It was still dark but I surely didn't have enough time to return to the cave. I checked that with Jared, trying to keep our voices as low as possible so that we didn't discover anything to Nate or Burns. Jared appeared to be very serious and I could still hear the words "fake peace" in my head, but I could see through him and his happiness was as hidden as contagious. My happiness, however was not hidden, every human not corrupted by souls means a little bit more of hope.
- So… Nate? Burns? – My voice sounded a little bit too high since I had been whispering with Jared before. – Mm… I don't mean to be annoying or upset you but, what's your story? How does a human and a soul come together? - I already knew one answer but I was sure it was not the only one.
- I guess that not every soul is the same as the others, uh? I saw how Wanda looked at me, she is scared because I lived in Fire World. Maybe she was a flower, right? –
He stopped there, intriguing us or maybe thinking, remembering, was he nostalgic?
– Living in Fire World doesn't make me a monster, when I went there I didn't know I was actually… I was eating someone else – It was hard for him to put it into words, I could easily see that – I didn't mean to harm anyone but when I learned it I understood what our hosts were doing. I don't know if they did it before or not…but they are so smart! They made us leave because we cannot find a way to survive without murdering someone else every time we need to eat. They were there all the time, they were controlling us and not the other way round. That's when I understood how hosts feel. They even became murderers in order to not become souls. – He was somehow furious, with himself, with other souls, with the system that has been stablished between souls – That is the reason why I came to Earth, so that I could help humans… even if by doing so I had to steal one more body, to be a parasite again. –
I was still processing everything he said, trying to put in order a whole bunch of emotions, including feelings related to Wanda.
- Wow… I really didn't know you felt like this. Mm... Thanks? – I was still confused and everyone there could tell that. – Wanda is a unique soul, she has been a flower, but she has also been a bat and a bear and… Well, I don't even know all of them. You should give her a second chance before you judge her. I did and I'm so glad I did. – I could hear the anger in my voice, it was unintended but it was there, no one was going to hurt Wanda, she was my savior and my sister, she was part of me, although not literally anymore.
- Well, well, I'm sure Burns didn't mean to upset you either Mel, in the end, you're the one who asked – Jared smiled openly to me – Don't mind her, she is very protective… sometimes. – He smiled again and got me melting. That smile. I saw it many times before, even a short while ago but that smile has always made me smile and fell in love with him all over again.
- Burns, man, you're always messing around! – Nate laugh hard, as if it was the last time he would laugh it felt like a shower in hell, such a great laughter, full of hope and dreams.
I reached out the big blanket that had previously covered the car where Ian and Wanda left and put it over the flattest part of the floor, as an improvised picnic. I was hungry, probably every one of us was, so I went to the farthest end of the cave where we had some dried food and a few tanks of water. I took one, a few cans of beans and some chocolate bars. When I turned around they were already sitting on the blanket, chatting happily. I watched a bit, it was something I loved to do, not really understanding what they said but hearing their laughs and looking at them, those where the memories I kept, as in a drawer, for when I was lonely. When I sat they were silent again and I felt like I could tell them my story.
- I was caught. – I realized it was the first time I was telling this to anyone. I handed in the cans and the cholate bars – By the seekers. I tried to kill myself before they caught me, I jumped from a building but it wasn't enough. Then it's all black in my memory… until Wanda was inserted in me. She was controlling me, it was so frustrating, I hated her at first but then I made her love Jamie, my brother, and Jared, as much as I did. Until I could finally bring her to my uncle Jeb. I really didn't know where he was or even if he was alive or if Wanda was eventually going to betray us – I stopped there, it was not easy to tell it, I brought back all the painful and joyful memories. Nate and Burns were silently enjoying the food – But then, he found us, he was really curious and he was the only one who wanted to keep us alive in the beginning. Wanda and I were prisoners for a few days. But they couldn't keep an eye on us every minute there, that's why Jeb started to bring us to their usual activities. Wanda, well Wanda was in this body, which I understand is not as friendly and sweet as her body now. With time everyone trusted her, Ian fell in love with her and in the end she confided in Doc with the soul's secret. – I saw the surprise in Burns face, he couldn't believe Wanda would do that, the judgement was so strong… they haven't even spoken one sentence. – Yes, that is when she decided to leave my body. She wanted to die, to be buried here but we didn't allow her. Finally, we found her a new body, with a weak host. She says she has no memories of a time where the body was human. – I saw relief on Nate's face and a deep understanding in Burns'.
- Well, I guess we'll have to give her a chance, uh? At least 'cause she's the sweetest girl we've ever seen? – Nate was again joking. His shiny smile was comforting for Burns. I could see that. What could be their relationship? They really didn't seem alike, I discarded brothers and family, but I didn't dare to ask.
Burns' ginger hair sparkled with the sunshine slipping through the cracks of the cave. That's when I saw how tired they both were, how really worn out they were. They have already finished the beans and chocolate. Jared stood up to fetch two more blankets and gave one to them. Winter was already sinking in. He sat beside me and covered both of us with the blanket
- Guys, you should sleep. We'll take care of you. – Jared was already acting as if they were family but I guess they were, human means family.
Both of them laid on the floor, they instinctively laid one beside the other, covered with the blanket, and hold their hands. My guess was right, they were not brothers but partners. Love was more beautiful every time I saw it.
