[科幻]宿主-第75节

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　“Is　everybody　like　that？”　Jamie　whispered　long　after　I　thought　he’d　fallen　asleep。　“Does　everybody　

stay？”

　“No；”　I　told　him　sadly。　“No。　Melanie　is　special。”

　“She’s　strong　and　brave。”

　“Very。”

　“Do　you　think…”　He　paused　to　sniff。　“Do　you　think　that　maybe　Dad　is　still　there；　too？”

　I　swallowed；　trying　to　move　the　lump　farther　down　my　throat。　It　didn’t　work。　“No；　Jamie。　No；　I　don’t　

think　so。　Not　like　Melanie　is。”

　“Why？”

　“Because　he　brought　the　Seekers　looking　for　you。　Well；　the　soul　inside　him　did。　Your　father　wouldn’t　
have　let　that　happen　if　he　were　still　there。　Your　sister　never　let　me　see　where　the　cabin　was—she　didn’t　
even　let　me　know　that　you　existed　for　the　longest　time。　She　didn’t　bring　me　here　until　she　was　sure　that　I　
wouldn’t　hurt　you。”

　It　was　too　much　information。　Only　as　I　finished　speaking　did　I　realize　that　the　doctor　wasn’t　snoring　
anymore。　I　could　hear　no　noise　from　his　breathing。　Stupid。　I　cursed　myself　internally。

　“Wow；”　Jamie　said。

　I　whispered　into　his　ear；　so　close　that　there　was　no　way　the　doctor　could　possibly　overhear。　“Yes；　she’s　
very　strong。”

　Jamie　strained　to　hear　me；　frowning；　and　then　glanced　at　the　opening　to　the　dark　hall。　He　must　have　

　

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before。　“Why　would　you　do　that？　Not　hurt　us？　Isn’t　that　what　you　want？”　
“No。　I　don’t　want　to　hurt　you。”


　“Why？”　
“Your　sister　and　I　have…　spent　a　lot　of　time　together。　She　shared　you　with　me。　And…　I　started　to…　to　
love　you；　too。”


　“And　Jared；　too？”


　I　gritted　my　teeth　for　a　second；　chagrined　that　he　had　made　the　connection　so　easily。　“Of　course　I　don’t　
want　anything　to　hurt　Jared；　either。”　
“He　hates　you；”　Jamie　told　me；　plainly　grieved　by　the　fact。　
“Yes。　Everyone　does。”　I　sighed。　“I　can’t　blame　them。”　
“Jeb　doesn’t。　And　I　don’t。”　
“You　might；　after　you　think　about　it　more。”　
“But　you　weren’t　even　here　when　they　took　over。　You　didn’t　pick　my　dad　or　my　mom　or　Melanie。　You　

were　in　outer　space　then；　right？”

　“Yes；　but　I　am　what　I　am；　Jamie。　I　did　what　souls　do。　I’ve　had　many　hosts　before　Melanie；　and　
nothing’s　stopped　me　from…　taking　lives。　Again　and　again。　It’s　how　I　live。”　
“Does　Melanie　hate　you？”　
I　thought　for　a　minute。　“Not　as　much　as　she　used　to。”

　No。　I　don’t　hate　you　at　all。　Not　anymore。

　“She　says　she　doesn’t　hate　me　at　all　anymore；”　I　murmured　almost　silently。　
“How…　how　is　she？”　
“She’s　happy　to　be　here。　She’s　so　happy　to　see　you。　She　doesn’t　even　care　that　they’re　going　to　kill　us。”　
Jamie　stiffened　under　my　arm。　“They　can’t！　Not　if　Mel’s　still　alive！”　
You’ve　upset　him；Melanie　plained。You　didn’t　have　to　say　that。　
It　won’t　be　any　easier　for　him　if　he’s　unprepared。


　“They　won’t　believe　that；　Jamie；”　I　whispered。　“They’ll　think　I’m　lying　to　trick　you。　They’ll　just　want　to　
kill　me　more　if　you　tell　them　that。　Only　Seekers　lie。”

　The　word　made　him　shudder。　

　

