Host

by H. J. Lawson

  Madam Uri releases her grip from my hair. “What did you say?” she says to Frances.

  “Skylier, please go back to the compound,” Frances says, not acknowledging Madam Uri’s comment.

  “Walk with me,” Frances says calmly to Madam Uri as I walk past her.

  Madam Uri is frozen in place, with only the huge vein in her head throbbing with anger. I’m not going to hang around to find out what is going to happen next.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Silently I lie in bed waiting for the seconds to count down. Rian and I have been messaging each other throughout the night, urging our bodies to stay awake, though I’m not sure we need the constant reminder. But it would be a lie if I said I haven’t enjoyed Rian’s mind freely running into mine, allowing me to escape from my memories and only have his. His mind is filled with happy thoughts, as he looks on the positive side of all this.

  He told me about the training he’s been having in preparation for the Games. I feel bad that he’s never going to compete. I can tell that he would have loved to be in the games, even if the words he forces into my mind say the opposite.

  We are both hoping that some of the skills he’s learned, however few they are, will help us survive once we’ve been banished. I wish we had more time to prepare for tonight.

  The low humming sound of the girls’ snores, and the darkness, remind me of Cueva. The only things missing are the groans from the Cueva cave walls…. Will I never hear them again?

  Madison’s messy mass of pure white hair covers her face, just as it has done every night she has slept. They will never be able to change that part of her.

  She knew I was leaving tonight, though she didn’t even ask me. I didn’t need to tell her I was. Just one look between best friends told the whole story.

  I squeeze a knot in my shoulder to relieve the pain, only to spread another shooting pain along my arm.

  Frances applied more of the thick, clear gel-like mixture onto my gunshot wound when she returned from her walk with Madam Uri. She didn’t tell me what happened, only telling me that the gel would heal the wound, but I would have a scar there for the rest of my life—which, to be honest, I don’t mind. It reminds me of being alive, not the cloned shadow I felt I was. The scar reminds me of what I can be.

  Five, Rian says in my head.

  Four, both of our minds say.

  Three, two, one.

  Time to rescue our family. Rian’s mind is filled with energy. It’s infectious. I can feel the adrenaline flooding my veins like a great overflowing ocean.

  I want to leap from under the sheet and out of the bed, but instead, I gingerly move, trying to stay as silent as possible.

  I slip my boots out from under the bed sheets; I came to bed ready to leave. They had allowed us to keep our personal belongings in a box under our bed. All I had were the clothes I arrived in, much like the rest of the girls from Cueva.

  There is no way my feet would survive in the wasteland wearing the stupid Purenet slippers; they aren’t good for anything except gliding instead of walking.

  Only problem with the boots is that it is hard to be silent in them. Now is the time to find out if my boots will spoil the plan.

  All my thoughts are on my boots, and not on the bed, which creaks with my movement.

  I glance around the room. All the girls are still fast asleep except Madison. She begins to rise from her bed, but I shake my head.

  Madison doesn’t stop moving. “I’m coming with you,” she says softly.

  “Please, Madison, don’t,” I beg.

  Madison pauses.

  “You’re safer here. I can’t risk anyone else’s life,” I tell her.

  “No.” Madison shakes her head. “I’m coming,” she says, getting to her feet.

  “You’re not invited,” I lie.

  “You’re just saying that to make me stay.” She’s right.

  “I’m not going anywhere with you,” I say, sitting back down, trying not to wake the others.

  “Fine,” Madison says, lying back down.

  I kneel down on the ground next to her. “They have my mother and Callie, and they killed Madam Enid because of me. Now they are going to kill Lowell because of me. I can’t let them hurt anyone else I love,” I tell Madison.

  “You need me,” she says.

  “I’m tougher than I used to be, and Rian will protect me.”

  Madison falls silent.

  “Please let me go, I only have a small window of time and it’s closing.” I lean in and kiss her on her forehead.

