[科幻]宿主

　We　passed　Doc。

　“Hey；　Doc；”　Ian　said。

　“Ian。”　Doc　nodded。　In　his　hands　was　a　big　wad　of　dough。　His　shirt　was　covered　with　dark；　coarse　flour。　
“Morning；　Jeb。　Morning；　Wanda。”

　“Morning；”　Jeb　answered。　

　

　“See　you　’round；”　Doc　said；　hurrying　off　with　his　burden。

　“Wanda；　huh？”　Ian　asked。

　“My　idea；”　Jeb　told　him。　“Suits　her；　I　think。”

　“Interesting”　was　all　Ian　said。

　We　finally　made　it　to　the　northeastern　field；　where　my　hopes　were　dashed。

　There　were　more　people　here　than　there　had　been　in　the　passageways—five　women　and　nine　men。　They　
all　stopped　what　they　were　doing　and　scowled；　naturally。

　“Pay　’em　no　mind；”　Jeb　murmured　to　me。

　Jeb　proceeded　to　follow　his　own　advice；　he　went　to　a　jumbled　pile　of　tools　against　the　closest　wall；　
shoved　his　gun　through　the　strap　at　his　waist；　and　grabbed　a　pick　and　two　shovels。

　I　felt　exposed；　having　him　so　far　away。　Ian　was　just　a　step　behind　me—I　could　hear　him　breathing。　The　
others　in　the　room　continued　to　glower；　their　tools　still　in　their　hands。　I　didn’t　miss　the　fact　that　the　picks　
and　hoes　that　were　breaking　the　earth　could　easily　be　used　to　break　a　body。　It　seemed　to　me；　in　reading　
a　few　of　their　expressions；　that　I　wasn’t　the　only　one　with　that　idea。

　Jeb　came　back　and　handed　me　a　shovel。　I　gripped　the　smooth；　worn　wooden　handle；　feeling　its　weight。　
After　seeing　the　bloodlust　in　the　humans’　eyes；　it　was　hard　not　to　think　of　it　as　a　weapon。　I　didn’t　like　the　
idea。　I　doubted　I　could　raise　it　as　one；　even　to　block　a　blow。

　Jeb　gave　Ian　the　pick。　The　sharp；　blackened　metal　looked　deadly　in　his　hands。　It　took　all　my　willpower　
not　to　skip　out　of　range。

　“Let’s　take　the　back　corner。”

　At　least　Jeb　took　me　to　the　least　crowded　spot　in　the　long；　sunny　cave。　He　had　Ian　pulverize　the　
hard…baked　dirt　ahead　of　us；　while　I　flipped　the　clods　over　and　he　followed　behind；　crushing　the　chunks　
into　usable　soil　with　the　edge　of　his　shovel。

　Watching　the　sweat　run　down　Ian’s　fair　skin—he’d　removed　his　shirt　after　a　few　seconds　in　the　dry　
scorch　of　the　mirror　light—and　hearing　Jeb’s　grunted　breaths　behind　me；　I　could　see　that　I　had　the　
easiest　job。　I　wished　I　had　something　more　difficult　to　do；　something　that　would　keep　me　from　being　
distracted　by　the　movements　of　the　other　humans。　Their　every　motion　had　me　cringing　and　flinching。

　I　couldn’t　do　Ian’s　job—I　didn’t　have　the　thick　arm　and　back　muscles　needed　to　really　chew　into　the　
hard　soil。　But　I　decided　to　do　what　I　could　of　Jeb’s；　prechopping　the　clods　into　smaller　bits　before　I　
moved　on。　It　helped　a　little　bit—kept　my　eyes　busy　and　tired　me　out　so　that　I　had　to　concentrate　on　
making　myself　work。

　Ian　brought　us　water　now　and　then。　There　was　a　woman—short　and　fair；　I’d　seen　her　in　the　kitchen　
yesterday—who　seemed　to　have　the　job　of　bringing　water　to　the　others；　but　she　ignored　us。　Ian　brought　
enough　for　three　every　time。　I　found　his　about…face　in　regard　to　me　unsettling。　Was　he　really　no　longer　

　