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I　shrugged。　
“I　won’t　let　them　kill　her。”　
His　voice；　though　quiet　as　a　breath；　was　fierce　with　determination。　I　was　paralyzed　at　the　thought　of　him　


being　more　involved　with　this　situation；　with　me。　I　thought　of　the　barbarians　he　lived　with。　Would　his　
age　protect　him　from　them　if　he　tried　to　protect　me？　I　doubted　it。　My　thoughts　scrambled；　searching　for　
some　way　to　dissuade　him　without　triggering　his　stubbornness。

　Jamie　spoke　before　I　could　say　anything；　he　was　suddenly　calm；　as　if　the　answer　was　plain　in　front　of　
him。　“Jared　will　think　of　something。　He　always　does。”　
“Jared　won’t　believe　you；　either。　He’ll　be　the　angriest　of　them　all。”　
“Even　if　he　doesn’t　believe　it；　he’ll　protect　her。　Just　in　case。”　
“We’ll　see；”　I　muttered。　I’d　find　the　perfect　words　later—the　argument　that　would　not　sound　like　an　

argument。　
Jamie　was　quiet；　thinking。　Eventually；　his　breathing　got　slower；　and　his　mouth　fell　open。　I　waited　until　I　
was　sure　he　was　deeply　under；　and　then　I　crawled　over　him　and　very　carefully　shifted　him　from　the　floor　
to　the　bed。　He　was　heavier　than　before；　but　I　managed。　He　didn’t　wake。

　I　put　Jared’s　pillow　back　where　it　belonged；　and　then　stretched　out　on　the　mat。

　Well；I　thought；I　just　hurled　myself　out　of　the　frying　pan。　But　I　was　too　tired　to　care　what　this　would　
mean　tomorrow。　Within　seconds；　I　was　unconscious。　
When　I　woke；　the　crevices　in　the　ceiling　were　bright　with　echoed　sunlight；　and　someone　was　whistling。　
The　whistling　stopped。　
“Finally；”　Jeb　muttered　when　my　eyes　fluttered。　
I　rolled　onto　my　side　so　that　I　could　look　at　him；　as　I　moved；　Jamie’s　hand　slid　from　my　arm。　Sometime　

in　the　night　he　must　have　reached　out　to　me—well；　not　to　me；　to　his　sister。　
Jeb　was　leaning　against　the　natural　rock　door　frame；　his　arms　folded　across　his　chest。　“Morning；”　he　

said。　“Get　enough　sleep？”　
I　stretched；　decided　that　I　felt　acceptably　rested；　and　then　nodded。　
“Oh；　don’t　give　me　the　silent　treatment　again；”　he　plained；　scowling。　
“Sorry；”　I　murmured。　“I　slept　well；　thank　you。”　
Jamie　stirred　at　the　sound　of　my　voice。　

　

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I　was　ridiculously　touched　that　it　was　my　silly　nickname　that　he　spoke　on　the　edge　of　sleep。　
“Yes？”　
Jamie　blinked　and　pulled　his　tangled　hair　out　of　his　eyes。　“Oh；　hey；　Uncle　Jeb。”　
“My　room　not　good　enough　for　you；　kid？”　
“You　snore　real　loud；”　Jamie　said；　and　then　yawned。　
“Haven’t　I　taught　you　anything？”　Jeb　asked　him。　“Since　when　do　you　let　a　guest　and　a　lady　sleep　on　the　


floor？”　
Jamie　sat　up　suddenly；　staring　around；　disoriented。　He　frowned。　
“Don’t　upset　him；”　I　told　Jeb。　“He　insisted　on　taking　the　mat。　I　moved　him　when　he　was　asleep。”　
Jamie　snorted。　“Mel　always　used　to　do　that；　too。”　
I　widened　my　eyes　slightly　at　him；　trying　to　convey　a　warning。　
Jeb　chuckled。　I　looked　up　at　him；　and　he　had　that　same　pouncing…cat　expression　he’d　had　yesterday。　


