"I'm Srlena," I said woozily before passing out again.

"Ax? Are you okay because I swear your fur just truned a lighter shade of blue," a new voice asked.

Silence.

"Well, we're going to take her to the hospital to make sure there's no permanent damage," Jake said. I blacked out again.

When I woke up, I saw my parents' concerned faces.

"Are you okay, Sarah?" my dad asked.

"I'm...," I started to answer. I heard myself wheezing. Inhaler time. I took a couple of squirts and I could breathe again.

Asthma is the worst. But this is weird. I have Excercise-Induced-asthma, so why was I getting it now?

"I'm fine dad," I said. Of course, this wasn't my real father. I was adopted by these people.

"Her blow to the head knocked her asthma out of whack. She'll need to carry an inhaler with her everywhere," my doctor said.

<Just go along with whatever Jake says,> a voice commanded me before I could complain.

"How did you hit your head that hard?" my mom asked.

"She was riding her bike without a helmet and hit her head on a tree," Jake answered lamely.

Remembering the advice given to me, I said,"Yeah. Sorry." "You'll have to stay here for four more days, just to make sure," my doctor said.

"I'll bring you your homework," Jake offered.

"Thanks," I replied sarcastically.

CHAPTER THREE

When I finally got out of the hospital, Cassie called me.

"Sarah?" she asked uncertainly.

"Yeah?" I replied.

"Can you come over to my house? I need to ask you something."

"Can't you just ask me over the phone?"

"No. Just come."

Whatever. I would go. Maybe Cassie was as weird as I was. I would just grab my jacket and-

"Who was that, sweetheart?" my mom asked, while fixing dinner.

"Just my friend Cassie. I'm going over to her house now."

As I headed out the door, I started thinking. Who was Jake? What were the Andalites doing in the Sifter- WHAT? Where on Earth did that thought come from?

I got to her house and rang the doorbell. Her mom answered.

"Hi. Can I see Cassie?" I asked.

"Sure. She's in the barn," her mom answered.

"Thanks," I said and ran to the barn.

When I got there, I was greeted with six kids.

"Sarah," Cassie began, "This is Tobias, Marco, Rachel, Ax and Jake."

"Hi," I replied uncertainly. What was going on?

"Listen, I have to get home because my mom's going to have dinner ready-" I was cut off.

"If you're going to be an Animorph, you're going to have to break the rules," Rachel said.

"Animorph?" I asked.

"Let me explain," Jake said. "The Earth is under invasion. The Yeerks. They take over people's mids. We're the only people that can stop it."

"You're insane," I said.

"Hey! Don't ever use the word insane. That's my word and mine only," Marco said.

"Oooookay. Let's say this is real. How?" I asked.

"Would you like the long, oral explanation or the shorter, visual explanation?" Marco asked sarcastically.

Taking him seriously, I said, "Visual."

"Hit it, Ax and Tobias!" Marco said.

"Huh-it it, Marco? Hit. Tuh. What does that mean?" Ax asked.

"Just start morphing," Jake said, clearly exasperated.

Ax's skin truned blue while Tobias shrank.

I started screaming. Jake clamped his hand over my mouth.

"Shut up! Cassie's parents are home!" Jake hissed.

Ax grew stalk eyes and lost his mouth while Tobias grew a beak and feathers. It was hard not to scream.

When they had finished, I almost fainted. Two boys were now an alien and a hawk.

"You wanted the visual explanation," Marco said smugly.

"Now you must become an Animorph," Jake said.

I agreed reluctantly. Watching someone morph was scary. What about when I morph?

<Touch the blue box,> Ax said.

"Do what Ax says," Cassie said.

"Okay, um, Ax," I said while touching the box. I felt tingly for a moment.

"Welcome to our world of nightmares," Marco joked.

CHAPTER 4

Well, that's how I became an Animorph.

Right now though, I was in danger of being late for math. Not that I would mind, but I need to bring my grade up.

Anyway, I got to clas just as it started.

During the rest of the day, I was on auto-pilot. I was excited about the meeting that night. It would be my first meeting since the night I had turned into an Animorph. Since the night Jake had said,"Tell no one. Not your family, friends or anybody else. It HAS to be a secret."

I wondered what they did at meetings. Homework? Dissing Yeerks? New Animorphs? What?

Oh, well. I would find out in an hour or so.

Meanwhile, I absentmindedly stared at the math teacher, hoping I looked like a kid who was interested in what 'x' equaled if you multiplied it by 'y' and divided by 'z'.

Finally, school ended. I walked to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic with Cassie and Rachel.

When we got there, I saw everone PLUS a new kid.

"I'll come back later," the kid said.

"No, Erek. She's one of us," Jake said.

Erek looked warily at me before continuing. "Visser Three has found out where the Hork-Bajir live. He plans to start reinfesting them." Everyone sorta sagged for a moment. Then Jake said,"When does he start infestation?"

"Tonight sometime," he replied.

