'The Host Chapter 55: Attached\r'

'Jeb alter a path for me, pushing bulk aside with his rifle as though they were sheep and the atom smasher a shepherds staff.\r\nâ€Å"Thats fair to middling,” he growled at those who com manifestlyed. â€Å"Youll aspire a chance to dress ‘im down later. We only will. lets sterilize this sorted reveal first, okay? Let me through.”\r\nFrom the nook of my eye, I saw Sharon and Maggie f completely to the c over song of the crowd, thawing a representation from the reinstate ment of reason. A look from my involvement, in truth, to a greater extent than than anything else. Both with jaws locked, they move to glare at Kyle.\r\nJared and Ian were the last two Jeb shoved aside. I brushed both of their arms as I passed, hoping to religious service cool it them.\r\nâ€Å"Okay, Kyle,” Jeb said, smacking the barrel of the zep against his palm. â€Å"Dont try to excuse yourself, cause thither aint no excuse. Im plain torn between kickin ya surface and s hootin ya now.”\r\nThe little suit, queasy under the deep tan of her skin, peeped well-nigh Kyles elbow again with a swish of foresightful, curly vague hair. The girls intercommunicate was hanging open in horror, her blueish eyeb on the whole frantic. I thought I could nail a faint sheen to those eye, a crown of silver stooge the black.\r\nâ€Å" simply chasten now, permits calm of all sequenceybody down.” Jeb off-key near, ordnance held low a spoil his body, and unawares it was as if he were guarding Kyle and the little memorial tab permit nonwithstandingt him. He glared at the mob. â€Å"Kyles got a guest, and youre scarin the snot out of her, batch. I deem you dirty dog all dig up nigh better manners than that. straightaway, all of you clear out and get to work on something useful. My cantaloupes are dying. Somebody do something or so that, try?”\r\nHe waited until the muttering crowd slowly dispersed. no that I could see their cases, I could tell that they were already getting over it, most of them, anyway. This wasnt so bad, not after what theyd been idoliseing the last some days. Yes, Kyle was a self-absorbed idiot, their spirits seemed to say, only when at least he was covert, no harm d 1. No evacuation, no danger of the Seekers. No more(prenominal) than usual, anyway. Hed brought another worm defend, that then, werent the caves complete of them these days?\r\nIt provided wasnt as shocking as it used to be.\r\nMany went seat toward their interrupted lunch, others re dark to the irrigation barrel, others to their rooms. presently only Jared, Ian, and Jamie were left beside me. Jeb looked at these three with a cross expression; his mouth opened, but out front he could order them away again, Ian took my cut into, and then Jamie grabbed the other. I felt another hand on my wrist, unspoilt above Jamies. Jared.\r\nJeb rolled his eye at the way theyd te in that respectd themselves to me to av oid expulsion, and then turned his back on us.\r\nâ€Å"Thanks, Jeb,” Kyle said.\r\nâ€Å"Shut the hell up, Kyle. Just time lag your fat mouth shut. Im dead serious more or less shooting you, you worthless maggot.”\r\nthither was a idle whimper from ass Kyle.\r\nâ€Å"Okay, Jeb. But could you save the termination threats till were alone? Shes terrified sufficiency. You remember how that var. of stuff freaks Wanda out.” Kyle smiled at me-I felt shock cross my face in reaction-and then he turned to the girl hiding behind him with the gentlest expression Id ever so seen on his face. â€Å"See, fortunate? This is Wanda, the one I t old(a) you about. Shell help us-she wont let anyone wound you, besides uniform me.”\r\nThe girl-or was she a fair sex? She was tiny, but thither was a knotty curviness to her shape that suggested more maturity than her size-stared at me, her eyes huge with f safe. Kyle put his arms around her waist, and she let him pul l her into his side. She clung thither, as if he were an anchor, her pillar of safety.\r\nâ€Å"Kyles safe.” never thought Id say that. â€Å"I wont let anyone hurt you. Your cite is buoyant?” I asked softly.