太子爷小说网 > 科幻 电子书 > [科幻]宿主 >

第145节

[科幻]宿主-第145节

小说: [科幻]宿主 字数: 每页4000字

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!




 Heart and soul。 Not the same thing; in my case。 I’d been divided too long。 It was time to make 

something whole again; make a whole person。 Even if that excluded me。 

 

 Just my imagination; of course。 It was still summer here。 It would always be summer here for me。

 “What happens here when it rains; Jared?” I whispered。 “Where do people sleep?”

 It took him a moment to answer; and I could hear tears in his voice。 “We…” He swallowed。 “We all 
move into the game room。 Everyone sleeps in there together。”

 I nodded to myself。 I wondered what the atmosphere would be like。 Awkward; with all the conflicting 
personalities? Or was it fun? A change? Like a slumber party?

 “Why?” he whispered。

 “I just wanted to… imagine。 How it will be。” Life and love would go on。 Even though it would happen 
without me; the idea brought me joy。 “Goodbye; Jared。 Mel says she’ll see you soon。”

 Liar。

 “Wait… Wanda…”

 I hurried down the tunnel; hurried away from any chance that he might; with his grateful lies; convince me 
not to go。 There was only silence behind me。

 His pain did not hurt me the way Ian’s had。 For Jared; pain would be over soon。 Joy was only minutes 
away。 The happy ending。

 The southern tunnel felt only a few yards long。 I could see the bright lantern burning ahead; and I knew 
Doc was waiting for me。

 I walked into the room that had always frightened me with my shoulders squared。 Doc had everything 
prepared。 In the dimmest corner; I could see two cots pushed together; Kyle snoring with his arm around 
Jodi’s motionless form。 His other arm was still curled around Sunny’s tank。 She would have liked that。 I 
wished there was some way to tell her。

 “Hey; Doc;” I whispered。

 He looked up from the table where he was setting out the medicine。 There were already tears streaming 
down his face。

 And suddenly; I was brave。 My heart slowed to an even pace。 My breath deepened and relaxed。 The 
hardest parts were over。

 I had done this before。 Many times。 I had closed my eyes and gone away。 Always knowing new eyes 
would open again; but still。 This was familiar。 Nothing to fear。

 I went to the cot and hopped up so that I was sitting on it。 I reached for the No Pain with steady hands 
and screwed the lid off。 I put the little tissue square on my tongue; let it dissolve。

 There was no change。 I wasn’t in any pain this time。 No physical pain。 

 

Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter; processtext/abclit。html 
” 
I wanted to answer all the little puzzles before the end。 
Doc sniffed and wiped the back of his hand under his eyes。 
“Eustace。 It’s a family name; and my parents were cruel people。” 
I laughed once。 Then I sighed。 “Jared’s waiting; back by the big cave。 I promised him you’d tell him 


when it was over。 Just wait until I—until I… stop moving; okay? It will be too late for him to do anything 
about my decision then。” 
“I don’t want to do this; Wanda。” 
“I know。 Thanks for that; Doc。 But I’m holding you to your promise。” 
“Please?” 
“No。 You gave me your word。 I did my part; didn’t I?” 
“You did。” 
“Then do yours。 Let me stay with Walt and Wes。” 
His thin face worked as he tried to keep back a sob。 
“Will you be… in pain?”

 “No; Doc;” I lied。 “I won’t feel anything。” 
I waited for the euphoria to e; for the No Pain to set everything glowing the way it had the last time。 
I still didn’t feel any difference。


 It must not have been the No Pain after all—it had just been being loved。 I sighed again。 
I stretched out on the cot; on my stomach; and turned my face toward him。 
“Put me under; Doc。” 
The bottle opened。 I heard him shake it onto the cloth in his hand。 
“You are the noblest; purest creature I’ve ever met。 The universe will be a darker place without you;” he 


whispered。 
These were his words over my grave; my epitaph; and I was glad that I got to hear them。


 Thank you; Wanda。 My sister。 I will never forget you。 
Be happy; Mel。 Enjoy it all。 Appreciate it for me。 

 

 Bye;we thought together。

 Doc’s hand pressed the cloth gently over my face。 I breathed in deeply; ignoring the thick; 
unfortable scent。 As I took another breath; I saw the three stars again。 They were not calling to me; 
they were letting me go; leaving me to the black universe I had wandered for so many lifetimes。 I drifted 
into the black; and it got brighter and brighter。 It wasn’t black at all—it was blue。 Warm; vibrant; brilliant 
blue… I floated into it with no fear at all。

