I know enough about the human body to know that Saddler would have been dead by the time the staff even got him to a place to work on him. Nothing except a…miracle could have brought him back from that."
Then…Tellion thought with an emotionally crushing sadness, Saddler truly is gone. There's nothing that I can do to save him...because I wasn't here to protect him from David…
But even then, Tellion doubted her presence would have mattered at all. Saddler's fate, had been completely and truly out of her hands. It didn't make the sorrow or the guilt Tellion felt any less though. Yet, there was still something that she could do. If not for Mark or the Langleys, then at least for herself.
"Can you…tell me the rest?"
Mark nodded weakly.
"So the staff were rushing him down in the elevator, then it just stopped."
"It stopped?" Tellion questioned. "How could it do that."
Mark shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't know what happened. The hospital mechanics looked at it afterwards, and they can't even figure it what cause the elevator to stop. The nurses and the doctor inside don't know what happened either. They said that the lights went out right after the elevator stopped, then they don't remember. One of the nurses swears that she has a foggy instant of something dropping out of the elevator's ceiling, but even she's not really sure if it was real. The techs estimate that the elevator was stuck for about five to ten minutes before it started up again."
Plenty of time for David to do whatever it was that he was going to do. Tellion thought bitterly.
"Well, when the elevator reached ground floor, the staff on hand found the doctor and nurses all passed out. But Saddler, Saddler was…"
"He was what?"
It was only now that Mark's eyes brightened with the unexplained hope that had enthralled everyone at this hospital in the last few hours.
"They said that Saddler was just sitting there, in his hospital bed. No bandages, no machines hook up to him, not a single scratch on him. He had a sort of dazed and confused look, but other than that, he was perfectly fine. It really is a miracle Susan."
Tellion faked a smile, but deep within her mind, her thoughts were already fast at work to process the situation. If Saddler was truly gone, and David had acquired him, that still wouldn't make Saddler's body simply vanish. No, David had to dispose of the corpse. And in a place he was almost certain no one would be able to find the other boy's body. Then it struck Tellion like a slap in the face.
"Mark, which elevator did this happen in?"
Mark looked back at the hallway they had taken to enter the cafeteria. "The one we just came down in. I don't understand, why do you want to know something like that?"
"I just…want to make sure I know everything that happened." Tellion replied with yet another one of the countless half-truths she had been telling for what felt like forever.
Mark stared at her questioningly.
"What's wrong honey? I thought…you would be happy to see something like this happen."
Tellion quickly adjusted both her body posture and her facial expressions to hide what she was really feeling. She forced a smile at Mark, while at the same time her mind felt like it was being torn apart.
"I am happy, for that family, for Saddler. And for Ellen. I just…still can't believe that something like this could happen."
Mark just smiled back and gently squeezed her hand again.
"Well, I didn't used to believe in miracles, until I got you back. Now I'm willing to believe just about anything is possible."
Could you believe it is possible that you're actually speaking to a parasitic slug that's moving your wife's dead body around like a flesh puppet? Tellion thought with a bit of bitterness within her.
"Yes," Tellion said in her best effort to hide her sadness of the situation, "I guess I'm willing to believe in miracles too."
They finished their meal together without any further words being spoken. Though Tellion was silent, internally she was struggling immensely with a great dilemma. The guilt for not being able to help Saddler, knowing for almost certainty that the boy was dead, and almost equal certainty where David had disposed of his body. But what could she do? She couldn't just tell Mark or someone else where they might find Saddler, not until she was certain that he was there. She currently had no morphs that were capable of getting down into the bottom of that shaft. And what then? Even if her worst fears were confirmed, what could she do about it? Finding Saddler's body, while there was another Saddler in perfect health would lead to mass confusion among everyone involved, possibly even drawing the attention of Yeerk forces in the city.
And what to do about David? Tellion had been so certain, in that moment of discovery, that she was capable of ending his life right then and there, until the flashes of her killing Raddoch last night had overcome her. The pain, the guilt, the agony of ending another's life…Tellion didn't know if she could bring herself to endure such torture again.
And not just for herself. What of Ellen? Tellion remembered seeing her entire spirit collapsing when her son had been on the verge of dying under Mark's care. And just now, seeing how her eyes had been so full of life and hope…
Tellion didn't know if the poor woman could handle losing her child a second time. To endure such a fate, twice, it would likely shatter her. And if her family were to lose her too, what would happen to them?
So what was Tellion to do? Stand by and do nothing? Just let David get away with the dark deed he had just committed? Let him go to live a life among the Langleys that was a complete lie, just like her life in many ways was?
Or…kill him.
As much as she didn't want to admit it, deep down Tellion knew was the only real way to stop this sadistic boy. But in doing so, what would be left of her if she were to kill again? Would her mind, would her very essence, be able to endure such a twisted deed again? Because, this time, Tellion knew that she wouldn't be killing in mutual combat, she would be outright murdering David.