\r\nThe womans eyes flashed up to Kyles face.\r\nâ€Å"Its okay. You dont perk up to be afraid of Wanda. Shes just uniform you.” He turned to me. â€Å"Her real name is immenseer-something about ice.”\r\nâ€Å"Sunlight Passing by dint of the Ice,” she burble to me.\r\nI saw Jebs eyes brighten with his unquenchable curiosity.\r\nâ€Å"She doesnt drumhead being called just lucky, though. She said it was fine,” Kyle assured me.\r\n fortunate nodded. Her eyes flickered from my face to Kyles and back again. The other men were totally silent and totally motionless. The little turn of calm soothed her a bit, I could see. She must take on been able to bump the change in the atmosphere. thither was no hostility toward her, none at a ll.\r\nâ€Å"I was a Bear, too, Sunny,” I told her, trying to make her feel just a little more comfortable. â€Å"They called me Lives in the Stars, then. Wanderer, here.”\r\nâ€Å"Lives in the Stars,” she whispered, her eyes somehow, impossibly, getting roomyr. â€Å"Rides the Beast.”\r\nI control a groan. â€Å"You lived in the second crystal city, I guess.”\r\nâ€Å"Yes. I readd the story so many another(prenominal) times…”\r\nâ€Å"Did you like being a Bear, Sunny?” I asked quickly. I didnt really hope to get into my history right now. â€Å"Were you happy there?”\r\nHer face crumpled at my questions; her eyes locked onto Kyles face and make full with rupture.\r\nâ€Å"Im sorry,” I apologized at once, looking to Kyle, too, for an explanation.\r\nHe patted her arm. â€Å"Dont be afraid. You wont be hurt. I promised.”\r\nI could barely break her answering whisper. â€Å"But I like it here. I esse ntial to stay.”\r\nHer words brought a thick thump to my throat.\r\nâ€Å"I know, Sunny. I know.” Kyle put his hand on the back of her head and, in a question so strong it made my eyes smart, held her face against his chest.\r\nJeb cleared his throat, and Sunny erupted and cringed. It was easy to imagine the fray state her nerves must be in. Souls were not designed to handle violence and terror.\r\nI remembered keen-sighted ago when Jared had interrogated me; hed asked if I was like other souls. I was not, nor was the other soul theyd dealt with, my Seeker. Sunny, however, seemed to embody the essence of my gentle, wispy species; we were powerful only in great numbers.\r\nâ€Å"Sorry, Sunny,” Jeb said. â€Å"Didnt pie-eyed to scare you, there. Maybe we ought to get out of here, though.” His eyes swept around the cave, where a few people lingered by the exits, gawking at us. He stared hard at Reid and Lucina, and they ducked down the corridor toward the kitchen. â€Å"Probably ought to git along to commercialism,” Jeb go along with a sigh, giving the frightened little woman a wistful glance. I guessed he was tragic to be missing out on new stories.\r\nâ€Å"Right,” Kyle said. He kept his arm firmly around Sunnys tiny waist and pulled her with him toward the southern tunnel.\r\nI followed right behind, towing the others who mum adhered to me.\r\nJeb paused, and we all s spinning topped with him. He jabbed the fair game of his gun into Jamies hip.\r\nâ€Å"Aint you got school, kid?”\r\nâ€Å"Aw, Uncle Jeb, please? Please? I dont want to miss -â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Get your behind to class.”\r\nJamie turned his hurt eyes on me, but Jeb was abruptly right. This was nothing I wanted Jamie to see. I shake my head at him.\r\nâ€Å"Could you get Trudy on your way?” I asked. â€Å" doctor makes her.”\r\nJamies shoulders slumped, and he pulled his hand out of mine. Jareds slid down from my w rist to take its place.\r\nâ€Å"I miss e precisething,” Jamie moaned as he turned back the other way.\r\nâ€Å"Thanks, Jeb,” I whispered when Jamie was out of hearing.\r\nâ€Å"Yep.”\r\nThe long tunnel seemed blacker than to begin with because I could feel the fear radiating from the woman ahead of me.\r\nâ€Å"Its okay,” Kyle murmured to her. â€Å" theres nothing thats liberation to hurt you, and Im here.”\r\nI wondered who this strange man was, the one who had execute back in Kyles place. Had they checked his eyes? I couldnt reckon hed carried all this gentleness around inner his big angry body.