[科幻]宿主-第58部分
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was not the white brilliance of the biggest cavern。 It was muted； pale and silvery。 But the narrow crevice
we’d had to pass through seemed the same。… It wasn’t until I was inside the giant； echoing space that I
realized what caused the difference。
It was nighttime； the light that shone dimly from above mimicked the light of the moon rather than the
sun。 I used the less…blinding illumination to examine the ceiling； trying to ferret out its secret。 High； so very
high above me； a hundred tiny moons shone their diluted light toward the dim； distant floor。 The little
moons were scattered in patternless clusters； some farther away than others。 I shook my head。 Even
though I could look directly at the light now； I still didn’t understand it。
“C’mon；” Jared ordered angrily from several paces ahead。
I flinched and hurried to follow。 I was sorry I’d let my attention wander。 I could see how much it irritated
him to have to speak to me。
I didn’t expect the help of a flashlight when we reached the room with the rivers； and I didn’t receive it。
It was dimly lit now； too； like the big cave； but with only twenty…odd miniature moons here。 Jared
clenched his jaw and stared at the ceiling while I walked hesitantly into the room with the inky pool。 I
guessed that if I stumbled into the fierce underground hot spring and disappeared； Jared would probably
see it as a kind intervention of fate。
I think he would be sad；Melanie disagreed as I edged my way around the black bathing room； hugging
the wall。If we fell。
Because he doesn’t know you；Melanie whispered； and then faded away as if she were suddenly
exhausted。
I stood frozen where I was； surprised。 I wasn’t sure； but it felt as though Melanie had just given me a
pliment。
“Move it；” Jared barked from the other room。
I hurried as fast as the darkness and my fear would allow。
When we returned； Jeb was waiting by the blue lamp； at his feet were two lumpy cylinders and two
uneven rectangles。 I hadn’t noticed them before。 Perhaps he’d gone to get them while we were away。
“Are you sleeping here tonight or am I？” Jeb asked Jared in a casual tone。
Jared looked at the shapes by Jeb’s feet。
“I am；” he answered curtly。 “And I only need one bedroll。”
Jeb raised a thick eyebrow。
“It’s not one of us； Jeb。 You left this on me—so butt out。”
“She’s not an animal； either； kid。 And you wouldn’t treat a dog this way。”
Jared didn’t answer。 His teeth ground together。
“Never figured you for a cruel man；” Jeb said softly。 But he picked up one of the cylinders； put his arm
through a strap； and slung it over his shoulder； then stuffed one rectangle—a pillow—under his arm。
“Sorry； honey；” he said as he passed me； patting my shoulder。
“Cut that out！” Jared growled。
Jeb shrugged and ambled away。 Before he was out of sight； I hurried to disappear into my cell； I hid in
its darkest reaches； coiling myself into a tight ball that I hoped was too small to see。
Instead of lurking silently and invisibly in the outside tunnel； Jared spread his bedroll directly in front of
the mouth of my prison。 He plumped his pillow a few times； possibly trying to rub it in that he had one。
He lay down on the mat and crossed his arms over his chest。 That was the piece of him that I could see
through the hole—just his crossed arms and half of his stomach。
His skin was that same dark gold tan that had haunted my dreams for the last half year。 It was very
strange to have that piece of my dream in solid reality not five feet from me。 Surreal。
“You won’t be able to sneak past me；” he warned。 His voice was softer than before—sleepy。 “If you
try…” He yawned。 “Iwill kill you。”
I could tell when he was deeply asleep because he started twitching the way Melanie remembered he
occasionally did。 He only slept so restlessly when he was upset。 I watched his fingers clench and
unclench； and I wondered if he was dreaming that they were wrapped around my neck。
The days that followed—perhaps a week of them； it was impossible to keep track—were very quiet。
Jared was like a silent wall between me and everything else in the world； good or bad。 There was no
sound but that of my own breathing； my own movements； there were no sights but the black cave around
me； the circle of dull light； the familiar tray with the same rations； the brief； stolen glimpses of Jared； there
were no touches but the pitted rocks against my skin； there were no tastes but the bitter water； the hard
bread； the bland soup； the woody roots； over and over again。
It was a very strange bination： constant terror； persistent aching physical disfort； and
excruciating monotony。 Of the three； the killer boredom was the hardest to take。 My prison was a
sensory…deprivation chamber。
Together； Melanie and I worried that we were going to go mad。
We both hear a voice in our head；she pointed out。That’s never a good sign。
We’re going to forget how to speak；I worried。How long has it been since anyone talked to us？
