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第38章

[科幻]宿主-第38章

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no attention to the silly message I’d sent。

 The desire was not my own。

 I shut off the puter。

 I hate you;the voice snarled in my head。

 “Then maybe you should leave;” I snapped。 The sound of my voice; answering her aloud; made me 

shudder again。

 She hadn’t spoken to me since the first moments I’d been here。 There was no doubt that she was getting 
stronger。 Just like the dreams。

 And there was no question about it; I was going to have to visit my forter tomorrow。 Tears of 
disappointment and humiliation welled in my eyes at the thought。

 I went back to bed; put a pillow over my face; and tried to think of nothing at all。

 CHAPTER 5

 Unforted

 Hello there; Wanderer! Won’t you take a seat and make yourself at home?”

 I hesitated on the threshold of the forter’s office; one foot in and one foot out。

 She smiled; just a tiny movement at the corners of her mouth。 It was much easier to read facial 
expressions now; the little muscle twitches and shifts had bee familiar through months of exposure。 I 
could see that the forter found my reluctance a bit amusing。 At the same time; I could sense her 
frustration that I was still uneasy ing to her。

 With a quiet sigh of resignation; I walked into the small brightly colored room and took my usual 
seat—the puffy red one; the one farthest from where she sat。

 Her lips pursed。

 To avoid her gaze; I stared through the open windows at the clouds scuttling past the sun。 The faint tang 
of ocean brine blew softly through the room。 

 

 I met her eyes guiltily。 “I did leave a message about that last appointment。 I had a student who requested 
some of my time。…” 
“Yes; I know。” She smiled the tiny smile again。 “I got your message。” 
She was attractive for an older woman; as humans went。 She’d let her hair stay a natural gray—it was 

soft; tending toward white rather than silver; and she wore it long; pulled back in a loose ponytail。 Her 
eyes were an interesting green color I’d never seen on anyone else。

 “I’m sorry;” I said; since she seemed to be waiting for a response。 
“That’s all right。 I understand。 It’s difficult for you to e here。 You wish so much that it wasn’t 
necessary。 It’s never been necessary for you before。 This frightens you。”


 I stared down at the wooden floor。 “Yes; forter。” 
“I know I’ve asked you to call me Kathy。” 
“Yes… Kathy。” 
She laughed lightly。 “You are not at ease with human names yet; are you; Wanderer?” 
“No。 To be honest; it seems… like a surrender。” 
I looked up to see her nod slowly。 “Well; I can understand why you; especially; would feel that way。” 
I swallowed loudly when she said that; and stared again at the floor。 
“Let’s talk about something easier for a moment;” Kathy suggested。 “Do you continue to enjoy your 


Calling?” 
“I do。” Thiswas easier。 “I’ve begun a new semester。 I wondered if it would get tiresome; repeating the 
same material; but so far it doesn’t。 Having new ears makes the stories new again。” 
“I hear good things about you from Curt。 He says your class is among the most requested at the 


university。” 
My cheeks warmed a bit at this praise。 “That’s nice to hear。 How is your partner?” 
“Curt is wonderful; thank you。 Our hosts are in excellent shape for their ages。 We have many years 


ahead of us; I think。” 
I was curious if she would stay on this world; if she would move to another human host when the time 
came; or if she would leave。 But I didn’t want to ask any questions that might move us into the more 
difficult areas of discussion。 
“I enjoy teaching;” I said instead。 “It’s somewhat related to my Calling with the See Weeds; so that 
makes it easier than something unfamiliar。 I’m indebted to Curt for requesting me。” 

 

 “HonoraryProfessor;” I corrected her。

 Kathy smiled and then took a deep breath; her smile fading。 “You haven’t been to see me in so long; I 
was wondering if your problems were resolving themselves。 But then it occurred to me that perhaps the 
reason for your absence was that they were getting worse。”

 I stared down at my hands and said nothing。

 My hands were light brown—a tan that never faded whether I spent time in the sun or not。 One dark 
freckle marked the skin just above my left wrist。 My nails were cut short。 I disliked the feeling of long 
nails。 They were unpleasant when they brushed the skin wrong。 And my fingers were so long and 
thin—the added length of fingernails made them look strange。 Even for a human。

