The Host ¤ The Next Chapter

The Host ¤ The Next Chapter: 11

The Host ¤ The Next Chapter: 11

Sarah leaned back on the pillow, stretching before she dived into the story. There was a smile on her lips. Jenny's memories couldn't think of a accurate word to describe it. The smile was like when someone purposely with holds a secret from you, but they let you in on the hint that they know something you don't. Sarah was completely enjoying that I didn't have a clue and ravishing every moment she made me wait.

"Okay," she began, but it was accented by a laugh. "I'll tell you, but we're starting off with the short version first. Gabbie was my first human host."

I don't think my mouth dropped, but my eyes were certainly wider. Sarah? Inside of Gabbie?

"Her mind was still VIVIDLY intact." Sarah explained, emphasising the fact that Gabbie's mind hadn't gone out when she took over. I believed her. "And she caused me daily pain whenever she could. Whether it was distracting me from what I was doing to purposely making me hurt myself. She didn't care about her body anymore. She simply wanted me OUT."

"What happened?" I asked. 

I was swept away by this story. I didn't realize that human hosts could still be saved. That would explain why Jeb had asked me if Jenny was still alive. He had hoped to save her so she could be returned to her mourning Aunt and Uncle. They'd probably just gotten over the loss of her life too. I'd come in at the wrong moment.

"I couldn't take it anymore." Sarah almost exploded when she said this, as if she was reliving the memory, but she controlled herself. "And the Seekers knew it. They were planning on taking me out of this host and placing me in another." she paused for a moment and leaned in towards me. "But I wasn't going to let them." she told me softly with a great smile on her lips. Sarah sat back, returning to her earlier position.

"Why not?!" I cried instantly.

"Because," She answered immediately. "I wasn't going to lose to this host. It wasn't because I was afraid for the Seeker's safety, or I had grown attatched to the body. I wanted to conquer its remaining human consciousness. I'd never lost before and I wasn't going to give up." Sarah gave a half-laugh.

I didn't understand her laugh, but I continued with my questions. "But if the Seekers were going to take you away to the Healers, how could you escape?"

"I didn't. That's the best part of it." She told me with another one of her wide grins. "The Rebels ambushed the van I was being transported in. They took me away to their base, threw me in one of their holding cells, and waited to see if I was of double personalities."

"Did Gabbie try to take over?" I asked curiously. "Completely, I mean. After seeing all those other humans?"

"Like heck she did." Sarah remarked. "I was nearly driven insane. Neither one of us were winning. One moment I'd have control, then she would. Sometimes she even took control of her vocal chords. We went back and forth, yelling at one another, as we wriggled in one body on the ground. I imagine my human bodyguards were scared silly of me.

"When I saw Jeb, the only one of the humans with a gun, I figured he was the authoritive figure in the base. I looked straight into his eyes and told him with a single resolve 'Take Me Out' . I was a mad woman by then, but he took my words seriously. Doc extracted me and set me aside.

"Although they'd rescued Gabbie, they didn't know what to do with me. Usually the humans keep us around for a while to see what kind of personality we have---Souls do have personalities, you know, they're just very hidden underneath the surface of our courtesy and kindness---then decide what to do. Since Gabbie and I had practically fought with one another the entire time, they didn't know what I was like. Was I dangerous to their society? Or could I learn to live with them?

"Do you know what saved me?" Sarah asked me, watching for my reaction.

I went to open my mouth, but she went on with her story before I could utter a word.

"My will. They kept me because of my will. They thought 'hey, if she fought with Gabbie for that long, then she might be of use to us---if we can convert her'. And so here I am," She spread her arms out, gesturing to herself, "Placed in a body that was close to dying because its original human host had fled the brain."

I let her story sink in to myself before I spoke. "Has there been other cases like yours?" I asked.

"Sure," she told me, drawing out the first word. "Wanda and Melanie, Whitney and..."

"And who?" I urged her to continue, wondering who the wise Soul used to be with. 

Nevermind Melanie. I could tell Sarah was telling the truth by looking at my memories of Jamie's older sister. She had a fighting spirit in her. I didn't doubt that she had gone out after Wanda had been implanted into her. Even a Soul as old as her wouldn't have been able to compete.

"Forget it." Sarah shook her head suddenly, refusing to tell me.

"It's okay." Came Whitney's gentle voice. She was ready to join the conversation again. "The human I used to share a body with isn't with us anymore. She died on a raid gone wrong."

Dying. I knew that was something extremely hard for Souls to do. If we could be taken out of our host bodies in a reasonable time, we could be placed in another. We'd continue to go on if nothing was wrong. Humans on the other hand, only had one body. A fatal wound to them extinguished the life inside of them.

"I'm sorry." I apologized. It had been wrong of me to ask her something that was personal.

"It's okay." Whitney muttered, but her tone of voice made me wonder if it really was okay.

There was a silence. What else was there for us to talk about? Everyone was down because of the sad memories.

"Oh," Sarah remembered something quickly. "Sorry about your head. That was probably Gabbie who did that. She tends to get violent around Souls who don't understand the human's problems yet."

My head? I almost forgot about the bruise there. I reflexively reached up and touched it. The discoloring was still tender and the touch made me wince.

"Would you like to go to Doc's?" Whitney asked me in concern. I could tell she was trying to judge how serious the injury was by the way her eyes didn't connect with mine.

"No." I barked, causing Whitney to look at me in confusion.

Sarah laughed a good time before she spoke. "She still remembers what Doc's famous for around here."

Whitney looked at me instead of at my wound. "May, you don't have anything to fear. It's already been decided that you're staying. Doc won't extract you."

I hesitated for a moment. I was about to argue why I didn't want to go, but then if the surgeon had Heal on him, it would make the pain go away faster. Getting better topped my fear of being extracted. "Okay, let's go."

Whitney and I stood up from the pillow-couch and moved towards the door. I stopped halfway there when a thought raised to the top of my mind. I turned on my heel to face Sarah.

"How did Gabbie and you become friends?" I asked. Whitney paused along with me as I waited for the answer.

"We solved our problems on the bad raid." Sarah shrugged dismissively. 

After a few seconds went by, I realized she wasn't going to continue. I turned around and left with Whitney through the front door.