[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
without being seen. By the way, here's a book for you, since you're done with the World
Almanac. It's a book of quotes. Stuff that famous people said." She held it out for me to take.
"Thank you," I said.
48
I felt strange walking into the dark. Walking away from Cassie's house. Strange. As if it were
cold out, although it wasn't.
"So what did you think of my parents?" Cassie asked.
"I liked them," I said. "But why has your father removed the hair from his head? Hair. Hay-
yer. I meant to ask him, but forgot."
"He's going bald," Cassie said. "It's probably better not to mention it. It's a normal thing for
humans. But some people get sensitive about it."
"Ah, yes. My father's hooves are getting dull. It's normal as well, but he doesn't like to talk
about it."
"What's your father like? And your mother?"
"They are ... just normal parents. They are very nice. They are ..."
"Goon."
"My throat feels strange," I said. "Like there is an obstruction. I am having difficulty
speaking. Ing. Is this normal?"
Cassie put her arm beneath mine. "You miss them. That's normal."
"An Andalite warrior may spend many years in space, far from his home and family. That's
normal."
"Ax. You said it yourself. You may be an Andalite warrior, but you're still a kid, too."
I stopped walking. I was far from the light of the house. I could change back into my own
shape without being seen. I realized I was looking up at the stars.
"Where are they?" Cassie asked, following the direction of my gaze. "If you're allowed to tell
me that."
I pointed with my human fingers at the quadrant of space where my home star twinkled.
"There."
I watched that star as I melted out of my human form and returned to my true Andalite body.
"Ax, you know that Jake and Tobias and me, and even Rachel and Marco, we all care about
you. You know that, right? You're not just some alien to us."
I said.
Once more an Andalite, I ran for the forest.
I spent part of the night reading the book of quotes. I should have been resting, but I felt
disturbed.
49
More and more I thought of how easily I could turn the radio telescope at the observatory
into a Z-space transmitter. The idea of contacting my parents filled me with sadness and
longing.
I thought.
And in another part of my mind I thought,
against the Yeerks? They would all say, "He's an other Elfangor. A hero.">
I'm not proud that I was thinking that. But I have to tell the truth. And the truth was, I wanted
everyone back home to think I was being very brave, all alone on Earth.
Already in my mind a plan was taking shape.
I found a quiet place and prepared to sleep. I closed my main eyes, leaving only my stalk
eyes open to look for danger. I relaxed my tail until it touched the ground.
Lonely.
Yes, it was lonely to sleep in a forest on a planet far from home. It was lonely to be the only
one of my kind.
It was lonely knowing that Cassie was asleep in her home, and Marco in his, and Rachel and
Jake. All had homes.
All but me. And Tobias.
Tobias. He would understand. But would he help me? If I did what I was planning, would he
help? And could I trust him?
I raised my tail and opened my main eyes. I knew the place where Tobias slept. I found him
easily. He stood with his sharp talons wrapped around a branch.
I called.
scorpion, centaur-looking alien, and a bird with the mind of a person. We've fought side by
side. We've been nearly killed several times. Of course I'm your friend.>
50
It surprised me that he would answer so quickly. As if there was never any doubt what the
answer would be.
Even from Rachel?>
Tobias was silent for a while.
was drawn to him. I wanted to listen to him. I wanted to hear everything he said. It was like .
. . like he was a magnet or something. Like I couldn't pull away. Until he ordered me to leave.
I can't explain it.>
And so, I told Tobias of my plan.
51
Chapter Eight
"E.T. phone home." When I found that sentence in Cassie's book of human quotes, it
surprised me. To be honest, it almost scared me. It was as if it were written just for me. I
thought maybe, somehow, my human friends had discovered my plan and written it there. -
From the Earth Diary of Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill
The sun was just coming up over planet Earth.
I performed the morning ritual, as I always did. But I was especially impatient this morning. I
knew Tobias was hunting a morning meal and would be back as soon as he had finished
eating some unfortunate mouse or shrew.
only glory .>
When Tobias returned from the hunt, we would go. He would lead me to the observatory, to
the great radio telescope. And, with luck, I would be able to call my home.
With my stalk eyes I saw a hawk swoop low overhead. Tobias rested on a branch. He focused
his fierce hawk's eyes on me.
sweet little ground breeze for easy takeoff.>
I often go flying with Tobias. The bird morph I have is called a northern harrier. It is a type
of hawk, about the same size as Tobias's red-tail. Tobias's feathers are mostly brown and light [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl szkicerysunki.xlx.pl
without being seen. By the way, here's a book for you, since you're done with the World
Almanac. It's a book of quotes. Stuff that famous people said." She held it out for me to take.