 She cleared her throat after a minute。 “I’m guessing my intuition was right。”

 “Kathy。” I said her name slowly。 Stalling。 “Why did you keep your human name? Did it make you feel… 
more at one? With your host; I mean?” I would have liked to know about Curt’s choice as well; but it 
was such a personal question。 It would have been wrong to ask anyone besides Curt for the answer; 
even his partner。 I worried that I’d already been too impolite; but she laughed。

 “Heavens; no; Wanderer。 Haven’t I told you this? Hmm。 Maybe not; since it’s not my job to talk; but to 
listen。 Most of the souls I speak with don’t need as much encouragement as you do。 Did you know I 
came to Earth in one of the very first placements; before the humans had any idea we were here? I had 
human neighbors on both sides。 Curt and I had to pretend to be our hosts for several years。 Even after 
we’d settled the immediate area; you never knew when a human might be near。 SoKathy just became 
who I was。 Besides; the translation of my former name was fourteen words long and did not shorten 
prettily。” She grinned。 The sunlight slanting through the window caught her eyes and sent their silver green 
reflection dancing on the wall。 For a moment; the emerald irises glowed iridescent。

 I’d had no idea that this soft; cozy woman had been a part of the front line。 It took me a minute to 
process that。 I stared at her; surprised and suddenly more respectful。 I’d never taken forters very 
seriously—never had a need before now。 They were for those who struggled; for the weak; and it 
shamed me to be here。 Knowing Kathy’s history made me feel slightly less awkward with her。 She 
understood strength。

 “Did it bother you?” I asked。 “Pretending to be one of them?”

 “No; not really。 You see; this host was a lot to get used to—there was so much that was new。 Sensory 
overload。 Following the set pattern was quite as much as I could handle at first。”

 “And Curt… You chose to stay with your host’s spouse? After it was over?”

 This question was more pointed; and Kathy grasped that at once。 She shifted in her seat; pulling her legs 
up and folding them under her。 She gazed thoughtfully at a spot just over my head as she answered。 

 

 “All very good reasons why Curt and I might have formed an attachment and decided to stay together 
when secrecy was no longer necessary。 And I could lie to you; assuage your fears; by telling you that 
these were the reasons。 But…” She shook her head and then seemed to settle deeper into her chair; her 
eyes boring into me。 “In so many millennia; the humans never did figurelove out。 How much is physical; 
how much in the mind? How much accident and how much fate? Why did perfect matches crumble and 
impossible couples thrive? I don’t know the answers any better than they did。 Love simply is where it is。 
My host loved Curt’s host; and that love did not die when the ownership of the minds changed。”

 She watched me carefully; reacting with a slight frown when I slumped in my seat。 
“Melanie still grieves for Jared;” she stated。 
I felt my head nod without willing the action。 
“Yougrieve for him。” 
I closed my eyes。 
“The dreams continue?” 
“Every night;” I mumbled。 
“Tell me about them。” Her voice was soft; persuasive。 
“I don’t like to think about them。” 
“I know。 Try。 It might help。” 
“How? How will it help to tell you that I see his face every time I close my eyes? That I wake up and cry 


when he’s not there? That the memories are so strong I can’t separate hers from mine anymore?” 
I stopped abruptly; clenching my teeth。 
Kathy pulled a white handkerchief from her pocket and offered it to me。 When I didn’t move; she got 


up; walked over to me; and dropped it in my lap。 She sat on the arm of my chair and waited。


 I held on stubbornly for half a minute。 Then I snatched the little square of fabric angrily and wiped my 
eyes。 
“I hate this。” 
“Everybody cries their first year。 These emotions are so impossible。 We’re all children for a bit; whether 


we intended that or not。 I used to tear up every time I saw a pretty sunset。 The taste of peanut butter 


 

 “Such pretty; shiny hair;” she noted。 “Every time I see you it’s shorter。 Why do you keep it that way?” 
Already in tears; I didn’t feel like I had much dignity to defend。 Why claim that it was easier to care for; 
as I usually did? After all; I’d e here to confess and get help—I might as well get on with it。

 “It bothersher。 She likes it long。” 
She didn’t gasp; as I half expected she would。 Kathy was good at her job。 He

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