Melanie's Choice

This was it, I felt it. I knew it was coming. Wanda had planned so carefully, despite my objections. I had been hiding away behind the wall; there was nothing I could do, nothing I could say to her here. It is strange all of this remorse and guilt I feel the day I should be rejoicing. A year ago I would feel like I won, like I had gained my body back, my freedom. Now I ache for Wander, my second soul, my sister. She was so self-sacrificing, which was really annoying and now she's giving everything up: for me.

Perhaps that's the way it's supposed to be. Those souls, body snatchers, invaders, should have never came here and tried to take us over. They were the monsters, right? But all of the times watching Wanda become so… human changed all that. She took on so many friends, friends beyond the ones I loved. It was beyond my memories overcoming her, which might have been how it all started, but now she loves so many humans. She had fallen in love humans and the way we live. It's strange how I could learn so much from this alien invader from another planet.

So here I am coming from behind this wall that blocks me from seeing everything she sees and thinks. I don't need to feel any more of her pain, loss, and misery as she prepares to kill herself to save me. I come out to see her saying good bye to Jared. My Jared. I feel her pain as she hears him say that he loves her and she knows he is lying to appease a one last dying wish before she gives me back to him. It doesn't even hurt that bad to see him say those words to her. Because I know he loves me and where he is sad for Wanderer leaving he will be happy once he gets me back. I will be happy too. But at what cost? Maybe that is how it goes. If I have not learned anything, I learned this. Humans are selfish creatures. I want my life back I want my Jared. I am the selfish one. Wanda is the one who is risking herself for us all. Not just for the few people she cares about but for creatures everywhere. She doing it because she loves humans and she is doing it because she loves the souls and she can't stay here in my body why she is sending others back. And she can't just go in another body and inhabit them like she did me. She's the selfless one.

I hear her tell Jared that I am waiting to see him like this will make me happy. I call her a liar. And she is lying Jared to everyone and maybe even to herself telling herself this is the best thing for everyone. I know it's not. When Jared told her to wait she kept on going through the caves. She ached for Ian more knowing Ian would have a far greater pain then Jared. Jared would get his happy ending soon.

Bye. We both said together. This is it. She is leaving, going away from me forever, she is freeing me, giving me my body back. She is dying for me, for Jared, and for the human race. She hurt's and aches for Ian, I feel the imprints of those feelings they're like distant memories. And now she is gone. I am empty and alone my sister left me.

I feel everything now. I have the power back. I feel the feeling in my eyes. I blink rapidly seeing the small light in the hospital wing of the caves. Doc is staring at me.

"Melanie?"

"Doc." I say as Doc helps me up.

"You're here. It's you?"

Tears fill my eyes.

"Yeah, I've been here the whole time. I know everything." I say this with such hurt behind these words.

Doc looks down on the cave ground, guilty. He should be. What he agreed to do is murder. Well, assistant suicide at least.

I see the Cryotank. That's Wanda. She's there. That small little silver thing is floating around in that blue liquid, waiting to die. I can't stand it. I know that's what she wants. It's not what I want or the Doc or anyone for that matter.

Doc seems to shake himself out of his guilt ridden gaze. He made a promise and he plans to keep it. He's a man of his word which isn't really working for me right now.

"Well, if you've been there the whole time. You know what I have to do. I have to do it in secret before anyone can stop me." Doc said rattled.

He pursed his lips looking at Wanda nostalgically and sighed, "Well, I better do this quickly."

The word "quickly" wrung in my ears. It flooded me with panic and terror. He quickly had to destroy all evidence of my friend. At that moment I knew: I couldn't let him do this. I had to come up with a plan quickly.

So I did what humans do best: I lied.

"Oh, Doc, I can't be here in this room."

"Ok. Oh Wanda told me to tell Jared…"

"I'll tell him. I remember where he is waiting."

"Ok."

"Just wait Doc. Take a breather, you look rattled. You don't want to mess this up. If you do there will be dire consequences."

"Really?"

"Uh yeah. I still have some of Wanda's memories and she's seen what happens when souls aren't buried properly."

"Oh, well, I'll take a samll breather." Doc sits down staring into space. Good I bought myself some time.

I jump up immedtately and walk out of there. As soon as I am out of Doc's sight I run to Jared. Jared is standing there looking down with his hands in his pockets. Then he looks up and sees me.

He then runs to me. we bump in to eachother and embrace. He hugs me and kisses me exasatic. I want to give into his kisses but I'm a woman on a mission and my friend needs me.

I part from him.

"Jared."

"What's wrong Mel? Aren't you happy to see me?" Jared asked actually nervous. That was weird. He's not the type. He couldn't doubt my love for him could he?

"I am. So much. It's just its Wanda. Doc is going to kill her we have to stop him. She'll be dead and buried because of me. She's done so much for me. I can't let that happen. We can't can't let that happen."

Jared cupped my cheek.

"Of course not she gave you back to me. I'll do anything to save her."

Jared then lets go of me and reaches in his back pocket and gets his pocket knife out.

"Come on."

We both ran back to the hospital wing. the Docwas walking toward the Cryotank. Jared went straight for Doc and grabbed him from behind and put the knife on Doc's neck.

"Doc, If I were you I would step away from the tank."

Scared for his life Doc quivered.

"Jared you don't want to do this." Doc said writhing with fear.

"Your right I don't. But I will I you kill her."

"I made a promise. It's what she wanted." Doc said.

Then suddenly I feel a presence behind me. Then I hear Ian speak a bit shocked and confused.

"Jared what the hell are you doing? Wanda what's going on I wake up in the middle of the night and your gone. What's going on?"

I tensed up. I soooo didn't want to do this. For someone who was so brave Wanda was a coward. She should have had the guts to tell Ian the truth and the real truth. But she left me with the privledge. Lucky me.

I slowly turn around.

"Ian."

Ian's face falls so over come with emptiness and sadness. He falls to his knees.

"She's gone! SHE'S GONE!" He cries on my feet.

"She's not gone Ian. She's in the tank." I point to the tank. His eyes stare at the tank like it's the most beautiful thing in the world. He gets up and walk toward it. I follow him.

"She's…"

"Still alive Ian. For now. Judging by Jared's method's of persuasion she'll stay alive until we find her another body."

Jared grasped onto the knife carefully.

"Isn't that right Doc?"

The Doc put his hands up in surrender.

"Hey, I didn't want to do this. I made a promise. She wanted to be buried."

That hurt Ian. He touched the cryotank.

"Wanda. Whay do you have to be so self-sacraficing?"

Jared let go of Doc. Doc touched his free neck releived.

"Now what?" Doc asked.

Now we plan and find Wanda a suitable body. No one knows what Wanda wants more then me. And she really doesn't want to be buried and leave us all. What she really wished was that we both could have our happy ending without hurting anyone."

I lookat Jared and then I look at Ian as I said that.

Then I continued.

"And I think we can."

So there it is Wanda is saved. My once inhabited soul, my sister, and my friend. Humans are selfsih creatures and I will selfishly bring my friend back. No matter what we are friends and friend help eachother. She helped me get my life back and I will do the same for her.