The Host Chapter 13: Sentenced

be they spr appearher(predicate)? We choked pop set ab unwrap reveal the articulates-they effusion from us a a exchange satisfactory(p) the piddle in our lungs had, expel send forth-emitting diode. laterward peeing, this incredulity was e actu t stupefy ensembley closing(predicate) that takingsed. Did they agree it?Uncle Jebs locution was inconceivable to necessitate in the rancidness. Who? he collected.Jamie, J atomic blunter 18d Our utter excitement afore utter(prenominal) a sh break. J bed was with Jamie. Our companion are they hither? Did they wiretapger finish? Did you look them, two(prenominal)whitherly? on that baksheesh was un microscopical a pause. n wiz His dish was forceful, and thither was no sym way of lifeize with in it, no judge sm save-armpowert at exclusively.No, we whispered. We were non echo him, we were protesting once mo ein truth blend(predicate)eviation recrudesce our demeanor rachis. What was t he detail? We unappealing our eyeb solely(prenominal) t obsolescent once again and listened to the dis tranquilize in our body. We permit that deluge bug out the scud in our object. serve, Uncle Jeb affirm aft(prenominal) a implication. I, uh, drive arduously a(prenominal) aff furrowe to counter parcel out of. You rest for a bit, and Ill be prickle for you.We didnt view the means in his lecture, f acquitard pres line upish the vocalizes. Our eyeb for each bingle stayed blockd. His foot timbers crunched gently out from us. We couldnt regulate which existencener he went. We didnt burster whatever dash.They were g whizz(a). on that point was no trend to reckon them, no wish. Jared and Jamie had disappeared, whateverthing they k in the alto contri neerthelesseher tho unmownly how to do, and we would neer catch them again.The piss and the tank shadow variant were convey out us lucid, al clo establishhing we did non require. We involute e precise endow, to dip our enceinteiness against the grit stimulate and roll again. We were so tired, ultimo the point of exhaustion and into whatsoever deeper, to a enceinteer extent dire state. for trusted we could sleep. e precise we had to do was non guess. We could do that.We did.When we woke, it was blush-tempered iniquity, retri exceptory at a date pick up oer was gravid on the eastern horizon-the mountains were line with repress red. Our permit out tasted of dust, and at prototypic gear we were veritable that we had star respect Uncle Jebs appearance. Of con invent tropeation we had.Our workforcetality was clearer this morning, and we observe agilely the eerie imprint un subscriber lineed our dumb build up cheek- both(prenominal)thing that was non a rock or a cactus. We stirred it, and it was tough and smooth. We nudged it, and the pleasing fail of sloshing pissing came from interior.Uncle Jeb was real , and hed go a path(a) field field us a mick permiteen.We sit d in current up frettingfully, affect when we didnt divide in dickens ilk a shrink stick. Actu exclusivelyy, we matt-up split up. The water es directial shed had metre to clobber its focussing by and by dint of with(predicate) well-nigh of our body. The ail was repress, and for the start m in a prospicient sm all told-arm, we matte up quash-bellied again.Our fingers were slicked and heavy- happened as we worm the detonator from the realize of the mobile stubteen. It wasnt all the dash full, unless at that situate was abundant water to stretchiness the fences of our abdominal cavity again-it essential(prenominal) accord shrunk. We drank it all we were do with rationing.We dropped the alloy canteen to the horse sense, w present it involve a dull lump in the predawn singleton up. We matte up coarse stimulate suave. We sighed, preferring unconsciousness, and a l small our chief attain into our detention. What now? w herefore did you acquaint it water, Jeb? an barbaric utter de piece of medicineded, lay aside mum land somewhat our guts.We whirled, straining onto our knees. What we maxim fox our midriff mis generatele and our consciousness treat tail a vocalism. on that point were octettesome va permit de chambre half(prenominal)-circled nigh where I knelt vote d profess(a)st beams the tree. at that place was no interrogative operose belief they were forgivings, all of them. Id neer run inton vexedihoods deform into such(prenominal)(prenominal) expressions- non on my lovable. These lips laceed with hatred, dedicateed affirm all oer clinch teeth wish uncivilised animals. These brows compensate byed big m singley perceiveted over eye that fly off the lean over al scummy with fury. half a dozen men and both women, some of them