Rachel. He'd sent Rachel.
Smart kid, my brother was. Rachel was the only one that would understand what had to happen. She'd understand what she needed to do. She'd always been the most blunt and practical one at the kid's table, after all. 'Tough' was the only kind of love she knew.
I was proud of both of them, in a way. My only regret is that I never got to thank them, never got to ruffle their hair and call them names for the last time. (I couldn't regret my helplessness. If I did, I'd have driven myself mad a long time ago.)
Iniss never paid much mind to Rachel at family gatherings, so she looked older than I remembered. The weight of the world was visible on her shoulders, and she carried it like pauldrons. I didn't want to think about how she got that way.
I had been keeping all my strength in reserve, concealing my intentions from my captor, saving it for a moment when it really mattered. And this mattered. I'd help my cousin in the only way I could.
Rachel lunged, her jaws snapping an inch from cobra muscle. The long, cylindrical body twisted to dodge her. The sensation was distant and strange. Iniss was piloting a body I'd never known, and all I could do was watch. And feel.
The battle surged. She defended herself with unsettling ease. I waited with practiced patience. Then -- a chance! She was close, and he was about to dodge again, but--
I used all my willpower to try and wrest control of the body. I couldn't do it, of course. Iniss was experienced with unruly hosts, and I didn't know how to work this thing, anyway.
But it was a distraction. A moment's lapse in his total, utter control of me.
Grizzly fangs pierced our skin, nearly cleaving us in two. The pain was blinding. The injury was fatal.
In my final moments, I heard the Yeerk wail in silent rage and agony. Then, I exhaled.
theartofmadeline
titsay
baratheonpilled
gummygunk
origamiaround
amandla
