[科幻]宿主-第58章

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nor　I　could　ever　raise　a　hand　to　him。

　That’s　different。　You’re　like…　a　mother。　Mothers　are　irrational　here。　Too　many　emotions　
involved。

　Motherhood　is　always　emotional—even　for　you　souls。

　I　didn’t　answer　that。

　What　do　you　think　is　going　to　happen　now？

　You’re　the　expert　on　humans；I　reminded　her。It’s　probably　not　a　good　thing　that　they’re　giving　me　
food。　I　can　think　of　only　one　reason　they’d　want　me　strong。

　The　few　specifics　I　remembered　of　historical　human　brutalities　tangled　in　my　head　with　the　stories　in　the　
old　newspaper　we’d　read　the　other　day。　Fire—that　was　a　bad　one。　Melanie　had　burned　all　the　
fingerprints　off　her　right　hand　once　in　a　stupid　accident；　grabbing　a　pan　she　hadn’t　realized　was　hot。　I　
remembered　how　the　pain　had　shocked　her—it　was　so　unexpectedly　sharp　and　demanding。

　It　was　just　an　accident；　though。　Quickly　treated　with　ice；　salves；　medicine。　No　one　had　done　it　on　
purpose；　continued　on　from　the　first　sickening　pain；　drawing　it　out　longer　and　longer…

　I’d　never　lived　on　a　planet　where　such　atrocities　could　happen；　even　before　the　souls　came。　This　place　
was　truly　the　highest　and　the　lowest　of　all　worlds—the　most　beautiful　senses；　the　most　exquisite　
emotions…　the　most　malevolent　desires；　the　darkest　deeds。　Perhaps　it　was　meant　to　be　so。　Perhaps　
without　the　lows；　the　highs　could　not　be　reached。　Were　the　souls　the　exception　to　that　rule？　Could　they　
have　the　light　without　the　darkness　of　this　world？

　I…　felt　something　when　he　hit　you；Melanie　interrupted。　The　words　came　slowly；　one　by　one；　as　if　she　

　

　I　felt　something；　too。It　was　amazing　how　natural　it　was　to　use　sarcasm　now；　after　spending　so　much　
time　with　Melanie。He’s　got　quite　a　backhand；　doesn’t　he？

　That’s　not　what　I　meant。　I　mean…She　hesitated　for　a　long　moment；　and　then　the　rest　of　the　words　
came　in　a　rush。I　thought　it　was　all　me—the　way　we　feel　about　him。　I　thought　I　was…　in　control　of　
that。

　The　thoughts　behind　her　words　were　clearer　than　the　words　themselves。

　You　thought　you　were　able　to　bring　me　here　becauseyouwanted　it　so　much。　That　you　were　
controlling　me　instead　of　the　other　way　around。　I　tried　not　to　be　annoyed。You　thought　you　were　
manipulating　me。

　Yes。The　chagrin　in　her　tone　was　not　because　I　was　upset；　but　because　she　did　not　like　being　wrong。　
But…

　I　waited。

　It　came　in　a　rush　once　more。You’re　in　love　with　him；　too；　separately　from　me。　It　feels　different　from　
the　way　I　feel。　Other。　I　didn’t　see　that　until　he　was　there　with　us；　until　you　saw　him　for　the　first　

time。　How　did　that　happen？　How　does　a　three…inch…long　worm　fall　in　love　with　a　human　being？

　Worm？

　Sorry。　I　guess　you　sort　of　have…　limbs。

　Not　really。　They’re　more　like　antennae。　And　I’m　quite　a　bit　longer　than　three　inches　when　they’re　

extended。

　My　point　is；　he’s　not　your　species。

　My　body　is　human；I　told　her。While　I’m　attached　to　it；　I’m　human；　too。　And　the　way　you　see　Jared　

in　your　memories…　Well；　it’s　all　your　fault。

　She　considered　that　for　a　moment。　She　didn’t　like　it　much。

　So　if　you　had　gone　to　Tucson　and　gotten　a　new　body；　you　wouldn’t　love　him　anymore　now？