  Madison says nothing as I get to my feet and walk toward the door.

  “Skylier, be careful,” she says softly.

  “You too.”

  Where are you? Rian’s mind asks. He must have already gotten out of his room.

  Here, I say as I slowly open the door.

  Rian’s blue eyes glisten from the lights running along the hallway guiding us toward the exit.

  Rian takes the bag of food from me and places it in his bag. Madison had given me her bag—it was her mother’s, and one of the few belongings she brought with her. Ireluctantly and gratefully took it from her earlier. That’s why she never said anything about me leaving—because she had planned to come with me.

  The corridors are silent as night, with everyone in the compound sleeping. Rian and I silently walk toward the door.

  Is he coming? Rian’s mind asks.

  He said he would, my mind replies.

  I anxiously look around the corridor for a clock, or something to tell me what time it is, but there is nothing.

  He’s not coming, is he? my mind replies dejectedly before I can stop.

  Rian’s teeth clench together. We’re not giving up, his mind tells me.

  He waves the barcode on the back of his hand over the monitor; the red beam scans it as I hold my breath.

  “Access denied” flashes in red letters.

  Try yours, Rian’s mind says.

  I try mine, only to be met with the same result: “access denied.” I arch my head up to the ceiling. Someone please help us.

  I will help you, dear Skylier, Xander’s words devilishly dance in my mind.

  Run, Rian. Run! Xander is here.

  There is nowhere for him to run.

  The exit door opens with a swoosh of cool air, revealing Xander and two guards. Adohnes is nowhere to be seen. He laid a trap for me and I fell right in.

  “Do as your sister said, run along,” Xander says to Rian as he steps into the corridor.

  “I’m not leaving her with you,” says Rian.

  Skylier, tell your brother to leave now, or I will do the same as you made me do to Madam Enid, his mind tells me.

  “Rian, go now,” I instantly blurt out.

  Skylier, no, Rian’s mind says.

  He will kill you if you don’t.

  “At least one of you is listening. Guards, take him to his compound,” Xander orders. The guards are at Rian’s side along with their glowing blue guns charged up and ready to shoot on Xander’s orders. He has no choice but to go with them.

  Xander pauses and stares at me for a moment, as if trying to read more than my mind.

  If it weren’t for the mind reading, I really wouldn’t think we were related. You are too stupid to share the same bloodline as me, Xander’s mind says. Each of his words sting my mind, drying any drop of hope I had.

  Yet it is very clear that you and Dax are related. You’re both so naive, always trying to be do-gooders, Xander smiles. It’s like you two can’t see what you are really doing: killing everyone. You both think you are so righteous. Xander’s mind throws daggers at mine.

  I place my mental block up, unable to listen to any more of his words. My mind feels scarred with him in there; these scars will never heal, either.

  “Do you really think blocking me out of your mind will stop the truth?” he asks as he steps closer to me.

  “Leave me alone.”

  “So weak.” Xander shakes his
head, disappointed. “Today you will see the results of not following orders. I will lash your friend until he can no longer stand. Then I will slit his ankles and wrists, letting him bleed to death, and the whole world will watch. His blood will be on your hands, and if you disobey any more of my orders, the rest of your family will face the same fate because of you,” the words pour from his mouth like liquid poison, killing everything in its path: my family.

  “Now get out of my sight. I have executions to prepare for.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  Heavy emotional music drifts into our preparations room, where the other Hosts, Bazis and I have been held for the last unbearable hour, waiting for the ceremony to begin.

  I wanted every second of that time to slow down into a lifetime. Instead, time felt as if it was racing by.

  “It’s time,” Frances says as she stands by the doorway, Luther by her side. I have not seen Adohnes, and don’t want to, since he betrayed us last night. “Remember what Adohnes taught you. Be graceful, ladies.”

  Luther’s face lights up even more than I thought was possible at Frances’s words. “Remember what I taught you, be the opposite of the Hosts,” Luther mocks as he opens the door, allowing the cheers and music to drown my thoughts.

