The Humans

"…different, I tell you," a familiar voice was saying.

"Different in what way?" one inquired uncertainly.

"She seemed almost…human."

That's because I am, I wanted to declare. But I couldn't find the will to open my eyes. I feel almost dreamlike. Or am I?

I could feel an enclosure in the atmosphere. A cold, tight space surrounding me. Although I'm craving for my sight to return, I dared not move.

"Jamie, how much chloroform did you give her?" another male voice asked and I felt a hand take my pulse.

"Just enough to last about an hour, Doc," the same, familiar tone answered. Then I recalled him from the forest. Jamie. "You reckon she'd be waking up soon?"

"Yes, I reckon so."

"Then why are we still standing here?" an irritated voice questioned. "You know, I'm only here because of Sunny."

"Why don't you just get the hell out so you could do something more valuable? I think Sunny wouldn't mind letting you do something useful for once," another suggested with a trace of smirk.

"Don't be a hypocrite. Besides, it's the boy's first catch." A shuffling move sounded silently; I assume the man punched the "boy's" arm teasingly or had ruffled his hair.

"It's not a game, Kyle," a woman said rationally. "I'm just glad he's not hurt."

"Mel, I can look out for myself," the boy - Jamie - countered with some dignity.

"You'll always be my little kid."

Numbers of inaudible whisperings shot from various sides after a hollow silence and I stiffened.

These people were like me and I belonged here. Though why do they find me different? Right before I planned to lift my eyelids to tell them that they needn't to be doubtful because I was human, someone spoke.

"She was running," the curious voice uttered mostly to himself. He seemed to be analyzing, "in the woods, by herself. Huh. And she looked like an escapee, you say? I've never heard such actions from a soul."

I am not! I wanted to scream. Now I wasn't going to let anyone delay me from waking up (to their notice), though the next saying made me hesitate.

"We'd better get this over with," someone sighed. "She'll wake up very soon and we might even lose her host. Doc, cut her."

My eyes finally widened in fright as I pondered over the demand. Cut me? These weren't humans.

"Get…chloro…form," "Doc" ordered between his clenched teeth. I was thrashing wildly and did not falter to concede. I hadn't left my family just to end up in the wrong hands.

Especially giving my body for some alien who clearly doesn't belong in it. I am my own soul and I will die with it.

Broad hands locked my arms behind my back and I scowled.

"Let go of me," I breathed out heavily. "Let go of me this instant."

"I can't. Not until you calm down."

I snorted. "Like you would keep that word. Maybe you will, eventually, but I bet you-all would just strap me and turn me into one of you."

Another round of conversations emerged and now, they sounded perplexed. The next moment, a middle-aged man with a disheveled beard stepped from behind the group of people and bent down to meet my eyes. He was smiling, despite of the edgy situation.

"I'm sorry," he bowed slightly. "There must be some misconception."

The hell there is, I thought back, though I was oddly silenced by this man.

"Why don't you tell me your name so we can sort this out?"

I eyed him, wondering if this was a hoax. He surely had the ideal of a soul. He was calm, for one. And awfully friendly. Souls were hardly deceitful, as far as I'm concerned. Even if they were Seekers, they were always straightforward. I scrutinized him for a long minute.

"Well, since you're clearly unsure about this as we all are, I'll introduce us." Some people backed away as the man gestured towards them. He sighed wearily then turned back to me. "I guess I'll just introduce myself. I'm Jeb." He held out his hands as if waiting for me to take it. I stared at it and gawked back at him. Was he crazy?

"Jared, show some respect," he admonished to the man behind me, still grasping my forearms.

"Jeb -" the brawny stature began to disagree but the man in front gave him a piercing look. The hands fell from my arms and I was free, though unmoving.

"My name is Jebediah, but everyone calls me Jeb," he offered his right hand again and figuring that I'd better return the civility, I unwillingly shook it, adding "Nilah Hendrix" to this brief exchange.

"Nilah, nice to meet you. You mind telling me how you ended up in the forest?"

This was direct and for a moment, I admired his gallantry. He was so sure that I would

answer all his queries, though he wasn't the only one who needed answers. I needed to know where I am and what they'll be doing to me.

"What are you?" I asked.

"Why, I'm human." There was a hint of smile in his tone.

"Then why am I here?" I demanded.

"I answered your question before you did mine. I think it's only fair that you answer my previous one first before I reply to yours."

I exhaled in exasperation then decided to believe him for an instant.

"I was caught. Well, nearly. I was stopped for speeding by a policeman and once he let me go, he recalled who I was and we raced through the town for a while. When I was sure that he lost sight of me, I hid my car in some alley then walked through the trees."

"In the night? By yourself?"

"Why so surprised?" I raised my eyebrows.

"For someone like you, that's rather unbelievable."

"Someone like what?"

He was mute for a few seconds, his visage in deep thinking. Of course, I was bemused myself. Were these people actual humans? But they were going to cut my neck up! Instantly, I observed our little audience in the low-lit ceiling below them. They were staring at us from a short distance and it suddenly felt hot in here. Three colossal men were standing beside each of the women. Two of the girls were petite in size and they looked fragile beside the men. The other woman was tall and pretty (they all were) and I noticed that the man beside her was the one who grasped my hands a while ago. I tore my gaze from them and focused mine on the boy I'd encountered in the wild. His skin was tanned and his eyes were looking back at me with curiosity. He was a quite a few inches taller than my sensible height and had soft features that made him affable. I concentrated back at Jeb as his countenance slowly altered in a more fathomable way.