Tellion searched endlessly through her thoughts and emotions for anything that she could perceive would be the right answer in this situation. Ultimately, she came to the bitter conclusion that there simply was no outcome that would be perceived by her to be 'right'. And above all else, she knew what David was capable of. He was just as dangerous to her as Raddoch had been the previous night. He had nearly killed several of the Andalite resistance barely two nights ago, and all of them were far more battle hardened and experienced than she ever dared to be. Against her, alone, Tellion severely doubted her ability to take down the evil boy. No, she needed to wait, bide her time and wait for an opportunity to effectively deal with David. If the Andalites didn't get to him first.
Thinking in that way made Tellion feel no less twisted inside. Waiting, maybe even hoping, that someone else would deal with David to alleviate her of the responsibility, just didn't feel right to Tellion. But what else could she do right now?
Immediately, Tellion didn't believe that there was really much that she could do. Reluctantly accepting the current fate of things, Tellion finished her meal and waited for Mark to lead her back into that dreaded situation several floors above. When Mark was done eating, they slowly began heading back to the Langleys, and David. As they started towards the elevator that Tellion suspected was above the real Saddler's final resting place, Tellion saw the doors open. And out stormed two children, Rachel and 'cousin Jake'. Tellion instantly recognized the younger girl through both her blonde hair and the sheer presence that her body radiated. The other, Jake, also stirred memories within Tellion, from that time in the movie theatre, and…
Well, Tellion couldn't quite pinpoint where else they had crossed paths, but something deep within her told Tellion that she and Jake had met more than once besides the theatre. The where and how, Tellion couldn't say. Again, thoughts of being entangled within something greater than herself stirred as she watched the two move further away from her.
Are you children just everywhere at all times? Tellion thought. How is it that no matter where I go, I'm constantly around you? Never directly interacting, but always lurking within the peripheral of your existence?
If Tellion was hoping for some sort of cosmic answer to that question from either The Ellimist or Crayak, neither bothered to make their presence known to her. So she was left with nothing but her own thoughts, and guesses as to why she continually found herself in these bizarre situations. Jake and Rachael, as it seemed it always was, were oblivious to her presence. They continued to walk in the opposite direction of Tellion and Mark, keeping a distance too far away for Tellion to understand what they were saying. But their body language was clearly readable, even to a Yeerk like her.
Both Jake and Rachel appeared to be a mixture of distraught, and angry. When they spoke to each other, it was unmistakable to Tellion that they were having a heated discussion between just the two of them. About what, Tellion couldn't possibly suspect. She would have been certain that they would have been ecstatic, like the rest of their family, to see their dying cousin Saddler suddenly recovered and in perfect health. But instead they were behaving the way they were.
Mark also seemed to notice.
"Aren't those two kids Saddler's cousins?"
Tellion watched them for a few more moments, wishing that she was close enough to understand what it was they were speaking to each other. But whatever path fate was taking her down, it didn't involve the two of them.
"They are." Tellion answered in a distant voice.
"I'm not sure why they would be down here. I thought they would be upstairs and glad to see their cousin in good health."
"Perhapse they are just overwhelmed by it all. I certainly know that I am."
The dinging of the elevator arriving on their floor was enough to snap Tellion's attention away from the two youths. Stepping into the elevator, knowing what was all too likely lurking beneath her very feet, made Tellion feel as if she were stepping into an execution device. She did her best to keep her face hidden from Mark as they went back up to David. As she rode up floor after floor, Tellion tried to devise a plan to deal with the evil boy. For the time being, she reluctantly accepted that there was little she could do, not without destroying Ellen and the rest of her family. But what David had done to Saddler, even if the boy was ultimately going to die, it was unforgivable and he needed to pay for his evil actions. Plus, he was still a direct threat to the Andalite resistance, and always ran the risk of revealing them to the Yeerk forces. She needed to keep the illusion up that everything was fine. In the meantime, she would quietly watch and observe David, and wait for the right time to strike.
When back with the assembled family, Tellion quietly stood by outside the room and watched as the oblivious family continued to reveal in the joy that Saddler was miraculously healed. Mark continued to converse with many of the surrounding hospital staff, many of them speaking of wanting to get in contact with local news agencies to tell them of the 'miracle boy' and this otherworldly experience. Thankfully, Mark remained the voice of reason among the medical personnel by insisting that they wait at least a few more days before going public about the situation, just to be sure everything was alright with the boy. As he spoke among his respected colleges, Tellion waited near the door as one family member after another went to greet 'Saddler' and tell them how their prayers had been answered for his recovery. After close to an hour of the constant visitation, Ellen came out and shut the door behind her.
"Saddler said he was exhausted and needs to get some sleep." Ellen addressed to everyone. Tellion looked at the ecstatic mother, hating every moment that the woman was revealing in because her joy was built completely upon a lie. Her husband came to her side and looked at the door behind her.
"He didn't want you to stay with him?"
Ellen just smiled warmly.
