The Host ¤ The Next Chapter

The Host ¤ The Next Chapter: 22

The Host ¤ The Next Chapter: 22

I didn't stay a minute longer after Jenny had disappeared around the corner. I went down the 'West' wing until I reached the emergency exit stairs. This was the safest route I knew back up to the second floor. I also used the same stairs so that I came out by the closet of coats and supplies. I returned the white coat and the stethoscope I had borrowed, then re-entered the stairs and climbed up to the third floor.

I was almost afraid that the Seeker positioned outside my door would notice me this time as I tried to sneak in, but he wasn't there. His chair was sitting empty and there was no one to be found.

Quickly, I entered my room and closed the door behind me. In case he had looked in to check on me, I went directly to the bathroom and took my clothes off. I hopped in the shower and turned the water on. If he had come in and found no one, I could say that I had been taking a shower. The Healers would give me the benefit of the doubt if the Seeker argued.

The Healers did come to see if I was still in my room ten or so minutes later. I came out dripping, wrapped in a white towel. They asked me a few questions, I answered how they wanted me to. The entire time, the Seeker who had been stationed outside my door looked flaburgasted. He insisted he hadn't heard anyone in the shower. Eventually, everyone left the appartment so I could get dressed. No further questions were asked and the Seeker didn't hold a grudge against me. Of course he didn't. Souls didn't keep faults against one another.

A week later, I was allowed to work among the hospital staff. Other than my name, they didn't know much about me. What did speak was my healing skills. When I brought up I was a former Healer, they accepted me right away. I made up a story about how I'd been to so many planets that I'd forgotten all my old names I'd used. 

One of my colleauges thought it was appropriate. Apparently, the body I had inherited had been in a car accident. The woman had been trying to get away after living secretly among the Souls. Her brain had suffered major trauma, giving her amnesia. Even if she woke up, she wouldn't have known who she was. Humans who have weak minds or are child-aged or below offer little resistance against a Soul taking over their body. Their conciousnesses are lost forever. Therefore, the human I was in now would never resurface.

I was a bit glad, but sad, at the same time. I was happy because I'd never have to face the same situation with Jenny ever again. I was sad because the person whose body I inherited was gone forever. Although I kept her body alive and inhabited it, she was still technically dead.

More weeks went by. I only occasionally thought of Jenny. I wondered what she was doing and how the trip back to the rebel base went. I refused to think she had been caught or killed on her way back. She wouldn't go against the promise I had her make. Not after I had kept mine to her. 

When painful thoughts did come to me, I tried to stay imersed in my work. There was always a pacient that needed extra tending to. New arrivals came often in the capital of Arizona and needed help getting around the place. Sometimes, we even got Souls who had come from a different Soul-occupied planet. They needed even more attention. One, because they were unfamiliar with their new bodies and two, Earth's laws were always a bit different than the last place they had been. We had to educate them on this planet's ways so they didn't end up causing harm to others.

But no matter how many people I had to check on during the day or how much work was handed to me, my thoughts would always return to the rebels. At first, I was able to think around them. Then, I couldn't ignore them at all. I was constantly wondering and fearing about their state and what had happened to Jenny. I knew there was no way to know for sure what had exactly happened, so I tried to put the worries out of my mind. As far as I knew, they were all safe and doing wonderfully.