I just finished The Host yesterday and I couldn't hold back. I own nothing.

Chapter 1

I stared at my reflection in the serene pond. The only thing that was peaceful anymore. My face didn't show the pain I felt filling my heart. I was strong, even though I was alone.

My long dark hair was streaked with copper, a trait I had inherited from my mother. Dad always said that I looked exactly like her when she was my age. She was the first to go, though she had died human. I still missed her terribly, knowing that she was watching over me.

A tear trickled down my grimy face from its staring point in my hazel eyes. My father had been the culprit behind that one. He always knew what to do when something went wrong. When he was taken, Garrett and I didn't know what to do. It tore my heart, remembering that vicious smile on the face that was his, but wasn't at the same time.

I had depended on Garrett after that. My strength and will were shaped my him. My brother was always pushing me forward. I always felt safe when I was with him, whether it was in a cave or ducked down in a ditch. When he disappeared, I had to fend for myself. It seems unfair to a fourteen year old.

My slim body was fast and strong, a condition it was forced into from all the running. I could carry at least half my body weight easily. I wasn't sure how tall I was anymore, with no one to compare. But I wasn't the tallest or the shortest. I was somewhere in between.

My clothes were soaked with sweat and dirt. I wasn't sure what color they were anymore. My jeans had rips and tears in them from the brush I always found myself in. My scuffed up tennis shoes were developing holes at the heels. I would have to steal a new pair soon.

I reached for my worn backpack. Its contents clattered as I pulled it along the ground. There had to be a few snacks left. I felt around, pushing aside the medicines I'd managed to take from a small hospital, trying to reach the bottom. My hand wrapped securely around a small granola bar.

My stomach growled for it. I unwrapped it quickly and crammed most of it into my mouth. I moaned at the taste of chocolate-chip. I swallowed down the rest of it, shoving the wrapper into my pack, and pulled out my half-empty water bottle. I took a mouthful and put it back in. I zipped my bag and stood, throwing the straps around my shoulders.

Time to move on.

I walked with long strides, heading nowhere. I didn't have anyplace to go. Just get away from them. The vile creatures that took everyone on this planet. The parasites.

I walked for a few hours in solitude, listening to the crunch of the leaves beneath my feet. Night fell quickly. I found a small opening in the rock. It wasn't a complete cave but enough to keep most of my body hidden.

I stared at the trees, thinking about how lucky they were. Nothing could take them over. They were safe. Everything beside the human race was safe. I was instantly jealous of them. My mind wandered like this for a while before I drifted into an uneasy sleep.

--

I woke to the sound of sirens. Seekers. I jerked to my feet, slinging my pack on, and ran in the opposite direction of the sirens.

It wasn't long before beams of light swirled out into the darkness. This pushed me forward. I could almost hear Garrett's voice in my head, urging me on. "You can do it, Regan." I used the adrenaline pumping through my veins to power my speed. It felt like I was escaping when I stepped in the wrong place.

The steel trap clamped down hard on my right leg snapping the bone. I fell, cracking my head on a rock. My head was throbbing. Tears came to my eyes as the metal dug into my skin. I needed to get free.

I felt down my leg until my fingers came in contact with the metal. I tried to pry it open but, only succeeding in scraping up my fingers. I thought about the medicine in my pack and realized that it wasn't on my back anymore.

I searched wildly through the darkness. It had landed a few feet away, straps torn, its contents slipped over the hard ground. I tried to move a little closer but the pain only got worse. I bit my tongue to hold back my shriek, tasting blood in my mouth. Tears flowed down my cheeks.

A quick flash of light revealed a white canister with in my reach. I stretched, pulling it into my grasp. I waited for the next flash of light to read the label. In bold print, it read Asleep.

Angrily, I threw the canister away. That wouldn't help me now. I needed the No Pain.

I tired to reach my bag again and yelped in pain, failing to hold it back this time.

"Over there." a gruff voice said. Flashlight beams pointed in my direction. Footsteps came closer.

There was nothing I could do. I was stranded on the ground with no way to run. I let them come. Even with my broken leg, I would give them a hell of a fight.

A beam of light went over my bag and the medicine, then found me. I shielded my eyes the best I could.

Somebody sucked in a breath. "What was she doing with all this medicine?" the voice was high pitched, feminine.

"That's what your worried about?" this voice was deeper, masculine. "Look at her leg."

A gasp. "Who put that there?"

"There aren't any hunters in this region." Feet walked around me toward my head. "No Seeker would resort to that kind of cruelty."

I saw his boots right in front of me. I wouldn't have to move an inch to reach him. I felt around for a branch or a stone, something to fight with. My hand closed around on a sharp rock. The tip pricked my finger as I turned it in my hand, the point facing away from me.

Running purely on adrenaline, I jabbed the rock into the Seeker's foot. He yelped and stumbled back. I smiled, looking at the woman. "Are you gonna put me out, or what?"

