Chapter Ten

Final Justification

The stairs led down even further than I imagined. Initially I had thought that perhaps we would go into a basement or sub-basement of sorts. But as the dry wall gave way to stone I realized that we were going much, much deeper. A chill settled over me as we descended. The constant, distant cries and screams didn’t make me feel much better. I couldn’t help but imagine myself walking into the very bowels of hell.

I had to move quickly to keep up with Steve, who was taking the steps two at a time. I suppose he was hurrying lest I change my mind. I did wonder if perhaps I had made a mistake. Clearly this was bigger than my revenge against Alicia. But at the same time…perhaps there were just this many people who deserved to be screaming deep in the bowels of the earth. Were there so many cruel people on this planet?

“Steve…?” I asked, as we rounded yet another bend, “What exactly is going to…to happen?”

“You’re going to wait in line with me at the infestation pier.” Steve said, keeping his eyes straight ahead, “When it is your turn you will lower your head into the Yeerk Pool. From there a Yeerk will enter your brain through the ear and take control of your motor functions.”

I didn’t really understand what he had said, until the last part. So these Yeerks would have to actually squeeze in through my ear? The thought made me feel vaguely sick to my stomach. I felt a weird pressure upon me, which seemed to be pulling me along despite my worries. It took me a moment to realize that Steve had grabbed me firmly by the arm and was pulling me along.

“Don’t chicken out now, Chris.” Steve said, pulling me along. “Remember, we’re here to help. You’ll see.”

“Yeah…I’m not afraid.” I lied. But there was no turning back now. No matter how dry my mouth got, or how fast my pulse pounded I would not turn back. I couldn’t let Steve down, now that I had promised. Not after I had been let down so many times.

We rounded a final bend and the stairway suddenly opened up around me. I couldn’t help but gasp. We had come upon a massive cavern, large enough to fit under half the town. All around the edges of the cavern were large construction machines, at work expanding the already massive cave.

What drew my eye was not the sheer size of this cavern, however. What drew my amazed and horrified gaze was what filled the cavern. People. Dozens of people in cages screaming and crying. Dozens more were walking free, as calm as if they were in the park on a sunny day. Everything seemed to center on a thick, vomit-colored lake which resided in the center of the cavern. At first I thought that the lake was being tossed by in invisible wind, but then I realized.

It was teeming with slugs.

“Oh…” I stopped dead at this sight, and was pulled forward unsteadily by Steve, who walked me straight to one side of the lake, which I assumed was what Steve had called “the Pool”. There was a sort of line here, which led out onto a pier. An identical pier was on the other side of the Yeerk Pool. At the end of each pier was…

“What are those!?” I asked, my mouth gaping. Two giant monsters stood at the end of each pier. They stood over seven feet tall, with more blades than any creature should be allowed to have on their body. It looked like some sick melding of a blender and a dinosaur.

“Those are Hork-Bajir. Do not be afraid of them. They are normally very stupid creatures, but they each have a Yeerk inside their heads which will not harm you.” Steve said conversationally. I noticed that he had not let go of my arm.

There were three people in front of me at the pier. The first two were standing quietly, waiting for their turn. The third one, a pretty woman in her twenties, was crying silently to herself. I caught a glimpse of her face, and I don’t think I had ever seen a more defeated looking person. She was being held tightly by a tall balding man who looked very familiar…

“Vice Principal Chapman!” I cried, suddenly recognizing the man. He turned and fixed me with a penetrating stare I had seen every day in middle school.

“Ah, yes. Chapman here is one of our voluntary Controller’s.” Steve said, smiling, “He and his Yeerk get along quite well, isn’t that right?”

“Oh yes,” Chapman gave me a thin smile, “My host and I are on quite good terms. Imren, what is his status?”

“Oh, he’s a new Voluntary,” Steve answered casually, as I was trying to figure out who ‘Imren’ was, “In for his first infestation.”

“Wonderful!” Chapman gave me a reassuring nod, “Welcome, young man. You’ve made a very important decision.”

“No…” The woman in front of me whimpered suddenly. Tears were flowing freely down her face, but she seemed unable to talk, “No….”

“Excuse me.” Chapman gave me another smile and turned his attention back to the woman who he shook roughly.

“What’s wrong with her?” I asked.

“Oh, she’s one from the cages. A resister.” Steve said, “Don’t mind her.”

Through the conversation the line had moved up. Now there was just the lady in front of me, and then it was my turn. I watched, fascinated, as Chapman handed the woman off to one of the…what had Steve called them? Hork-Bajir? The monstrous creatures took her by the arms and pushed her to her knees roughly. They twisted her head to the side and dunked it under the water.

“They’re going to drown her!” I cried, watching her brown hair float in the sludge. But a moment later they pulled her up, infinitely gentler than when they had first received her. She pulled her damp hair back and turned to go. I gasped.