　I　was　working　hard　enough　to　keep　my　eyes　busy　and　my　mind　numb；　I　didn’t　notice　when　we　hit　the　
end　of　the　last　row。　I　stopped　only　when　Ian　did。　He　stretched；　pulling　the　pick　overhead　with　two　hands　
and　popping　his　joints。　I　shied　away　from　the　raised　pick；　but　he　didn’t　see。　I　realized　that　everyone　else　
had　stopped；　too。　I　looked　at　the　fresh…turned　dirt；　even　across　the　entire　floor；　and　realized　that　the　field　
was　plete。

　“Good　work；”　Jeb　announced　in　a　loud　voice　to　the　group。　“We’ll　seed　and　water　tomorrow。”

　The　room　was　filled　with　soft　chatter　and　clanks　as　the　tools　were　piled　against　the　wall　once　more。　
Some　of　the　talk　was　casual；　some　was　still　tense　because　of　me。　Ian　held　his　hand　out　for　my　shovel；　
and　I　handed　it　to　him；　feeling　my　already　low　mood　sink　right　to　the　floor。　I　had　no　doubt　that　I　would　
be　included　in　Jeb’s　“we。”　Tomorrow　would　be　just　as　hard　as　today。

　I　looked　at　Jeb　mournfully；　and　he　was　smiling　in　my　direction。　There　was　a　smugness　to　his　grin　that　
made　me　believe　he　knew　what　I　was　thinking—not　only　did　he　guess　my　disfort；　but　he　was　
enjoying　it。

　He　winked　at　me；　my　crazy　friend。　I　realized　again　that　this　was　the　best　to　be　expected　from　human　
friendship。

　“See　you　tomorrow；　Wanda；”　Ian　called　from　across　the　room；　and　laughed　to　himself。

　Everyone　stared。

　CHAPTER　24

　Tolerated

　It　was　true　that　I　did　not　smell　good。

　I’d　lost　count　of　how　many　days　I’d　spent　here—was　it　more　than　a　week　now？　more　than　two？—and　
all　of　them　sweating　into　the　same　clothes　I’d　worn　on　my　disastrous　desert　trek。　So　much　salt　had　dried　
into　my　cotton　shirt　that　it　was　creased　into　rigid　accordion　wrinkles。　It　used　to　be　pale　yellow；　now　it　
was　a　splotchy；　diseased…looking　print　in　the　same　dark　purple　color　as　the　cave　floor。　My　short　hair　was　
crunchy　and　gritty；　I　could　feel　it　standing　out　in　wild　tangles　around　my　head；　with　a　stiff　crest　on　top；　
like　a　cockatoo’s。　I　hadn’t　seen　my　face　recently；　but　I　imagined　it　in　two　shades　of　purple：　cave…dirt　
purple　and　healing…bruise　purple。

　So　I　could　understand　Jeb’s　point—yes；　I　needed　a　bath。　And　a　change　of　clothes　as　well；　to　make　the　
bath　worth　the　effort。　Jeb　offered　me　some　of　Jamie’s　clothes　to　wear　while　mine　dried；　but　I　didn’t　want　
to　ruin　Jamie’s　few　things　by　stretching　them。　Thankfully；　he　didn’t　try　to　offer　me　anything　of　Jared’s。　I　
ended　up　with　an　old　but　clean　flannel　shirt　of　Jeb’s　that　had　the　sleeves　ripped　off；　and　a　pair　of　faded；　
holey　cutoff　sweatpants　that　had　gone　unclaimed　for　months。　These　were　draped　over　my　arm—and　a　
bumpy　mound　of　vile…smelling；　loosely　molded　chunks　that　Jeb　claimed　was　homemade　cactus　soap　was　
in　my　hand—as　I　followed　Jeb　to　the　room　with　the　two　rivers。

　Again　we　were　not　alone；　and　again　I　was　miserably　disappointed　that　this　was　the　case。　Three　men　and　
one　woman—the　salt…and…pepper　braid—were　filling　buckets　with　water　from　the　smaller　stream。　A　loud　

　