　I　really；　really　hope　that’s　true。

　Neither　of　us　was　happy　with　my　answer。　I　leaned　my　head　against　the　top　of　my　knees。　Melanie　
changed　the　subject。

　At　least　Jamie　is　safe。　I　knew　Jared　would　take　care　of　him。　If　I　had　to　leave　him；　I　couldn’t　have　
left　him　in　better　hands。…　I　wish　I　could　see　him。

　I’m　not　asking　that！I　cringed　at　the　thought　of　the　responsethat　request　would　receive。

　At　the　same　time；　I　yearned　to　see　the　boy’s　face　for　myself。　I　wanted　to　be　sure　that　he　was　really　here；　

　

　Do　you　think　they　will　tell　him　that　I’m　here？Melanie　asked。

　Would　that　help　or　hurt　him？I　asked　back。

　Her　thought　was　a　whisper。I　don’t　know。…　I　wish　I　could　tell　him　that　I　kept　my　promise。

　You　certainly　did。I　shook　my　head；　amazed。No　one　can　say　that　you　didn’t　e　back；　just　like　
always。

　Thanks　for　that。Her　voice　was　faint。　I　couldn’t　tell　if　she　meant　for　my　words　now；　or　if　she　meant　the　
bigger　picture；　bringing　her　here。

　I　was　suddenly　exhausted；　and　I　could　feel　that　she　was；　too。　Now　that　my　stomach　had　settled　a　bit　and　
felt　almost　halfway　full；　the　rest　of　my　pains　were　not　sharp　enough　to　keep　me　awake。　I　hesitated　before　
moving；　afraid　to　make　any　noise；　but　my　body　wanted　to　uncurl　and　stretch　out。　I　did　so　as　silently　as　I　
could；　trying　to　find　a　piece　of　the　bubble　long　enough　for　me。　Finally；　I　had　to　stick　my　feet　almost　out　
the　round　opening。　I　didn’t　like　doing　it；　worried　that　Jared　would　hear　the　movement　close　to　him　and　
think　I　was　trying　to　escape；　but　he　didn’t　react　in　any　way。　I　pillowed　the　good　side　of　my　face　against　
my　arm；　tried　to　ignore　the　way　the　curve　of　the　floor　cramped　my　spine；　and　closed　my　eyes。

　I　think　I　slept；　but　if　I　did；　it　wasn’t　deeply。　The　sound　of　footsteps　was　still　very　far　away　when　I　came　
fully　awake。

　This　time　I　opened　my　eyes　at　once。　Nothing　had　changed—I　still　could　see　the　dull　blue　light　through　
the　round　hole；　I　still　could　not　see　if　Jared　was　outside　it。　Someone　was　ing　this　way—it　was　easy　to　
hear　that　the　footsteps　were　ing　closer。　I　pulled　my　legs　away　from　the　opening；　moving　as　quietly　as　
I　could；　and　curled　up　against　the　back　wall　again。　I　would　have　liked　to　be　able　to　stand；　it　would　have　
made　me　feel　less　vulnerable；　more　prepared　to　face　whatever　was　ing。　The　low　ceiling　of　the　cave　
bubble　would　barely　have　allowed　me　to　kneel。

　There　was　a　flash　of　movement　outside　my　prison。　I　saw　part　of　Jared’s　foot　as　he　rose　silently　to　his　
feet。

　“Ah。　Here　you　are；”　a　man　said。　The　words　were　so　loud　after　all　the　empty　silence　that　I　jumped。　I　
recognized　the　voice。　One　of　the　brothers　I’d　seen　in　the　desert—the　one　with　the　machete；　Kyle。

　Jared　didn’t　speak。

　“We’re　not　going　to　allow　this；　Jared。”　It　was　a　different　speaker；　a　more　reasonable　voice。　Probably　
the　younger　brother；　Ian。　The　brothers’　voices　were　very　similar—or　they　would　have　been；　if　Kyle　
weren’t　always　half　shouting；　his　tone　always　twisted　with　anger。　“We’ve　all　lost　somebody—hell；　we’ve　
all　lost　everybody。　But　this　is　ridiculous。”