Jake started acting like the leader again. "Thanks Erek. Okay, guys, we need to morph and move the Hork-Bajir tonight. Which means, you Sarah, need to acquire a bird morph. Cassie, got any birds of prey in stock?"

"Yeah. We have a crow that got fried," she began.

<Oh, good,> Tobais murmured.

"And we have a peregrine falcon and a red-tailed hawk. Take your pick," she said.

Oh. That was fair. Like I knew the difference between them?

"Hawk."

"Good choice. Now acquire it," Cassie said.

"Huh?" I asked, confused.

"Just press your hand on it and think of the animal," Rachel instructed.

"Oookay," I said and tried it. The hawk became quiet.

"Okay, you done, let's do it!" Rachel said.

"Not those words again. Please not those words again," Marco groaned. "Before we go...Sarah. Change into this old leotard of Rachel's," Cassie instructed.

I went into an empty stall and did so.

"Let me try that again. Let's do it!" Rachel said again.

"Let me complain again. Whenever Rachel says that, we're definitely dead. "Just think of the hawk. Concentrate. Think of it's feathers, of it's beak..." Cassie told me.

I started morphing. Oh no! Things were disappearing and reappearing in different places! I think that if my mouth wasn't the first thing to morph, I would have started screaming and never stopped.

<Let's go,> Jake said tiredly.

CHAPTER FIVE

When we got to the Hork-Bajir valley, I gasped.

<Is that them?> I asked, full of awe.

<Yep,> Tobias said.

So those were the Hork-Bajir. Scary looking creatures.

<Demorph,> Jake ordered.

>Don't forget the leotard, Sarah,< Rachel warned.

After we demorphed, we went to the chief of the Hork-Bajir.

Toby.

"Hi, Toby," Jake said. "Get your people together. We need to move you."

"Why?" she asked. With good reason. This was her home.

"Visser Three has found you and he's gonna start infesting tonight,"Jake explained.

"GRASCH!! GRASCH!!" Toby yelled.

Every Hork-Bajir showed up at once.

"What happen, Toby?" one asked. "Something happen? Yeerks here?" another asked.

The Hork-Bajir all froze up at that possibility.

"No. Listen. My friends here are going to take us to a new valley, she replied.

"Why? This valley have good trees," another Hork-Bajir asked.

"The Yeerks are coming. We need to move so that they can't find us," she said, keeping her patience amazingly well.

"Oh yes. Yeerks bad. They hurt us," was one Hork-Bajir's amazing observance.

Were all the Hork-Bajir except Toby stupid?

"Let's go. Tobias? See if you can find another valley," Jake said.

We followed Tobias for two and a half hours while he searched. We were all talking about dumb stuff, to keep our spirits up.

FINALLY, we came to a valley. A beautiful one.

"How visible is it from the air?" Toby asked.

<Zero. Nothing. The way I found it was by morphing Hork-Bajir. And even then, it was hard,> came the reply from the sky.

"Ellimist?" Rachel wondered.

"No. I don't think so," Cassie said thoughtfully.

"Who?!" I asked, frustrated. They were way over my heads.

"The Ellimist is sorta like a god. He can be very helpful to us, if he wanted, but he usually isn't," Marco explained.

The other Animorphs agreed.

"Okay. Look, I gotta go. My mom's gonna start worrying," I said.

"Same here," Rachel agreed. Cassie nodded.

"Well, my dad's not getting home 'till nine or so, so I'll help you Jake,"Marco offered. Then he looked shocked. "Wait, I didn't just say that, did I? Offering physical work? Man, I am going insane!" he said slapping his forehead in melodrama.

<I believe your jokes are malfunctioning, Marco,> Ax said. I had forgotten he was with us for a moment.

"Was that humor I just heard? Nahh...couldn't be. From Ax? HAH!" Marco said---his snappy comeback.

"Guys, I really gotta go home. Anyone coming with me?" I said, looking at Rachel and Cassie.

"I will," Rachel and Cassie said at the same time.

"Bye. Be at Cassie's barn tonight. Around 11 or so. Don't forget," Jake said.

"Thanks for that nice good-bye Jake," Cassie teased.

They kissed. I could tell Marco was trying to hold back some sarcastic remark.

"How's that?" he asked her.

"Much better," Cassie replied.

We morphed and left.

CHAPTER SIX

Here's a summary of what happened at the meeting. Jake told us how the Hork-Bajir were adapting. We made plans to visit them after school the next day. I acquired some new animals.

Got home in the nick of time.

Just as I got home and was starting to demorph, my mom came in to check on me and my sister.

She was tired, so she checked on my sister, found her okay, figured I was okay and left.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

I got into bed and fell straight asleep.

I was on a different planet. Everyone looked like Ax.

The grass was blue-green and there were mushroom-shaped trees.

I began to feel at home.

I started running with the Andalites, eating by absorbing food through my hooves and then I started playing with them.

