This is my first Host fiction, and it's been dancing around in my head for a few days, so don't be scared if I'm updating this like crazy for a little bit. I hope you like it, so please leave any comments, suggestions, or whatever you want!

Disclaimer: All the characters in the Host belong to Stephenie Meyer!

For a while now, I've been stumbling around in the desert, praying to God that either the souls that had invaded our planet would just disappear, or I would die at the mercy of Mother Nature, and in the least harmful way. Although I don't think going without food and water for three days really aids my plea, but the least I can do is ask. I have no reason to live anymore. All I ever cared about and loved was snatched from me, while I was miles away in the most remote desert plain in Arizona, running for my life. I was powerless to stop them, and had wanted with all my heart to turn around and run straight back and be taken too. I was only wandering aimlessly in the sweltering heat as a favor to Mom, who had told me to run for it, and leave her and my dad behind. I could see it had taken as much conviction from her to and convince me that this was what was best for me; for us.

Right. Best for us.

Was leaving the two people I loved most in the world in the hands of those liquid body-snatchers really what was best for us, let alone me? Did they really believe that I could be happy amongst these souls, living out the rest of my life secreted from the world, cut off from civilization, without them by my side? What kind of twisted, warped thinking was taking place in those heads of theirs?

Whatever it was, it was the reason why I was sitting under the minimal shade of a palo verde tree. It had stood alone in this wasteland; nothing surrounded it except barren dirt. That was like a lighthouse to me, guiding me to a more comfortable resting place. At least I would die under protection from UV rays.

My body took heed to start cooling down once I was fully set on dying in that spot. I wouldn't have to keep exhausting it anymore, make it move while it screamed for nourishment. My impending death brought on a feeling of complete relaxation, and for the first time in a few days, there was an inkling of hope in me. I would be in God's hands, safe away from the souls forever. That got me thinking; when a soul intrudes upon a human being, what happens to that human? I knew enough from witnessing it firsthand that the body stayed intact, all except for the silver gleam that the eyes took on. But what about the soul? Did it stay in the body, or did it ascend into the heavens? Part of me wanted to believe that there was a chance, however slight, that once a body was occupied the soul could still live on, and fight back. The thought made me smirk; it would be like trying to break out of prison by shooting down the warden.

I sat there, for God knows how long, just watching the almost nonexistent breeze lightly tussle the leaves of the palo verde, making them dance and jitter. It was a pleasant sight to watch; a perfect end to my life. I must have gone out of my mind in a few hours, because soon I was giggling hysterically at the leaves and clouds passing by. For some reason I thought one to look like a rabbit on a unicycle, and I had to clutch at my sides to control my laughter. This was surely indicating that I was close to dying, finally.

As I stared out into the distance, I thought I could see a small speck of black coming towards me. Even if I squinted my eyes the illusion wasn't any clearer.

"Just a mirage, probably," I said to a baby quail that had appeared next to me. It was obviously looking for it's mother, but I was glad to have some company before I passed on, even if it couldn't understand why a deranged sixteen year old was suddenly speaking to animals like they were close friends of hers.

After my illuminating conversation with the quail, I checked the black spot again. Funny, it seemed to have gotten bigger. Like everything else in the desert, it made me start to laugh uncontrollably. That seemed to make the black thing come forward at a quicker pace. Soon I could distinguish...people?

"Crap!" I yelled. The baby quail was startled by my outburst and disappeared; I had more pressing things to worry about than a scared little bird. That black formation couldn't be made of people! They had to be souls! As much as I wanted to die, I did not want to die at the hands of those soul-suckers. I looked around wildly for a hiding place, but what exactly did I expect to find? I started to pray that a giant rock would be formed right in front of me so I could conceal myself. But it was just the wishful thinking of a lunatic.

I could hear them shouting now. They were getting closer and closer by the second; if I didn't know any better, I'd say they were sprinting towards me.

"I think I see her!"

"Is she alive?"

"Is there water in the canteen?"

There was no use in trying to hide now. In about five minutes, I'd be in the hands of the enemy. Oh well; it wasn't exactly the death I'd planned, but it was death as it was. I wasn't exactly in the position to be picky about that sort of thing.

Soon two people separated from the clan; they were running faster than the others. As they came, I could see that they were men, both about six feet tall, and that they were lean and muscular.

"Kyle, I can't tell if she's alive or not!" one of them shouted.

"Did you get the canteen from Jeb?"

"Got it! C'mon Kyle, faster!"

In another minute, I was looking up into two pairs of deep blue eyes. Of human eyes.