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[科幻]宿主-第45部分
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not disturb this place; but it probably wouldn’t hurt anything if I just curled up on the foot of the bed。 The
floor was rough and so hard。
The sound of the doctor’s soft snoring was forting; even if it was put on to calm me; at least I knew
exactly where he was in the darkness。
Live or die; I figured I might as well go ahead and sleep。 I was dog tired; as Melanie would say。 I let my
There was a low shuffling sound—it was inside the room with me。 My eyes popped open; and I could
see a shadow between the moonlit ceiling and me。 Outside; the doctor’s snores continued uninterrupted。
CHAPTER 23
Confessed
The shadow was huge and misshapen。 It loomed over me; top…heavy; swinging closer to my face。
I think I meant to scream; but the sound got trapped in my throat; and all that came out was a breathless
squeak。
“Shh; it’s just me;” Jamie whispered。 Something bulky and roundish rolled from his shoulders and
plopped softly to the floor。 When it was gone I could see his true; lithe shadow against the moonlight。
I caught a few gasps of air; my hand clutching at my throat。
“Sorry;” he whispered; sitting down on the edge of the mattress。 “I guess that was pretty stupid。 I was
trying not to wake Doc—I didn’t even think how I would scare you。 You okay?” He patted my ankle;
which was the part of me closest to him。
“Sure;” I huffed; still breathless。
“Sorry;” he muttered again。
“What are you doing here; Jamie? Shouldn’t you be asleep?”
“That’s why I’m here。 Uncle Jeb was snoring like you wouldn’t believe。 I couldn’t stand it anymore。”
His answer didn’t make sense to me。 “Don’t you usually sleep with Jeb?”
Jamie yawned and bent to untie the bulky bedroll he’d dropped to the floor。 “No; I usually sleep with
Jared。 He doesn’t snore。 But you know that。”
I did。
“Why don’t you sleep in Jared’s room; then? Are you afraid to sleep alone?” I wouldn’t have blamed
him for that。 It seemed like I was constantly terrified here。
“Afraid;” he grumbled; offended。 “No。 Thisis Jared’s room。 And mine。”
“What?” I gasped。 “Jeb put me in Jared’s room?”
I couldn’t believe it。 Jared would kill me。 No; he would kill Jeb first; andthen he would kill me。
“It’s my room; too。 And I told Jeb you could have it。”
“Jared will be furious;” I whispered。
“I’m not a kid; Wanda。 I can take care of myself。”
Obviously; arguing was only going to make him more stubborn。 “At least take the bed;” I said;
surrendering。 “I’ll sleep on the floor。 It’s your room。”
“That’s not right。 You’re the guest。”
I snorted quietly。 “Ha。 No; the bed is yours。”
“No way。” He lay down on the mat; folding his arms tightly across his chest。
Again; I saw that arguing was the wrong approach to take with Jamie。 Well; this one I could rectify as
soon as he was asleep。 Jamie slept so deeply it was almost a a。 Melanie could carry him anywhere
once he was out。
“You can use my pillow;” he told me; patting the one next to the side where he lay。 “You don’t need to
scrunch up at the bottom there。”
I sighed but crawled to the top of the bed。
“That’s right;” he said approvingly。 “Now; could you throw me Jared’s?”
I hesitated; about to reach for the pillow under my head; he jumped up; leaned over me; and snatched
the other pillow。 I sighed again。
We lay in silence for a while; listening to the low whistle of the doctor’s breathing。
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。
“It won’t keep you up;” I agreed。
“You tired?”
“Yeah。”
“Oh。”
I waited for him to say something more; but he was quiet。
“Was there something you wanted?” I asked。
He didn’t answer right away; but I could feel him struggling; so I waited。
“If I asked you something; would you tell me the truth?”
It was my turn to hesitate。 “I don’t know everything;” I hedged。
“You would know this。 When we were walking… me and Jeb… he was telling me some things。 Things
he thought; but I don’t know if he’s right。”
Melanie was suddenly verythere in my head。
Jamie’s whisper was hard to hear; quieter than my breathing。 “Uncle Jeb thinks that Melanie might still
be alive。 Inside there with you; I mean。”
My Jamie。Melanie sighed。
I said nothing to either of them。
“I didn’t know that could happen。 Does that happen?” His voice broke; and I could hear that he was
fighting tears。 He was not a boy to cry; and here I’d grieved him this deeply twice in one day。 A pain
pierced through the general region of my chest。
“Does it; Wanda?”
Tell him。 Please tell him that I love him。
“Why won’t you answer me?” Jamie was really crying now but trying to muffle the sound。
I crawled off the bed; squeezing into the hard space between the mattress and the mat; and threw my
arm over his shaking chest。 I leaned my head against his hair and felt his tears; warm on my neck。
“Is Melanie still alive; Wanda? Please?”
He was probably a tool。 The old man could have sent him just for this; Jeb was smart enough to see
how easily Jamie broke through my defenses。 It was possible that Jeb was seeking confirmation for his
theory; and he wasn’t against using the boy to get it。 What would Jeb do when he was certain of the
Jamie’s body shook beside me。
He’s suffering;Melanie cried。 She battered ineffectually at my control。
But I couldn’t blame this on Melanie if it turned out to be a huge mistake。 I knew who was speaking
now。
“She promised she would e back; didn’t she?” I murmured。 “Would Melanie break a promise to
you?”
Jamie slid his arms around my waist and clung to me for a long time。 After a few minutes; he whispered;
“Love you; Mel。”
“She loves you; too。 She’s so happy that you’re here and safe。”
He was silent long enough for the tears on my skin to dry; leaving a fine; salty dust behind。
“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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n
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 covered with dark; coarse flour。
“Morning; Jeb。 Morning; Wanda
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