The transformation on her face was amazing. The tears were gone, as was the incredible sadness which her eyes had held. She carried herself taller, with more confidence. She even smiled at me as she walked past.

Then it was my turn. My stomach was swirling uncomfortably, and last minute excuses kept bubbling up. Steve urged me forward and I allowed myself to move forward, even though I was positively shaking with uncertainty. Steve handed me off to the Hork-Bajir, who took hold of me with an equally firm grasp.

“Remember,” Steve hissed in my ear before backing away, “This is your revenge.”

If he had been hoping to give me strength it worked. At his words the faces of Alicia and my mother boiled up in my consciousness. I allowed myself to be pushed gently to my knees, set my jaw firmly and plunged my head into the Pool.

For a moment I felt truly ridiculous, sitting there with my head half underwater (or under…whatever it was…), being held by two things which very well could have come from a nightmare. I wondered if this wasn’t some very realistic dream. Then I felt it.

Something touched my ear! What first felt like an accidental tickle soon became a very pronounced presence. Something, probably one of the slug-like ‘Yeerks’, was groping around my ear. I squinted my eyes shut tighter, willing myself not to move. There was a sudden pressure and I realized that the Yeerk was entering my head. I vaguely thought that perhaps this should hurt, but it didn’t.

Quite suddenly I was being pulled from the Pool. It was relieving to be away from the suffocating liquid of the Pool. I reached up to brush the damp hair from my eyes. Only…my hand didn’t move.

I tried again. Nothing. Slowly I became aware of another presence in my head. I waited, nervous and uncertain as to what I was waiting for. Suddenly I got my answer. I began to walk. Only, I hadn’t wanted to walk.

(Hello?) I thought, feeling a bit silly. As if I was talking to myself. I was shocked when I heard an answer.

(Hello Christopher.) The voice was strange. Unfamiliar. It certainly did not belong to me.

(Are you…my Yeerk?) I asked, still trying to move various body parts to no avail. (I can’t move.)

(My, aren’t you observant.) The voice mused, (Yes, I am your Yeerk. My name is Edred 625. You cannot move because I am now in control of your body. I believe Imren explained as much to you.)

(I…who is Imren?) I asked, but even as I wondered the answer bubbled up in my head. Imren was Steve’s Yeerk. I had never spoken to the real Steve. All of my conversations had been with Imren, only pretending to be Steve. Just as now no one would truly be talking to me, but Edred.

This sudden wealth of information struck me as dumbfounding. Somehow I hadn’t completely understood the enormity of what Steve…Imren…had been describing to me. But now, with the familiar ability to control my own body so completely beyond my grasp, it hit me with a chilling magnitude.

(So you’re…) I was still trying to grasp what was happening, (You’re going to make everything better for me?)

(Yes, well. Your problems won’t seem nearly so problematic now that I am in control of them,) Edred said.

(Oh.) I didn’t really feel as if I had gotten the response I wanted, but I let it slide. Instead I focused on the strange feeling of being unable to control oneself. After a few moments I realized that the Yeerk even had access to my thoughts and memories. I could sort of feel it as Edred shifted through them, flashes of my life flashing before my eyes like a mini-movie.

(You have led a very boring life.) Edred said, finally breaking the silence.

(I know,) I responded, (That’s where you come in, isn’t it? We’re going to make all of the people who are mean and unfair pay, right?)

(Yes, yes.) Edred said impatiently, and I felt a little stupid. Even the words sounded stupid as I thought them. Edred must think I’m a complete idiot.

(I merely think that you are a human and susceptible to the same delusions as any other human) Edred commented.

(You…you can read all of my thoughts!?) I cried. Edred didn’t answer, but I didn’t need his confirmation. I felt suddenly uncomfortable. Every single one of my secrets, bared to this alien that I didn’t even know? It seemed invasive on an entirely new level. And yet…I thought of Alicia and my mom, subject to the same, but against their will. That made me feel better. It must be horrible for them, trying to control their bodies and keep their thoughts hidden and failing time after time.

(You are a very bitter creature.) Edred observed. I didn’t answer. It was true, of course. I was bitter. I had my reasons, though. Alicia deserved to suffer. My mom deserved to suffer. Tom…well, as far as I knew Tom hadn’t begun to suffer yet, but he would.

“Is everything alright?” Steve’s voice shook me out of my reverie. Without my realizing it we had left the Yeerk Pool and were back in the meeting room. It seemed entirely strange that my body could go somewhere without my paying attention to it doing so.

“Yes, everything is fine.” I heard my voice say, “How long until he gets here?”

“Just a couple of minutes.” Steve…Imren…replied, looking at his watch.

“Do you know why he’s even coming?” A new voice said. With jolt of shock I realized that Alicia was standing just behind me. In fact the room was full of people – all full members of The Sharing.

