[科幻]宿主-第68章

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oval　of　the　exit。　I　hesitated；　looking　back　at　the　small　lamp　he’d　left　on　the　floor。　It　was　the　only　light　in　
the　dark　cave。　Was　I　supposed　to　bring　it？

　He　heard　me　stop　and　turned　to　peer　at　me　over　his　shoulder。　I　nodded　toward　the　light；　then　looked　
back　at　him。

　“Leave　it。　I　know　my　way。”　He　held　out　his　free　hand　to　me。　“I’ll　guide　you。”

　I　stared　at　the　hand　for　a　long　moment；　and　then；　feeling　the　urgency　in　my　bladder；　I　slowly　put　my　hand　
on　his　palm；　barely　touching　it—the　way　I　would　have　touched　a　snake　if　for　some　reason　I　was　ever　
forced　to。

　Jeb　led　me　through　the　blackness　with　sure；　quick　steps。　The　long　tunnel　was　followed　by　a　series　of　
bewildering　twists　in　opposing　directions。　As　we　rounded　yet　another　sharp　V　in　the　path；　I　knew　I　was　
hopelessly　turned　around。　I　was　sure　this　was　on　purpose；　and　the　reason　Jeb　had　left　the　lamp　behind。　
He　wouldn’t　want　me　knowing　too　much　about　how　to　find　my　way　out　of　this　labyrinth。　

　

　We　turned　another　corner；　and　the　first　light　reached　us。　Ahead；　a　tall；　narrow　crevice　glowed　with　light　
from　another　room。　This　light　was　not　artificial　like　the　little　lamp　by　my　cave。　It　was　too　white；　too　pure。

　We　couldn’t　move　through　the　narrow　fracture　in　the　rock　side　by　side。　Jeb　went　first；　towing　me　close　
behind。　Once　through—and　able　to　see　again—I　pulled　my　hand　out　of　Jeb’s　light　grip。　He　didn’t　react　in　
any　way　except　to　put　his　newly　freed　hand　back　on　the　gun。

　We　were　in　a　short　tunnel；　and　a　brighter　light　shone　through　a　rough　arched　doorway。　The　walls　were　
the　same　holey　purple　rock。

　I　could　hear　voices　now。　They　were　low；　less　urgent　than　the　last　time　I’d　heard　the　babble　of　a　human　
crowd。　No　one　was　expecting　us　today。　I　could　only　imagine　what　the　response　would　be　to　my　
appearance　with　Jeb。　My　palms　were　cold　and　wet；　my　breath　came　in　shallow　gasps。　I　leaned　as　close　
as　I　could　to　Jeb　without　actually　touching　him。

　“Easy；”　he　murmured；　not　turning。　“They’re　more　afraid　of　you　than　you　are　of　them。”

　I　doubted　that。　And　even　if　there　were　any　way　that　it　could　be　true；　fear　turned　into　hatred　and　violence　
in　the　human　heart。

　“I　won’t　let　anybody　hurt　you；”　Jeb　mumbled　as　he　reached　the　archway。　“Anyway；　might　as　well　get　
used　to　this。”

　I　wanted　to　ask　what　that　meant；　but　he　stepped　through　into　the　next　room。　I　crept　in　after　him；　half　a　
step　behind；　keeping　myself　hidden　by　his　body　as　much　as　possible。　The　only　thing　harder　than　moving　
myself　forward　into　that　room　was　the　thought　of　falling　behind　Jeb　and　being　caught　alone　here。

　Sudden　silence　greeted　our　entrance。

　We　were　in　the　gigantic；　bright　cavern　again；　the　one　they’d　first　brought　me　to。　How　long　ago　was　that？　
I　had　no　idea。　The　ceiling　was　still　too　bright　for　me　to　make　out　exactly　how　it　was　lit。　I　hadn’t　noticed　
before；　but　the　walls　were　not　unbroken—dozens　of　irregular　gaps　opened　to　adjoining　tunnels。　Some　of　
the　openings　were　huge；　others　barely　large　enough　for　a　man　to　fit　through　stooped　over；　some　were　
natural　crevices；　others　were；　if　not　man…made；　at　least　enhanced　by　someone’s　hands。

　Several　people　stared　at　us　from　the　recesses　of　those　crevices；　frozen　in　the　act　of　ing　or　going。　
More　people　were　out　in　the　open；　their　bodies　caught　in　the　middle　of　whatever　movement　our　entrance　
had　interrupted。　One　woman　was　bent　in　half；　reaching　for　her　shoelaces。　A　man’s　motionless　arms　hung　
in　the　air；　raised　to　illustrate　some　point　he’d　been　making　to　his　panions。　Another　man　wobbled；　
caught　off　balance　in　a　sudden　stop。　His　foot　came　down　hard　as　he　struggled　to　keep　steady；　the　thud　of　
its　fall　was　the　only　sound　in　the　vast　space。　It　echoed　through　the　room。

　It　was　fundamentally　wrong　for　me　to　feel　grateful　to　that　hideous　weapon　in　Jeb’s　hands…　but　I　did。　I　
knew　that　without　it　we　would　probably　have　been　attacked。　These　humans　would　not　stop　themselves　
from　hurting　Jeb　if　it　meant　they　could　get　to　me。　Though　we　might　be　attacked　despite　the　gun。　Jeb　could　

