Spread Your Wings, Fly Away
By: Loki
Rachel
It's getting colder. And
quieter. Well, it was always quiet, but now it's almost unbearable. I haven't
seen a bird for weeks. I wish I had someone to talk to. Anyone. I'd just
about invite a yeerk into my head of it meant an end to this silence. Oh,
it's started to rain. Great. Maybe I could find a cave, no wait, there
all yeerk pool entrances now. Now what am I going to do? I wish I had someone
to talk to.
David
Ho hum. Looks like winter
is back. That might explain the lack of boats. Hey! Stupid rat, get your
own food. Jeez, talk about rat overload. One more and I think this place
will pop. What's with the lack of birds lately? Maybe there's been an increase
of rats on land and they haven't had to come here. Or maybe there all dead.
Maybe there's been a huge nuclear war and I'm the only human, well, almost
human, left. Oh crap, rain. Better find some shelter before the rush. Hey,
maybe the yeerks won and killed off all the animals. Hope not, there's
barely enough food as it is. Wonder what the Animorphs are up to now. Maybe
they're dead. Gee that'd be sad. Jeez I'm bored.
Rachel
Jeez I'm cold. Wonder how
cold you have to be before your toes fall off. Maybe if I morph... Oh whats
that? Nothing. Great, now I'm hearing things. Things wouldn't be so bad
if I had someone to talk to. Maybe I'm not the only free person. Maybe
there's someone around here without a yeerk in there head. Maybe I could
kidnap someone and starve the yeerk... I could morph elephant, barge in
and snatch up one of the others. If there alive. They could be dead for
all I know. Wait! I could go and get... No way, I'm not that desperate.
Yet.
David
Something's defiantly up.
I may have been stuck here for a while, but I'm pretty sure aeroplanes
don't look like that. So I guess it's happened. The yeerks have won. That
just about eliminates all hope of me seeing my parents again. Don't start
that again. You know they're most likely dead. At least when the Anilosers
were fighting there was slight hope of me seeing civilisation again. But
I guess they're dead now too. I almost feel sad. Almost.
Rachel
Don't move. Be quiet. Careful
they'll see you. Jeez how could I be so stupid. You knew they'd come looking
for you. They must have got one of the others. I should morph. Morph what?
They've just about killed off all the animals. Wait, there's still a few
flies around. Ok, here goes. Hurry up there coming. Ok done. Up, up, up.
That was too close. I can't keep hiding like this. Once they start clearing
the woods they'll find me. If only Jake or someone was here. No Rachel.
You promised yourself you wouldn't think about them. Ok, the hork-bajir
valley. That's a good place to start. I'll have to morph bird. That's risky.
No choice. Here goes.
David
Ok. this is getting out
of control. Ow! Look out, edge! Ok, that's better. Safe ground. How long
it this going to go on for. This rock ain't big enough for the thousand
of us. Stupid Animorphs! They just had to let the yeerks win didn't they.
No consideration for others. That's their problem. < Stupid Aimorphs!
> No, yelling won't do you any good. Think rationally. Maybe I could swim
to shore... Maybe I could kill the other rats. No, I think you've done
enough killing to last a lifetime. Oh crap. Looks like a storm. Time to
find shelter.
Rachel
This can't be happening.
I'm dreaming. I have to dreaming. They can't all be dead. They must be
faking it to fool the yeerks. Oh god. No. No. No. I have to check their
pulse. How in the hell do you check a hork-bajir's pulse? This isn't happening.
How did the yeerks know... They must have the others. I've got to get out
of here.
David
I've got to get out of
here. I can't handle it any more, too many rats. I have to get out. How?
Just have to get out.
Rachel
Ok Rachel think. Your on
your own now. Get used to the silence, your the one who's gotta save the
world. No biggie. Oh if only I had someone to talk to. A rat even. No,
no, no. He's evil Rachel. You can't. He's probably dead anyway. He's a
rat, they don't have long life spans. You'll be ok on your own. You don't
need anyone to talk to, well, at least not a rat. Wait why am I morphing?
No, no no. I can't. Stop morphing! Or damn. I am going to regret this.
David
Can't breath. Can't breath.
