按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
too soon。
Trying to think of something besides that grim fact； I realized that I hadn’t heard from Melanie since…
When was the last time she’d spoken to me？ When I’d made the deal with Doc？ I was belatedly
surprised that the sleeping arrangements by the jeep today had not elicited a reaction from her。
Mel？
No answer。
It wasn’t like before； so I didn’t panic。 I could definitely feel her there in my head； but she was…
ignoring me？ What was she doing？
Mel？ What’s going on？
No answer。
She interrupted me； exasperated。Oh； stop。 I’m not madat you。 Leave me alone。
Why won’t you talk to me？
No answer。
I pushed a little harder； hoping to pick up the direction of her thoughts。 She tried to keep me out； to put
the wall in place； but it was too weak from disuse。 I saw her plan。
I tried to keep my mental tone even。Have you lost your mind？
In a manner of speaking；she teased halfheartedly。
You think that if you can make yourself disappear； that will stop me？
What else can I do to stop you？ If you’ve got a better idea； please share。
I don’t get it； Melanie。 Don’t youwantthem back？ Don’t you want to be with Jared again？ With
Jamie？
She writhed； fighting the obviousness of the answer。Yes； but… I can’t… She took a moment to steady
herself。I find myself unable to be the death of you； Wanda。 I can’t stand it。
I saw the depth of her pain； and tears formed in my eyes。
Love you too； Mel。 But there’s not room for the both of us here。 In this body； in this cave； in their
lives…
I disagree。
Look； just stop trying to annihilate yourself； okay？ Because if I think you can do it； I’ll make Doc
pull me out today。 Or I’ll tell Jared。 Just imagine what he would do。
I imagined it for her； smiling a little through my tears。Remember？ He said no guarantees about what
he would or wouldn’t do to keep you here。 I thought of those burning kisses in the hall… thought of
other kisses and other nights in her memory。 My face warmed as I blushed。
You fight dirty。
You bet I do。
I’m not giving up。
You’ve been warned。 No more silent treatment。
We thought of other things then； things that didn’t hurt。 Like where we would send the Seeker。 Mel was
all for the Mists Planet after my story tonight； but I thought the Planet of the Flowers would be more
We thought of my memories； the pretty ones。 The ice castles and the night music and the colored suns。
They were like fairytales to her。 And she told me fairytales； too。 Glass slippers； poisoned apples；
mermaids who wanted to have souls…
Of course； we didn’t have time to tell many stories。
They all returned together。 Jared had e back through the main entrance。 It had taken so very little
time—perhaps he’d just driven the jeep around to the north side and hidden it under the overhang there。
In a hurry。
I heard their voices ing； subdued； serious； low； and knew from their tone that the Seeker was with
them。 Knew that the time had e for the first stage of my death。
No。
Pay attention。 You’re going to have to help them do this when I’m —
No！
But she wasn’t protesting my instruction； just the conclusion of my thought。
Jared was the one who carried the Seeker into the room。 He came first； the others behind。 Aaron and
Brandt both had the guns ready—in case she was only feigning unconsciousness； perhaps； and about to
jump up and attack them with her tiny hands。 Jeb and Doc came last； and I knew Jeb’s canny eyes
would be on my face。 How much had he figured out already with his crazy； insightful shrewdness？
I kept myself focused on the task at hand。
Jared laid the Seeker’s inert form on the cot with exceptional gentleness。 This might have bothered me
before； but now it touched me。 I understood that he did this for me； wishing that he could have treated
me this way in the beginning。
“Doc； where’s the No Pain？”
“I’ll get it for you；” he murmured。
I stared at the Seeker’s face while I waited； wondering what it would look like when her host was free。
Would anything be left？ Would the host be empty or would the rightful owner reassert herself？ Would
the face be less repugnant to me when another awareness looked out of those eyes？
“Here you go。” Doc put the canister in my hand。
“Thanks。”
I pulled out one thin tissue square and handed the container back to him。
I found myself reluctant to touch the Seeker； but I made my hands move swiftly and purposefully as I
pulled her chin down and put the No Pain on her tongue。 Her face was very small—it made my hands
I closed her mouth again。 It was moist—the medicine would dissolve quickly。
“Jared； could you please roll her onto her stomach？” I asked。
He did as I asked—again； gently。 Just then； the propane lantern flared to life。 The cave was suddenly
bright； almost like daylight。 I glanced up instinctively and saw that Doc had covered the big holes in the
roof with tarps to keep our light from escaping。 He’d done a lot of preparation in our absence。
It was very quiet。 I could hear the Seeker breathing evenly in and out。 I could hear the faster； tenser
breathing of the men in the room with me。 Someone shifted from one foot to the other； and sand ground
against rock under his heel。 Their stares had a physical weight on my skin。
I swallowed； hoping I could keep my voice normal。 “Doc； I need Heal； Clean； Seal； and Smooth。”
“Right here。”
I brushed the Seeker’s coarse black hair out of the way； exposing the little pink line at the base of her
skull。 I stared at her olive tan skin and hesitated。
“Would you cut； Doc？ I don’t… I don’t want to。”
“No problem； Wanda。”
I saw only his hands as he came to stand across from me。 He set a little row of white cylinders on the
cot next to the Seeker’s shoulder。 The scalpel winked in the bright light； flashing across my face。
“Hold her hair out of the way。”
I used both hands to clear her neck。
“Wish I could scrub up；” Doc muttered to himself； obviously feeling underprepared。
“It’s not really necessary。 We have Clean。”
“I know。” He sighed。 What he really wanted was the routine； the mental cleansing that the old habits had
given him。
“How much room do you need？” he asked； hesitating with the point of the blade an inch from her skin。
I could feel the heat of the other bodies behind me； squeezing in to get a better view。 They were careful
not to touch either of us。
“Just the length of the scar。 That will be enough。”
This didn’t seem like enough to him。 “You sure？”
“Yes。 Oh； wait！”
Doc pulled back。
“Jared； could you get one of those tanks for me？”
“Of course。”
I heard him walk the few steps away； heard the dull； metallic clunk of the tank he chose knocking against
the others。
“What now？”
“There’s a circle on top of the lid。 Press it in。”
I heard the low hum of the cryotank as it powered on。 The men muttered and shuffled their feet； moving
away from it。
“Okay； on the side there should be a switch… more like a di