"Saddler said that he would sleep better if he just had some time to himself. Besides, I'll be right out here until he wakes up. But I really, really want to take him home when he wakes up."
More like, he needs time to morph in and out. Tellion thought bitterly. And he wants to get out of here as soon as possible so he can have free reign to do as he pleases with his morphing powers.
As she contemplated the situation, Mark and several of the other staff began to speak to Ellen and George. Despite her insistence that her son be released from the hospital immediately, the present medical staff and Mark also insisted that David remain in the hospital for another forty-eight hours at minimum. Just to be sure that everything was fine with him. Tellion was grateful form Mark's insistence upon that. It meant that David would be confined to the hospital for at least another two days. It would give her time to plan her next move against the boy.
Her hopes were instantly extinguished when Ellen insisted that Saddler be released immediately, despite Mark and everyone else's insistence that he remain. Tellion could see that Ellen was absolutely determined, just as Mark had been the night she had 'woken up'. Her mind was set, and before the sun set on that same day, Tellion knew that David would be out of the hospital. Tellion now knew that her time frame for being able to stop the evil boy was greatly diminished.
She stood by in silence until Ellen came to her.
Taking her hands in a comforting embrace once again, the woman stared at Tellion with brightly lit eyes. "Susan, I can never thank you enough for everything that you did for me and my family."
"I…just wanted to help…" Tellion said weakly, fighting with all her strength to hold back the sorrow that was swirling around inside of her as she looked at a woman that truly believed her beloved son had made a miraculous recovery, yet only she knew the horrible truth that her precious Saddler was already gone and his body was likely lying in the bottom of the nearby elevator shaft. She wanted more than anything to tell this kind woman the truth, but ultimately knew that the truth was far, far too impossible for a normal mind to comprehend.
"You helped more than I can every thank you for." Ellen said. "Whatever the miracle force that brought you back to your husband, you must have transferred some of it to my little boy!"
"I don't think it…" Tellion tried to weakly counter, but was abruptly cut off by Ellen.
"It has to be that!" she exclaimed. "There's no other explanation for what happened to Saddler!"
Her attempts to rationalize and explain what had happened was bordering on delusional, but ultimately Tellion knew that Ellen would accept any reason that allowed her to have what she believed was her son back. Nothing that Tellion, or anyone else, could tell her would ever make this poor woman believe otherwise. Not wanting to waver from her stance, Ellen tighten her grip on Tellion's hands.
"We're going to have a welcome home party for Saddler this weekend, and I want to invite you and your husband. You both have done so much for all of us, especially for Saddler."
She wanted to say no. She wanted to come up with any reason to not bring herself anywhere near that evil boy David. She didn't want to give him even the slightest suspicion that someone around him knew the truth. Not until Tellion was absolutely certain that she was ready to stop him.
"I…we'll be happy to come." Tellion said, looking over to Mark, who was too far away to hear what was being said.
"Perfect!" Ellen blurted out with joy. "I'll be sure to let Saddler know that you'll be coming once he wakes up and we take him home!"
With that said, Ellen left Tellion and rejoined her husband and three other children, along with the rest of her extended family. Mark quietly walked over to her side as they both stood by and watched the family reveal in their joy.
"I think I heard her talking about a welcome home party for her son." Mark said. "I'm guessing you said yes to us coming?"
"How could I tell her no?" Tellion asked without looking at him.
They said nothing for a few more awkward moments.
"I'd like to go home now." Tellion whispered.
"I still have to stay for a bit. Take care of a few things before I can leave. I'll walk you to the car."
Tellion said nothing in response. She just quietly followed him back down to the ground floor of the hospital, her eyes constantly fixated upon the floor of the elevator, and what was lurking far beneath it. It was only when they exited the hospital that Mark finally spoke.
"I'm sorry if that was all too much for you honey, I just thought that you would be happy to see that kid healed."
"No one know what happened to him?"
Mark shook his head. "No. No one I know can rationally explain it all. This really is a miracle."
He took her in his arms after he said that and looked directly into her eyes.
"Just like I got with you."
Tellion instantly rested her head into his chest, but it wasn't for the affection Mark mistook it for. It was to hide the shame of the lie she was living from displaying in that one moment of weakness. Mark didn't question it. He just hugged her warmly before forcing her to look back up at him.
"I have to get back in there. There still some forms I have to fill out and I'm going to try one last time to get the Langleys to keep Saddler here for a few days."
"Do you think they'll listen to you?" Tellion asked, unable to hide the doubt in her own voice.
Mark just gave her a look. "I didn't listen when it was with you. I guess this makes me quite the hypocrite. But…people do crazy things when it's about someone they love."
Tellion squeezed him slightly when she heard that, but said nothing more. Mark looked back at the hospital entrance.
"I have to get back in there." he sighed. "But I'll be home tonight, I promise."
"I'll be waiting." Tellion replied to him truthfully.