Too many. Oh god there's too many.
Rachel
Oh my god. How many rats
are on that thing. It looks like it's alive. I don't remember this many
when I brought him here. Of course, no birds, the rat population would
be thriving. Oh god, do I want to do this? There's so many, how am I meant
to find him? Call his name. He's probably dead anyway. Rachel just do it!
Ok, here goes. < David! >
David
Ok, what are my choices?
Starve to death, or jump. Slow death, fast death, but death all the same.
I don't want to die. But I don't want to starve either... < David! >
Great, now I'm hearing things. < David! Answer me. > Wait, I now that
voice. Now way. No possible way. My minds messing with me. < David!
Answer me dammit! > Oh god it is. What does she want. Oh god. Just ignore
her. Just stay here. And die? Oh god, what am I meant to do? < Ok fine
David. I'm leaving now. > Oh god, oh god, oh god.
< Rachel? >
Rachel
See Rachel? He's not there.
Just go back to the woods, make up a good plan and forget this ever happened.
< Rachel? >
Oh my god. < David?
> Ok Rachel, land, you can't flap up here forever.
< What do you want?
> Talk about icy. Well, we did leave him here. But he did try to kill us.
< I just thought
you might like to know that the yeerks have won. >
< I figured as much.
>
Just forget it Rachel.
He's not worth it. He's evil. < Well, fine then. Good-bye. > That's
it Rachel. Just fly away.
< Rachel... wait.
> Ignore him. Keep on flying. < Rachel! Please! > Ignore. < Rachel!>
Dammit.
< What? >
< The other Animorphs...
Are they... >
< I don't know.
>
< I'm sorry. >
< What for? >
< Cut the sarcasm.
And you know what for. >
< No really, I don't.
>
< For what I did
before. That wasn't me.>
< Let me guess,
your evil twin? >
< For crying out
loud! I'd just found out aliens were taking over Earth and my parents were
fighting for them. How'd you expect me to react? >
< Like we did. Fight.
>
< Look. It's been
done. I can't take it back. I'm sorry. >
< I guess. Look,
I've only got about fifteen minutes left in morph. I'm going back... Do
you, do you want to come with me? >
<Yes.>
Rachel
Careful, don't drop
him. Rachel, I can't believe your doing this. He's a rat. He tried to kill
you. But even a rat's better company is better than no company. Still,
I can't believe your doing this.
David
Don't drop me. I can't
believe I'm doing this. She's an Animorphs. She turned me into a rat. She's
probably better company than the rats back there, but I still can't believe
I'm doing this.
< Ok, I'm putting
you down now, gently, gently, agh! >
< Ow! >
< Oops. Sorry. >
< I bet you are.
>
< Ok, I'm demorphing
now. >
< I'll just go find
a good place to sit. >
" David!"
< What? >
"Your going the wrong
way."
< Oh. >
<That tree looks
like a good place to sit. >
< Ok. >
< Oh, hear my knees
crack. I'm getting old. >
< Rachel? >
"Yeah?"
< How did the yeerks
win? >
"I don't really know.
All I know is that I went looking for Tobias, and I walked to far into
the woods and I couldn't find my way back. Then I fell and I must've been
knocked out for a while. When I finally found my way back to town everything
was different. I figured it out and came back here. That was three weeks
ago."
< Wow. >
"David?"
< Yeah? >
"Why did you try to
kill us?"
< You don't know
how many times I've asked myself that. My parents may as well have been
dead. I needed someone to blame. I chose to blame you. >
"We have to do something."
< Excuse me? >
"We can't just sit
here and let the yeerks win. They'll be clearing the trees soon."
< What can we do?
Were a girl and a rat. >
"There's this guy.
A real weirdo. He lives, or lived, on the outskirts of town. He collected
explosives. I figure, we go there, get as many as we can carry, and blow
the pool sky high."
< two problems.
How do we get the explosives down there, and how to we survive. >
"Problem one; all caves
are now pool entrances, we simply pack the caves full and light a match.
Problem two; We don't."
< Sounds like a
plan. >
Rachel
He was mad, that sounds
likely.
I hope the explosives
are still there.
