Chapter 5

A pebble smacked my window. I didn’t know who it was for once. I opened my window. There, lying motionless on the ground below, was Tom.

Something told me not to go down there, but this was Jake’s brother. I knew he had been yeerked, but still. I got dressed and flew down the stairs. (Not literally.)

“Tom?” I asked nervously. He groaned. Should I call Cassie? No, I could I handle this. First, I automatically checked his ear. I stood there, stunned for a moment, then checked again with my power. No, there was no mistake; the yeerk was gone.

Then out of nowhere came a man. At first he didn’t seem to notice me and said to Tom, “Did you really think you could escape?”

He looked up and appeared startled to see me. He lifted something over his head. And then there was nothing.

When I came to I was lying on the floor with a big bump on my head. I was by the yeerk pool. Thousands of others struggled around me. Ok, I thought. Don’t let them know that you know about the yeerks.

“Where am I?” I asked a bystander innocently. A scream ripped through the air. Wincing, I recognized it as Tom. He was having the yeerk replaced. Someone grabbed me from behind. “Let go!” I shrieked. I struggled out of their grip and raced toward the door. Another controller stopped me. Holding me steady with his massive arms he yelled, “Someone get one ready, this one’s feisty.” Keeping up my innocent act I asked,

“Who are you?” He never replied. I felt something cold and slimy against my skin-a yeerk.

I screamed and struggled and even dared call Cassie, knowing they would never guess my power. However my message to her only went so far as "Help" before the inevitable happened. The yeerk slid into my brain.