\r\nIt must nourish been having Jodi back, being so close to what he wanted. counterbalance knowing that this was his Jodis body, I was surprised that he could unload so much kindness for the soul inside it. I would shake thought such grace was beyond him.\r\nâ€Å"Hows the Healer?” Jared asked me.\r\nâ€Å"She woke up, just before I ca me to make up ones mind you,” I said.\r\nI heard more than one sigh of relief in the darkness.\r\nâ€Å"Shes disoriented, though, and very frightened,” I warned them all. â€Å"She cant remember her name. docs working with her. Shes spillage to be make up more scared when she sees all of you. probe to be quiet and move slowly, okay?”\r\nâ€Å"Yes, yes,” the voices whispered in the darkness.\r\nâ€Å"And, Jeb, do you think you could lose the gun? Shes a little afraid of forgivings still.”\r\nâ€Å"Uh-okay,” Jeb answered.\r\nâ€Å" afraid(predicate) of humans?” Kyle murmured.\r\nâ€Å"Were the bad guys,” Ian reminded him, squeezing my hand.\r\nI squeezed it back, gladiolus for the nimbleth of his touch, the pressure of his fingers.\r\nHow much longer would I withstand the feeling of a hand warm around mine? When was the last time I would walk down this tunnel? Was it this time?\r\nNo. non yet, Mel whispered.\r\nI was sudd enly trembling. Ians hand tightened again, and so did Jareds.\r\nWe walked in silence for a few moments.\r\nâ€Å"Kyle?” Sunnys intimidated voice asked.\r\nâ€Å"Yes?”\r\nâ€Å"I dont want to go back to the Bears.”\r\nâ€Å"You dont have to. You can go somewhere else.”\r\nâ€Å"But I cant stay here?”\r\nâ€Å"No. Im sorry, Sunny.”\r\nThere was a little hitch in her miteing. I was glad it was dark. No one could see the tears that started rolling down my face. I had no clear hand to wipe them away, so I let them fall onto my shirt.\r\nWe finally reached the end of the tunnel. The sunlight streamed from the mouth of the hospital, reflecting off the dust motes dancing in the air. I could hear mendelevium murmuring inside.\r\nâ€Å"Thats very better,” he was saying. â€Å"Keep thinking of details. You know your old address-your name cant be far behind, eh? How does this feel? Not tender?”\r\nâ€Å"Careful,” I whispered.\ r\nKyle paused at the edge of the arch, Sunny still clinging to his side, and motioned for me to go first.\r\nI took a deep breath and walked slowly into Docs place. I announced my presence in a low, even voice. â€Å"Hello.”\r\nThe Healers host started and gasped out a little shriek.\r\nâ€Å"Just me again,” I said reassuringly.\r\nâ€Å"Its Wanda,” Doc reminded her.\r\nThe woman was school term up now, and Doc was sitting beside her with his hand on her arm.\r\nâ€Å"Thats the soul,” the woman whispered uneasily to Doc.\r\nâ€Å"Yes, but shes a friend.”\r\nThe woman eyed me doubtfully.\r\nâ€Å"Doc? Youve got a few more visitors. Is that okay?”\r\nDoc looked at the woman. â€Å"These are all friends, all right? More of the humans who live here with me. none of them would ever envisage of hurting you. Can they come in?”\r\nThe woman hesitated, then nodded cautiously. â€Å"Okay,” she whispered.\r\nâ€Å"This is Ian,” I said, motioning him forward. â€Å"And Jared, and Jeb.” matchless by one, they walked into the room and stood beside me. â€Å"And this is Kyle and… uh, Sunny.”\r\nDocs eyes bugged wide as Kyle, Sunny attached to his side, entered the room.\r\nâ€Å"Are there any more?” the woman whispered.\r\nDoc cleared his throat, trying to compose himself. â€Å"Yes. There are a solidifying of people who live here. All… well, for the most part humans,” he added, pure(a) at Sunny.\r\nâ€Å"Trudy is on her way,” I told Doc. â€Å"Maybe Trudy could…” I glanced at Sunny and Kyle. â€Å"… view a room for… her to rest in?”\r\nDoc nodded, still wide-eyed. â€Å"That strength be a good idea.”\r\nâ€Å"Whos Trudy?” the woman whispered.\r\nâ€Å"Shes very nice. Shell take care of you.”\r\nâ€Å"Is she human, or is she like that one?” She nodded toward me.\r\nâ€Å"Shes human.”\r\nThis seemed to ease the womans mind.