I probably would've
done the same thing.
What if the yeerks
took them?
We just overreacted.
I mean, none of us died anyway.
What if the caves aren't
entrances?
And Saddler... He was
going to die anyway.
What if there's not
enough bombs to do any damage?
It's not like I've
got a peachy past is it?
What if David chickens
out of his part?
I've killed more people
than he has.
What if it doesn't
work?
Sure they had yeerks
in their heads.
What if I don't die?
But Saddler could've
been a controller.
What if he doesn't
die?
We made him a rat,
that's punishment enough, right?
What if, right before
I light them, I see Tobias.
Oh what does it matter?
I'm going to die soon.
What if, what if, what
if.
Then I wont have to
worry.
I hope my plan works.
He's not that evil.
I'm too tired to think.
David
What if she's insane?
What if she's gone
mad and this is a sick revenge plot?
I wonder if it hurts
when you die.
I wonder if you feel
all drifty floaty like you do right before you fall asleep.
I wonder what she's
thinking right now.
I wonder if she's thinking
about me.
If she is it's probably
bad thoughts.
I wonder why I hated
her so much.
Because she looked
down at me.
Acted like she was
gods gift.
She's different now.
Maybe all this has
brought her down to Earth.
I wonder if she likes
me.
Yeah right David, your
a rat.
Then again, she liked
a bird.
I'm too tired to think.
< Jeez, how heavy
can one rat be? >
< Don't drop me!
>
< I'm not going
to drop you! >
< You'd better not.
I'm very fragile. >
< Yeah right. Jeez
you need to go to Wait Watchers. >
< I don't think
they take rats. >
< They should. >
< How much further.
>
< 'Bout five minutes.
Any longer and you'll be a stain on ground. >
< What! >
< Joking. I can
see the house now. >
< Is the four wheel
drive there? >
< Yep, in the barn
>
< I don't know if
that's a good thing or a bad thing. >
< You sound like
Marco. >
< I don't know if
that's a good thing or a bad thing. >
< Oh ha ha. >
Rachel
Ok, put him down. Careful
this time. Careful! There.
< Hurry up and demorph,
I think I can hear people in the house. >
< Are they- > Whoop
no more thought speak. "Are they coming?"
< I don't think
so. >
"Ok then. I'll start
loading." Alright, this looks dangerous. In it goes. Ohhh TNT, that should
come in handy.
< Hey Rachel, >
"Yeah?"
< Can you see any
guns? >
"Why?"
< I just had an
idea. >
"What?"
< As far as I can
tell, there's not enough explosives here, but on the way, we passed some
petrol tankers, so the yeerks must be using cars. >
"Yeah, so?"
< I've got an idea.
And your going to love it. >
"Great, now my hair
will smell like eau de rat."
< I don't smell
that bad. >
"No you smell worse."
< Now you sound
like Marco. >
"Watch it rat man."
< Shhhh someone's
coming. >
David
This had better work. Just
because it worked on tin cans when I was little doesn't mean it'll work
on a petrel tanker. Though I must admit, Rachel looks good with a gun.
Rachel
This had better work. If
Marco was here he would have christened it insane a million times. Though
I must admit, rat fur feels nice in my neck.
< Rachel! Hide,
I can here a truck coming. >
"Is it a tanker?"
< I dunno. >
"Wait, I can see it,
it is!"
< Can you see how
many people are in it? >
" No, ohhh wait, yes,
two."
< Hork-bajir? >
"Humans"
< Well that's easy
enough. >
"Speak for yourself."
Rachel
Ok Rachel. You've only
got one shot at this. Oh, wait, one shot. I made a pun. It's funny, for
all the people I've killed, I've never shot someone. Concentrate Rachel.
Ok, aim like David said. Alright, here goes. Oh my god! I got him. Quick,
shoot again! Missed, again, hurry! Got him! Ok, run, the trucks still going.
Run! Faster! Grab the door, pull yourself in! Ignore your leg! Push
the body out the way! Brakes, brakes , brakes!
David
She made it! Ha, were in.
Take that yeerks.
"You ok?"
< Yeah, I'm fine.
You? >
"I'm fine. Well then,
lets get this show on the road."