  The Bazis lead the group with the older Hosts. The rest fall into our Cueva order, following the Bazis toward the music. The volume has become ear-shattering.

  The hallway is stuffy, the cool air replaced with the intense heat emanating from all the bodies.

  The front of the line disappears to the side, revealing the stadium.

  I’ve never seen this many people in one place. The stadium is brimming with cheering people, and the sound is sickening. People as far as the eye can see are circling the field, over which the seats tower. Everyone is excited, standing and cheering toward us, as if this is a joyful event, which it’s not. They’re here to watch the murder of an innocent man. I knot my hands forward with my two fingers resting over the back of my hand as Lowell’s would when we were sneaking a stolen touch from one another.

  The girls move toward the rows of open seats reserved for the Bazis and Hosts. We are going to be seated around the Chancellor and his wife as their personal jewels.

  In an unthinking state, I follow. Madison walks behind me.

  Here, take this seat, Skylier, Dax’s thoughts drift into mine.

  I sit down in the seat in front of Dax as he told me to, unable to accept that I’m going to have to sit here through this. I can’t.

  Oh Dax, you have to get Lowell out of here… they are going to kill him. Xander told me.

  I know… I know… but I don’t know how. I spin around to face Dax. I can see the guilt in his face as my eyes glaze over. I’m sorry, he mouths.

  A gasp of acknowledgement that Lowell is going to die escapes from my lips. I lower my head in my lap, trying to make myself believe this isn’t going to happen.

  Skylier, we have to get you out of here. Dax's mind says.

  My mind pauses.

  Skylier?

  Xander told me how they will kill him: they will lash him until he’s unconscious, and then slit his ankles and wrists until he bleeds to death.

  I’m sorry, Skylier, but we have to get you out of Purenet, Dax's mind says.

  Xander has a message for you, I tell Dax. I hate the voice of Xander’s mind running through mine, but even more than that I hate the words he says.

  If you try to take me, Xander will do the same to my family.

  I lower my head into my lap, trying to block out Xander’s words, but the more I try, the clearer his voice is.

  I have one month, I tell Dax, one month…

  The music in the stadium blocks out any more thoughts, which I’m grateful for. It steals Dax’s pleas to escape with him and Xander’s torture threats.

  The relief from the thoughts doesn’t have a chance to lighten my heavy head before Xander and Shristi walk into the stadium. After a moment of sickening cheering from the crowd, it falls silent as Xander lowers his hands.

  Xander and his wife, Shristi, stand in the middle of the stadium, reveling in their control over the Sanction. His voice bounces off the speakers around the stadium, spitting lies about Lowell.

  The crowd chants for the death of those that tried to defy the Sanctions.

  “Skylier, it’s Lowell,” Madison says, hesitating with disbelief. Her hand rests on top of mine.

  All I can do is nod.

  Guilt weighs me down as I see Lowell walking into the Stadium surrounded by guards. It feels like demons have gripped hold of my stomach and want to drag me away for torture. I wish they would kill me instead of Lowell. The scars on his face are a testament that the punishment began before he was sentenced.

  You animal, leave him alone! It’s me you wanted and you have me, my mind pleads Xander.

  Too late, my little Host, Xander replies back.

  Xander begins to address the waiting audience eager to listen to his foul words. I try to block them from my mind.

  “Just remember our rules: Attempted murder of an Untouchable receives the highest punishment… Death,” Xander announces, to the reply of soft whispers. The chanting begins, “Kill them… kill them.” The crowd gets louder. “Kill them… kill them!”

  Save them… Save them, I plead to all those that can hear my thoughts. I’m an Untouchable; I give you my life for Lowell’s. I give you my life.

  Someone in the crowd lets out a blood-curdling scream. I look down toward Lowell with dread, but the person’s reaction isn’t from what they have done to Lowell. He’s looking toward the screams along with everyone else in the stadium. Before I can pinpoint the source, more screams come from the other side of the stadium.

