The Host ¤ The Next Chapter

The Host ¤ The Next Chapter: 8

The Host ¤ The Next Chapter: 8

"May?"

Someone was touching my shoulder, trying to wake me up. I moaned. I wanted to go back to sleep.

"I know you're awake." Tomas tells me crossly, nudging me in my back.

I open my eyes and lay for a moment before sitting up. Tomas steps back to give me my space. A yawn escapes my lips and I rub my eyes. Is this morning? It's pretty early. The time clock in Jenny's body tells me I at least have a couple of hours before the sun rises. Although, I can't exactly see through these stone walls, so I have no way to confirm this. I wake up like Tomas asks and wait for his move.

"Jeb'll see you now." he announces. "But we're not going to his house."

When Tomas starts to move, I get up off the stone platform to follow him. I have a feeling that he's not allowed to tell me any more. Curiosity and fear tug at the back of my mind. While I want to know where we're going, another part of my mind tells me that maybe I shouldn't be so eager. The humans haven't decided if they want to keep or extract me from this body yet. I'm frightened to death of leaving. How will I survive if I don't have a body? What will happen to me? The not knowing scares me worse than the actual death.

"This way." Tomas whispers, leading me down the hall to the left.

I obediently stick behind him, following in his steps. When we get through the maze of tunnels, we're back in the large cavern. The lights in people's homes are out and the cavern's lights are set at dim. It's like the sun is peeking over the edge of the horizion, but hasn't risen enough to be daylight yet. 

Tomas strolls along the side of the stone wall. I let him lead, taking me down another tunnel that connects to this place. This hall goes back into the rock for some way until it opens up into a dinning area. Tables are set up around a make-shift kitchen. 

Jeb's standing in the middle, using his gun as a prop to keep him up. Several other identifiable faces are gathered in the room along with him. They range in all ages, hair color, and size. The only thing that's the same about all of them is that they have serious expressions on their faces.

Jeb moves from his spot, shifting on his feet so that my attention is drawn to him. Tomas goes and joins the crowd.

"I've asked you here to this council so we can decide your fate." Jeb raises his voice so that it fills the room. "Doc is here because he'll have to preform the opperation if we decide to extract you." he begins to explain, looking off towards the dark skinned man. "And Wanda's our expert on Souls. Each one of us here trusts her with our lives." he nods, then looks off to her. "Tomas and Jesse were your bodyguards, so naturally they're allowed to attend."

I stand where I am at the entrance, listening to his words. With each person he mentions, I connect eyes with them. Doc's seem glazed over, like he's looking beyond me. Wanda is calm and collected. Tomas is indifferent and Jesse refuses to look.

"Jamie," Jeb looks towards the yougest of the party. The messy, burnet haired kid that I had seen with the blonde boy. "showed Taylor where you were, so he's allowed in this meeting. Melanie's allowed because Jamie is her younger brother. Taylor's reason is already stated." he pauses to see if I'm following.

So the blonde haired boy's name is Taylor, I think before he goes on.

"Gabbie's only reason," Jeb continues, looking off to a girl with brown hair and a mean glare. "is that she was on the raid when your bus was picked up. Ian, Jared, and Maggie have their own reasons."

Two of the names belong to male humans, but which one is which I have no idea. One of them has black hair and sapphire eyes while the other has sun bleached hair and sienna eyes. The woman, who looks close to Jeb in age, has white straw hair that's pulled back from her face into a braid. Like the girl, she has a mean glare. I don't think either of the females like me.