Inbetween: The Incredible Burp 10

Meeting up with the Animorphs had been an odd experience. I had been both frightened and excited. The person I had wanted to see the most was waiting for me. First in human morph and then in his actual form. His actual Andalite form.

Ax was holding my hand as Erek and the others prepared the area that I would be cured in. I was grateful that he was willing to act so human in my time of need.

I'm sure you have questions. Ax finally said.

"Yeah, I just don't want to think about them." I replied.

It was only Erek that needed to prepare, but the others wanted to stay away from me for now. Most likely Cassie had told them that Ax would be able to keep me calm better than they could.

Marco wasn't even trying to hide the fact that he wasn't needed, Jake was trying to keep him calm, Cassie was concentrating on Erek, Rachel was trying to keep calm, and Tobias was preening.

Erek, though, was making sure the device was working.

"He buy that at Radio Shack?" I asked.

Most of the pieces, yes. Ax replied and I sighed. Oh? Was that a joke?

"Yeah, I don't want to know that some cure for an alien sickness can be found down the corner." I replied shaking my head.

Erek will not kill you.

"Not on purpose, but he might do it accidentally."

"Amanda." Erek said and Ax let go of my hand.

"If this is our last time." I told Ax and started to take his hand but he shook it off.

There will be a next time. He promised me.

"I hope so." I replied and went to the seat by Erek.

"You're worried." He told me and I had to remind myself I was just looking at a hologram.

But the hologram was so good. Every movement of a real human was on his face and other parts of his body. If I didn't know better I'd tell you I was looking at a real human being. Even knowing the truth I might accidentally tell you a lie.

"You don't need to be." He told me and started to hook me up to whatever the machine was called. "There will be some pain and then you'll be fine."

"How much pain?" I asked.

I was familiar with human doctors and how they would pretended everything would only hurt a little. And then when they did their job the amount of pain was surprising. Could Erek lie or was he programmed against that?

"Not more than you can stand." Erek said. "From my past experiences of humans, you'll survive."

"Will it cure me?"

"Most likely, yes."

"But you're not sure?"

"It's never good to be sure of anything."

"I'd like you to be sure." I told him.

Erek finished getting ready and then stood in front of me and said, "So you want me to lie to you?"

"Yeah."

"Then, yes, I am sure nothing bad will happen to you."

And, with that, the pain started.

I had never been tortured before and hoped never to have that experience. Well if you counted the bad run ins with Visser Three while a Controller, I had gotten a little taste.

But I had never felt every part of me light up in a giant flame sending lightning through every nerve of my body. I had never felt seconds drag on to become eons of pounding blood in my ears.

I didn't know if a scream went past my lips or if I was imagining it. I didn't know if I stayed still or was having to be held down by everyone in the room with Tobias morphing human to hold me down.

All I knew was that I felt like I should have told Ax my feelings, half-formed as they were. Even though I didn't fully know what I felt. I still should've told him what I thought so that I'd die knowing he knew.

I should've told Cassie that I was more than thankful for all that she had done to me. That, besides Ax, she was the only real friend I had after I had been freed from my Yeerk.

I should've told the entire group that I was sorry for running away.

But all that I could do was hold tight to the pain, the only thing that was real in this moment, and ride the wave out.

As the pain increased I saw only darkness come towards me and I started to give myself to it. Why should I fight death? Why should I hope for a happy ending?

Black seemed to cover my entire being and then I felt something amazing. I felt the pain stopping and slowing down. Then I felt something seem to come out of me, but it didn't hurt. It felt similar to any time I morphed: there was a pain but it wasn't really pain.

I opened my eyes as the raven left my body. I let out a laugh and looked at the others.

The only ones I focused on was Cassie's smile and the odd Andalite smile Ax did.

As Jake was the leader of the group he walked over to me and knelt so we were at eye level.

"Amanda, are you alright?" He asked.

"Yeah," I said and laughed again. "Better than ever."

I continued to laugh and watched the raven fly around the room.
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