"Thank you," I said.
48
I felt strange walking into the dark. Walking away from Cassie's house. Strange. As if it were
cold out, although it wasn't.
"So what did you think of my parents?" Cassie asked.
"I liked them," I said. "But why has your father removed the hair from his head? Hair. Hay-
yer. I meant to ask him, but forgot."
"He's going bald," Cassie said. "It's probably better not to mention it. It's a normal thing for
humans. But some people get sensitive about it."
"Ah, yes. My father's hooves are getting dull. It's normal as well, but he doesn't like to talk
about it."
"What's your father like? And your mother?"
"They are ... just normal parents. They are very nice. They are ..."
"Goon."
"My throat feels strange," I said. "Like there is an obstruction. I am having difficulty
speaking. Ing. Is this normal?"
Cassie put her arm beneath mine. "You miss them. That's normal."
"An Andalite warrior may spend many years in space, far from his home and family. That's
normal."
"Ax. You said it yourself. You may be an Andalite warrior, but you're still a kid, too."
I stopped walking. I was far from the light of the house. I could change back into my own
shape without being seen. I realized I was looking up at the stars.
"Where are they?" Cassie asked, following the direction of my gaze. "If you're allowed to tell
me that."
I pointed with my human fingers at the quadrant of space where my home star twinkled.
"There."
I watched that star as I melted out of my human form and returned to my true Andalite body.
"Ax, you know that Jake and Tobias and me, and even Rachel and Marco, we all care about
you. You know that, right? You're not just some alien to us."
I said.
Once more an Andalite, I ran for the forest.
I spent part of the night reading the book of quotes. I should have been resting, but I felt
disturbed.
49
More and more I thought of how easily I could turn the radio telescope at the observatory
into a Z-space transmitter. The idea of contacting my parents filled me with sadness and
longing.
I thought.
And in another part of my mind I thought,
against the Yeerks? They would all say, "He's an other Elfangor. A hero.">
I'm not proud that I was thinking that. But I have to tell the truth. And the truth was, I wanted
everyone back home to think I was being very brave, all alone on Earth.
Already in my mind a plan was taking shape.
I found a quiet place and prepared to sleep. I closed my main eyes, leaving only my stalk
eyes open to look for danger. I relaxed my tail until it touched the ground.
Lonely.
Yes, it was lonely to sleep in a forest on a planet far from home. It was lonely to be the only
one of my kind.
It was lonely knowing that Cassie was asleep in her home, and Marco in his, and Rachel and
Jake. All had homes.
All but me. And Tobias.
Tobias. He would understand. But would he help me? If I did what I was planning, would he
help? And could I trust him?
I raised my tail and opened my main eyes. I knew the place where Tobias slept. I found him
easily. He stood with his sharp talons wrapped around a branch.
I called.
scorpion, centaur-looking alien, and a bird with the mind of a person. We've fought side by
side. We've been nearly killed several times. Of course I'm your friend.>
50
It surprised me that he would answer so quickly. As if there was never any doubt what the
answer would be.
Even from Rachel?>
Tobias was silent for a while.
was drawn to him. I wanted to listen to him. I wanted to hear everything he said. It was like .
. . like he was a magnet or something. Like I couldn't pull away. Until he ordered me to leave.
I can't explain it.>
And so, I told Tobias of my plan.
51
Chapter Eight
"E.T. phone home." When I found that sentence in Cassie's book of human quotes, it
surprised me. To be honest, it almost scared me. It was as if it were written just for me. I
thought maybe, somehow, my human friends had discovered my plan and written it there. -
From the Earth Diary of Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill
The sun was just coming up over planet Earth.
I performed the morning ritual, as I always did. But I was especially impatient this morning. I
knew Tobias was hunting a morning meal and would be back as soon as he had finished
eating some unfortunate mouse or shrew.
only glory .>
When Tobias returned from the hunt, we would go. He would lead me to the observatory, to
the great radio telescope. And, with luck, I would be able to call my home.
With my stalk eyes I saw a hawk swoop low overhead. Tobias rested on a branch. He focused
his fierce hawk's eyes on me.
sweet little ground breeze for easy takeoff.>
I often go flying with Tobias. The bird morph I have is called a northern harrier. It is a type
of hawk, about the same size as Tobias's red-tail. Tobias's feathers are mostly brown and light [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]