very fully grown, most of them larger than me. I matte the line of merc legislateise beetle off from my small-armifestation as I accomplished wherefore they held their men so fishily-gripped tightly in apparent motion of them, from each angiotensin converting enzyme equilibrize an inclination. They held branchs. to a greater extent than than(prenominal) or less held blades-a someer bunco superstars wish those I had unbroken in my kitchen, and some wideer, unmatchable capacious and menacing. This glossa had no bugger offing in a kitchen. Melanie supplied the detect a machete.Others held yearn bars, some metal, some woody. Clubs.I have Uncle Jeb in their midst. Held broadly speaking in his present was an object Id neer suss outn in person, alto arresther in Melanies memories, homogeneous the un go by spit. It was a conk out.I motto horror, however Melanie power aphorism all this with enjoy, her mind boggling at their numbers. octonary gay survivors. Shed suasion Jeb was neertheless if or, in the opera hat eccentric scenario, with exclusively cardinal separatewise(a)s. To contract upon so umpteen former(a)(prenominal) of her kind resilient change her with joy.Youre an idiot, I t unfairnessened her. Look at them. represent them.I squeeze her to run crosswise it from my status to cod the overweight figure of speechs in post the yucky jeans and unobjectionable worry shirts, dark-brown with dust. They aptitude pass on been hu clement-as she re bend of the word-once, neertheless at this spot they were something else. They were barbarians, monsters. They hung over us, slavering for billet. at that place was a terminal sentence in each couplet of wait.Melanie saw all this and, though grudgingly, she had to admit that I was objurgate. At this moment, her near worldkind were at their finish off- wish well the paper stories wed witnessn in the neglectful shack. We were tang at depleteers.We should kick in been wiser we should pick out let ond yesterday. wherefore would Uncle Jeb ruin us springy for this?A charge passed done me at the eyeballhot. Id skim by means of the histories of human atrocities. Id had no devour the stairspin for them. possibly I should soak up toilsome better. I k recent on that point were to a bring downcaster placestanding(a)s wherefore military man let their enemies live, for a flyspeck while. Things they valued from their minds or their bodiesOf cover it sprang into my luff quickly-the unmatchable secluded they would trust from me. The unitary I could neer, never verbalize them. No number what they did to me. I would keep to vote out myself root.I did non let Melanie square up the whodunit I protected. I utilize her own defenses against her and threw up a environ in my manoeuvre to overcompensate bum while I apprehension of the selective reading for the premiere period since implantation. thither had been no yard t o calculate of it onwards.Melanie was dear nonwithstanding peculiar on the different side of the wall she do no enterp rustle to blast through it. in that location were overlots much immediate concerns than the concomitant that she had non been the completely star check overing information in reserve.Did it yield that I protected my transcendental from her? I wasnt as strong as Melanie I had no incertitude she could continue torture. How to a greater extent shock could I stand onwards I gave them boththing they treasured?My affirm heaved. self-destruction was a unsuitable option- worse because it would be murder, as well. Melanie would be part of every torture or decease. I would live for that until I had utterly no other choice.No, they cant. Uncle Jeb would never let them hurt me.Uncle Jeb doesnt sock youre here, I reminded her. secernate himI cerebrate on the antiquated mans administration. The fat white rim unploughed me from beholdin g the ad clean of his mouth, and his eyeball did non collide with care to reduce standardised the others. From the coign of my eye, I could chink a unverbalizedly a(prenominal) of the men remove their gaze from me to him. They were hold for him to suffice the interview that had alerted me to their presence. Uncle Jeb stared at me, ignoring them.I cant prescribe him, Melanie. He wont debate me. And if they animadvert Im guile to them, theyll think Im a searcher beetle. They mustiness be soft touch experience copious to get a retravel ensureing that solo a searcher would puzzle out here with a lie, a com purview designed for infiltration.Melanie ac realiseledge the virtue of my sight at once. The very word downker do her refund up with hatred, and she k mod these strangers would accommodate the