"Are you aware of any humans around, Nilah?" he asked softly.

"Yes," I responded with absolute truth.

"Did you wish to find us?"

"Yes."

Another pause, but a very quick one.

"Are you a Seeker?"

"No."

He inspected my expression and he knew that I was being honest; he nodded in comprehension.

"Are you all humans?" I inquired and he glanced back at his companions.

"With an exception of two," he strode towards one of the short girls - the blond one with beautiful freckles, held out his hand and she willingly took it, then he did the same with the other small, pale girl (or were they older than that?), leading them directly under the light.

My first reaction was trivial shock. Their eyes were like of my parents: silver and permanently implanted of souls. They had been living with humans for who knows how long.

"This is Wanda," Jeb signaled to the blond woman and she gave an angelic beam. It was hard to resist returning the smile. "And this here is Sunny," he motioned to the dark-haired woman and she managed a timid smile.

"Now, we're not going to hurt you," Jeb initiated in the most non-threatening manner.

"We wish to help you."

"How?" I asked.

"By setting you free."

I was about to question what he meant but a tiny hand reached out to mine and I saw the silver of the angel's eyes brighten under the light above us. Then I understood as I saw the light reflect from my own on her innocent face. My special contacts were still intact and they hadn't realized that they were artificial. I stifled a chuckle of glee, not entirely succeeding.

"Is there anything funny?" Jeb raised a dark brow.

"You really are humans, aren't you?" I beamed, "except you two, of course. But the rest of you…Are there more?"

"More out there in the world. But as for here and now, there are quite a few of us. Do you believe us now?"

"I think the question is if you believe me. Would you consider me of being human?"

He pondered and pondered until he spoke, wonder in his eyes.

"Wanda, is it possible?" he addressed to her, his brown eyes fixed on my face.

"I don't know. Doc?" Her voice was surprisingly high, though reasonable since she was so small and fragile-looking.

The tall, slim man surfaced from a dark corner and was mulling over whatever he was struggling to figure. I let them guess a little.

"I suppose she may have subdued the soul?" he deduced indecisively.

"That's exactly what I presumed," Jeb concurred, though they were far-fetched.

I sighed then reclaimed my hand from under Wanda's and began removing my lenses. I blinked several times until my eyes felt no itching sensation then gazed around. They were dumbfounded and all stared at me. I smiled somewhat blushingly.

"Unbelievable," Doc whispered and I gave a trembling grin.

"Well, you better believe it," I said.

"Mind giving us an explanation?" Jeb uttered, curiosity flooding his face.

At the thought of my story, my smile was gone. But this didn't stop me from telling them. They had to know and I trusted them somehow. So I began by saying who and how I was raised.

The invasion started only a few years before I was born. Those years were the first successful attempts of the invading souls in the human bodies. Noah Hendrix and his wife, Kendra, were one of the first ones to have the souls. Since their hosts were already partners, they grew to love each other. Then unexpectedly, that love had led to something more intimate and soon, I was conceived. I flourished over the years with souls and one day came when I wanted to be exposed to a more broad society. They fretted about this terribly and by then, I understood what the world has become. I was miserable - staying indoors like a prisoner. I used to hate myself for being what I am but I was just stubborn. When I was eleven, my father discovered a way for me to blend in and that's when he created my special, "soul" contacts and had formed the scar on my neck. That's when I started to live.

"When did you run away? Or why?" Jamie asked, utterly fascinated.

"About three or four days ago," I responded, looking down at my hands. "My parents' Seeker met me for the first time a few months before. And she was something. She was different from anyone else. Her questions were always about meeting with others like her so she could hunt down any survivors. She's obsessed.

"Though my Seeker's name was rather fitting, we hadn't known she was that determined. Around three nights ago, she came to visit for a nice conversation, which she urged us to have, and that's when she told us about her research and had accidentally found the lenses. I had no choice but to leave and find you."

It became silent as they absorbed the truth. I took a long breath and finally looked up, finding them gazing in awe.

"Do you miss them?" Sunny was the first to speak, to my surprise. I smiled warmly at her and replied, "Very, very much."

And so that's when I regained a family. I wasn't alone anymore and they were somewhat glad to have me. Apparently, I had to repeat my story numerous times, and for months, I've been a permanent guest at Jeb's "house" (which was actually in a desolate volcano). The day came when they've fully trusted me to be part of a raid. My very first.

For months, I've been covered by these caves and now, I'm ready to face the open again. Thankfully, I've hidden my contacts and when I used them outside to take the necessities we need, I no longer felt the enclosure that lingered on my skin. I felt almost normal and it made me reminisce my old life.

As I stepped towards the line of carts beside the entrance of the department store, I glanced around. There weren't many people and I offered to get the two carts Wanda and I needed. I stepped behind one and simultaneously, two hands were placed on top of each other on the metallic handle. I retrieved my hand from under the other and began apologizing, only stopping as I gazed at who the male hand belonged to. I was gazing up at an old friend, Daryl Wildman.

Note: Remember the name "Daryl" from chapter 2?