The strong prey on the weak (Animal Manhwa 5)

Author: K.A. Applegate [USA]
Publisher:
Publish Date: Not available
Features: Chapter 10: Ants, this is Casey's great idea. Ants. Yes, ants can get into Chapman's basement. Ants can carry away small transmitters. Ants. Why is my life so hard. In the end, we spent two hours discussing whether it should be red ants or black ants. I left angrily. I don't want to become an ant, red, black, or any other color. The next day, I met Jack at school. I had just finished history class and failed a small test. I wasn't in a good mood. I was opening my locker, muttering about the Mexican-American War. Who could remember the difference between that war and the Texas Independence War? "Hey," Jack said, "the answer is black. Tobias examined the ants around the Chapman house, and they were all black." I glanced behind Jack to make sure no one nearby was eavesdropping. "Jack, I don't want to be an insect. I've already been a gorilla, a fish eagle, a dolphin, a seagull, a salmon, and a lobster. I might have forgotten something. Being a gorilla was fun, being a fish eagle was fun, and being a dolphin was fun. Ants? Not fun. Becoming an insect is a terrible idea." Jack shrugged and said, "I've been a flea, and that wasn't anything special." He smiled as if he had told the funniest joke in the world. Then he added, "Actually, it wasn't that bad. I couldn't see anything, I could barely hear anything, I only sensed vibrations. All I knew was that I liked warm bodies, and whenever I was hungry, I'd sting a small hole in warm skin." He felt a bit uncomfortable. "Well, that was Rachel's blood, I guess. I mean, it was cat blood, but it was the cat Rachel turned into." "Jack, have you heard what you're saying?" "I try not to think about it," he admitted, "but you see, we want to give Axel a chance to go home, right? He's staying here, and it could bring danger to us. Letting such a huge Andalite run around Casey's farm—what if someone saw him? All the controllers would know who he is, and they'd wonder how he ended up on Casey's farm." I nodded. "Yes, you're right. But that day, I almost lost my life, almost got boiled alive. I know you're a big hero, but I'm not." I took out the book from my locker and slammed the door shut, walking down the hallway. Jack followed behind me. I didn't plan to say anything, but suddenly asked him, "Do you know what day next Sunday is?" "Sunday? I don't know, what day is it?" "Two years, by next Sunday, my mom will have been gone for two years. I don't know what to do for her memorial. Should I talk to my dad about it, or just let it go? But I'm sure that if I died this week, it wouldn't be a good time." I kept walking, but Jack didn't follow me. Two years. That day, my mom sailed out of the dock and steered toward the roaring sea. No one knew why she did it. She had never done that before, and we always went out together. That night, after the big wind died down, they found her ship stranded on the rocks. The boat was already completely wrecked. My mom was gone, leaving only a frayed safety rope. They didn't find her body. The Coast Guard said it wasn't surprising—the sea was too big. The universe is the same, a voice in my mind told me. Somewhere far, far away, a pair of parents was worried about their child. For a long time, I made up stories about how my mom escaped, maybe she was on a deserted island or something. But I think I'm a realist. After a while, I accepted the fact. Sometime later, Axel's parents would also accept the fact that he and his brother, Prince Elfang, would never be coming home. They would realize that they had disappeared forever in the universe. They had disappeared in the battle to defend Earth and its people. To help us. I saw Casey and her friends walking ahead. When she saw me, she just gave me a small smile. We had agreed not to be too affectionate at school, so no one would think that I, Jack, Casey, and Rachel often hung out together. As I walked past her, I whispered, "Tell Jack, I'll do it." Sometimes, I really hate myself for having a conscience.
Cultural Guide
Coast Guard: A guard force under the navy or police, responsible for coastal rescue, smuggling prevention, etc. The U.S. Coast Guard patrols its main coastlines day and night to protect the safety of people at sea, investigate smuggling ships, protect the natural environment, and maintain port order. During natural disasters like storms, the Coast Guard also assumes functions such as rescue and disaster relief. P95-99