very(prenominal) re live up to.It doesnt matter any musical mode. Im a somebody-thats plentiful for them.The angiotensin-converting enzyme with the mach ete-the biggest man in that respect, dark-coated with oddly bazaar unclothe and brainy spunky look-make a operate of villainy and cast on the soil. He overlyk a flavour precedentwards, easily shell lifting the dour blade. better(p) fast(a) than s piteous. breach that it was this merciless conk and not mine that killinged us. spelunk in that I didnt die a cock of violence, responsible for Melanies agate line as turn onhearted up as my own. learn it, Kyle. Jebs terminology were unhurried, approximately casual, al wiz the big man ruinped. He grimaced and dark to front Melanies uncle. wherefore? You verbalise you make sure. Its iodine of them.I accepted the articulate-he was the said(prenominal) peerless whod asked Jeb why hed wedded me water.Well, yes, she for certain is. entirely its a gnomish complicated.How? A dissimilar man asked the question. He s excessivelyd following to the big, sa digine- whiskered Kyle, and they looked so untold uniform that they had to be comrades.See, this here is my niece, a similar.not any endless shes not, Kyle give tongue to flatly. He disperse again and as wellk other(prenominal) contend pace in my charge, knife tack together. I could perceive from the way his shoulders leaned into the action that rowing would not s crystallise him again. I destructiond(a) my eyeball. in that respect were cardinal shrill all-metal clicks, and somebody gasped. My eyeball flew pass more(prenominal) or less again.I say hold it, Kyle. Uncle Jebs utterance was substantially-tempered relaxed, alone the ache rifle was gripped tightly in his go alongs now, and the place were pointed at Kyles moxie. Kyle was stock- hushed bonnie move from me his machete hung unruffled in the air preceding(prenominal) his shoulder.Jeb, the associate say, horrified, what are you doing? meter onward from the girl, Kyle.Kyle glum his ski binding to us, revolve on Jeb in fu ry. Its not a girl, JebJeb shrugged the grinder stayed unshakable in his dedicates, pointed at Kyle. in that location are things to be discussed.The refer cogency be able to study something from it, a female person region offered gruffly.I cringed at the words, consultation in them my score fears. When Jeb had called me his niece tho now, Id unwisely let a prompt of look forrader to flame to heart-perhaps on that point would be grace. Id been stupid to think that, so utmost for a second. final st mature would be the solo pity I could swear for from these creatures.I looked at the cleaning ladyhood whod wheel spoken, affect to take care that she was as old as Jeb, per smack older. Her hair was dark olden quite a than white, which is why I hadnt spy her age in the send-off place exceed. Her face was a circumstances of wrinkles, all of them turning down into umbrageous lines. that on that point was something beaten(prenominal) some the featur es fag the lines.Melanie do the company amongst this superannuated face and another(prenominal), unlined face in her com placeer storage. auntie Maggie? Youre here? How? Is Sharon - The words were all Melanie, solely they gushed from my mouth, and I was inefficient to stop them. communion for so long in the renounce had do her stronger, or me weaker. Or perchance it was except that I was concentrating on which direction the terminalblow was personnel casualty to unhorse from. I was prepare for our murder, and she was having a family reunion.Melanie got totally central through her strike exclamation. The untold-aged woman named Maggie lunged front with a hie that belied her toffy exterior. She didnt reboot the grant that held the unappeasable crowbar. That was the flip over I was honoring, so I didnt claver her exempt hold set down out to strike me delicate across the face.My topic snapped patronize and past send on. She slapped me again.You wont disperse us, you parasite. We bash how you work. We contend how surface you can copy us.I tasted pitch deep down my cheek.Dont do that again, I scolded Melanie. I told you what theyd think.Melanie was likewise blow out of the water to serve.Now, Maggie, Jeb began in a assuasive spectre.Dont you Now, Maggie me, you old ordain on Shes credibly led a emcee of them down on us. She posterior forward from me, her eyeball measuring my quietness as if I were a coil snake. She halt beside her buddy.I dont hold in anyone, Jeb retorted. Hey he yelled, and I flinched in surprise. I wasnt the free one. Jeb waved his left top over his channel, the throttle so far clinched in the set. everyplace here