　“If　you　won’t　let　Doc　have　it；　then　it’s　got　to　die；”　Kyle　added；　his　voice　a　growl。

　“You　can’t　keep　it　prisoner　here；”　Ian　continued。　“Eventually；　it　will　escape　and　we’ll　all　be　exposed。”　

　

　My　heart　pumped　hard　and　fast　as　I　understood　what　the　brothers　were　saying。　Jared　had　won。　I　was　
not　to　be　tortured。　I　was　not　to　be　killed—not　immediately；　anyway。　Jared　was　keeping　me　prisoner。

　It　seemed　a　beautiful　word　under　the　circumstances。

　I　told　you　he　would　protect　us。

　“Don’t　make　this　difficult；　Jared；”　said　a　new　male　voice　I　didn’t　recognize。　“It　has　to　be　done。”

　Jared　said　nothing。

　“We　don’t　want　to　hurt　you；　Jared。　We’re　all　brothers　here。　But　we　will　if　you　make　us。”　There　was　no　

bluff　in　Kyle’s　tone。　“Move　aside。”

　Jared　stood　rock　still。

　My　heart　started　thumping　faster　than　before；　jerking　against　my　ribs　so　hard　that　the　hammering　

disrupted　the　rhythm　of　my　lungs；　made　it　difficult　to　breathe。　Melanie　was　incapacitated　with　fear；　unable　
to　think　in　coherent　words。

　They　were　going　to　hurt　him。　Those　lunatic　humans　were　going　to　attack　one　of　their　own。

　“Jared…　please；”　Ian　said。

　Jared　didn’t　answer。

　A　heavy　footfall—a　lunge—and　the　sound　of　something　heavy　hitting　something　solid。　A　gasp；　a　choking　
gurgle　—

　“No！”　I　cried；　and　launched　myself　through　the　round　hole。

　CHAPTER　16

　Assigned

　The　ledge　of　the　rock　exit　was　worn　down；　but　it　scraped　my　palms　and　shins　as　I　scrambled　through　it。　
It　hurt；　stiff　as　I　was；　to　wrench　myself　erect；　and　my　breath　caught。　My　head　swam　as　the　blood　flowed　
downward。

　I　looked　for　only　one　thing—where　Jared　was；　so　that　I　could　put　myself　between　him　and　his　attackers。

　They　all　stood　frozen　in　place；　staring　at　me。　Jared　had　his　back　to　the　wall；　his　hands　balled　into　fists　
and　held　low。　In　front　of　him；　Kyle　was　hunched　over；　clutching　his　stomach。　Ian　and　a　stranger　flanked　
him　a　few　feet　back；　their　mouths　open　with　shock。　I　took　advantage　of　their　surprise。　In　two　long；　shaky　
strides；　I　moved　between　Kyle　and　Jared。

　Kyle　was　the　first　to　react。　I　was　less　than　a　foot　from　him；　and　his　primary　instinct　was　to　shove　me　
away。　His　hand　struck　my　shoulder　and　heaved　me　toward　the　floor。　Before　I　could　fall；　something　

　

　As　soon　as　he　realized　what　he’d　done；　Jared　dropped　my　wrist　like　my　skin　was　oozing　acid。

　“Get　back　in　there；”　he　roared　at　me。　He　shoved　my　shoulder；　too；　but　it　wasn’t　as　hard　as　Kyle’s　push。　

It　sent　me　staggering　two　feet　back　toward　the　hole　in　the　wall。

　The　hole　was　a　black　circle　in　the　narrow　hallway。　Outside　the　small　prison；　the　bigger　cave　looked　just　
the　same；　only　longer　and　taller；　a　tube　rather　than　a　bubble。　A　small　lamp—powered　by　what；　I　couldn’t　
guess—lit　the　hallway　dimly　from　the　ground。　It　cast　strange　shadows　on　the　features　of　the　men；　tu