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ago。 Some to bury the host body we’d lost。 I cringed； thinking of his bewildered question； and the
sudden way his face had gone slack。
Why？he’d asked me。
I so much wished that the soul had waited for an answer； so I could have tried to explain it to him。 He
might even have understood。 After all； what was more important； in the end； than love？ To a soul； wasn’t
that the heart of everything？ And love would have been my answer。
Maybe； if he’d waited； he would have seen the truth of that。 If he’d really understood； I was sure he
would have let the human body live。
The request would probably have made little sense to him； though。 The body washis body； not a
separate entity。 His suicide was simply that to him； not a murder； too。 Only one life had ended。 And
perhaps he was right。
At least the souls had survived。 The light on his tank glowed dull red beside hers； I couldn’t ask for a
greater evidence of mitment from my humans than this； the sparing of his life。
“Mary？ Margaret？ Susan？ Jill？”
Though Doc slept and I was otherwise alone； I could feel the echo of the tension the others had left
The tension lingered because the woman had not woken up when the chloroform wore off。 She had not
moved。 She was still breathing； her heart was still beating； but she had not responded to any of Doc’s
efforts to revive her。
Was it too late？ Was she lost？ Was she already gone？ Just as dead as the male body？
Were all of them？ Were there only a very few； like the Seeker’s host； Lacey； and Melanie—the
shouters； the resisters—who could be brought back？ Was everyone else gone？
Was Lacey an anomaly？ Would Melanie e back the way she had… or was even that in question？
I’m not lost。 I’m here。But Mel’s mental voice was defensive。 She worried； too。
Yes； you are here。 And you will stay here；I promised。
With a sigh； I returned to my efforts。 My doomed efforts？
“I know you have a name；” I told the woman。 “Is it Rebecca？ Alexandra？ Olivia？ Something simpler；
maybe… Jane？ Jean？ Joan？”
It was better than nothing； I thought glumly。 At least I’d given them a way to help themselves if they were
ever taken。 I could help the resisters； if no one else。
It didn’t seem like enough。
“You’re not giving me much to work with；” I murmured。 I took her hand in both of mine； chafed it softly。
“It would really be nice if you would make an effort。 My friends are going to be depressed enough。 They
could use some good news。 Besides； with Kyle still gone… It will be hard to evacuate everyone without
having to carry you around； too。 I know you want to help。 This is your family here； you know。 These are
your kind。 They’re very nice。 Most of them。 You’ll like them。”
The gently lined face was vacant with unconsciousness。 She was quite pretty in an inconspicuous
way—her features very symmetrical on her oval face。 Forty…five； maybe a little younger； maybe a little
older。 It was hard to tell with no animation in the face。
“They need you；” I went on； pleading now。 “You can help them。 You know so much that I never knew。
Doc tries so hard。 He deserves some help。 He’s a good man。 You’ve been a Healer for a while now；
some of that care for the well…being of others must have rubbed off on you。 You’ll like Doc； I think。
“Is your name Sarah？ Emily？ Kristin？”
I stroked her soft cheek； but there was no response； so I took her limp hand in mine again。 I gazed at
the blue sky through the holes in the high ceiling。 My mind wandered。
“I wonder what they’ll do if Kyle never es back。 How long will they hide？ Will they have to find a
new home somewhere else？ There are so many of them。… It won’t be easy。 I wish I could help them；
but even if I could stay； I don’t have any answers。
“Maybe they’ll get to stay here… somehow。 Maybe Kyle won’t mess up。” I laughed humorlessly；
“I wonder what it’s like here when it gets cold。 I can barely re…member feeling cold。 And what if it rains？
It has to rain here sometime； doesn’t it？ With all these holes in the roof； it must get really wet。 Where
does everyone sleep then； I wonder。” I sighed。 “Maybe I’ll get to find out。 Probably shouldn’t bet on
that； though。 Aren’t you curious at all？ If you would wake up； you could get the answers。I’m curious。
Maybe I’ll ask Ian about it。 It’s funny to imagine things changing here。… I guess summer can’t last
forever。”
Her fingers fluttered for one second in my hand。
It took me by surprise because my mind had wandered away from the woman on the cot； beginning to
sink into the melancholy that was always conveniently near these days。
I stared down at her； there was no change—the hand in mine was limp； her face still vacant。 Maybe I’d
imagined the movement。
“Did I say something you were interested in？ What was I talking about？” I thought quickly； watching her
face。 “Was it the rain？ Or was it the idea of change？ Change？ You’ve got a lot of that ahead of you；
don’t you？ You have to wake up first； though。”
Her face was empty； her hand motionless。
“So you don’t care for change。 Can’t say that I blame you。 I don’t want change to e； either。 Are
you like me？ Do you wish the summer could last？”
If I hadn’t been watching her face so closely； I wouldn’t have seen the tiny flicker of her lids。
“You like summertime； do you？” I asked hopefully。
Her lips twitched。
“Summer？”
Her hand trembled。
“Is that your name—Summer？ Summer？ That’s a pretty name。”
Her hand tightened into a fist； and her lips parted。
“e back； Summer。 I know you can do it。 Summer？ Listen to me； Summer。 Open your eyes；
Summer。”
Her eyes blinked rapidly。
“Doc！” I called over my shoulder。 “Doc； wake up！”
“Huh？”
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter； processtext/abclit。html
I
know it’s hard。 Summer； Summer； Summer。 Open your eyes。”
Her face grimaced—was she in pain？
“Bring the No Pain； Doc。 Hurry。”
The woman squeezed my hand； and her eyes opened。 They didn’t focus at first； just whirled around the
bright cave。 What a strange； unexpected sight this place must have been for her。
“You’re going to be all right； Summer。 You’re going to be fine。 Can you hear me； Summer？”
Her eyes wheeled back to me； the pupils constricting。 She stared； absorbing my face。 Then she cringed
away from me； twisting on the cot to escape。 A low； hoarse cry of panic broke through her lips。
“No； no； no；” she cried。 “No more。”
“Doc！”
He was there； on the other side of the cot； like before； when we were operating。
“It’s okay； ma’am；” he assured her。 “No one is going to hurt you here。”
The woman had her eyes squeezed shut； and she recoiled into the thin mattress。
“I think her name is Summer。”
He flashed a look at me and then made a face。 “Eyes； Wanda；” he breathed。
I blinked and realized that the sun was on my face。 “Oh。” I let the woman pull her hand free。
“Don’t； please；” the woman begged。 “Not again。”
“Shh；” Doc murmured。 “Summer？ People call me Doc。 No one’s going to do anything to you。 You’re
go