Rachel
Ok, remember your lessons.
What lessons? You only had two. Well, at least they haven't noticed you
yet. Ok, time to pull into the woods. This is the hard bit Rachel, easy
does it. Alright, there's a cave, pull up in front of it. "We're here."
< Alrighty then.
Here goes nothing. >
"Let's do it."
Rachel
Remember what David said,
it might take a few seconds to blow, so shot and run like mad. Oops, they've
noticed it, shot! Run! How far did David say to run, at least 400 metres
wasn't it?
< Keep running Rachel,
or the shock wave will hit us. > Run, run, run. Oh my god! Oh my god! It's
so loud! The Earth, it's moving! I can't hear! I can't see! Oh my god!
Oh my god! Oh my-
David
Run Rachel! Faster, god
it's so loud! Rachel! Get up! < Rachel! > Oh my god, she's dead. She
can't be. No, no, no, no. I can't see, were is she. There's too much smoke.
Look David, you have to find her. Oh what's the use. Your a rat! A stupid
rat! A rat... Oh my god, a rat with hands. What the heck is going on. I'm
dead. I must be dead. There's no other way. I'm dead, and hell is messing
with my mind. I can't be human, I don't deserve to be human. It's imposable.
Oh my god. What is going on. Where Rachel? Where is Rach-
Rachel
What the. Oh my head. It's
so quiet. What happened? That's right, the explosion. How long have I been
out for? Wait where's David? "David!" Oh god where is he. "David." Crap!
Look at the flames. The woods are on fire. I have to find David. "David!"
I'm surrounded by flames. This can't be happening. What a minute, who's
that? Watch out for that branch! It must be a controller. Wait a minute.
I know that face. Oh. My. God. No way.
David
Open your eyes. Come on
David, open your eyes. You have to make sure Rachel is safe.
"David!" What, Rachel?
"David, open your eyes.
Please." It can't be. It is!
"Rachel!" Sit up, that's
it. "What happening?" God. I've never been so happy to see someone in my
life.
"Oh my god David. Your
human!"
"Yeah. I don't know
how, I thought I was dead."
Wait, she's crying.
"Are you hurt?"
"No I'm just happy."
Do it David. Be a man.
Do it! Lean forward, a bit more.."
Rachel
Is he.. He is! Don't ruin
it Rachel. Close your eyes, a bit closer. Yes! Oh I never want to let go.
But you have to, you have to get out of here. "We have to get out of here,
were surrounded by flames."
"How?"
"I can morph, you should
be able to as well. I mean, the ellimist-"
"ellimist?"
"Don't ask. He most
likely made you human, maybe he gave you back your morphs too."
Wait, why is he crying?
"Why are you crying?"
"Even if I can morph
Rachel, I can't go with you."
"What! Why not !"
"The things I've done,
I don't deserve to be human Rachel."
"Don't be stupid. Your
coming with me David."
"Rachel. You know I
can't. Hurry and morph, you have to survive."
Kiss him, one last
time. I can't believe I'm doing this. I can't believe I'm leaving him.
C'mon Rachel morph.
< Good-bye David.
>
"Good-bye Rachel."
C'mon Rachel, Spread your wings, fly away.
Epilogue
Rachel snuggled deeper
into Tobias's arms. He smiled down at her, then turned his attention back
to Jake.
"Even though they slowly
infuriated Earth for five years, the yeerks overall reign latest for only
three weeks. This is thanks to an unknown teenage hero, who caused an explosion
so large it destroyed most of the yeerk complex, leaving enough free people
to overpower the yeerks. The flora and Fauna are slowly being reintroduced,
though it may take years for Earth to be the same again."
Jake folded up the
newspaper and put it down. "Our own hero." He smiled at Rachel.
"Always knew you had
it in you," Marco added.
"When is Cassie getting
out of hospital?" Rachel asked, ignoring the compliments.
"About three weeks,"
Jake replied.
"Have they found Ax
yet?"
Jake shook his head,
"no, but were still hoping."
Tobias kissed Rachel's
forehead, "I can't believe you did that on your own." He said.
Rachel smiled, "you'd
be surprised."
The End.