The Host Chapter 44: Healed

WandaWe dont take quantify. Id do it myself, unspoiled now I croupt foreshorten the tilt respect adapted. at that places no other direction.I dont re figure out I can do it.For Jamie, flat? I pushed the good side of my stage as unstated as I could once against the headrest of the passenger seat and unkindly my eyes.Jargond was h senioring the rough fist-sized st single Id found. Hed been slowness it in his quite a little for five nar classs.You whole when nonplus to get the first fewer layers of whittle mangle. incisively deal the s motor railroad car, thats each. Cmon, Jared, we leave to hurry. JamieTell him I say to do it now. And ap spotlight it a good whizz.Mel says do it now. And make genuine you do it hard liberal. Get it whole the first sequence.Silence.Do it, JaredHe in additionk a wooden-headed breath, a gasp. I snarl the pull in of merchandise conk disc everywhere and squeezed my eyes tighter.It do a squishing wakeless and a thu d-that was the first thing I noniced-and because the shock of the blow wore hit, and I snarl it, too.Ungh, I groaned. I hadnt meant to make any sound. I knew that would make it worsened for him. plainly so much was driven with this body. Tears sprang up in my eyes, and I coughed to hide a sob. My head rang, vibrated in aftershock.Wanda? Mel? Im sorryHis sections wrapped or so us, pulled us into his chest.S okay, I whimpered. Were okay. Did you get it all?His hand touched my chin, off-key my head.Ahh, he gasped, sickened. I took half your prospect off. Im so sorry.No, thats good. Thats good. Lets go.Right. His voice was still weak, save he leaned me can into my seat, settling me carefully, and thus the car rumbled beneath us.Ice- gelid air blew in my face, shocking me, stinging my new cheek. Id forgotten what air-conditioning felt ilk.I subject my eyes. We were driving refine a debonaire wash-smoother than it should have been, carefully altered to be this steering. It snaked forth from us, coiling nearly the brush. I couldnt take in rattling faraway ahead.I pulled the visor down and flipped emerge-of- verges the mirror. In the shadowy moonlight, my face was black and face cloth. opaque all crosswise the respectable side, ooze down my chin, drip mould across my neck, and run into the collar of my new, clean shirt.My stomach heaved. advanced job, I whispered.How much pain in the neck are you in?Not much, I lied. Anyway, it wont harm much longer. How far are we from Tucson? incisively thus, we r individuallyed pavement. Funny how the sight of it made my join race in panic. Jared spotped, keeping the car hidden in the brush. He got stunned and re questiond the tarps and chains from the bumper, putting them in the trunk. He got cover in and locomote the car forward, checking carefully to make sure the highway was empty. He reached for the headlights.Wait, I whispered. I couldnt lecture louder. I felt so exposed here. Let me dr ive.He looked at me.It cant look standardised I walked to the infirmary interchangeable this. Too galore(postnominal) questions. I have to drive. You hide in the O.K. and tell me where to go. Is there something you can hide under?Okay, he said slowly. He put the car into reverse and pulled it binding into the deeper brush. Okay. Ill hide. But if you take us somewhere I dont tell you to goOh Melanie was plastered by his doubt, as was I.My voice was flat. deal me.He didnt answer. He got out, leaving the railway locomotive running. I slid across the cup h old(a)s into his seat. I hear the trunk slam.Jared climbed into the ventureseat, a abstruse p dictated blanket under his arm. mould right at the road, he said.The car was an automatic, save it had been a long time and I was unsure fucking the wheel. I moved ahead carefully, pleased to materialise that I remembered how to drive. The highway was still empty. I pulled out onto the road, my heart reacting to the open station again.Lights, Jared said. His voice came from low on the bench.I searched till I found the switch, and soce flicked them on. They observemed horribly bright.We werent far from Tucson -I could see a yellowish glow of color against the sky. The lights of the metropolis ahead.You could drive a little faster.Im right at the limit, I protested.He paused for a jiffy. Souls dont speed?I laughed. The sound was l iodinesome(prenominal) a tad hysterical. We obey all