BRRRIIIIIIIIINNNNNNGG!

Yeerk attack!

We were under attack!

I started morphing.

That's when I woke up with a start.

Just my alarm clock. No attack. I could tell that thing was going to give me a lot of problems.

I threw it away.

At school, I tried to concentrate.

Believe me, I did. But my dream was haunting me.

As soon as the final bell rang, I ran up to the roof of the school and morphed hawk. I would come get my stuff later.

I got to the valley the same time as Rachel and Marco. I totally freaked when I got there.

I didn't see Toby. Or any Hork-Bajir.

<Oh, my...where'd they go?> Rachel asked me.

<I don't know,> I replied.

<Um, guys? The Hork-Bajir valley is a little farther to the right,> Marco said. I could tell he was trying not to laugh.

Rachel managed to keep her dignity. She just flew right over to the valley.

I, on the other hand, was blushing. If I hadn't been a bird, of course.

When I got to the valley, all the Hork-Bajir were there. I breathed mental sigh of relief.

When everyone was there and demorphed, and we had made sure that the Hork-Bajir were all right, I told them about my dream. This time, I was able to see Ax's blue fur turn whiter.

"Ax?" Jake looked at Ax for an explanation.

<Right before I landed here on Earth, my home world was under attack. What Sarah just said was very true,> Ax said, obviously shaken.

"Sarah?" Jake asked, now looking for an explanation from me.

I shrugged.

"Ax, connect to your home world and ask your parents what happened to Srlena," Jake commanded.

<Yes Prince Jake,> Ax said and left.

"Sarah? We really need to know everything," Jake said to me.

"I know, but this is the first time I've had this dream," I said, unnerved.

"Well, we'll know at the meeting tonight. Go home and rest, okay?" Rachel said.

I nodded.

Cassie obviously agreed with Rachel.

"Jake, let her go home. She needs the rest. The rest of us are used to being up late and getting up early but she needs the rest," Cassie pleaded.

Jake reluctantly agreed.

I left, scared to death.

CHAPTER SEVEN

When I got home, I was stll scared. And being scared makes me irritable. I yelled for my sister to get out of our room, sat down and tried to do some homework. No use. I was going to watch TV but my little brothers were watching Blue's Clues. I thought about going to sleep, but then I remembered I threw out my alarm clock and yesterday was trash day.

"AAARGH!" I screamed for no reason. Nothing was going right! Ever since I became an Animorph, life was going crazy! I was helping to decide the fate of an alien species that lookied like a weed whacker. To help these aliens, I had to fight off other aliens who were slugs. And how did I fight these alien slugs? By fighting with yet another alien! All to save the human race. Isn't this Will Smith's job? He did it just fine in Independence Day.

"I just wish everything was back to normal!" I yelled.

"It can be," a voice said.

"Huh? Who said that?" I asked, turning every which way to find the source of the voice. If it was another alien...

"Your friends haven't told you about me? Aw, I'm hurt," the voice said, appearing. I don't know how to explain what it looked like, but it was definitely another alien.

"I'm afraid they haven't. Now, who are you?" I asked, getting furious. Just my luck to have ANOTHER alien land in my room...

"I'm the Drode. I work for the greatest creature of all, Crayak."

"Who?" I asked, looking around for another alien.

"They haven't told you about hime either, huh? Well, I suppose they told you about that meddling nitwit, the Ellimist," the Drode said, full of contempt.

"Yeah, I've heard of him," I said guardedly.

"I suppose they told you that he was all powerful and great?" he asked.

"Not exactly..."

"So, how's Rachel?" the Drode asked, changing the subject.

"Um, she's fine, I guess," I answered. I was so confused.

"And how's that Yeerk-killer Jake?" the Drode asked angrily.

Now I wasn't confused. I was scared. "How do you know these people?"

"Oh, you mean the Animorphs!" he said, not letting on.

How did he know about the Animorphs?

"Look, you better get out. My sister or my brother or my parents could come in at any time. Go away," I said.

"Crayak froze time, my dear. No one will come in here," he said.

"Well, unfreeze it!" I yelled. How did he freeze it in the first place? I thought.

Ignoring this, the Drode asked," You DO know how to join forces with the all-powerful Crayak. Don't you?"

"No, and I REALLY don't want to," I said.

"You know, you have the same potential as Rachel. Another out-of-control fighter. So, maybe we should make the deal the same. Kill Jake, join Crayak," he continued.

"NO! Now get out!" I yelled.

"Okay. Just remember-" he began.

"Get out now or I'll make you remember. I'll make you remember my fist in your face!" I yelled angrily.

"Adios," he said and disappeared.

Oh, my...I never really said that, did I? I've never made a threat like that before in my life!

I checked the clock. 6:30. The others should be home by now. I ran to the kitchen.

"Mom, I'm going to my friend's house. I'll be back later," I said quickly and ran out of the house.

I needed to find Rachel.

To Be Continued...