The woman reached into her pocket and pulled out a small bottle. She removed the lid, exposing a nozzle. She bent down and sprayed a silver mist that tasted like raspberries into my face. I inhaled it, knowing it wouldn't affect me. I'd spent a lot of time building up a resistance to their knock out drugs.

She stood up and stepped back, apparently waiting for the drug to take affect. I faked it. When they try to put a centipede inside me, I'll fight back. My head hit the ground and my breaths deepened. I closed my eyes.

"It's a good thing we're here." the woman said. "Without us, they would have destroyed themselves."

"Yep." the man said shortly. "Let's get her to the car before she loses too much blood."

"We'll have to get the trap off her leg. Do you think Wordy could help?"

A sigh. "Probably. I'll radio him. You see what you can do about her head."

There was a crackle of static. I felt someone crouch down by my head. Soft, warm hands turned my head gently to the right. I felt a soft spray land on my head. The throbbing stopped.

After a few minutes, the three Seekers finally removed the trap from my leg. Then, carefully, they carried me toward their car. They laid me on a cot of some kind. I didn't dare to open my eyes.

I heard the sirens as they drove toward the hospital. We stopped and the doors opened. I peeked out under my eyelashes.

My eyes opened against my will. The face caught my attention, though I knew that it wasn't his anymore. His auburn hair was trimmed and kept out of the way. He had the same hazel eyes. He was paler now, probably from being stuck inside all day. He wore green scrubs that hung loosely on his small frame. This was Garrett, my brother. What was left of him.

I could've died right there. Seeing the solid evidence for myself only made it a thousand times worse than seeing Dad again. I sat up, purposefully not looking at my leg.

I tried to be strong. To not show any emotion but the tears came anyway. I held my head in my hands and sobbed.

I heard him climb into the ambulance and shut the door. I looked up, surprised.

"Regan." he- the thing living inside my Garrett- whispered. He looked so happy to see me. Tears started to form in his eyes. That made me furious.

How could a evil, thoughtless parasite have feelings? They erase us and pat themselves on the back. I swung a punch at the side of its jaw.

It crumpled on the ground. I smiled. I stood, putting most of my weight on my good leg, and flung open the doors. I was so angry, I swear I could've thrown a fire truck across the ocean.

I hopped down onto the concrete. It was still dark. "Monsters!" I screamed. "What did we do to you?! Get off this planet! Leave us alone!"

Some big burly ones tried to hold me down. I punched the one closest to me, twisting my hand to break his nose. I kicked another one in the gut. My leg erupted in pain but I ignored it.

I couldn't see how many there were but I was sure I hadn't even made a dent. I was about to make my next move, when its- Garrett's- voice told them to stop.

That only multiplied my anger. Why would that centipede care about me? Garrett's body pushed its way to me.

"Are you okay, Regan?" Worry was shown clearly in its eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I said, my words dripping in sarcasm. "A stupid trap broke my leg, my head got busted open, and I'm about to be turned into a freaking parasite!"

"Everything's going to be okay."

How cute. It was trying to be comforting. "Shut Up!" I yelled, landing a punch in his stomach. I ran/hobbled away from the scene.

I heard my brother's voice ordering the others to stay back. I heard footsteps behind me. I glanced back. Garrett's body was following me, commanded by something else.

"Stay. Away. From. Me!" I said, making each word a sentence.

It came in front of me. "Just calm down, Reg-"

I cut it off. "Stop calling me that! You're not my brother. You took him from me. Stop putting on this act. I hate you!" I spat in its face and continued walking.

"Listen to me! Please!" It was in front of me again. I stopped. The pain in my leg was getting worse. I didn't know how much more I could take.

"Why should I?" I asked angrily. I threw a punch but it never reached its target. A warm, calloused hand caught it in mid-air.

My eyes traced down the arm to the face. I sucked in a breath. I knew this face. I'd practically known it my whole life.

"Melanie?" I whispered. Our dads were best friends. We'd practically grown up together. Garrett and Melanie were really close and I always played with...

I dropped my hand. "Where's Jamie?"

"He's back in the car. We better get moving."

I looked back at my brother. "Garrett?"

He nodded. "It's me, sis. I'm so-"

He was cut off by my punch. The side of his face was starting to bruise. "Why didn't you tell me?" I demanded. "What happened to you?"

Melanie restrained my arms behind my back. "Calm down, Regan." she said in my ear. "We'll explain later. Let's get you safe first."

She pulled me away from Garrett. I winced. She looked down at my leg. "What happened?" she asked.

"Long story." I said. She let go of me and pulled at my hand. I followed obediently.

We came up to a plain, nondescript mini-van. She opened the back and helped me in. The seats had been removed and I laid on the floor. I heard the door shut and the car drove off.

Sorry for the longness. I had to get it all out. I will still continue this if you like it. Please review!