With that said, they shared a long, emotional kiss before Mark reluctantly pulled from her and returned to the hospital. Tellion drove home with barely another thought racing through her mind other than how she was going to stop David. After the long drive came to an end, and multiple scenarios brainstormed by her, Tellion found herself with no more solutions than when she left the hospital.
Just like she had felt earlier, returning to her home seemed more like entering a prison sector than a comforting abode. Everything appeared empty and uninviting. And the silence…the silence was a new level of torture to Tellion. Thoughts of David killing Saddler and replacing him, the threat he continued to pose, and the horror of continually seeing Raddoch's lifeless eyes staring at her…it was almost too much for her frail mind to endure. Suffering through what felt like immense helplessness of the entire situation, Tellion was forced to do petty maintenance and cleaning tasks around the house, just to keep her mind from collapsing under the weight of everything she was suffering through.
She turned the T.V. on just to drown out the silence of her being alone. Through the primitive screen, she saw the massive media coverage of the wild events from the prior night. The official explanation that all the media stations were giving was that a group of radical animal rights activists wanted to bring world attention to the illegal Ivory trade that was claiming the lives of countless Elephants and Rhinoceroses, Tellion assumed those were the names of the creatures the Andalites had morphed, and they did just that by releasing a handful of such animals among the Marriott resort to wreak havoc right in front of the leaders of the strongest nations in the world. How such massive creatures were able to be brought so close to such a heavily guarded facility, cause such catastrophic damage, then be taken away without anyone knowing where they went, that was the ultimate mystery to many of the baffled reporters.
That's because they weren't just regular animals. You would find the real story to be literally out of your world.. Tellion thought, grateful to have even the slightest bit of relief to her present dilemma.
At the very least, Visser Three's plans had been thwarted. Tellion had a strong suspicion several Yeerk officers would lose their lives before the current day ended, if he hadn't already executed them. Visser Three was never one to be known for his leniency.
But that was not something for her to dwell on.
When she had finished every seemingly pointless task around the house there was to do, Tellion retreated into her basement fortress and spent the next several hours rejuvenating herself in her personal Yeerk pool. Once her necessary Kandrona feeding was complete, Tellion went back upstairs, showered quickly, and returned to her illusionary normal life. Checking the time, she saw that the day was beginning to get late, and decided to busy herself with making dinner.
She still was pretty bad at preparing food, but she did it more as a way to keep her mind busy than any other reason. She labored over the stove for some time, letting herself get lost in the tasks. When she was finally finishing up, Tellion heard the front door open and close. A few moments later, Mark walked in, and seemed genuinely surprised by Tellion being in the kitchen.
His eyes glanced around at everything.
"Oh, honey. You didn't have to go through all this trouble. I could have picked something up on the way home."
Tellion just smiled at him. "I know. But you've been through a lot the last few days. I just wanted to do something nice for you."
He briskly walked over to her and took Tellion in his arms. "And I'm always grateful for everything that you do for me. And don't worry about everything else. I'll clean up and put the leftovers away."
With nothing really left to be said, Tellion and Mark sat down for the first real meal in their home that they had enjoyed in what felt like a very long time. Small talk was made between them, but all of it felt rather dull and almost pointless. Mark spoke of small procedures and new machines that his hospital would be using soon. Tellion told him of various tutoring sessions with lots of the local kids. It continued on until they had finished eating, and though everything on the surface appeared to be fine and normal, Tellion sensed the tension in the air. She was sure it had to do with 'Saddler' and his family bringing him home prematurely. But Mark made it a point to not bring it up at any time in their conversations, and Tellion thought it best to not press the matter.
Once they were finished, Mark remained true to his word and encouraged her to go to the living room and relax while he finished up in the kitchen. Tellion went to the couch and let herself become lost in the television screen. And for a time, she felt like that she could find peace, if even just for one night.
As Mark finally came from the kitchen, the nearby phone rang. Tellion observed him as Mark answered, and his entire demeanor changed. Tellion instantly knew something was wrong. She got up and cautiously walked over to him as she heard him speaking to someone. He instinctively shook his head a few times while talking, another sign of concern. As Tellion neared him, he finished up his short conversation.
"I don't know what I can really do right now, but if I hear or see anything, I'll let you know immediately."
With that, Mark hung up the phone and turned to Tellion. Worry was all too apparent in his eyes.
"That was George." Tellion didn't need to ask which George Mark was speaking of, she already knew. "He said that his wife went up to Saddler's room to get him for dinner. His cousin Jake had stopped by for a few minutes when they first got home to tell him how glad that he was ok, then Saddler went to go lay down for an afternoon nap, and he was just gone when she opened the door. They searched the whole house and surrounding neighborhood, but there was no sign of him. Ellen is hysterical, they called the police, but they can't do anything for another twenty-four hours. He called to see if I had heard or seen anything. He sounds desperate."
"Why would he…" Tellion began, but stopped abruptly when she realized that David had likely snuck out to do who knew what. But why he wouldn't have returned before bringing suspicion back upon himself, Tellion just couldn't understand why.