  The people in the stadium begin to panic. A scream comes from behind my seat. It’s the Chancellor. A Bazi with pure white hair flows over him, her hair violently thrashing as she moves back and forth, muffling the Chancellor’s screams.

  She leans back, and I can see it’s the older Bazi that didn’t want to go into the Selection room. Her knuckles are glowing white, and she’s gripping a dagger. Crimson blood drips down from the dagger onto the Chancellor, the drops a tiny drop in the ocean of blood seeping through his white uniform. She stabbed him.

  “Skylier, come with me,” Dax begs.

  “No. Find Otis and come back.”

  I will come back for you.

  Gunshots ripple through the stadium. Before I have a chance to change my mind, Dax is running toward Lowell with the Bazi that stabbed the Chancellor.

  Madison’s arms fling round me, pulling us closer together.

  “We have to get out of here,” Madison says, trying to pull me from my seat.

  I shake my head. “Not until Dax and Lowell are safe.”

  “Are you crazy? Look at the place, it’s chaos!” Madison’s hot breath whispers into my ear. “You can get out without them seeing.”

  Madison is right. I watch the chaos explode around me and lean forward as a guard knocks Dax to the ground as he gets to Lowell. They struggle, and Dax overpowers the guard.

  “It’s not that easy. Xander said he would hurt my mother and Callie,” I tell Madison.

  Xander’s body crumbles down in the center of the stadium and he doesn’t move. Dax sprints to his side.

  I peer between the people running out of the stadium. I can just make out blood on Xander’s white uniform. He’s been shot in the leg. Please let him be shot in the heart as well. I can’t see any more wounds. Dax reaches up and grabs something from Shristi, then runs alongside Lowell out of the stadium toward freedom. Lowell is safe; Xander can’t get him now.

  The sight of Lowell running free brings calmness to me. I couldn’t save him, but our friends did. I don’t have his blood on my hands. They will save me as well. Dax will come back for me.

  Skylier, stay there, I’m coming for you, Rian’s mind projects into mine.

  Where are you? my mind asks.

  I spin around looking
for Rian. It’s hard to find anyone, since everyone is trying to flee from the attack.

  Here. His arm shoots up in the air. Xander has been shot, and the Chancellor looks like he’s dying behind you. Now is our chance, Rian’s mind spills out.

  He’s right.

  “Help… help,” high-pitched screams come from behind me, louder than the other screams coming from the stadium as chaos breaks out. It’s the Chancellor’s wife.

  Her face is emotionless as the screams come from her mouth. The Chancellor’s face is the same: He’s crying out in pain without any expression on his face. Even with the world crumbling in around them they can’t show it.

  His white uniform is stained with the blood seeping from several jagged cuts. Surely he can’t live.

  “You! You’re the reason for all this. You turned my son against me,” the Chancellor says between growls of pain as he spots me.

  “You turned him against you, not me,” I reply.

  “How dare you speak to the Chancellor like that?” his wife snaps.

  She’s right. How could I have said that? He might still survive. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

  You will be, the Chancellor’s voice yells in my head.

  I stare at him. He’s my father.

  You can hear me? his mind says as his eyes fill with greed.

  “Girls, girls, follow me,” Frances yells, breaking my stare. She’s standing on the stairs, ushering the girls out of the stadium.

  In the chaos I hadn’t noticed Madison is being forced forward by the crowd of people rushing toward Frances.

  “Madison,” I call.

  Her hand reaches out to mine, but is quickly knocked down as the guards rush past Frances toward the Chancellor and me.

  “Skylier, come on,” Rian says, taking my hand and pulling me in the opposite direction.

  “Gavyn, contain that girl,” the Chancellor orders a guard as his bloody finger points toward me. His eyes are filled with hatred.

  A white-suited guard with warm brown skin reaches forward toward me, but Rian grabs me away from his grasp.