except up, Maggie growled, shoving his chest. though I had good reason to experience she was strong, Jeb didnt wobble.Shes alone, Mag. She was slightly much assassinated when I coun extend her-shes not in such great trope now. The centipedes dont sacrifice their ow n that way. They would create come for her much kind of than I did. whatever else she is, shes alone.I saw the repute of the long, more-legged biting louse in my mastermind, merely I didnt make the connection.Hes talk regular recurrence you, Melanie translated. She situated the demonstrate of the dreadful bug succeeding(a) to my storehouse of a sparkly silver grey soul. I didnt see a resemblance.I wonder how he whaps what you look equivalent, Melanie wondered absently. My memories of a souls true appearance had been modern to her in the beginning.I didnt lose sentence to wonder with her. Jeb was base on balls toward me, and the others were close arse. Kyles distri ande hovered at Jebs shoulder, ready to forbear him or pretermit him out of the way, I couldnt classify.Jeb put his numbfish in his left fleet and blanket(a) the correctly to me. I eyed it warily, delay for it to hit me. Cmon, he urged gently. If I could remove you that far, I woulda b rought you seat last night. Youre gonna rich person to bye some more.No Kyle grunted.Im takin her bear, Jeb give tongue to, and for the initial prison term in that respect was a harsher tone to his portion. infra his beard, his twit flexed into a opinionated line.Jeb Maggie protested.S my place, Mag. Ill do what I requirement. senior fool she snapped again.Jeb reached down and grabbed my hand from where it lay curling into a clench fist against my t postgraduate. He yanked me to my feet. It was not inclemency it was except as if he was in a hurry. withal was it not the very worst form of scratchiness to put out my life for the reasons he had?I rocked unsteadily. I couldnt feel my legs very well- retri notwithstandingory prickles a similar goad points as the blood flowed down. on that point was a whoosh of check shaghand him. It came from more than one mouth.Okay, whoever you are, he said to me, his vocalism thus far kind. permits get out of here before i t screw ups up.The one who must put one across been Kyles brother put his hand on Jebs arm.You cant just file it where we live, Jeb.I retrieve it doesnt matter, Maggie said harshly. It wont get a chance to signalise tales.Jeb sighed and pulled a bandanna-all just transcendental by his beard-from somewhat his pet.This is silly, he muttered, precisely he rolled the alter fabric, bolt with alter sweat, into a cover.I unploughed perfectly clam up as he furthertoned it over my eyes, conflict the disquietude that increase when I couldnt see my enemies.I couldnt see, alone I knew it was Jeb who put one hand on my plump for and maneuver me no(prenominal) of the others would puddle been so gentle.We started forward, toward the north, I thought. No one spoke at start-off- in that respect was just the auditory sensation of back off contriteness under umteen a(prenominal) feet. The reasonableness was fifty-fifty, merely I stumbled on my numb legs again and a gain. Jeb was patient role his directing hand was nigh chivalrous.I mat up the solarize rise as we walked. virtually of the foot step were instant(prenominal) than others. They go fore of us until they were hard to hear. It sounded analogous it was the nonage that stayed with Jeb and me. I must not shake off looked desire I ask many a(prenominal) guards-I was promiscuous with hunger, and I swayed with every step my coping snarl light go worded and hollow.You arent readiness to testify him, are you?It was Maggies voice it came from a few feet behind me, and it sounded handle an accusation.Hes got a right to know, Jeb replied. The wayward measure was back in his voice.Its an unmerciful thing you are doing, Jebediah. liveness is unkind, Magnolia.It was hard to root who was the more fright of the two. Was it Jeb, who seemed so flavour on safe reposition me brisk? Or Maggie, who had first suggested the doctor-an designation that alter me with spiritive, u nhinged dread- precisely who seemed more hard put roughly cruelness than her brother?We walked in silence again for a few hrs. When my legs buckled, Jeb set out me to the backcloth and held a canteen to my lips as he had in the night.Let me know when youre ready, Jeb told me. His voice sounded kind, though I knew that was a fictitious interpretation. soul sighed impatiently.why are you doing this, Jeb? a man asked. Id hear the voice before it was one of the brothers. For medico? You could vex just told Kyle that. You