"I don't know." Mark said, clenching a fist. "I told them it was too soon to release him from the hospital. We all told them, but the Langleys just wouldn't listen. They just wanted their son back."
"Do you think they'll find him?" Tellion asked.
"I don't know." Mark repeated. "But I really hope that they do. For Saddler's sake and his mother's."
It was only then that Tellion realized that the all too likely reason for David/Saddler's sudden disappearance…was that he was planning on sneaking back into the hospital and disposing of the real Saddler's body. It had to be. It was the only logical conclusion Tellion could come up with. David must have realized that sooner or later someone would stumble across the real Saddler's body, and he had to prevent that. Which meant that she was now in a race against time to beat David to Saddler's body, and he already had a commendable lead over her. And despite the urgency of the situation, Tellion couldn't just run off. She still needed to maintain that everything was fine in front of Mark until an opportunity to sneak away presented itself. Then there was the other problem. How could she get down that elevator shaft to Saddler's body? None of the current morphs she possessed had the capacity to fit into such small spaces.
As if her very concerns were being answered, Mark suddenly began swatting the air around his head.
"Stupid fly!" he growled, taking another clumsy swing at the tiny insect that was barely visible. It darted around his head a few more times before disappearing into the kitchen. Mark made to go after it, but Tellion interjected.
"Don't bother with that little fly, I'll take care of it." she told him, moving towards the kitchen.
"It's just a little bug honey," Mark protested. "I can handle one little bug."
Tellion walked over to him and gently patted his chest. "I know you can. But you've been through a lot today, you need to sit down and rest."
Mark glanced at the kitchen, then back at her. "You sure. I can take that thing out in a minute."
"I know you can, but you don't need to bother yourself with such a pointless task. Besides, I was already going to go in to get you something to drink."
Mark shrugged his shoulders. "Alright, if you think you can manage it…"
Tellion just smirked at him. "Like you said. It's just a little bug. I think I can manage it."
Mark gave her a fake serious look. "I'll give you five minutes. After that, I'm coming in after you."
Tellion faked a laugh of her own and lightly punched his shoulder. After that, she went into the kitchen. She didn't dare question the reason why such an animal had presented itself to her in a time when she needed such a morph. She just knew that acquiring the fly would be the thing she needed to get to Saddler's body before David did. It didn't come as much of a shock to Tellion to see the fly resting on the discarded plates in the sink. She had researched enough about various earth creatures to know that flies were scavenger insects. Slowly approaching the bug, she took great care to not make any sudden movements the way Mark had. Each step was like inching closer to a trap that was ready to spring to Tellion. And when she was standing over it, she clasped her hands together and cautiously went to the capture of the bug. The fly hopped about on the top plate several times, either oblivious or uncaring of her presence over it. When her hands had finally moved into position directly over the fly, Tellion struck. She grasped out with a quick scooping of the hands, nabbing the fly into her grip before it could get away. As it darted about in her clamped hands, Tellion instantly directed her thoughts on acquiring the tiny creature. She thought of its small size, its ability to dart about against things such vastly bigger than it, but above all else she focused on her desperate need for a morph such as this. The familiar tingling sensation ignited through her clamped hands, and in just a few short moments, the fly ceased its wild buzzing. It settled against the skin of her palm, and entered a calm state. Tellion more felt than knew that she was absorbing its DNA, and was grateful to acquire the much needed morph. When she was satisfied that the acquiring had been completed, Tellion broke her concentration and left the kitchen.
As she walked across the living room, Mark commented from his spot on the couch. "Boy, that was quick."
"You just have to approach these things the right way." Tellion told him, moving towards the front door.
"You didn't squish it?"
Tellion glanced over at him. "It may be just a little bug, but it's still a living creature. It was only doing what its instincts commanded it to. It doesn't deserve to be killed because of that." And it truth, Tellion didn't know if she could mentally bring herself to kill again, even if it was just a tiny and seemingly insignificant life such as a bug.
She opened the door and threw the fly out to the greater world to continue living as it was meant to. Having done what she needed with it, Tellion kept her word and went back into the kitchen and poured Mark an ice filled cup of soda. She brought it to him, then sat down next to him and leaned herself onto him, grateful to finally having him back and close to her again.
They spent the next several hours drowning themselves in mindless television watching, with Tellion doing her best to shield her growing anxiety as time continued to tick away. As she continued to hide her worries, Tellion tried to formulate a hasty plan to retrieve Saddler's body. And all she could do was hope that David hadn't beaten her to him and disposed of his body.
As the hour grew late, and weariness began to set in on both her and Mark, the phone rang again. Mark reluctantly answered it, leaving Tellion to wonder what she was about to discover. Mark made a few brief comments, added with shaking his head a few times. She sat back and waited for Mark to hang up the phone. When he returned to her, his shoulders were slumped and he appeared more dejected than ever.
"He's still missing?" Tellion asked.
