into the brain； the optic nerves； the ear canals。 She was very quick； very firm in her movements。 Soon；
only one small segment of her glistening body was visible。
“Well done；” he whispered to her； knowing that she could not hear him。 The human girl was the one with
ears； and she still slept soundly。
It was a routine matter to finish the job。 He cleaned and healed the wound； applied the salve that sealed
the incision closed behind the soul； and then brushed the scar…softening powder across the line left on her
neck。
“Perfect； as usual；” said the assistant； who； for some reason unfathomable to Fords； had never made a
change from his human host’s name； Darren。
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter； processtext/abclit。html
”
“You’re only doing your duty as a Healer。”
“This is the rare occasion when Healing creates an injury。”
Darren began to clean up the workstation。 He didn’t seem to know how to answer。 Fords was filling his
Calling。 That was enough for Darren。
But not enough for Fords Deep Waters； who was a true Healer to the core of his being。 He gazed
anxiously at the human female’s body； peaceful in slumber； knowing that this peace would be shattered
as soon as she awoke。 All the horror of this young woman’s end would be borne by the innocent soul
he’d just placed inside her。
As he leaned over the human and whispered in her ear； Fords wished fervently that the soul inside could
hear him now。
“Good luck； little wanderer； good luck。 How I wish you didn’t need it。”
CHAPTER 1
Remembered
Iknew it would begin with the end； and the end would look like death to these eyes。 I had been warned。
Notthese eyes。My eyes。 Mine。 This wasme now。
The language I found myself using was odd； but it made sense。 Choppy； boxy； blind； and linear。
Impossibly crippled in parison to many I’d used； yet still it managed to find fluidity and expression。
Sometimes beauty。 My language now。 My native tongue。
With the truest instinct of my kind； I’d bound myself securely into the body’s center of thought； twined
myself inescapably into its every breath and reflex until it was no longer a separate entity。 It was me。
Notthe body；my body。
I felt the sedation wearing off and lucidity taking its place。 I braced myself for the onslaught of the first
memory； which would really be the last memory—the last moments this body had experienced； the
memory of the end。 I had been warned thoroughly of what would happen now。 These human emotions
would be stronger； more vital than the feelings of any other species I had been。 I had tried to prepare
myself。
The memory came。 And； as I’d been warned； it was not something that could ever be prepared for。
It seared with sharp color and ringing sound。 Cold on her skin； pain gripping her limbs； burning them。
The taste was fiercely metallic in her mouth。 And there was the new sense； the fifth sense I’d never had；
that took the particles from the air and transformed them into strange messages and pleasures and
warnings in her brain—scents。 They were distracting； confusing to me； but not to her memory。 The
memory had no time for the novelties of smell。 The memory was only fear。
Fear locked her in a vise； goading the blunt； clumsy limbs forward but hampering them at the same time。
I’ve failed。
The memory that was not mine was so frighteningly strong and clear that it sliced through my
control—overwhelmed the detachment； the knowledge that this was just a memory and not me。 Sucked
into the hell that was the last minute of her life； I was she； and we were running。
It’s so dark。 I can’t see。 I can’t see the floor。 I can’t see my hands stretched out in front of me。 I run
blind and try to hear the pursuit I can feel behind me； but the pulse is so loud behind my ears it drowns
everything else out。
It’s cold。 It shouldn’t matter now； but it hurts。 I’m so cold。
The air in her nose was unfortable。 Bad。 A bad smell。 For one second； that disfort pulled me
free of the memory。 But it was only a second； and then I was dragged in again； and my eyes filled with
horrified tears。
I’m lost； we’re lost。 It’s over。
They’re right behind me now； loud and close。 There are so many footsteps！ I am alone。 I’ve failed。
The Seekers are calling。 The sound of their voices twists my stomach。 I’m going to be sick。
“It’s fine； it’s fine；” one lies； trying to calm me； to slow me。 Her voice is disturbed by the effort of her
breathing。
“Be careful！” another shouts in warning。