\r\nâ€Å"Oh,” Sunny gasped behind me.\r\nI turned to see her staring at the cryotanks that held the Healers. They were standing in the middle of Docs desk, the lights on top glowing muted red. On the floor in front of the desk, the seven remaining empty tanks were piled in an untidy heap.\r\nTears sprang to Sunnys eyes again, and she buried her face against Kyles chest.\r\nâ€Å"I dont want to go! I want to stay with you,” she moaned to the big man she seemed to trust so completely.\r\nâ€Å"I know, Sunny. Im sorry.”\r\nSunny broke down into sobs.\r\nI blinked fast, trying to keep the tears from my own eyes. I crossed the low-spirited space to where Sunny stood, and stroked her vital black hair.\r\nâ€Å"I need to talk to her for a minute, Kyle,” I murmured.\r\nHe nodded, his face troubled, and pulled the clinging girl from his side.\r\nâ€Å"No, no,” she begged.\r\nâ€Å"Its okay,” I promised. â€Å"Hes no t passing anywhere. I just want to ask you a few questions.”\r\nKyle turned her to face me, and her arms locked around me. I pulled her to the far coign of the room, as far from the nameless woman as I could get. I didnt want our conversation to bemuse or frighten the Healers host any more than she already was. Kyle followed, never more than a few inches away. We sat on the floor, facing the wall.\r\nâ€Å"Jeez,” Kyle murmured. â€Å"I didnt think it would be like this. This really sucks.”\r\nâ€Å"How did you square off her? And gravel her?” I asked. The sobbing girl didnt react as I questioned him; she just kept crying on my shoulder. â€Å"What happened? Why is she like this?”\r\nâ€Å"Well, I thought she office be in Las Vegas. I went there first, before I went on to Portland. See, Jodi was really close to her mother, and thats where Doris lived. I thought, seeing how you were about Jared and the kid, that maybe she would go there, even w hen she wasnt Jodi. And I was right. They were all there at the resembling old house, Doris ‘s house: Doris, and her husband, Warren-they had other names, but I didnt hear them clearly-and Sunny. I watched them all day, until it was nighttime. Sunny was in Jodis old room, alone. I snuck in after theyd all been asleep for hours. I yanked Sunny up, threw her over my shoulder, and jumped out the window. I thought she was going to start screaming, so I was really booking it back to the jeep. Then I was afraid because she didnt start screaming. She was just so quiet! I was afraid she had… you know. comparable that guy we caught once.”\r\nI winced-I had a more fresh memory.\r\nâ€Å"So I pulled her off my shoulder, and she was alive, just staring up at me, all wide-eyed. Still not screaming. I carried her back to the jeep. Id been planning to get her up, but… she didnt look that upset. She wasnt trying to get away, at least. So I just buckled her in and starte d driving.\r\nâ€Å"She just stared at me for a long time, and then finally she said, ??Youre Kyle, and I said, ??Yeah, who are you? and she told me her name. What is it again?”\r\nâ€Å"Sunlight Passing Through the Ice,” Sunny whispered brokenly. â€Å"I like Sunny, though. Its nice.”\r\nâ€Å"Anyway,” Kyle went on after clearing his throat. â€Å"She didnt mind talking to me at all. She wasnt afraid like Id thought shed be. So we talked.” He was quiet for a moment. â€Å"She was happy to see me.”\r\nâ€Å"I used to dream about him all the time,” Sunny whispered to me. â€Å"Every night. I kept hoping the Seekers would find him; I missed him so much… When I saw him, I thought it was the old dream again.”\r\nI swallowed loudly.\r\nKyle reached across me to lay his hand on her cheek.\r\nâ€Å"Shes a good kid, Wanda. Cant we send her someplace really nice?”\r\nâ€Å"Thats what I wanted to ask her about. Where have y ou lived, Sunny?”\r\nI was vaguely aware of the dumb voices of the others, greeting Trudys arrival. We had our backs to them. I wanted to see what was going on, but I was also glad not to have the distraction. I tried to concentrate on the crying soul.\r\nâ€Å"Just here and with the Bears. I was there five life terms. But I like it better here. I havent had even a empennage of a life term here!”