[科幻]宿主-第54章

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information　in　reserve。

　Did　it　matter　that　I　protected　my　secret　from　her？　I　wasn’t　as　strong　as　Melanie；　I　had　no　doubt　she　
could　endure　torture。　How　much　pain　could　I　stand　before　I　gave　them　anything　they　wanted？

　My　stomach　heaved。　Suicide　was　a　repugnant　option—worse　because　it　would　be　murder；　too。　Melanie　
would　be　part　of　either　torture　or　death。　I　would　wait　for　that　until　I　had　absolutely　no　other　choice。

　No；　they　can’t。　Uncle　Jeb　would　never　let　them　hurt　me。

　Uncle　Jeb　doesn’t　know　you’re　here；I　reminded　her。

　Tell　him！

　I　focused　on　the　old　man’s　face。　The　thick　white　beard　kept　me　from　seeing　the　set　of　his　mouth；　but　his　
eyes　did　not　seem　to　burn　like　the　others’。　From　the　corner　of　my　eye；　I　could　see　a　few　of　the　men　shift　
their　gaze　from　me　to　him。　They　were　waiting　for　him　to　answer　the　question　that　had　alerted　me　to　their　
presence。　Uncle　Jeb　stared　at　me；　ignoring　them。

　I　can’t　tell　him；　Melanie。　He　won’t　believe　me。　And　if　they　think　I’m　lying　to　them；　they’ll　think　
I’m　a　Seeker。　They　must　have　experience　enough　to　know　that　only　a　Seeker　would　e　out　here　
with　a　lie；　a　story　designed　for　infiltration。

　Melanie　recognized　the　truth　of　my　thought　at　once。　The　very　wordSeeker　made　her　recoil　with　hatred；　
and　she　knew　these　strangers　would　have　the　same　reaction。

　It　doesn’t　matter　anyway。　I’m　a　soul—that’s　enough　for　them。

　The　one　with　the　machete—the　biggest　man　there；　black…haired　with　oddly　fair　skin　and　vivid　blue　
eyes—made　a　sound　of　disgust　and　spit　on　the　ground。　He　took　a　step　forward；　slowly　raising　the　long　
blade。

　Better　fast　than　slow。　Better　that　it　was　this　brutal　hand　and　not　mine　that　killed　us。　Better　that　I　didn’t　
die　a　creature　of　violence；　accountable　for　Melanie’s　blood　as　well　as　my　own。　

　

　“Why？　You　said　you　made　sure。　It’s　one　of　them。”

　I　recognized　the　voice—he　was　the　same　one　who’d　asked　Jeb　why　he’d　given　me　water。

　“Well；　yes；　she　surely　is。　But　it’s　a　little　plicated。”

　“How？”　A　different　man　asked　the　question。　He　stood　next　to　the　big；　dark…haired　Kyle；　and　they　
looked　so　much　alike　that　they　had　to　be　brothers。

　“See；　this　here　is　my　niece；　too。”

　“Not　anymore　she’s　not；”　Kyle　said　flatly。　He　spit　again　and　took　another　deliberate　step　in　my　
direction；　knife　ready。　I　could　see　from　the　way　his　shoulders　leaned　into　the　action　that　words　would　not　

stop　him　again。　I　closed　my　eyes。

　There　were　two　sharp　metallic　clicks；　and　someone　gasped。　My　eyes　flew　open　again。

　“I　said　hold　it；　Kyle。”　Uncle　Jeb’s　voice　was　still　relaxed；　but　the　long　rifle　was　gripped　tightly　in　his　

hands　now；　and　the　barrels　were　pointed　at　Kyle’s　back。　Kyle　was　frozen　just　steps　from　me；　his　
machete　hung　motionless　in　the　air　above　his　shoulder。

　“Jeb；”　the　brother　said；　horrified；　“what　are　you　doing？”

　“Step　away　from　the　girl；　Kyle。”

　Kyle　turned　his　back　to　us；　whirling　on　Jeb　in　fury。　“It’s　not　agirl；　Jeb！”

　Jeb　shrugged；　the　gun　stayed　steady　in　his　hands；　pointed　at　Kyle。　“There　are　things　to　be　discussed。”

