clarity of my thoughts； the easy answers that came to any question almost without effort； the march and
dance of numbers were no substitute for emotion and color； which I could only vaguely understand when
I started to tell Jamie how the offensive had been launched here。 The Spiders were our best
engineers—the ships they made for us danced nimbly and undetectably through the stars。 The Spiders’
bodies were almost as useful as their minds： four long legs to each segment—from which they’d earned
their nickname on this planet—and twelve…fingered hands on each leg。 These six…jointed fingers were as
slender and strong as steel threads； capable of the most delicate procedures。 About the mass of a cow；
but short and lean； the Spiders had no trouble with the first insertions。 They were stronger than humans；
smarter than humans； and prepared； which the humans were not。…
I stopped short； midsentence； when I saw the crystalline sparkle on Jamie’s cheek。
He was staring straight ahead at nothing； his lips pressed in a tight line。 A large drop of salt water rolled
slowly down the cheek closest to me。
Idiot；Melanie chastised me。Didn’t you think what your story would mean to him？
Didn’tyouthink of warning me sooner？
She didn’t answer。 No doubt she’d been as caught up in the storytelling as I was。
“Jamie；” I murmured。 My voice was thick。 The sight of his tear had done strange things to my throat。
“Jamie； I’m so sorry。 I wasn’t thinking。”
Jamie shook his head。 “’S okay。 I asked。 I wanted to know how it happened。” His voice was gruff；
trying to hide the pain。
It was instinctive； the desire to lean forward and wipe that tear away。 I tried at first to ignore it； I was not
Melanie。 But the tear hung there； motionless； as if it would never fall。 Jamie’s eyes stayed fixed on the
blank wall； and his lips trembled。
He wasn’t far from me。 I stretched my arm out to brush my fingers against his cheek； the tear spread thin
across his skin and disappeared。 Acting on instinct again； I left my hand against his warm cheek； cradling
his face。
For a short second； he pretended to ignore me。
Then he rolled toward me； his eyes closed； his hands reaching。 He curled into my side； his cheek against
the hollow of my shoulder； where it had once fit better； and sobbed。
These were not the tears of a child； and that made them more profound—made it more sacred and
painful that he would cry them in front of me。 This was the grief of a man at the funeral for his entire
family。
My arms wound around him； not fitting as easily as they used to； and I cried； too。
“I’m sorry；” I said again and again。 I apologized for everything in those two words。 That we’d ever
found this place。 That we’d chosen it。 That I’d been the one to take his sister。 That I’d brought her back
here and hurt him again。 That I’d made him cry today with my insensitive stories。
“I know I’ve taught you better than that； kid。”
We jumped apart。 Jamie lurched to his feet； but I curled closer to the ground； cringing into the wall。
Jeb leaned down and picked up the gun we’d both forgotten from the floor。 “You’ve got to mind a gun
better than this； Jamie。” His tone was very gentle—it softened the criticism。 He reached out to tousle
Jamie’s shaggy hair。
Jamie ducked under Jeb’s hand； his face scarlet with mortification。
“Sorry；” he muttered； and turned as if to flee。 He stopped after just a step； though； and swiveled back to
look at me。 “I don’t know your name；” he said。
“They called me Wanderer；” I whispered。
“Wanderer？”
I nodded。
He nodded； too； then hurried away。 The back of his neck was still red。
When he was gone； Jeb leaned against the rock and slid down till he was seated where Jamie had been。
Like Jamie； he kept the gun cradled in his lap。
“That’s a real interesting name you’ve got there；” he told me。 He seemed to be back to his chatty mood。
“Maybe sometime you’ll tell me how you got it。 Bet that’s a good story。 But it’s kind of a mouthful； don’t
you think？ Wanderer？”
I stared at him。
“Mind if I call you Wanda； for short？ It flows easier。”
He waited this time for a response。 Finally； I shrugged。 It didn’t matter to me whether he called me “kid”
or some strange human nickname。 I believed it was meant kindly。
“Okay； then； Wanda。” He smiled； pleased at his invention。 “It’s nice to have a handle on you。 Makes me
feel like we’re old friends。”
He grinned that huge； cheek…stretching grin； and I couldn’t help grinning back； though my smile was
more rueful than delighted。 He was supposed to be my enemy。 He was probably insane。 And hewas my
friend。 Not that he wouldn’t kill me if things turned out that way； but he wouldn’t like doing it。 With
humans； what more could you ask of a friend？
Cracked
Jeb put his hands behind his head and looked up at the dark ceiling； his face thoughtful。 His chatty mood
had not passed。
“I’ve wondered a lot what it’s like—getting caught； you know。 Saw it happen more than once； e
close a few times myself。 What would it be like； I wondered。 Would it hurt； having something put in your
head？ I’ve seen it done； you know。”
My eyes widened in surprise； but he wasn’t looking at me。
“Seems like you all use some kind of anesthetic； but that’s just a guess。 Nobody was screaming in agony
or anything； though； so it couldn’t be too torturous。”
I wrinkled my nose。 Torture。 No； that was the humans’ specialty。
“Those stories you were telling the kid were real interesting。”