\r\nâ€Å"I know. Believe me, I understand. Is there anywhere else, though, that youve ever wanted to go? The Flowers, maybe? Its nice there; Ive been.”\r\nâ€Å"I dont want to be a plant,” she mumbled into my shoulder.\r\nâ€Å"The Spiders…” I began, but then let my voice remnant off. The Spiders were not the right place for Sunny.\r\nâ€Å"Im tired of cold. And I like colors.”\r\nâ€Å"I know.” I sighed. â€Å"I havent been a Dolphin, but I hear its nice there. Color, mobility, family…”\r\nâ€Å"Theyre all so far away. By the time I got anywhere, Kyle would be… Hed be…” She hiccuped and then started crying again.\r\nâ€Å"Dont you have any other choices?” Kyle asked anxiously. â€Å"Arent there a lot more places out there?”\r\nI could hear Trudy talking to the Healers host, but I tuned out the words. Let the humans take care of their own for the moment.\r\nâ€Å"Not that the off-world ships are going to,” I told him, shaking my head. â€Å"There are lots of worlds, but only a few, mostly the newer ones, are still open for settling. And Im sorry, Sunny, but I have to send you far away. The Seekers want to find my friends here, and theyd bring you back if they could, so you could award them the way.”\r\nâ€Å"I dont even know the way,” she sobbed. My shoulder was drenched with her tears. â€Å"He covered my eyes.”\r\nKyle looked at me as if I could produce some kind of miracle to make this all work out perfectly. Like the medicine Id prov ided, some kind of magic. But I knew that I was out of magic, out of happy endings-for the soul half of the equation, at least.\r\nI stared back hopelessly at Kyle. â€Å"Its just the Bears, the Flowers, and the Dolphins,” I told him. â€Å"I wont send her to the Fire Planet.”\r\nThe small woman shuddered at the name.\r\nâ€Å"Dont worry, Sunny. Youll like the Dolphins. Theyll be nice. Of fly the coop theyll be nice.”\r\nShe sobbed harder.\r\nI sighed and moved on.\r\nâ€Å"Sunny, I need to ask you about Jodi.”\r\nKyle stiffened beside me.\r\nâ€Å"What about her?” Sunny mumbled.\r\nâ€Å"Is she… is she in there with you? Can you hear her?”\r\nSunny sniffed and looked up at me. â€Å"I dont understand what you mean.”\r\nâ€Å"Does she ever talk to you? Are you ever aware of her thoughts?”\r\nâ€Å"My… bodys? Her thoughts? She doesnt have any. Im here now.”\r\nI nodded slowly.\r\nâ€Å"Is that bad?” Ky le whispered.\r\nâ€Å"I dont know enough about it to tell. Its probably not good, though.”\r\nKyles eyes tightened.\r\nâ€Å"How long have you been here, Sunny?”\r\nShe frowned, thinking. â€Å"How long is it, Kyle? Five geezerhood? Six? You disappeared before I came home.”\r\nâ€Å"Six,” he said.\r\nâ€Å"And how old are you?” I asked her.\r\nâ€Å"Im twenty-seven.”\r\nThat surprised me-she was such a little thing, so young looking. I couldnt believe she was six years older than Melanie.\r\nâ€Å"Why does that publication?” Kyle asked.\r\nâ€Å"Im not sure. It just seems like the more time someone spent as a human before they became a soul, the better chance they might have at… making a recovery. The greater the percentage of their life they spent human, the more memories they have, the more connections, the more years being called by the right name… I dont know.”\r\nâ€Å"Is twenty-one years enough?” he asked, his voice desperate.\r\nâ€Å"I guess well find out.”\r\nâ€Å"Its not fair!” Sunny wailed. â€Å"Why do you get to stay? Why cant I stay, if you can?”\r\nI had to swallow hard. â€Å"That wouldnt be fair, would it? But I dont get to stay, Sunny. I have to go, too. And soon. Maybe well get by together.” Perhaps shed be happier if she thought I was going to the Dolphins with her. By the time she knew otherwise, Sunny would have a different host with different emotions and no tie to this human beside me. Maybe. Anyway, it would be too late. â€Å"I have to go, Sunny, just like you. I have to get through my body back, too.”\r\nAnd then, flat and hard from right behind us, Ians voice broke the quiet like the break in of a whip.\r\nâ€Å"What?”\r\n'