　“The　doctor　might　be　able　to　learn　something　from　it；”　a　female　voice　offered　gruffly。

　I　cringed　at　the　words；　hearing　in　them　my　worst　fears。　When　Jeb　had　called　me　his　niece　just　now；　I’d　
foolishly　let　a　spark　of　hope　flame　to　life—perhaps　there　would　be　pity。　I’d　been　stupid　to　think　that；　
even　for　a　second。　Death　would　be　the　only　pity　I　could　hope　for　from　these　creatures。

　I　looked　at　the　woman　who’d　spoken；　surprised　to　see　that　she　was　as　old　as　Jeb；　maybe　older。　Her　
hair　was　dark　gray　rather　than　white；　which　is　why　I　hadn’t　noticed　her　age　before。　Her　face　was　a　mass　
of　wrinkles；　all　of　them　turning　down　into　angry　lines。　But　there　was　something　familiar　about　the　features　
behind　the　lines。

　Melanie　made　the　connection　between　this　ancient　face　and　another；　smoother　face　in　her　memory。

　“Aunt　Maggie？　You’re　here？　How？　Is　Sharon　—”　The　words　were　all　Melanie；　but　they　gushed　from　
my　mouth；　and　I　was　unable　to　stop　them。　Sharing　for　so　long　in　the　desert　had　made　her　stronger；　or　me　

weaker。　Or　maybe　it　was　just　that　I　was　concentrating　on　which　direction　the　deathblow　was　going　to　fall　
from。　I　was　bracing　for　our　murder；　and　she　was　having　a　family　reunion。

　Melanie　got　only　halfway　through　her　surprised　exclamation。　The　much…aged　woman　named　Maggie　

　

　My　head　snapped　back　and　then　forward。　She　slapped　me　again。　
“You　won’tfool　us；　you　parasite。　We　know　how　you　work。　We　know　how　well　you　can　mimic　us。”　
I　tasted　blood　inside　my　cheek。　
Don’t　do　that　again；I　scolded　Melanie。I　told　you　what　they’d　think。　
Melanie　was　too　shocked　to　answer。　
“Now；　Maggie；”　Jeb　began　in　a　soothing　tone。　
“Don’t　you　‘Now；　Maggie’　me；　you　old　fool！　She’s　probably　led　a　legion　of　them　down　on　us。”　She　


backed　away　from　me；　her　eyes　measuring　my　stillness　as　if　I　were　a　coiled　snake。　She　stopped　beside　
her　brother。　
“I　don’t　see　anyone；”　Jeb　retorted。“Hey！”　he　yelled；　and　I　flinched　in　surprise。　I　wasn’t　the　only　one。　


Jeb　waved　his　left　hand　over　his　head；　the　gun　still　clenched　in　the　right。“Over　here！”　
“Shut　up；”　Maggie　growled；　shoving　his　chest。　Though　I　had　good　reason　to　know　she　was　strong；　Jeb　
didn’t　wobble。


　“She’s　alone；　Mag。　She　was　pretty　much　dead　when　I　found　her—she’s　not　in　such　great　shape　now。　
The　centipedes　don’t　sacrifice　their　own　that　way。　They　would　have　e　for　her　much　sooner　than　I　
did。　Whatever　else　she　is；　she’s　alone。”

　I　saw　the　image　of　the　long；　many…legged　insect　in　my　head；　but　I　didn’t　make　the　connection。　
He’s　talking　aboutyou；　Melanie　translated。　She　placed　the　picture　of　the　ugly　bug　next　to　my　memory　
of　a　bright　silver　soul。　I　didn’t　see　a　resemblance。　
I　wonder　how　he　knows　what　you　look　like；Melanie　wondered　absently。　My　memories　of　a　soul’s　
true　appearance　had　been　new　to　her　in　the　beginning。