Four days ago you thanked Jeb for bringing us food； and he said you were wele。 Well； I think
it was four days ago。 Four long sleeps ago； at least。She seemed to sigh。Stop chewing your nails—it
took me years to break that habit。
But the long； scratchy nails bothered me。I don’t really think we need to worry about bad habits in
the long term。
Jared didn’t let Jeb bring food again。 Instead； someone brought it to the end of the hall and Jared
retrieved it。 I got the same thing—bread； soup； and vegetables—twice every day。 Sometimes there were
extra things for Jared； packaged foods with brand names I recognized—Red Vines； Snickers；
Pop…Tarts。 I tried to imagine how the humans had gotten their hands on these delicacies。
I didn’t expect him to share—of course not—but I wondered sometimes if he thought I was hoping he
would。 One of my few entertainments was hearing him eat his treats； because he always did so
ostentatiously； perhaps rubbing it in the way he had with the pillow that first night。
Once； Jared slowly ripped open a bag of Cheetos—showy about it as usual—and the rich smell of fake
powdered cheese rolled through my cave… delicious； irresistible。 He ate one slowly； letting me hear each
distinct crunch。
My stomach growled loudly； and I laughed at myself。 I hadn’t laughed in so long； I tried to remember the
last time and couldn’t—just that strange bout of macabre hysteria in the desert； which really didn’t count
But this seemed hilarious to me for some reason—my stomach yearning after that one small
Cheeto—and I laughed again。 A sign of madness； surely。
I didn’t know how my reaction offended him； but he got up and disappeared。 After a long moment； I
could hear him eating the Cheetos again； but from farther away。 I peeked out of the hole to see that he
was sitting in the shadows at the end of the corridor； his back to me。 I pulled my head inside； afraid he
might turn and catch me watching。 From then on； he stayed down at that end of the hall as much as
possible。 Only at night did he stretch out in front of my prison。
Twice a day—or rather twice a night； as he never took me when the others were about—I got to walk
to the room with the rivers； it was a highlight； despite the terror； as it was the only time I was not hunched
into the unnatural shapes my small cave forced on me。 Each time I had to crawl back inside was harder
than the last。
Three times that week； always during the sleeping hours； someone came to check on us。
The first time it was Kyle。
Jared’s sudden lunge to his feet woke me。 “Get out of here；” he warned； holding the gun ready。
“Just checking；” Kyle said。 His voice was far away but loud and rough enough that I was sure it was not
his brother。 “Someday you might not be here。 Someday you might sleep too soundly。”
Jared’s only answer was to cock the gun。
I heard Kyle’s laughter trailing behind him as he left。
The other two times I didn’t know who it was。 Kyle again； or maybe Ian； or maybe someone whose
name I hadn’t learned。 All I knew was that twice more I was woken by Jared jumping to his feet with the
gun pointed at the intruder。 No more words were spoken。 Whoever wasjust checking didn’t bother to
make conversation。 When they were gone； Jared went back to sleep quickly。 It took me longer to quiet
my heart。
The fourth time was something new。
I was not quite asleep when Jared started awake； rolling to his knees in a swift movement。 He came up
with the gun in his hands and a curse on his lips。
“Easy；” a voice murmured from the distance。 “I e in peace。”
“Whatever you’re selling； I’m not buying；” Jared growled。
“I just want to talk。” The voice came closer。 “You’re buried down here； missing the important
discussions。… We miss your take on things。”
“I’m sure；” Jared said sarcastically。
“Oh； put the gun down。 If I was planning to fight you； I would have e with four guys this time。”
My neck ached； seeming to prehend that the hands that had crushed and bruised it were very close
by。
“He’s still fuming about his nose；” Ian said。 “Oh； well—it’s not the first time it’s been broken。 I’ll tell him
you said you were sorry。”
“I’m not。”
“I know。 No one is ever sorry for hitting Kyle。”
They laughed quietly together； there was a sense of camaraderie in their amusement that seemed wildly
out of place while Jared held a gun loosely pointed in Ian’s direction。 But then； the bonds that were
forged in this desperate place must have been very strong。 Thicker than blood。
Ian sat down on the mat next to Jared。 I could see his profile in silhouette； a black shape against the blue
light。 I noticed that his nose was perfect—straight； aquiline； the kind of nose that I’d seen in pictures of
famous sculptures。 Did that mean that others found him more bearable than the brother whose nose was
often broken？ Or that he was better at ducking？
“So what do you want； Ian？ Not just an apology for Kyle； I imagine。”
“Did Jeb tell you？�
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