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Kyle’s hand hovered at Jeb’s shoulder； ready to restrain him or throw him out of the way； I couldn’t tell。
Jeb put his gun in his left hand and extended the right to me。 I eyed it warily； waiting for it to hit me。
“C’mon；” he urged gently。 “If I could carry you that far； I woulda brought you home last night。 You’re
gonna have to walk some more。”
“No！” Kyle grunted。
“I’m takin’ her back；” Jeb said； and for the first time there was a harsher tone to his voice。 Under his
beard； his jaw flexed into a stubborn line。
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter； processtext/abclit。html
。
“’S my place； Mag。 I’ll do what I want。”
“Old fool！” she snapped again。
Jeb reached down and grabbed my hand from where it lay curled into a fist against my thigh。 He yanked
me to my feet。 It was not cruelty； it was merely as if he was in a hurry。 Yet was it not the very worst form
of cruelty to prolong my life for the reasons he had？
I rocked unsteadily。 I couldn’t feel my legs very well—just prickles like needle points as the blood
flowed down。
There was a hiss of disapproval behind him。 It came from more than one mouth。
“Okay； whoever you are；” he said to me； his voice still kind。 “Let’s get out of here before it heats up。”
The one who must have been Kyle’s brother put his hand on Jeb’s arm。
“You can’t just show it where we live； Jeb。”
“I suppose it doesn’t matter；” Maggie said harshly。 “It won’t get a chance to tell tales。”
Jeb sighed and pulled a bandanna—all but hidden by his beard—from around his neck。
“This is silly；” he muttered； but he rolled the dirty fabric； stiff with dry sweat； into a blindfold。
I kept perfectly still as he tied it over my eyes； fighting the panic that increased when I couldn’t see my
enemies。
I couldn’t see； but I knew it was Jeb who put one hand on my back and guided me； none of the others
would have been so gentle。
We started forward； toward the north； I thought。 No one spoke at first—there was just the sound of
sand grinding under many feet。 The ground was even； but I stumbled on my numb legs again and again。
Jeb was patient； his guiding hand was almost chivalrous。
I felt the sun rise as we walked。 Some of the footsteps were faster than others。 They moved ahead of us
until they were hard to hear。 It sounded like it was the minority that stayed with Jeb and me。 I must not
have looked like I needed many guards—I was faint with hunger； and I swayed with every step； my head
felt dizzy and hollow。
“You aren’t planning to tell him； are you？”
It was Maggie’s voice； it came from a few feet behind me； and it sounded like an accusation。
“He’s got a right to know；” Jeb replied。 The stubborn note was back in his voice。
“It’s an unkind thing you are doing； Jebediah。”
“Life is unkind； Magnolia。”
We walked in silence again for a few hours。 When my legs buckled； Jeb lowered me to the ground and
held a canteen to my lips as he had in the night。
“Let me know when you’re ready；” Jeb told me。 His voice sounded kind； though I knew that was a false
interpretation。
Someone sighed impatiently。
“Why are you doing this； Jeb？” a man asked。 I’d heard the voice before； it was one of the brothers。
“For Doc？ You could have just told Kyle that。 You didn’t have to pull a gun on him。”
“Kyle needs a gun pulled on him more often；” Jeb muttered。
“Please tell me this wasn’t about sympathy；” the man continued。 “After all you’ve seen…”
“After all I’ve seen； if I hadn’t learned passion； I wouldn’t be worth much。 But no； it was not about
sympathy。 If I had enough sympathy for this poor creature； I would have let her die。”
I shivered in the oven…hot air。
“What； then？” Kyle’s brother demanded。
There was a long silence； and then Jeb’s hand touched mine。 I grasped it； needing the help to get back
on my feet。 His other hand pressed against my back； and I started forward again。
“Curiosity；” Jeb said in a low voice。
No one replied。
As we walked； I considered a few sure facts。 One； I was not the first soul they’d captured。 There was
already a set routine here。 This “Doc” had tried to get his answer from others before me。
Two； he had tried unsuccessfully。 If any soul had forgone suicide only to crack under the humans’
torture； they would not need me now。 My death would have been mercifully swift。
Oddly； I couldn’t bring myself to hope for a quick end； though； or to try to effect that oute。 It would
be easy to do； even without doing the deed myself。 I would only have to tell them a lie—pretend to be a
Seeker； tell them my colleagues were tracking me right now； bluster and threaten。 Or tell them the
truth—that Melanie lived on inside me； and that she had brought me here。
They would see another lie； and one so richly irresistible—the idea that the human could live on after
implantation—so tempting to believe from their perspective； so insidious； that they would believe I was a
Seeker more surely than if I claimed it。 They would assume a trap； get rid of me quickly； and find a new
place to hide； far away from here。
You’re probably right；Melanie agreed。It’s what I would do。
Last night Melanie and I had wished for death； but death had been only inches away at the time。 It was
different now that I was on my feet again。
I don’t want to die； either；Melanie whispered。But maybe you’re wrong。 Maybe that’s not why
they’re keeping us alive。 I don’t understand why they would。… She didn’t want to imagine the things
they might do to us—I was sure she could e up with worse than I。What answer would they want
from you that bad？
I’ll never tell。 Not you； not any human。
A bold declaration。 But then； I wasn’t in pain yet。…
Another hour had passed—the sun was directly overhead； the heat of it like a crown of fire on my
hair—when the sound changed。 The grinding steps that I barely heard anymore turned to echoes ahead
of me。 Jeb’s feet still crunched against the sand like mine； but someone in front of us had reached a new
terrain。
“Careful； now；” Jeb warned me。 “Watch your head。”
I hesitated； not sure what I was watching for； or how to watch with no eyes。 His hand left my back and
pressed down on my head； telling me to duck。 I bent forward。 My neck was stiff。
He guided me forward again； and I heard our footsteps make the same echoing sound。 The ground
didn’t give like sand； didn’t feel loose like rock。 It was flat and solid beneath my feet。
The sun was gone—I could no longer feel it burn my skin or scorch my hair。
I took another step； and a new air touched my face。 It was not a breeze。 This was stagnant—Imoved
intoit。 The dry desert wind was gone。 This air was still and cooler。 There was the faintest hint of moisture
to it； a mustiness that I could both smell and taste。
There were so many questions in my mind； and in Melanie’s。 She wanted to ask hers； but I kept silent。
There was nothing either of us could say that would help us now。
“Okay； you can straighten up；” Jeb told me。
I raised my he