Silver Lining - The Host fanfiction

Chapter 115 The Harbinger

Life, although it may be an accumulation of anguish,

is dear to me.

And I will defend it.

-Mary Shelley

Burns

A bullet rickets over our heads against a tree. Nate is on the ground and I land on him hard. It knocks the air out of my lungs and it takes me a moment to get back my wind.

Around me there's commotion. Will is struggling with Patt. The weapon is on the ground. Arashi has moved forward and I'm guessing he hit Yellow Cloud on the head with the weapon, because the male Seeker is on his knees on the ground, clutching his head.

The other weapon is still aimed at the female Seeker who seems to have frozen on the spot. Her eyes are wide and filled with panic.

"Marcus!" Will yells, "give us a hand already."

But there is no response. I crawl off Nate and look around and that's when I realize the bullet has not hit a tree at all.

"Marcus!" I yell and I crawl over to him. He is lying on his back and coughs up blood. I don't know much about Healing, but I know this is not good.

"Burns!" Nate's voice rings behind me.

I grab Marcus' hand and look at Nate over my shoulder. "We need to get him inside, Nate," I say, "he needs Heal."

Nate's hand lands on my shoulder and he shakes his head sadly. "It's too late, Burns," he says softly, "there's nothing we can do."

I shake my head vividly. This can't be happening. This isn't supposed to happen. Why did we only bring the 'Sleep' with us? Why did I not think to bring 'Heal'? No one was supposed to get hurt. No one is supposed to die.

Marcus coughs up blood again. His eyes are unfocused, but he manages a smile. "At least...," he raps, "I die human."

Nate nods. "That you do, son."

"Burns?" the voice is filled with disbelieve and I recognize it as Patt's. Slowly I turn to look at him. Will has managed to wring Patt's arms behind his back. He has stopped struggling and the look in his eyes tears through me like a knife.

Souls don't have a word for betrayal. The concept is foreign to them.

"You're with them?" he asks horrified, "you're helping humans? You helped kill Rain and Storm and burned down their house? And Sky? What did you do to her?" He shakes his head. "Is it your host? Is he resisting? We can fix that. You know we can."

I don't know what expression is on my face, but my hands are shaking. All around us it has fallen silent.

Arashi glances at Nate. "Marcus?" he asks.

Nate stands up and sighs. "Gone," he says.

Arashi nods and cocks the gun.

"No!" I shout.

"Arashi!" Nate warns, "that is not how we do things."

"They killed Marcus," Arashi says coldly. It's unnerving how emotionless his face still is.

"That doesn't mean we need to become killers as well," Nate says calmly. He walks up to them and fishes something from his pocket. It's the canister with 'Sleep'. "We'll solve this Burns' way."

Three bodies slump to the ground. Arashi scowls and walks towards the entrance to the hide-out while putting away his weapons. "You've grown soft, Nate."