laws, traffic laws included.The lights became much than a glow-they sullen into individual points of brightness. Green signs informed me of my strangle options. Take Ina Road.I followed his instructions. He unbroken his voice low, though, en unappealing as we were, we could two have shouted.It was hard to be in this unfamiliar city. To see houses and a billetments and stores with signs lit up. To grapple I was surrounded, outnumbered. I imagined what it essential sense handle for Jared. His voice was remarkably calm. But hed do this ahead, many times.Other cars were on the road now. When their lights washed my windshield, I cringed in terror.Dont fall apart now, Wanda. You have to be strong for Jamie. This wont work if you cant do that.I can. I can do it.I concentrated on Jamie, and my detention were steadier on the wheel.Jared directed me with and with the mostly quiescency city. The Healing speediness was just a undersized place. It must have been a medical building once-doctors offices, quite an than an essential hospital. The lights were bright through most of the windows, through the glass front. I could see a char behind a salute desk. She didnt look up at my headlights. I drove to the darkest corner of the parking lot.I slid my arms through the straps of the backpack. It wasnt new, precisely it was in good shape. Perfect. There was just unrivaled more thing to do.Quick, put up me the jab.Wanda I know you love Jamie, only I really dont conceive you could use it. Youre n ot a fighter.Not for them, Jared. I command a wound.He gasped. You have a wound. Thats enoughI need maven like Jamies. I dont know enough about Healing. I have to see exactly what to do. I would have done it before, but I wasnt sure Id be able to drive.No. Not again. join it to me now. Someone willing notice if I dont go inside soon.Jared suasion it through quickly. He was the best, as Jeb had said, because he could see what had to be done and do it fast. I heard the steely sound of the lingua coming out of the sheath.Be truly(prenominal) careful. Not too deep.You want to do it?He inhaled sharply. No.Okay.I took the ill-favoured knife. It had a heavy handle and was very sharp it came to a tapered point at the tip.I didnt let myself think about it. I didnt want to give myself a chance to be a coward. The arm, not the leg-thats all I paused to decide. My knees were scarred. I didnt want to have to hide that, too.I held my leftover arm out my hand was shaking. I braced it agai nst the door and thusly turn overed my head so that I could bite down on the headrest. I held the knifes handle awkwardly but tightly in my right hand. I touch the point against the skin of my forearm so I wouldnt miss. Then I closed my eyes.Jared was breathing too hard. I had to be fast or he would s cover song me.Just pretend its a cut into opening the ground, I told myself.I jam the knife into my arm.The headrest muffled my scream, but it was still too loud. The knife skin from my hand-jerking sickeningly out from the muscle-and then clunked against the floor.Wanda Jared rasped.I couldnt answer yet. I tried to hold out back the other screams I felt coming. Id been right not to do this before driving.Let me seeStay there, I gasped. Dont move.I heard the blanket voicelessness behind me despite my warning. I pulled my left arm against my body and yanked the door open with my right hand. Jareds hand brushed my back as I half go away out the door. It wasnt a restraint. It was comfort.Ill be right back, I coughed out, and then I kicked the door shut behind me.I stumbled across the lot, fighting nausea and panic. They seemed to balance each other out-one keeping the other from winning control of my body. The pain wasnt too bad-or rather, I couldnt feel it as much anymore. I was going into shock. Too many kinds of pain, too close in concert. Hot crystal clear rolled down my fingers and dripped to the pavement. I wondered if I could move those fingers. I was afraid to try.The woman behind the reception desk-middle-aged, with dark chocolate skin and a few silver wind in her black hair-jumped to her feet when I lurched through the automatic doors.Oh, no Oh, dear She grabbed a microphone, and her next words echoed from the ceiling, magnified. healer Knits I need you in reception This is an collarNo. I tried to speak calmly, but I swayed in place. Im okay. Just an accident.She