 CHAPTER 59

 Remembered

 The beginning would feel like the end。 I’d been warned。 
But this time the end was a greater surprise than it had ever been。 Greater than any end I’d remembered 


in nine lives。 Greater than jumping down an elevator shaft。 I had expected no more memories; no more 
thoughts。 What end was this? 
The sun is setting—the colors are all rosy; and they make me think of my friend… what would her name 

be here? Something about… ruffles? Ruffles and more ruffles。 She was a beautiful Flower。 The flowers 

here are so lifeless and boring。 They smell wonderful; though。 Smells are the best part of this place。 
Footsteps behind me。 Has Cloud Spinner followed me again? I don’t need a jacket。 It’s warm 
here—finally!—and I want to feel the air on my skin。 I won’t look at her。 Maybe she’ll think I can’t hear 
and she’ll go home。 She is so careful with me; but I’m almost grown now。 She can’t mother me forever。

 “Excuse me?” someone says; and I don’t know the voice。 
I turn to look at her; and I don’t know the face; either。 She’s pretty。 
The face in the memory jerked me back to myself。 That was my face! But I didn’t remember this。… 
“Hi;” I say。 
“Hello。 My name is Melanie。” She smiles at me。 “I’m new in town and… I think I’m lost。” 
“Oh! Where are you trying to go? I’ll take you。 Our car is just back —” 
“No; it’s not far。 I was going for a walk; but now I can’t find my way back to Becker Street。” 
She’s a new neighbor—how nice。 I love new friends。 
“You’re very close;” I tell her。 “It’s just around the second corner up that way; but you can cut right 


through this little alley here。 It takes you straight there。” 
“Could you show me? I’m sorry; what’s your name?” 
“Of course! e with me。 I’m Petals Open to the Moon; but my family mostly calls me Pet。 Where 


are you from; Melanie?” 


 

 “Either one。” I laugh; too。 I like her smile。 “There are two Bats on this street。 They live in that yellow 
house with the pine trees。”

 “I’ll have to say hello;” she murmurs; but her voice has changed; tensed。 She’s looking into the dusky 

alley as though she’s expecting to see something。 
And there is something there。 Two people; a man and a boy。 The boy drags his hand through his long 

black hair like he’s nervous。 Maybe he is worried because he’s lost; too。 His pretty eyes are wide and 
excited。 The man is very still。

 Jamie。 Jared。 My heart thumped; but the feeling was peculiar; wrong。 Too small and… fluttery。

 “These are my friends; Pet;” Melanie tells me。

 “Oh! Oh; hello。” I stretch my hand out to the man—he’s the closest。

 He reaches for my hand; and his grip is so strong。

 He yanks me forward; right up to his body。 I don’t understand。 This feels wrong。 I don’t like it。

 My heart beats faster; and I’m afraid。 I’ve never been scared like this before。 I don’t understand。

 His hand swings toward my face; and I gasp。 I suck in the mist that es from his hand。 A silver cloud 

that tastes like raspberries。

 “Wha —” I want to ask; but I can’t see them anymore。 I can’t see anything。…

 There was no more。

 “Wanda? Can you hear me; Wanda?” a familiar voice asked。

 That wasn’t the right name… was it? My ears didn’t react to it; but something did。 Wasn’t I Petals 
Open to the Moon? Pet? Was that it? That didn’t feel right; either。 My heart beat faster; an echo of the 
fear in my memory。 A vision of a woman with white…and…red…streaked hair and kind green eyes filled my 
head。 Where was my mother? But… she wasn’tmy mother; was she?

 A sound; a low voice that echoed around me。 “Wanda。 e back。 We aren’t letting you go。” 
The voice was familiar; and it was also not。 It sounded like… me? 
Where was Petals Open to the Moon? I couldn’t find her。 Just a thousand empty memories。 A house full 


of pictures but no inhabitants。


 “Use the Awake;” a voice said。 I didn’t recognize this one。


 Something brushed my face; light as the touch of fog。 I knew that scent。 It was the smell of grapefruit。


 I took a deeper breath; and my mind suddenly cleared。 


 

shrunken。

 My hands were warmer than the rest of me; and that was because they were being held。 Held in big 
hands; hands that swallowed them right up。

 It smelled odd—stuffy and a little moldy。 I remembered the smell… but surely I’d never smelled it 

before in my life。

 I saw nothing but dull red—the insides of my eyelids。 I wanted to open them; so I went searching for the 
right muscles to do that。

 “Wanderer? We’re all waiting for yo

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的