Silver Lining - The Host fanfiction

Chapter 9 The Misunderstood

“We do not see things as they are.

We see them as we are.”

- The Talmud

 

 

Emma

 

I know this room. That’s the first coherent thought after I open my eyes. Though it does take a while before I realize where I am. It’s the room where I woke up after that soul found me.
I fly up and look around bewildered, but no one’s in the room with me.
It’s then that I realize something else.

The world isn’t swirling and my headache is gone.

So is the fever.

 

I actually feel fine.

How long have I been out? How did I get here?
There’s a glass of water on the nightstand and I gratefully empty it. I frown when I see y arm is covered by a sleeve that is clearly not mine and when I look down I see that the clothes I’m wearing  are not my own. They are too big and male. Probably his clothes, but strangely enough I’m not bothered by it. These clothes are warm and dry and I know he hasn’t violated me. I do feel a little awkward about a boy undressing me, but I’m not scared. Not scared of that at least. There are enough other things to be afraid of and my first priority is getting out of here. I’m not as stupid to think I can walk out the front door like before, but there has to be a way.

But I do have questions. Why am I here? How did he find me? And most of all… why am I still human?
Carefully I climb out of bed and test my legs. When they hold my weight, I make my way downstairs, carefully making sure not to make a sound.

I smell soup I think. That means he’s in the house. I listen closely, but there are no voices. Maybe it means he’s alone. Maybe I have a chance to get away after all.

I find him in the living room. Or better said, I stumble upon him, because I was trying to slip away without being seen. He has his back towards me, but he still must have heard me, because he turns around. And I am unable to move once again, my eyes wide as they fixate on him, ready to jump if he makes any sudden movement. I can feel my heart trying to make its way out of my chest. I’m sure he can see it.
He stares at me in the same fashion, but doesn’t speak.
My eyes trail away form him and dart towards the table where I find my belongings. He touched my things? Somehow that makes me feel violated in a way that being undressed by him does not.
When he takes a careful step in my direction, I act on impulse. I make for the table and grab my pocket knife, pointing it at him. He eyes it carefully, but doesn’t make any further attempts to approach me. He raises his hands as if to show me he’s not a threat, but I can see the slight concern in his eyes. It unsettles me and I realize how this must look. I follow his gaze to my hand and am horrified by my own actions. My hands drop the knife and I back away until I reach the wall. There I sink to the floor and I notice I’m trembling. Was I really going to use a weapon against him? I hide my head in my hands.

Several minutes pass before I hear him come closer, but I don’t look at him.
He sits on his haunches in front of me and I try to crawl even further into the wall. He holds out his hand to me.
“Here,” he says when I don’t react, “you can hold it if it makes you feel safer, I don’t mind.”
I peek under my arm and see he’s holding out the knife. When I don’t make any attempt to take it from him, he places it on the ground between us and sits back. He seems to think for a long time and the silence stretches out between us.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” he finally says.
Right. As if I’m stupid enough to believe that. Still, I sit up a bit straighter and lift my head, though I stare at the floor instead of at him.
The Soul takes a deep breath. “I’m… not going to hand you over to the Seekers.”