　“We’ll　just　wait　our　turn；”　Jeb　told　me。

　He　leaned　against　the　wall。　I　stood　stiffly　beside　him；　unfortably　conscious　of　the　four　pairs　of　eyes　
on　me；　though　I　kept　my　own　on　the　dark　hot　spring　rushing　by　underneath　the　porous　floor。

　After　a　short　wait；　three　women　exited　the　bathing　room；　their　wet　hair　dripping　down　the　backs　of　their　
shirts—the　athletic　caramel…skinned　woman；　a　young　blonde　I　didn’t　remember　seeing　before；　and　
Melanie’s　cousin　Sharon。　Their　laughter　stopped　abruptly　as　soon　as　they　caught　sight　of　us。

　“Afternoon；　ladies；”　Jeb　said；　touching　his　forehead　as　if　it　were　the　brim　of　a　hat。

　“Jeb；”　the　caramel　woman　acknowledged　dryly。

　Sharon　and　the　other　girl　ignored　us。

　“Okay；　Wanda；”　he　said　when　they’d　passed。　“It’s　all　yours。”

　I　gave　him　a　glum　look；　then　made　my　way　carefully　into　the　black　room。

　I　tried　to　remember　how　the　floor　went—I　was　sure　I　had　a　few　feet　before　the　edge　of　the　water。　I　
took　off　my　shoes　first；　so　that　I　could　feel　for　the　water　with　my　toes。

　It　was　just　so　dark。　I　remembered　the　inky　appearance　of　the　pool—ripe　with　suggestions　of　what　might　
lurk　beneath　its　opaque　surface—and　shuddered。　But　the　longer　I　waited；　the　longer　I　would　have　to　be　
here；　so　I　put　the　clean　clothes　next　to　my　shoes；　kept　the　smelly　soap；　and　shuffled　forward　carefully　
until　I　found　the　lip　of　the　pool。

　The　water　was　cool　pared　to　the　steamy　air　of　the　outer　cavern。　It　felt　nice。　That　didn’t　keep　me　
from　being　terrified；　but　I　could　still　appreciate　the　sensation。　It　had　been　a　long　time　since　anything　had　
beencool。　Still　fully　dressed　in　my　dirty　clothes；　I　waded　in　waist　deep。　I　could　feel　the　stream’s　current　
swirl　around　my　ankles；　hugging　the　rock。　I　was　glad　the　water　was　not　stagnant—it　would　be　upsetting　
to　sully　it；　filthy　as　I　was；　if　that　were　the　case。

　I　crouched　down　into　the　ink　until　I　was　immersed　to　my　shoulders。　I　ran　the　coarse　soap　over　my　
clothes；　thinking　this　would　be　the　easiest　way　to　make　sure　they　were　clean。　Where　the　soap　touched　
my　skin；　it　burned　mildly。

　I　took　off　the　soapy　clothes　and　scrubbed　them　under　the　water。　Then　I　rinsed　them　again　and　again　until　
there　was　no　way　any　of　my　sweat　or　tears　could　have　survived；　wrung　them　out；　and　laid　them　on　the　
floor　beside　where　I　thought　my　shoes　were。

　The　soap　burned　more　strongly　against　my　bare　skin；　but　the　sting　was　bearable　because　it　meant　I　
could　be　clean　again。　When　I　was　done　lathering；　my　skin　prickled　everywhere　and　my　scalp　felt　scalded。　
It　seemed　as　if　the　places　where　the　bruises　had　formed　were　more　sensitive　than　the　rest　of　me—they　
must　still　have　been　there。　I　was　happy　to　put　the　acidic　soap　on　the　rock　floor　and　rinse　my　body　again　
and　again；　the　way　I　had　my　clothes。

　It　was　with　a　strange　mingling　of　relief　and　regret　that　I　sloshed　my　way　out　of　the　pool。　The　water　was　
very　pleasant；　as　was　the　feeling　of　clean；　if　prickling；　skin。　But　I’d　had　quite　enough　of　the　blindness　and　

　

　Jeb　laughed　when　I　emerged；　his　eyes　were　on　the　soap　in　my　cautious　grasp。

　“Smarts　a　bit；　don’t　it？　We?