The　solved…puzzle　expression。　He　walked　over　and　kicked　the　edge　of　the　mattress。　
“You’ve　already　missed　your　morning　class。　Sharon’s　bound　to　be　testy　about　that；　so　get　a　move　on。”　
“Sharon　isalways　testy；”　Jamie　plained；　but　he　got　to　his　feet　quickly。　
“On　your　way；　boy。”　
Jamie　looked　at　me　again；　then　he　turned　and　disappeared　into　the　hall。　
“Now；”　Jeb　said　as　soon　as　we　were　alone。　“I　think　all　this　baby…sitting　nonsense　has　gone　on　long　


enough。　I’m　a　busy　man。　Everyone　is　busy　here—too　busy　to　sit　around　playin’　guard。　So　today　you’re　
going　to　have　to　e　along　with　me　while　I　get　my　chores　done。”　
I　felt　my　mouth　pop　open。


　He　stared　at　me；　no　smile。　
“Don’t　look　so　terrified；”　he　grumbled。　“You’ll　be　fine。”　He　patted　his　gun。　“My　house　is　no　place　for　
babies。”


　I　couldn’t　argue　withthat。　I　took　three　quick；　deep　breaths；　trying　to　steady　my　nerves。　Blood　pulsed　so　
loudly　in　my　ears　that　his　voice　seemed　quiet　in　parison　when　he　spoke　again。　
“C’mon；　Wanda。　Day’s　wasting。”　
He　turned　and　stomped　out　of　the　room。　


　

　“’Bout　time　that　northeast　field　was　planted。　We’ll　have　to　work　the　soil　first。　Hope　you　don’t　mind　
getting　your　hands　dirty。　After　we’re　done；　I’ll　see　that　you　get　a　chance　to　clean　yourself　up。　You　need　
it。”　He　sniffed　pointedly；　then　laughed。

　I　felt　the　back　of　my　neck　get　hot；　but　I　ignored　the　last　part。　“I　don’t　mind　getting　my　hands　dirty；”　I　
murmured。　As　I　recalled；　the　empty　northeastern　field　was　out　of　the　way。　Perhaps　we　would　be　able　to　
work　alone。

　Once　we　got　to　the　big　plaza　cave；　we　started　passing　humans。　They　all　stared；　infuriated；　as　usual。　I　
was　beginning　to　recognize　most　of　them：　the　middle…aged　woman　with　the　long　salt…and…pepper　braid　I　
had　seen　with　the　irrigation　team　yesterday。　The　short　man　with　the　round　belly；　thinning　sandy　hair；　and　
ruddy　cheeks　had　been　with　her。　The　athletic…looking　woman　with　the　caramel　brown　skin　had　been　the　
one　bent　to　tie　her　shoe　the　first　time　I’d　e　out　here　during　the　day。　Another　dark…skinned　woman　
with　thick　lips　and　sleepy　eyes　had　been　in　the　kitchen；　near　the　two　black…haired　children—perhaps　she　
was　their　mother？　Now　we　passed　Maggie；　she　glowered　at　Jeb　and　turned　her　face　away　from　me。　We　
passed　a　pale；　sick…looking　man　with　white　hair　whom　I　was　sure　I’d　never　seen　before。　Then　we　passed　
Ian。

　“Hey；　Jeb；”　he　said　cheerfully。　“Whatcha　up　to？”

　“Turning　the　soil　in　the　east　field；”　Jeb　grunted。

　“Want　some　help？”

　“Oughtto　make　yourself　useful；”　Jeb　muttered。

　Ian　took　this　as　an　assent　and　fell　into　step　behind　me。　It　gave　me　goose　bumps；　feeling　his　eyes　on　my　
back。

　We　passed　a　young　man　who　couldn’t　have　been　many　years　older　than　Jamie—his　dark　hair　stood　up　
from　his　olive…toned　forehead　like　steel　wool。

　“Hey；　Wes；”　Ian　greeted　him。

　Wes　watched　in　silence　as　we　passed。　Ian　laughed　at　his　expression。

　We　passed　Doc。

　“Hey；　Doc；”　Ian　said。

　“Ian。”　Doc　nodded。　In　his　hands　was　a　big　wad　of　dough。　His　shirt　was　co