“No, I don’t know.” Steve said, looking sour, “I expect he’s got someone he wants to make an example out of.”

“That’s not very encouraging, Imren.” Alicia responded. She looked worried, but shot me a small smile, “How are you Edred?”

“I’m well.” I felt myself smile back at her, “This host certainly has quite a gamut of feelings for yours.”

(Wha-don’t say that!) I cried, mortified.

“Yes, I know. My own host is making quite a racket right now.” Alicia grinned, making it hard to believe that there was any sort of internal struggle going on. Well Alicia deserved to struggle. The real Alicia was a liar and a cheat. I felt fresh anger bubbling up inside me. I was about to tell Edred to say something particularly cruel when I realized that the room had gone very silent.

I immediately recognized the monster that I had seen a few days ago. He came from the Yeerk Pool entrance I had been through moments before. A blue centaur with no mouth, stalk eyes, and a wickedly bladed tail. It wasn’t the first look at the creature Edred told me was called Visser Three that was so impressive and terrifying, though. It was the power radiating from him. Cruel, evil power. It terrified me. I could even feel Edred’s fear, which was only slightly comforting.

“Visser Three.” Steve began, smiling tightly, “May the Kandrona shine and strengthen you.”

(Be quiet, fool.) Visser Three said. Obviously this particular Yeerk was not one for small talk. I found myself wondering, not for the first time, what I had gotten myself into. (Report?)

“Uh…yes…” Steve started in on a long, boring talk about security. I paid attention for a moment or two, but once I realized that I didn’t have to – that was Edred’s job – I let my mind wander. I couldn’t move my eyes, which were fixed on the Visser, so instead I thought about my vengeance. Tom still needed to pay. He knew what Alicia meant to me. He knew we were dating, and he still decided to sneak off with her. Obviously friendship did not extend as far as getting Alicia was concerned.

Suddenly I saw a flash of brown, at the high window on the door behind Visser Three.

(What was that?) I asked, but Edred was busy paying attention to the Visser. He didn’t have the time to worry about me.

“You know, maybe we could go spy on her or something.” Tom’s voice from the last meeting suddenly came to mind. Tom! Tom was spying on the meeting! Which means that he, like I had a few days before, had seen Visser Three! And he was going to get away!

(Edred! Edred, pay attention to me!)

(Shut up human, can’t you see I’m busy?) The Yeerk snapped. I ignored his dangerous tone.

(Tom’s spying on the meeting. He’s seen Visser Three. He’s outside the door!) I cried quickly.

(What are you babbling on about?) I felt Edred’s attention shift from the meeting to my thoughts and memories. Suddenly he was paying attention.

“Visser!” I heard my voice cry. Visser Three stopped, cut off in the middle of a particularly venomous rant. He looked furious.

(What is it?) He asked, looking about a moment away from deciding to sever my head from my body.

“There is a boy spying on the meeting.” Edred said. My voice came out shaky. Edred had never spoken up in front of Visser Three before, and I’m sure that he too was envisioning my head rolling across the floor. Or perhaps his body being pulled unceremoniously from my ear and stomped upon.

His words had the reaction I had hoped for, though. A couple of full members hurried outside of the meeting room. A moment later they burst back in, carrying a struggling Tom between them.

“Let me go!” He cried, trying to wrench his arms free. “Alicia, help me! Chris!”

(Hello human,) Visser Three said, smirking. A moment later his tail was at Tom’s throat. He stopped struggling, looking petrified, (Tsk tsk. One would do well not to be so curious. Take him to the Pool.)

As soon as the Visser pulled his tail away Tom began struggling once more. I expected myself to feel at least a little sorry for him, but I only felt a growing justification and satisfaction as he struggled.

“Alicia, stop them! What’s going on!?” He cried, swinging a fist madly and hitting Principal Chapman in the nose. A moment later he had two more men on him, pinning his arms behind his back. His wild gaze fell on me. “Chris, please, help me! They’re going to kill me! What is wrong with all of you!?”

Tom was still screaming as he was manhandled down to the Yeerk Pool. Even after he disappeared from view his screams rang in my ears.

(Thank you.) I said to Edred. He ignored me, but that was alright. I felt an indescribable justification welling up within me. My freedom had been taken from me, but I hardly cared. Thanks to the Yeerks Alicia and my mom were in their rightful place. And now, with my help, Tom too was paying for his offenses. It didn’t matter what the Yeerks wanted my body for. In the end, like Tom, the entire world would get what they deserved. And I would help.

I hope you enjoyed this fic. Thanks again to my readers and reviewers, especially voodooqueen. You're always my favorite reviewer, because I know I can count on you to be completely honest. Please keep an eye out for my upcoming projects (see my profile). Thanks again!

-T.