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There was a terrible loneliness in never being alone, to being trapped inside herself as something else went through the motions of her life, the only brief respites just replacing mental confinement with physical confinement.
But as much as it ached to helplessly observe the parasite taking from her the moments with friends, family, coworkers, any passing connection with another human being, it was worse when it dropped the facade. Because that was when the only other ones around were other people also puppeted by Yeerks... or those who had no way to communicate what was happening.
And that meant that the Yeerk felt no need to act with even pretended kindness towards her cat. No one else lived with her in her apartment, so there was no one to keep up appearances for.
They shoved the cat roughly away as he tried to rub against her legs. He let out a pitiful meow, but her own cry went unheard by everyone except her captor.
<What does it want?> the Yeerk thought, in clear irritation.
<He’s hungry! You didn’t feed him this morning! And his litter box is getting full, and his water running low...>
<Why do you even keep such a bothersome creature? It serves no purpose.>
She didn’t answer, so the Yeerk pulled from her mind, drawing out her thoughts of affection and companionship. They sneered at her memories. But they deigned to get out the bag of kibble and carelessly dump some out for him, if only to get him to leave them alone.
But that didn’t last long, as soon he was back, timidly padding over and meowing softly. It broke her heart, because he had never been so timid before, always ready with affection and wanting to snuggle. It hurt, and all the Yeerk had in response was cruel exasperation.
<It is just a beast,> they thought. <What does it want now?> They didn’t wait for an answer, flitting through memories of the times he had curled up with her on the couch. They scoffed, and glared at the cat, holding up a hand in warning.
<Please,> she thought, hating how quickly she’d resorted to begging, when she’d been so defiant at first, screaming inside her own head so loudly that the Yeerk could barely hear what anyone was saying to them. <Please, if you won’t take care of him, find someone who will, give him up to a shelter, anything. Don’t mistreat him like this!>
The thought of never seeing him again settled sharp, painful, and bitter in her mind. Her friends and family would never know that she had changed, but he knew it too well, and would never understand why she had suddenly turned cold and cruel, then abandoned him. It would have made her sick to her stomach if she still had control over that. She could imagine him, frightened and confused and alone, unable to trust after having “her” betray it so thoroughly.
But if it meant that someone else could give him the love and care that he needed, then it would be better than continuing to face the Yeerk’s neglect and cruelty that he would only think was hers. If at least he could escape this torment, then that would have to be enough, a small comfort she could hold on to even as his pitiful meows echoed in her mind.
The Yeerk considered it for a few moments. She could feel how much they felt the cat was an annoyance, and would be glad to be rid of the responsibility. But…
<No,> they said. <You don’t like seeing it suffer, so as long as it’s around, you’ll stop trying to fight back so much. After all, I can always hurt it more if you don’t cooperate.>
<Please,> she begged. <Please don’t.> They already had her body, could use her do to everything they wanted without her able to do anything meaningful to oppose it, so why wasn’t that enough for them? Why did they need her spirit broken down, too?
Her pleas did nothing. The Yeerk was resolute in their decision, and smug about it too.
She cried, and cried, and not a single tear reached her face.
She could only hope that someday he would run away and find another loving home. In the meantime, she could only go quiet and cooperate. She had no other choice.