　I　didn’t　have　time　to　wonder　with　her。　Jeb　was　walking　toward　me；　and　the　others　were　close　behind。　
Kyle’s　hand　hovered　at　Jeb’s　shoulder；　ready　to　restrain　him　or　throw　him　out　of　the　way；　I　couldn’t　tell。　
Jeb　put　his　gun　in　his　left　hand　and　extended　the　right　to　me。　I　eyed　it　warily；　waiting　for　it　to　hit　me。　
“C’mon；”　he　urged　gently。　“If　I　could　carry　you　that　far；　I　woulda　brought　you　home　last　night。　You’re　

gonna　have　to　walk　some　more。”　
“No！”　Kyle　grunted。　
“I’m　takin’　her　back；”　Jeb　said；　and　for　the　first　time　there　was　a　harsher　tone　to　his　voice。　Under　his　

beard；　his　jaw　flexed　into　a　stubborn　line。　

　

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“’S　my　place；　Mag。　I’ll　do　what　I　want。”　
“Old　fool！”　she　snapped　again。　
Jeb　reached　down　and　grabbed　my　hand　from　where　it　lay　curled　into　a　fist　against　my　thigh。　He　yanked　


me　to　my　feet。　It　was　not　cruelty；　it　was　merely　as　if　he　was　in　a　hurry。　Yet　was　it　not　the　very　worst　form　


of　cruelty　to　prolong　my　life　for　the　reasons　he　had？　
I　rocked　unsteadily。　I　couldn’t　feel　my　legs　very　well—just　prickles　like　needle　points　as　the　blood　
flowed　down。

　There　was　a　hiss　of　disapproval　behind　him。　It　came　from　more　than　one　mouth。　
“Okay；　whoever　you　are；”　he　said　to　me；　his　voice　still　kind。　“Let’s　get　out　of　here　before　it　heats　up。”　
The　one　who　must　have　been　Kyle’s　brother　put　his　hand　on　Jeb’s　arm。　
“You　can’t　just　show　it　where　we　live；　Jeb。”　
“I　suppose　it　doesn’t　matter；”　Maggie　said　harshly。　“It　won’t　get　a　chance　to　tell　tales。”　
Jeb　sighed　and　pulled　a　bandanna—all　but　hidden　by　his　beard—from　around　his　neck。　
“This　is　silly；”　he　muttered；　but　he　rolled　the　dirty　fabric；　stiff　with　dry　sweat；　into　a　blindfold。　
I　kept　perfectly　still　as　he　tied　it　over　my　eyes；　fighting　the　panic　that　increased　when　I　couldn’t　see　my　


enemies。　
I　couldn’t　see；　but　I　knew　it　was　Jeb　who　put　one　hand　on　my　back　and　guided　me；　none　of　the　others　
would　have　been　so　gentle。　
We　started　forward；　toward　the　north；　I　thought。　No　one　spoke　at　first—there　was　just　the　sound　of　
sand　grinding　under　many　feet。　The　ground　was　even；　but　I　stumbled　on　my　numb　legs　again　and　again。　
Jeb　was　patient；　his　guiding　hand　was　almost　chivalrous。　
I　felt　the　sun　rise　as　we　walked。　Some　of　the　footsteps　were　faster　than　others。　They　moved　ahead　of　us　
until　they　were　hard　to　hear。　It　sounded　like　it　was　the　minority　that　stayed　with　Jeb　and　me。　I　must　not　

have　looked　like　I　needed　many　guards—I　was　faint　with　hunger；　and　I　swayed　with　every　step；　my　head　
felt　dizzy　and　hollow。　
“You　aren’t　planning　to　tell　him；　are　you？”　
It　was　Maggie’s　voice；　it　came　from　a　few　feet　behind　me；　and　it　sounded　like　an　accusation。　
“He’s　got　a　right　to　know；”　Jeb　replied。　The　stubborn　note　was　back　in　his　voice。　
“It’s　an　unkind　thing　you　are　doing；　Jebediah。”　
“Life　is　unkind；　Magnolia。”　

　

　We　walked　in　silence　again　for　a　few　hours。　When　my　legs　buckled；　Jeb　lowered　me　to　the　ground　and　

held　a　canteen　to　my　lips　as　he　had　in　the　night。

　“Let　me　know　when　you’re　ready；”　Jeb　told　me。　His　voice　sounded　kind；　though　I　knew　that