Mark weakly nodded his head. "They're in a complete panic. They've looked everywhere and have called all the hospitals. It's like Saddler just disappeared."
Tellion didn't know what to say. Something wasn't right. She couldn't imagine that David would be so foolish as to disappear for almost half a day from his new host family. Not unless he was absolutely desperate to cover his tracks. Tellion knew that she needed to hurry back to the hospital and retrieve Saddler's body, but in the present moment she was helpless to do anything. As much as she hated her present predicament, she needed to remain vigilant.
Tellion said nothing more, she just offered her comfort to Mark with open arms, which he gladly accepted. Nearly an hour passed without further incident until Mark finally let his fatigue show. Tellion went with him to the bedroom and quietly laid next to him. She watched him in silence as Mark slowly succumbed to the weariness that the last several days finally caught up with him. Her eyes never wavered from his face as his own eye lids grew heavy and eventually closed. Even then, Tellion didn't dare to move as she observed the pattern of his breathing. Gradually each breath he drew became slower and deeper as sleep began to overtake him. After a space of time passed, Tellion was certain that Mark had drifted off into a much needed peaceful slumber. Certain that he wouldn't stir from his rest, Tellion slowly slid off the bed. Walking as softly as her small frame would allow her, Tellion quietly grasped her swimsuit and exited the bedroom. No sound was made from her as she descended the stairs first to the living room, then into the basement. She locked the door after her, not daring to take even the slightest chance that Mark would awake and find that she wasn't at home in the middle of the night.
After slipping into her swimsuit, Tellion filled the deprivation tank with water and turned its power on. If, if Mark woke up before her mission was done, she would have a little bit of extra time to explain away by claiming to have taken a midnight session in the tank. It would also give her cover for not being in bed if he were to wake before she could get back. And it would explain why she was in her swimsuit in the middle of the night. Once everything was set, Tellion took a moment to mentally prepare herself.
Having never morphed something as tiny as the fly felt immensely overwhelming to her. The crow and the Jaguarundi were one thing, but to transform into something smaller than the tip of her tiniest finger was something else entirely. She was about to enter an entirely new realm of the morphing process. Tellion sat down in the middle of the room and shut her eyes. She needed to focus all of her thoughts on transforming into the fly, since she didn't have even the faintest concept of how to imagine herself becoming something so meniscal. Tellion thought of the only thing that she could in association to the insect, the sensation of it buzzing around wildly in her hands when she had captured it. She trained all of her mental focus on that buzzing sensation, of how such a tiny little thing could possibly be so fast and maneuverable.
And as she let her mind slowly slip into that focus, Tellion was only vaguely aware of the tingling sensation spreading across her body, immediately followed by the shifting of her entre form. Her human oriented Yeerk thoughts quickly faded away as more simplistic sensations began to overwhelm her mental capacity. Eventually, Tellion was no longer able to keep her eyes shut, because the lids to them shriveled up into her almost melting head. The vision that filled her consciousness was what threw her off initially.
Not one singular image, but rather a complex series of many hexagonal viewpoints, all of them slightly aligned differently from each other, but it was a complete 360 degree viewpoint. It was initially overwhelming to Tellion, who had only then realized that she had become far too adjusted to a humans' singular pair of eyes. Just as it all seemed like it was too much for her to process, Tellion remembered her time in Tallaxia. Drawing on those memories, having to control six different independently rotating eyes all at once…helped Tellion to orient herself with this new intricate point of view. The moment the panic subsided and she began to make sense of her new vision, Tellion became distinctly aware of just how small she was becoming.
Everything. Absolutely everything around her was now as colossally large as a human building.
She instinctively moved, but not in any way that she had been accustomed to throughout her life. Her tiny body jumped from point to point, every bit of movement being a complex series of micro leaps. Her wing flapped rapidly, suddenly giving Tellion lift into the air. But this flight was unlike her times as both the crow and as the swallow-tailed kite. This time her wings weren't reliant upon air flows and thermal drafts to keep her aloft. No, instead her wings were vibration at a blur of speed that the sheer velocity of them pushed her into the air. The sheer speed of her ascent caught Tellion completely by surprise, and it took her several bewildered moments to collect her senses and attempt reign in the commanding instinct of the bug. This proved far more difficult than she could have possibly imagined. The simplistic nature of the creature made its few thoughts all the more commanding over Tellion's struggling mind.
She darted about the room several times in a wild, chaotic path, before she finally found herself grounded on the hand rail next to the stairs. Upon her landing, Tellion immediately strained her thoughts to bring the simple yet strong mind of the fly under control. Where before, she had simply been able to overpower the animalistic mind through sheer force of will, here Tellion had to employ a different tactic. Instead of fighting the fly's mind, she instead focused her thoughts on directing it instincts to coincide with what she wanted. She pushed the fly to take flight again, directing it towards the door at the top of the stairs, the fly's senses were able to pick up the faint traces of smells in the air that drove in that direction as well.