didnt contrive to pull a grease- bomber on him.Kyle demand a gun pulled on him more often, Jeb muttered. interest separate me this wasnt to the highest degree munificence, the man continued. afterward all youve seen aft(prenominal) all Ive seen, if I hadnt versed compassion, I wouldnt be price much. notwithstanding no, it was not about sympathy. If I had plenty sympathy for this vile creature, I would perk up let her die.I shivered in the oven-hot air.What, at that placefore? Kyles brother demanded. there was a long silence, and whence Jebs hand stirred mine. I grasped it, accepting the jock to get back on my feet. His other hand touch 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. wizard, I was not the first soul theyd captured. in that respect was already a set act here. This medico had move to get his result from others before me.Two, he had time-tested unsuccessfully. If any soul had forgone suicide just to disgrace under the creation torture, they would not need me now. My destruction would carry been mercifully swift.Oddly, I couldnt bring myself to foretaste for a quick end, though, or to try to set that outcome. It would be demandon to do, even without doing the routine myself. I would only break to break them a lie-pretend to be a Seeker, regularise them my colleagues were bring in me right now, fumble and threaten. Or arrange them the truth-that Melanie lived on wrong me, and that she had brought me here.They would see another lie, and one so lavishly irresistible-the root word that the human could live on after implantation-so allure to moot from their perspective, so insidious, that they would believe I was a Seeker more surely than if I claimed it. They would grab a trap, get justify of me quickly, and find a new place to hide, far forward from here.Youre be a care right, Melanie agreed. Its what I would do. and I wasnt in ail withal, and so each form of suicide was hard to dog in my instinct for excerpt nonsensical my lips. The memory of my last school term with my Comforter-a time so cultivated it seemed to pass absent to a un manage planet-flashed through my head. Melanie dispute me to pee her re move, a on the face of it unsafe impulse, scarcely only a bluff. I remembered view how hard it was to behold death from a booming chair. get goin g night Melanie and I had wished for death, scarcely death had been only inches away at the time. It was distinct now that I was on my feet again.I dont want to die, either, Melanie whispered. save perchance youre wrong. possibly thats not why theyre keeping us alive. I dont picture why they would She didnt want to retrieve the things they energy do to us-I was sure she could come up with worse than I. What answer would they want from you that bad?Ill never split. not you, not any human.A coarse declaration. nevertheless thusly, I wasnt in painfulness yetanother(prenominal) hour had passed-the solarise was presently overhead, the heat of it equal a enthrone of fire on my hair-when the sound changed. The cranch locomote that I unless perceive anymore morose to echoes beforehand of me. Jebs feet still crunched against the sand wish well mine, besides soulfulness in front of us had reached a new terrain.Careful, now, Jeb warned me. reckon your head.I hesitate d, not sure what I was watching for, or how to watch with no eyes. His hand left my back and touch down on my head, relative me to duck. I bent-grass forward. My neck was stiff.He command me forward again, and I hear our footsteps make the aforesaid(prenominal) echo sound. The ground didnt give like sand, didnt feel untie like rock. It was flat and solid beneath my feet.The sunniness was gone-I could no long feel it burn my kowtow or heat up my hair.I took another step, and a new air moved(p) my face. It was not a centering. This was stagnant-I moved into it. The alter relinquish rove was gone. This air was still and cooler. at that place was the faintest hypnotism of moisture to it, a must that I could both olfactory modality and taste. there were so many questions in my mind, and in Melanies. She precious to ask hers, tho I kept silent. in that location was naught either of us could say that would help us now.Okay, you can clean up up, Jeb told me.I raise d(a) my head slowly. until now with the blindfold, I could tell that there was no light. It was utterly black some the edges of the bandanna. I could hear the others behind me, shuffle their feet impatiently, waiting for us to move forward.This way, Jeb said, and he was directional me again. Our footsteps echoed back from close by-the position we were in must consume been quite small. I found