I stiffened and he laughed lightly。 “Yeah； I was listening。 Eavesdropping； I’ll admit it。 I’m not sorry—it
was great stuff； and you won’t talk to me the way you do with Jamie。 I really got a kick out of those bats
and the plants and spiders。 Gives a man lots to think about。 Always liked to read crazy； out…there stuff；
science fiction and whatnot。 Ate that stuff up。 And the kid’s like me—he’s read all the books I’ve got；
two； three times apiece。 Must be a treat for him to get some new stories。 Sure is for me。 You’re a good
storyteller。”
I kept my eyes down； but I felt myself softening； losing my guard a bit。 Like anyone inside these
emotional bodies； I was a sucker for flattery。
“Everyone here thinks you hunted us out to turn us over to the Seekers。”
The word sent a shock jolting through me。 My jaw stiffened and my teeth cut my tongue。 I tasted blood。
“What other reason could there be？” he went on； oblivious to my reaction or ignoring it。 “But they’re just
trapped in fixed notions； I think。 I’m the only one with questions。… I mean； what kind of a plan was that；
to wander off into the desert without any way to get back？” He chuckled。 “Wandering—guess that’s
your specialty； eh； Wanda？”
He leaned toward me and nudged me with one elbow。 Wide with uncertainty； my eyes flickered to the
floor； to his face； and back to the floor。 He laughed again。
“That trek was just a few steps shy of a successful suicide； in my opinion。 Definitely not a Seeker’s MO；
if you know what I mean。 I’ve tried to reason it out。 Use logic； right？ So； if you didn’t have backup；
which I’ve seen no sign of； and you had no way to get back； then you must’ve had a different goal。 You
haven’t been real talkative since you got here； ’cept with the kid just now； but I’ve listened to what you
have said。 Kind of seems to me like the reason you almost died out there was ’cause you were hell…bent
on finding that kid and Jared。”
I closed my eyes。
“But if you’re not acting…”
He paused for a moment。
“Spent a lot of time watching your kind。 I was always waiting for them to change； you know； when they
didn’t have to act like us anymore； because there was no one to actfor。 I kept on watching and waiting；
but they just kept on actin’ like humans。 Staying with their bodies’ families； going out for picnics in good
weather； plantin’ flowers and paintin’ pictures and all the rest of it。 I’ve been wondering if you all aren’t
turning sort of human。 If we don’t have some real influence； in the end。”
He waited； giving me a chance to respond。 I didn’t。
“Saw something a few years ago that stuck with me。 Old man and woman； well； the bodies of an old
man and an old woman。 Been together so long that the skin on their fingers grew in ridges around their
wedding rings。 They were holding hands； and he kissed her on her cheek； and she blushed under all those
wrinkles。 Occurred to me that you have all the same feelings we have； because you’re really us； not just
hands in a puppet。”
“Yes；” I whispered。 “We have all the same feelings。 Human feelings。 Hope； and pain； and love。”
“So； if you aren’t acting… well； then I’d swear to it that you loved them both。You do。 Wanda； not just
Mel’s body。”
I put my head down on my arms。 The gesture was tantamount to an admission； but I didn’t care。 I
couldn’t hold it up anymore。
“So that’s you。 But I wonder about my niece； too。 What it was like for her； what it would be like for me。
When they put somebody inside your head； are you just… gone？ Erased？ Like being dead？ Or is it like
being asleep？ Are you aware of the outside control？ Is it aware of you？ Are you trapped there；
screaming inside？”
I sat very still； trying to keep my face smooth。
“Plainly； your memories and behaviors； all that is left behind。 But your consciousness… Seems like some
people wouldn’t go down without a fight。 Hell； I know I would try to stay—never been one to take no
for an answer； anyone will tell you that。 I’m a fighter。 All of us who are left are fighters。 And； you know； I
woulda pegged Mel for a fighter； too。”
He didn’t move his eyes from the ceiling； but I looked at the floor—stared at it； memorizing the patterns
in the purple gray dust。
“Yeah； I’ve wondered about that a lot。”
I could feel his eyes on me now； though my head was still down。 I didn’t move； except to breathe slowly
in and out。 It took a great deal of effort to keep that slow rhythm smooth。 I had to swallow； the blood
was still flowing in my mouth。
He’s both。
Well； maybe this means we don’t have to keep quiet anymore。 He knows。She was hopeful。 She’d
been very quiet lately； absent almost half the time。 It wasn’t as easy for her to concentrate when she was
relatively happy。 She’d won her big fight。 She’d gotten us here。 Her secrets were no longer in jeopardy；
Jared and Jamie could never be betrayed by her memories。
With the fight taken out of her； it was harder for her to find the will to speak； even to me。 I could see
how the idea of discovery—of having the other humans recognize her existence—invigorated her。
Jeb knows； yes。 Does that really change anything？
She thought about the way the other humans looked at Jeb。Right。 She sighed。But I think Jamie… well；
he doesn’t know or guess； but I think he feelsthe truth。
You might be right。 I guess we’ll see if that does him or us any good； in the end。
Jeb could only manage to keep quiet for a few seconds； a