Symbiosis: At World's End

Obsession

Merrick was getting worried about Brianna. Ever since her father woke up with amnesia, she was getting distant from the whole group, including her father. He had observed Cruz and had discovered that he did remember bits and pieces from his former life and that they were slowly coming back, but that didn't seem to be breaking Brianna out of the depression she was sinking into. Probably because Cruz hadn't remembered her yet. He could understand her reaction, but it was starting to turn into an obsession. She spent more time in the jungle, away from the group. Her symbiote may allow her to protect herself, but there was still a danger of something stronger attacking her. After all, it was originally thought that the mountains were safe, but they knew how that ended.

He returned to Cruz. He was recovering rather well. He was able to eat and drink by himself now, and he was getting closer to being able to stand up and walk by himself. His memory impairment was also leaving at a slow, but steady rate. He remembered he was a soldier that had lived in a city for all his life, and that he had been a part of a pseudo-successful super soldier program. He had mentioned that there were things that were 'there' in that there were memories that he knew were there, but were just out of his proverbial reach.

He turned to Paula, who had just been diving for the dinner of the night. She had made crab and lobster traps the previous day to shake up their next meal and had put them to the test earlier that day. Judging by the many pincered crustaceans, they had been quite a success. She set them down and grabbed one of the lobsters before driving one of her knives through its head.

"Brianna doing any better?"

Merrick shook his head.

"No. I think she might be getting worse."

Paula bit her lip as she gutted the lobster.

"We need to do something about that. It'll rip her apart if this continues."

Merrick nodded and sat down, pulling out his own knife to clean the lobsters.

"Hey, have you and Terry been having those conversations I suggested?"

While they had been on the plane, Merrick had suggested they spend some time talking to their symbiotes, seeing how they responded.

"Yeah, we've been following your advice. They don't talk much. I think it's because they don't really know how to talk. Or maybe it's something else. You heard Medusa back in the mountains. Her symbiote just does what she wants. I don't think Terry's and my own are any different. What if we start going crazy like she did?"

Merrick set aside the lobster he had just finished cleaning and started on another.

"Look. Medusa already stunk of crazy the first time I met her. I'll also be the first to admit that I'm not exactly the most stable person on the planet, but I got others around me to whip me back in line should things come to that. I actually was concerned about your symbiotes myself after that run-in with Medusa. That's why I suggested you talk to it. I'm hoping that in time, yours and Terry's symbiotes will come to learn that what a host wants isn't always the right thing."

Paula shrugged.

"One can only hope. By the way, where's Terry?"

Merrick finished removing the claws from a lobster and started working on the legs.

"I asked him to keep an eye on Brianna, as well as bring her back for dinner. Honestly, I think the best thing for both her and Cruz is to be around one another. Who knows, maybe it'll help him recover faster."

Paula made a noise of agreement as she tore an unwanted organ from her current lobster and tossed it into a pile of unwanted offal.

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