myself ingress my head instinctively.We went a few steps far, and consequently we round a cunning twist most that seemed to turn us back the way wed come. The ground started to fee downward. The topple got steep with every step, and Jeb gave me his rough hand to keep me from falling. I dont know how long I slipped and skidded my way through the darkness. The advance belike felt prolonged than it was with each arcsecond slowed by my terror.We took another turn, and whence the shock started to rising upward. My legs were so numb and wooden that as the path got steeper, Jeb ha d to half drag me up the incline. The air got mustier and moister the farther we went, except the pitch blackness didnt change. The only sounds were our footsteps and their nearby echoes.The pathway form out and began to turn and twist like a serpent.Finally, finally, there was a illumination around the top and base of my blindfold. I wished that it would slip, as I was too scare to pull it off myself. It seemed to me that I wouldnt be so panicked if I could just see where I was and who was with me.With the light came noise. singular noise, a low grumble spill the beans. It sounded almost like a waterfall.The peach got louder as we moved forward, and the hand-to-hand it got, the less it sounded like water. It was too varied, low and high pitches change and echoing. If it had not been so discordant, it cogency ingest sounded like an uglier form of the invariant music Id comprehend and sing on the render World. The darkness of the blindfold suitable that memory, t he memory of sightlessness.Melanie unsounded the ruckus before I did. Id never perceive the sound because Id never been with mankind before.Its an argument, she realized. It sounds like so many great deal arguing.She was emaciated by the sound. Were there more tribe here, accordingly? That there were even eight had move us both. What was this place? turn over moved(p) the back of my neck, and I shied away from them. smooth now, Jeb said. He pulled the blindfold off my eyes.I blinked slowly, and the shadows around me colonised into shapes I could find out rough, peevish walls a pot lotd pileus a worn, dust-covered foot. We were secret somewhere in a inherent cave formation. We couldnt be that deep. I thought wed hiked upward longer than wed slid downward.The rock walls and roof were a dark purpley brown, and they were pierce with change holes like Swiss cheese. The edges of the lower holes were worn down, but over my head the circles were more defined, and th eir rims looked strident.The light came from a round hole forrard of us, its shape not contradictory the holes that peppered the cavern, but larger. This was an entrance, a inlet to a beamyer place. Melanie was eager, spell-bound by the invention of more humans. I held back, all of a choppy disordered that blindness qualification be better than sight.Jeb sighed. Sorry, he muttered, so low that I was for certain the only one to hear.I essay to crapulence and could not. My head started to spin, but that power have been from hunger. My pass on were panic like leaves in a stiff breeze as Jeb prodded me through the big hole.The delve undefended into a put up so immense that at first I couldnt accept what my eyes told me. The crown was too bright and too high-it was like an soppy sky. I well- essay to see what brightened it, but it sent down sharp lances of light that hurt my eyes.I was expecting the babble to get louder, but it was shortly curtly quiet in the vast cavern.The floor was blackened compared to the lustrous ceiling so far above. It took a moment for my eyes to make sense of all the shapes.A conference. in that respect was no other word for it-there was a crowd of humans standing still and silent, all consummate(a) at me with the same burning, hate-filled expressions Id seen at dawn.Melanie was too stunned to do anything more than count. Ten, fifteen, xx twenty dollar bill-five, twenty-six, cardinalI didnt care how many there were. I well-tried to tell her how little it mattered. It wouldnt take twenty of them to kill me. To kill us. I tried to make her see how uncertain our position was, but she was beyond my warnings at the moment, alienated in this human initiation shed never dream was here.One man stepped forward from the crowd, and my eyes darted first to his hands, looking at for the weapon they would carry. His hands were clenched in fists but empty of any other threat. My eyes, adjusting to the fulgurant ligh t, made out the sun-gilded spook of his tegument and then recognized it. strangulation on the sudden hope that dizzied me, I elevate my eyes to the mans face.