Animorphs #7: The Stranger by Applegate K. A

Author:Applegate, K. A. [Applegate, K. A.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks
Published: 2012-06-01T04:00:00+00:00

The soaring rush up the dropshaft seemed to last forever.

The dropshaft entered solid rock, and as I rose, I shed the last of my bear form. I felt the return of my human reason. But I was still confused and disconnected from what was going on.

Then, quite suddenly, I was at the top of the dropshaft. I stepped off onto solid concrete. The others were all there. Ax was trying to morph into his human body, but he was having trouble. Morphing is exhausting. Morphing rapidly from one form to the next more than once makes you feel like you want to just crawl in a corner and die.

I knew how he felt. I stumbled from sheer weariness as I stepped onto the cement floor. It was dark, with just enough faint light to see the faces around me.

“Careful,” Cassie said, taking my arm. “We’re okay. We’re safe. We’re in the base of the water tower behind the school.”

“Gotta get out of here. Yeerks will be watching.”

“Yeah, they were,” Marco said. He jerked his head over to the corner, where two Human-Controllers lay unconscious.

“Let’s get out of here,” Jake said. “You okay, Rachel?”

“Yeah. Tired is all. I … I never morphed the bear before. Didn’t have time to get control. Sorry.”

“It’s okay, Rachel. That grizzly got us all out of there. But get some rest, huh?”

“Yeah. Rest would be nice.”

Somehow I made it home. I crawled into my bed and fell instantly asleep.

I didn’t wake up till the next morning when my alarm went off. I was groggy, barely able to read the numbers on my clock.

“Rachel? Are you up?” my mom called through the door.

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m up,” I said.

I crawled out of bed and staggered toward the bathroom. Jordan was in the bathroom we share. I went out into the hall toward my mother’s bathroom.

She was already up and dressed in a tan business suit. She was adjusting her nylons. “You don’t look too good,” she said, giving me a sideways look.

“Uh,” I said. “Can I use your shower?”

“You’re wearing the clothes you came home in last night,” she said accusingly. “You came wandering in at nine thirty, barefoot and wearing your leotard. That’s what you’re still wearing.”

I stared stupidly down at myself. Yes, I was wearing my morphing outfit. “Um … my, um, I left my shoes over at Cassie’s. I was showing her some gymnastics stuff. Can I use your shower or not?”

“Coming home barefoot and falling asleep without even having dinner,” my mom said, and shook her head. “Rachel, if you are having some problems or something, I want you to talk to me.”

I did the wrong thing: I suddenly burst out laughing. “Problems? No, why would I have any problems?” I giggled, and wiped the sleep from my eyes, and giggled some more.

My mom sighed. “I have an early court appearance this morning,” she said. “The Hallinan case. But I want you to stay home tonight. I think you and I need to have a little talk.

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