The crack at the bottom of the door was more than wide enough for her tiny insect body to slip through. Once out, Tellion let the fly's instincts guild her towards the kitchen. As she still attempted to bring the multiple spherical eye sights under control, Tellion was landing in the open trash bin. She skipped across several unidentifiable bits of food that her microscopic mandibles attacked and consumed. After multiple bites, the fly's instincts began to diminish. This allowed Tellion just enough control to steer her tiny body out of the kitchen and into the downstairs bathroom. Once safely tucked away in the small space, Tellion turned her thoughts into changing back to her normal human self. To her own surprise, it proved to be a much easier task than she first thought it would be. It almost felt like her subconscious mind wanted to be free of the strain of the simplistic thoughts. She was less aware of her physical body returning to her as all of her thoughts were focused on her human mind becoming itself once again. Once Tellion felt a sense of normalcy with her conscious, she was only then able to be aware of the world around her.
She stood silently in the near dark of the tiny bathroom, staring at her trembling face as beads of sweat rolled down her skin as the faint glow of the small mobile light plugged into the sole electrical outlet illuminated Tellion's vision. Her eyes darted down to her hands, which were shaking uncontrollably. This new morph, the terrifyingly simple nature of the bug…it was almost overwhelming to her already frail mind. As she stood there in the tiny dim space, staring at nearly broken form of herself, Tellion felt that great doubt returning to her.
What was she doing? Was she really able to keep control over this new morph? It felt as if everything about herself was beginning to slip away.
Tellion began to feel herself sinking to her knees in despair. But even then, in that moment of the utmost despair, visions flashed through Tellion's mind.
Of the Langley's. Of Ellen, her husband, and their remaining children's bright and shinning faces at the return from the dead Saddler. The joy and hope that his miraculous healing brought to them all.
And now, with David having unexplainably vanished…Tellion thought of how their world was collapsing once again. Only this time, unless David returned suddenly, they would be plagued by the mental torture of never having known what happened to their boy. And if David where to return as Saddler, they would all carry on unknowingly living with the monster that had ultimately ensured their child's demise. Knowing this, Tellion felt a sudden resolve return to her diminishing spirit. Her trembling hands clenched into fists that instantly began shaking from everything except fright.
No.
She knew with almost absolute certainty where Saddler's body was. And Saddler's family deserved to have his body returned to them. If nothing else, just so they could say their proper goodbyes to their beloved family member. And she was the only one that could give them that. But before everything else, Tellion herself had to know if it was true. She had to see for herself that David really had tossed Saddler's dying body down that elevator shaft like disposable garbage. If for no other reason, than for her own personal sanity.
Her mind suddenly renewed with a newfound desire to do what she knew was absolutely the only right thing to do, Tellion silently slipped out of the bathroom and out of the house. In a lightless section of the backyard, she morphed into her Kite form and took to the sky. Tellion turned her avian head to look back at her home just once as it grew further in the distance of her ascent. Leaving felt like going away from a part of herself, but as hard as it was, Tellion knew that she had to keep going. She had to do this. Tellion just had to know for sure.
Following her memories of how she had traveled there and returned home, Tellion traversed her way back to the hospital where Saddler had been kept. She landed on the cold, empty roof near a landing pad meant for human flying rescue vehicles. She felt an unease, being by herself up on such a place. It was nearly identical to the roof last night…
Memories of Raddoch began to resurface, and it took most of Tellion's mental strength to push them aside and concentrate.
Tellion tried to focus herself. She needed to stay on the task at hand. She had very little time, and as such couldn't afford to squander it wallowing in her own despair. Hoping behind the small structure that held the door leading down into the hospital, Tellion morphed back. When she had become human again, Tellion took a moment to prepare herself. There was an almost certainty of what she was about to find, but it didn't ease her mind at all. The unknown still plagued her. But she had to push on. With one deep breath, Tellion willed herself to transform into the fly.
The second time morphing the animal wasn't nearly as overwhelming, but the instincts were still very strong. Yet, this time she was prepared for it. Once she had completed her morph, Tellion darted through the small crack at the bottom of the roof's exit. Down the stairs she flew, letting the insect's instincts help guide her. She quickly exited into the top floor of the hospital, settling for a moment on a ceiling panel to get her bearings. It was a little strange, apart from the hundreds of broken up images, to see the world upside down and not be disoriented. As Tellion was looking about, she saw a pair of doors slide open and several people stepped out into the hallway.
The elevator.
She shot off without hesitation, darting about to avoid what would have been minor obstacles to her in human form but were now gargantuan hurdles. As she neared, the doors began sliding close, and Tellion zipped through them before they could shut on her. Tucking herself away into a far corner, Tellion looked about the empty elevator. But she had no sooner took one glance around before something else overcame her. An odder tickled her sensory organs, compelling her to go to its source. She didn't fight it, instead, Tellion let it guide her through a small opening in the roof of the elevator.