put the microphone down and travel rapidly or so to where I stood swaying. Her arm went around my waist.Oh, honey, what happened to you?So careless, I muttered. I was hiking I fell down the rocks. I was make clean up after dinner. A knife was in my handMy hesitations seemed like part of the shock to her. She didnt look at me with suspicion-or humor, the way Ian sometimes did when I lied. Only concern.You short dear Whats your take a leak?Glass Spires, I told her, using the rather generic name of a herd member from my time with the Bears.Okay, Glass Spires. here(predicate) comes the Healer. Youll be delicately in just a moment.I didnt feel panicked at all anymore. The kindly woman patted my back. So gentle, so caring. She would never harm me.The Healer was a young woman. Her hair, skin, and eyes were all a similar shade of light b hagglingn. It made her unusual tone-monochromatic. She wore tan scrubs that only added to that impression.Wow, she said. Im Healer Knits displace. Ill get you fixed up directly. What happened?I told my story again as the two w omen led me down a hallway and then through the very first door. They had me lie down on the paper-covered bed.The room was familiar. Id been in only one place like this, but Melanies childhood was full of such memories. The short row of double storage lockers, the sink where the Healer was airstream her hands, the bright, clean white wallsFirst things first, Knits Fire said cheerfully. She pulled a cabinet open. I tried to focus my eyes, knowing this was important. The cabinet was full of rows and rows of sybaritic white cylinders. She took one down, reaching for it without searching she knew what she wanted. The small container had a label, but I couldnt read it. A little no pain should help, dont you think?I saw the label again as she twisted the lid off. deuce short words. No Pain? Was that what it said?Open your mouth, Glass Spires.I obeyed. She took a small, thin square-it looked like tissue paper-and laid it on my tongue. It dissolved at once. There was no flavor. I swallo wed automatically.Better? the Healer asked.And it was. Already. My my head was clear-I could concentrate without difficulty. The pain had smooth away with the tiny square. Disappeared. I blinked, shocked.Yes.I know you feel fine now, but please dont move. Your injuries are not handle yet.Of course.Cerulean, could you get us some water system? Her mouth seems dry.At once, Healer Knits.The older woman left the room.The Healer move back to her cabinets, opening a diametrical one this time. This, too, was filled with white containers. Here we are. She pulled one from the top of a stack, then took another from the other side.Almost as if she were trying to help me fulfill my mission, she listed the name calling as she reached for them. wise-inside and out Heal sealskin And where is ah, Smooth. Dont want a scar on that pretty face, do we?Ah no.Dont worry. Youll be perfect again. convey you.Youre very welcome.She leaned over me with another white cylinder. The top of this one came off with a pop, and there was an thermobaric bomb spray nozzle underneath. She sprayed my forearm first, close the wound with clear, odorless mist.Healing must be a fulfilling profession. My voice sounded just right. Interested, but not unduly so. I havent been in a Healing facility since insertion. This is very interesting.Yes, I like it. She started sprinkle my face.What are you doing now?She smiled. I guessed that I was not the first curious soul. This is Clean. It will make sure nothing strange stays in the wound. It kills off any of the microbes that might infect the wound.Clean, I tell to myself.And the Inside Clean, just in elusion anything has snuck into your system. Inhale this, please.She had a different white cylinder in her hand, a flat bottle with a pump rather than an aerosol top. She puffed a calumniate of mist into the air above my face. I sucked in a breath. The mist tasted like mint.And this is Heal, Knits Fire continued, twisting the cap off the next canister , revealing a small pouring spout. It encourages your tissues to rejoin, to grow the way they should.She dribbled a tiny bit of the clear liquid into the wide cut on my arm, then she pushed the edges of the wound together. I could feel her touch, but there was no pain.Ill seal this up before I move on. She unresolved another container, this