Silver Lining - The Host fanfiction

Chapter 12 The Starcatcher

“If you could touch the alien sand
and hear the cries of strange birds
and watch them wheel in another sky
would that satisfy you?”
- Dr. Who (First Doctor)

 

Emma

 

It should have been obvious when I found the map in his study the day I ran away. But who can really blame me for drawing the wrong conclusions?
I turn the rock around in my hand and study it closely. There’s nothing remarkable about it. It’s fairly large with rough edges, but it’s just a rock. Not a gem or anything. I place it back on the table and pick up the next object, a small vile filled with sand. After giving it a quick check I place that back as well.
“Fascinating, isn’t it?” the Soul says, “think about it. All that sand is made of tiny little stones and if you heat it enough, it turns to glass.” His eyes hold wonder and amazement. “Don’t you think it’s beautiful?” He picks up a prism and holds it against the light. A variety of colors sweeps through my vision and strokes my cheek.

My father had a prism like that on his desk. When I was little, he’d sometimes take me on his lap and then he’d hold the prism in front of us to catch the colors.

“See that Emma? It’s a rainbow in a box. Isn’t it pretty?”

 

Burns Living Flowers seems to have the same fascination with simple things. In some ways he’s like a child with a treasure shoebox. He has the strangest collections of objects.

He notices me staring and holds out the prism to me. “Pretty huh?” he smiles, “just like a rainbow.”
After an encouraging nod I take it from him and my fingers trace the smooth surface.
“Keep it,” he tells me.
My  head snaps up and I stare at him. He wants to give it to me?
My eyes return to the prism and I bite my lip. “Why would you give me something that is so precious to you?” I ask.
He smiles. “You like it don’t you?” I nod my head. “Then I want you to have it.”

“But why?” I say confused. I’m feeling strangely touched.
He sits in a chair across from me and brings his face close to mine. But somehow I don’t feel threatened by it. I can almost count the freckles on his face, if he didn’t have so many that is.

“I want to give it to you,” he says softly. His breath is cool on my face. He smells nice. A familiar scent that I don’t have a name for, but it has a calming effect.
“Friends can give each other gifts, right?”
“Friends?” I ask.
“Aren’t we?” he responds.

I swallow the lump in my throat. It would be nice to have a friend again. Someone to talk to. To laugh with. But I can’t trust him. Can I?
When I don’t respond, the smile fades away from his face.
“I… I don’t know,” I breathe. My eyes return to the prism. “I don’t know what you want from me.”

“I just want to get to know you,” he says while tilting his head a little. I look at him helplessly and he sighs. “Not everything is as complicated as you make it out to be,” he tells me, “would you rather spend your life in hiding? All alone?”
“I don’t know what I want,” I whisper.

He stands up and walks to the table. Before long he’s back and presses something in my free hand. It’s the rock he showed me before and I stare at it dumbfounded. It still looks the same. Just a rock. Nothing special.

“Go watch rocks with me,” he half smiles, “and then we can find out.”
I’m not sure rocks can tell me what I want, but if I can get out of the city I’ll agree. “Okay.”
His entire face lights up. “Really?”
I nod. “Yeah. I’ll come.”