She followed the scent trail around the structure of the elevator and down the dark shaft it was situated in. As she neared the bottom, only the faintest sliver of light shined through the doors to each level that Tellion passed. Before she realized it, Tellion had landed on the source of the odder. The scents were so overwhelming to her that she didn't even attempt to fight them, instead she immediately shifted her mental focus on morphing back into her human self. It was the smartest decision for her, as the power of the smells was far too overpowering for her to ever hope to fight against. Before long though, as she became more human than fly, the crushing instincts of the bug faded away and Tellion was gradually able to regain a semblance of herself. She pulled herself off the foreign object and dragged herself into the dark corner nearby. There shrouded in the darkness, Tellion finished returning to her human self. But she didn't move from where she was squatting, even long after having finished her morph.
Because, deep in her trembling mind, Tellion knew what was coming next, which she dreaded so much having to face. The smell, the horrible smell filled her sensitive noses. Tellion knew instantly what that stomach turning odor was.
It was the stench of death.
With her weak breath held, Tellion slowly forced her shaking body to gradually turn around. And when she did, Tellion saw him.
He was laying in the center of the floor, body face up, yet his lower half was twisted almost to the point where it would seem that he was laying face down. His arms and legs were all twisted at sickeningly unnatural angels. Dried, crusted blood was gathered around the frame in a small pool. Thankfully, no, mercifully, his face was twisted away from Tellion, so that she wasn't forced to have to see his lifeless face. Tellion didn't know if her fragile mind would be able to handle such horror again in such a short span of time. A thin sheet was twisted over the frame, covering most of the mangled body. Tellion knew instantly who was lying before her.
"Saddler…" Tellion whispered with the greatest of sadness.
She didn't bother to even stand up, she just reluctantly shuffled over to the body. Squatting next to it, Tellion just looked at it with the deepest regret. Her trembling hand reached out, and gently touched the very same hand that she had held only a few days ago when comforting Saddler. The coldness of his skin and the stiffness of his fingers was almost painful to Tellion, it was a symbol of her failure.
"You poor…innocent boy…I…I'm sorry." Tellion cried, unable to hold back her tears. "I should have known what David was planning. Mark told me that it was too late to save you, but that doesn't mean that I…I should have been there to protect you."
Tellion grabbed the edge of the sheet and pulled it over the dead boy's face, forever sparing her from the horror of having to see death in the young child's eyes. She bent her head down and gently pressed it against Saddler's head. Her tears fell upon the sheet as she cried out for the child's lost young life.
"You didn't deserve this." Tellion cried. "No one so young should have ever had this happen to them. I…I failed you Saddler. I know that I can never undo what was done to you, but I won't leave you here to rot in this wretched place. You deserve to be buried by your family. Your mother deserves to be able to say goodbye to you. I'll get you out of here, I promise."
With her own words spurring her on, Tellion affectionately kissed the top of Saddler's head and squeezed his hand one last time. Pulling away from the lifeless body was almost as traumatizing as going to him, but Tellion barely managed to find the strength to do so. She backed away into the dark corner where she had first landed. Now that she knew the full truth with her own eyes, she could alert someone and direct them to Saddler's body. His family would have, although deeply painful, closure for his loss. And David, wherever he was, would no longer have the cover of disguising himself as Saddler to hide. With nothing left to say in the moment, Tellion morphed back into her fly form, which surprisingly wasn't nearly as overwhelming as it had been the last two times she had morphed it.
Tellion took to the air and climbed up, up, and up. All her thoughts were focused on what she needed to do next.
First she needed to find a way out of the elevator shaft. Then she needed get away from the hospital and find a way to alert someone in some kind of authority about where Saddler's body was. Then she needed…
Tellion flew straight into a series of microscopic threads, so tiny that even her fly eyes failed to see them. Whatever these strands were made of, they instantly stuck to her. Panic set in as Tellion flapped her wings rapidly to free herself. Her struggles only got her even more entangled, to the point where her wings were so wrapped up in the sticky strands that they couldn't even move. As she trashed about in the multitude of strands, her mind raced as she tried to comprehend what was happening.
What is this? she cried out as she continued to struggle. What is this stuff?
Her frantic mental screams were answered by only one thing. The vibration of the strands suddenly moving. As Tellion continued to vainly pull herself free, her multitude vision spotted something emerging from the shadows above her. Moving as sinisterly as Crayak himself, an eight legged creature emerged from the darkness.
A spider.
She had seen them countless times in her human form, and they had always appeared so tiny and non-threatening. But here, in her puny little size as a fly, the spider was anything but that. It was easily four times the size of her current body, yet it glided across the multiple strands with frightening ease. It was in that moment that Tellion realized her predicament. She was caught in a web spun by this spider for any insect to fly by and be ensnared. And she was clearly its prey. But the one thing that Tellion saw that sent absolute terror coursing through her…was the pair of enormous fangs protruding from the front of its mouth. Fangs that gently clicked together with terrifyingly glee as the creature closed in for the kill.