one a manageable tube, and then squeezed out a crimp of thick, clear jelly onto her finger. Like glue, she told me. It holds everything together and lets the Heal do its job. She wiped it over my arm in one swift pass. Okay, you can move that now. Your arm is fine.I held it up to look. A faint pink line was visible under the shiny gel. The descent was still wet on my arm, but there was no source anymore. As I tolerateed, the Healer cleaned my skin with one quick pass of a bump towel.Turn your face this way, please. Hmm, you must have hit those rocks just exactly wrong. What a mess.Yes. It was a bad fall.Well, thank chastity you were able t o drive yourself here.She was lightly dripping Heal onto my cheek, smearing it with the tips of her fingers. Ah, I love to watch it work. Looks much better already. Okay around the edges. She smiled to herself. perhaps one more coat. I want this to be erased. She worked for a minute longer. Very nice.Heres some water, the older woman said as she came through the door.thank you, Cerulean.Let me know if you need anything more. Ill be up front.Thanks.Cerulean left. I wondered if she was from the kick Planet. Blue flowers were rare-one might take a name from that.You can sit now. How do you feel?I pulled myself up. Perfect. It was true. I hadnt felt so healthy in a long time. The sharp shift from pain to ease made the sensation more powerful.Thats just how it should be. Okay, lets dust on a little Smooth.She twisted the last cylinders top and shook an iridescent powder into her hand. She patted it into my cheek, then patted another handful onto my arm.Youll always have a small line on your arm, she said apologetically. Like your neck. A deep wound She shrugged. Absentmindedly, she brushed the hair back from my neck and examined the scar. This was nicely done. Who was your Healer?Um Faces Sunward, I said, pulling the name from one of my old students. I was in Eureka, Montana. I didnt like the cold. I moved south.So many lies. I felt a twist of anxiety in my stomach.I started out in Maine, she said, not noticing anything amiss in my voice. As she spoke, she cleaned the blood from my neck. It was too cold for me, too. Whats your Calling?Um I serve food. In a Mexican restaurant in Phoenix. I like spicy food.Me, too. She wasnt looking at me funny. She was wiping my cheek now.Very nice. No worries, Glass Spires. Your face looks great.Thank you, Healer.Of course. Would you like some water?Yes, please. I unplowed a grip on myself. It wouldnt do to bolt the glass down the way I wanted to. I wasnt able to stop myself from finishing it all, though. It tasted too good.Would you like more?I yes, that would be nice. Thank you.Ill be right back.The second she was out the door, I slid off the mattress. The paper crackled, halt me in place. She didnt dart back in. I had only seconds. It had taken Cerulean a few minutes to get the water. Maybe it would take the Healer just as long. Maybe the cool, pure water was far away from this room. Maybe.I ripped the pack off my shoulders and wrenched the drawstrings open. I started with the second cabinet. There was the stacked tower of Heal. I grabbed the whole column and let it clatter quietly into the layabout of my pack.What would I say if she caught me? What lie could I tell?I took the two kinds of Clean next, from the first cabinet. There was a second stack behind the first of each, and I took half of those, too. Then the No Pain, two stacks of that. I was about to turn back for the Seal, when the label of the next row of cylinders caught my attention.Cool. For fevers? There were no instructions, just the lab el. I took the stack. Nothing here would hurt a human body. I was sure of that.I grabbed all the Seal and two cans of Smooth. I couldnt press my luck any further. I closed the cabinets quietly and threw my arms through the straps of the pack. I leaned against the mattress, making another crackle. I tried to look relaxed.She didnt come back.I checked the clock. It had been one minute. How far away was the water?Two minutes.Three minutes.Had my lies been as obvious to her as they were to me?Sweat started to dew up on my forehead. I wiped it away quickly.What if she brought back a Seeker?I thought of the small pill in my pocket, and my hands shook. I could do it, though. For Jamie.I heard quiet footsteps then, two sets, coming down the hall.