　

　The　picture　in　my　head　had　turned　so　grisly　that　I　couldn’t　bear　it。　I　tried　to　focus　on　my　immediate　
surroundings；　which　were　bad　enough。

　Jeb　paused　for　a　moment；　the　gun　held　at　his　waist；　pointing　outward。　He　stared　all　around　the　room；　
seeming　to　lock　his　gaze　one　by　one　with　each　person　in　it。　There　were　fewer　than　twenty　here；　it　did　not　
take　long。　When　he　was　satisfied　with　his　study；　he　headed　for　the　left　wall　of　the　cavern。　Blood　thudding　
in　my　ears；　I　followed　in　his　shadow。

　He　did　not　walk　directly　across　the　cavern；　instead　keeping　close　to　the　curve　of　the　wall。　I　wondered　at　
his　path　until　I　noticed　a　large　square　of　darker　ground　that　took　up　the　center　of　the　floor—a　very　large　
space。　No　one　stood　on　this　darker　ground。　I　was　too　frightened　to　do　more　than　notice　the　anomaly；　I　
didn’t　even　guess　at　a　reason。

　There　were　small　movements　as　we　circled　the　silent　room。　The　bending　woman　straightened；　twisting　at　
the　waist　to　watch　us　go。　The　gesturing　man　folded　his　arms　across　his　chest。　All　eyes　narrowed；　and　all　
faces　tightened　into　expressions　of　rage。　However；　no　one　moved　toward　us；　and　no　one　spoke。　
Whatever　Kyle　and　the　others　had　told　these　people　about　their　confrontation　with　Jeb；　it　seemed　to　
have　had　the　effect　Jeb　was　hoping　for。

　As　we　passed　through　the　grove　of　human　statues；　I　recognized　Sharon　and　Maggie　eyeing　us　from　the　
wide　mouth　of　one　opening。　Their　expressions　were　blank；　their　eyes　cold。　They　did　not　look　at　me；　only　
Jeb。　He　ignored　them。

　It　felt　like　years　later　when　we　finally　reached　the　far　side　of　the　cavern。　Jeb　headed　for　a　medium…sized　
exit；　black　against　the　brightness　of　this　room。　The　eyes　on　my　back　made　my　scalp　tingle；　but　I　didn’t　
dare　to　look　behind　me。　The　humans　were　still　silent；　but　I　worried　that　they　might　follow。　It　was　a　relief　
to　slip　into　the　darkness　of　the　new　passageway。　Jeb’s　hand　touched　my　elbow　to　guide　me；　and　I　did　
not　shrink　away　from　it。　The　babble　of　voices　didn’t　pick　up　again　behind　us。

　“That　went　better　than　I　expected；”　Jeb　muttered　as　he　steered　me　through　the　cave。　His　words　
surprised　me；　and　I　was　glad　I　didn’t　know　what　he’d　thought　would　happen。

　The　ground　sloped　downward　under　my　feet。　Ahead；　a　dim　light　kept　me　from　total　blindness。

　“Bet　you’ve　never　seen　anything　like　my　place　here。”　Jeb’s　voice　was　louder　now；　back　to　the　chatty　
tone　he’d　used　before。　“It’s　really　something；　isn’t　it？”

　He　paused　briefly　in　case　I　might　respond；　and　then　went　on。

　“Found　this　place　back　in　the　seventies。　Well；　it　found　me。　I　fell　through　the　roof　of　the　big　
room—probably　shoulda　died　from　the　fall；　but　I’m　too　tough　for　my　own　good。　Took　me　a　while　to　find　
a　way　out。　I　was　hungry　enough　to　eat　rock　by　the　time　I　managed　it。

　“I　was　the　only　one　left　on　the　ranch　by　then；　so　I　didn’t　have　anyone　to　show　it　to。　I　explored　every　
nook　and　cranny；　and　I　could　see　the　possibilities。　I　decided　this　might　be　a　good　card　to　keep　up　my　
sleeve；　just　in　case。　That’s　how　we　Stryders　are—we　like　to　be　prepared。”

　We　passed　the　dim　light—it　came　from　a　fist…sized　hole　in　the　ceiling；　making　a　small　circle　of　brightness　
on　the　floor。　When　it　was　behind　us；　I　could　see　another　spot　of　illumination　far　ahead。　

　

　I　wanted　to　ask　him　how；　but　I　couldn’t　bring　myself　to　speak。　Silence　was　safest。

　The　floor　began　to　slant　downward　at　a　steeper　angle。　The　terrain　was　broken　into　rough　steps；　but　they　
seemed　secure　enough。　Jeb　led　me　down　them　confidently。　As　we　dropped　lower　and　lower　into　the　
ground；　the　heat　and　humidity　increased。

　I　stiffened　when　I　heard　a　babble　of　voices　again；　this　time　from　ahead。　Jeb　patted　my　hand　kindly。

　“You’ll　like　this　part—it’s　always　everyone’s　favorite；”　he　promised。

　A　wide；　open　arch　shimmered　with　moving　light。　It　was　the　same　color　as　the　light　in　the　big　room；　pure　
and　white；　but　it　flickered　at　a　strange　dancing　pace。　Like　everything　else　that　I　couldn’t　understand　in　this　
cavern；　the　light　frightened　me。

　“Here　we　are；”　Jeb　said　en