“Don’t hurt yourself；” one of them pleads。 A deep voice； full of concern。
Concern！
Heat shot through my veins； and a violent hatred nearly choked me。
I had never felt such an emotion as this in all my lives。 For another second； my revulsion pulled me away
from the memory。 A high； shrill keening pierced my ears and pulsed in my head。 The sound scraped
through my airways。 There was a weak pain in my throat。
Screaming；my body explained。You’re screaming。
I froze in shock； and the sound broke off abruptly。
This was not a memory。
My body—she wasthinking！Speaking to me！
But the memory was stronger； in that moment； than my astonishment。
“Please！” they cry。 “There is danger ahead！”
An elevator shaft。 Abandoned； empty； and condemned； like this building。 Once a hiding place； now a
tomb。
A surge of relief floods through me as I race forward。 There is a way。 No way to survive； but perhaps a
way to win。
No； no； no！This thought was all mine； and I fought to pull myself away from her； but we were together。
And we sprinted for the edge of death。
“Please！” The shouts are more desperate。
I feel like laughing when I know that I am fast enough。 I imagine their hands clutching for me just inches
behind my back。 But I am as fast as I need to be。 I don’t even pause at the end of the floor。 The hole
rises up to meet me midstride。
The emptiness swallows me。 My legs flail； useless。 My hands grip the air； claw through it； searching for
anything solid。 Cold blows past me like tornado winds。
I hear the thud before I feel it。… The wind is gone。…
And then pain is everywhere。… Pain is everything。
Make it stop。
Not high enough；I whisper to myself through the pain。
When will the pain end？ When… ？
The blackness swallowed up the agony； and I was weak with gratitude that the memory had e to
this most final of conclusions。 The blackness took all； and I was free。 I took a breath to steady myself； as
was this body’s habit。My body。
But then the color rushed back； the memory reared up and engulfed me again。
No！I panicked； fearing the cold and the pain and the very fear itself。
But this was not the same memory。 This was a memory within a memory—a final memory； like a last
gasp of air—yet； somehow； even stronger than the first。
The blackness took all but this： a face。
The face was as alien to me as the faceless serpentine tentacles of my last host body would be to this
new body。 I’d seen this kind of face in the images I had been given to prepare for this world。 It was hard
to tell them apart； to see the tiny variations in color and shape that were the only markers of the
individual。 So much the same； all of them。 Noses centered in the middle of the sphere； eyes above and
mouths below； ears around the sides。 A collection of senses； all but touch； concentrated in one place。
Skin over bones； hair growing on the crown and in strange furry lines above the eyes。 Some had more fur
This face I would have known among millions。
This face was a hard rectangle； the shape of the bones strong under the skin。 In color it was a light
golden brown。 The hair was just a few shades darker than the skin； except where flaxen streaks lightened
it； and it covered only the head and the odd fur stripes above the eyes。 The circular irises in the white
eyeballs were darker than the hair but； like the hair； flecked with light。 There were small lines around the
eyes； and her memories told me the lines were from smiling and squinting into sunlight。
I knew nothing of what passed for beauty among these strangers； and yet I knew that this face was
beautiful。 I wanted to keep looking at it。 As soon as I realized this； it disappeared。
Mine；spoke the alien thought that should not have existed。
Again； I was frozen； stunned。 There should have been no one here but me。 And yet this thought was so
strong and so aware！
Impossible。 How was she still here？ This was me now。
Mine；I rebuked her； the power and authority that belonged to me alone flowing through the word。
Everything is mine。
So why am I talking back to her？I wondered as the voices interrupted my thoughts。
CHAPTER 2
Overheard
The voices were soft and close and； though I was only now aware of them； apparently in the middle of a
murmured conversation。
“I’m afraid it’s too much for her；” one said。 The voice was soft but deep； male。 “Too much for anyone。
Such violence！” The tone spoke of revulsion。
“She screamed only once；” said a higher； reedy； female voi