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How much longer would I have the feeling of a hand warm around mine？ When was the last time I
No。 Not yet；Mel whispered。
I was suddenly trembling。 Ian’s hand tightened again； and so did Jared’s。
We walked in silence for a few moments。
“Kyle？” Sunny’s timid voice asked。
“Yes？”
“I don’t want to go back to the Bears。”
“You don’t have to。 You can go somewhere else。”
“But I can’t stay here？”
“No。 I’m sorry； Sunny。”
There was a little hitch in her breathing。 I was glad it was dark。 No one could see the tears that started
rolling down my face。 I had no free hand to wipe them away； so I let them fall onto my shirt。
We finally reached the end of the tunnel。 The sunlight streamed from the mouth of the hospital； reflecting
off the dust motes dancing in the air。 I could hear Doc murmuring inside。
“That’s very good；” he was saying。 “Keep thinking of details。 You know your old address—your name
can’t be far behind； eh？ How does this feel？ Not tender？”
“Careful；” I whispered。
Kyle paused at the edge of the arch； Sunny still clinging to his side； and motioned for me to go first。
I took a deep breath and walked slowly into Doc’s place。 I announced my presence in a low； even
voice。 “Hello。”
The Healer’s host started and gasped out a little shriek。
“Just me again；” I said reassuringly。
“It’s Wanda；” Doc reminded her。
The woman was sitting up now； and Doc was sitting beside her with his hand on her arm。
“That’s the soul；” the woman whispered anxiously to Doc。
“Yes； but she’s a friend。”
The woman eyed me doubtfully。
“Doc？ You’ve got a few more visitors。 Is that okay？”
The woman hesitated； then nodded cautiously。 “Okay；” she whispered。
“This is Ian；” I said； motioning him forward。 “And Jared； and Jeb。” One by one； they walked into the
room and stood beside me。 “And this is Kyle and… uh； Sunny。”
Doc’s eyes bugged wide as Kyle； Sunny attached to his side； entered the room。
“Are there any more？” the woman whispered。
Doc cleared his throat； trying to pose himself。 “Yes。 There are a lot of people who live here。 All…
well； mostly humans；” he added； staring at Sunny。
“Trudy is on her way；” I told Doc。 “Maybe Trudy could…” I glanced at Sunny and Kyle。 “。 。 。 find a
room for… her to rest in？”
Doc nodded； still wide…eyed。 “That might be a good idea。”
“Who’s Trudy？” the woman whispered。
“She’s very nice。 She’ll take care of you。”
“Is she human； or is she like that one？” She nodded toward me。
“She’s human。”
This seemed to ease the woman’s mind。
“Oh；” Sunny gasped behind me。
I turned to see her staring at the cryotanks that held the Healers。 They were standing in the middle of
Doc’s desk； the lights on top glowing muted red。 On the floor in front of the desk； the seven remaining
empty tanks were piled in an untidy heap。
Tears sprang to Sunny’s eyes again； and she buried her face against Kyle’s chest。
“I don’t want to go！ I want to stay with you；” she moaned to the big man she seemed to trust so
pletely。
“I know； Sunny。 I’m sorry。”
Sunny broke down into sobs。
I blinked fast； trying to keep the tears from my own eyes。 I crossed the small space to where Sunny
stood； and stroked her springy black hair。
“I need to talk to her for a minute； Kyle；” I murmured。
“No； no；” she begged。
“It’s okay；” I promised。 “He’s not going anywhere。 I just want to ask you a few questions。”
Kyle turned her to face me； and her arms locked around me。 I pulled her to the far corner of the room；
as far from the nameless woman as I could get。 I didn’t want our conversation to confuse or frighten the
Healer’s host any more than she already was。 Kyle followed； never more than a few inches away。 We
sat on the floor； facing the wall。
“Jeez；” Kyle murmured。 “I didn’t think it would be like this。 This really sucks。”
“How did you find her？ And catch her？” I asked。 The sobbing girl didn’t react as I questioned him； she
just kept crying on my shoulder。 “What happened？ Why is she like this？”
“Well； I thought she might be in Las Vegas。 I went there first； before I went on to Portland。 See； Jodi
was really close to her mother； and that’s where Doris lived。 I thought； seeing how you were about Jared
and the kid； that maybe she would go there； even when she wasn’t Jodi。 And I was right。 They were all
there at the same old house； Doris’s house： Doris； and her husband； Warren—they had other names； but
I didn’t hear them clearly—and Sunny。 I watched them all day； until it was nighttime。 Sunny was in Jodi’s
old room； alone。 I snuck in after they’d all been asleep for hours。 I yanked Sunny up； threw her over my
shoulder； and jumped out the window。 I thought she was going to start screaming； so I was really
booking it back to the jeep。 Then I was afraid because shedidn’t start screaming。 She was just so quiet！
I was afraid she had… you know。 Like that guy we caught once。”
I winced—I had a more recent memory。
“So I pulled her off my shoulder； and she was alive； just staring up at me； all wide…eyed。 Still not
screaming。 I carried her back to the jeep。 I’d been planning to tie her up； but… she didn’t look that
upset。 She wasn’t trying to get away； at least。 So I just buckled her in and started driving。
“She just stared at me for a long time； and then finally she said； ‘You’re Kyle；’ and I said； ‘Yeah； who
are you？’ and she told me her name。 What is it again？”
“Sunlight Passing Through the Ice；” Sunny whispered brokenly。 “I like Sunny； though。 It’s nice。”
“Anyway；” Kyle went on after clearing his throat。 “She didn’t mind talking to me at all。 She wasn’t afraid
like I’d thought she’d be。 So we talked。” He was quiet for a moment。 “She was happy to see me。”
“I used to dream about him all the time；” Sunny whispered to me。 “Every night。 I kept hoping the
Seekers would find him； I missed him so much。… When I saw him； I thought it was the old dream
again。”
I swallowed loudly。
Kyle reached across me to lay his hand on her cheek。
“She’s a good kid； Wanda。 Can’t we send her someplace really nice？”
“That’s what I wanted to ask her about。 Where have you lived； Sunny？”
“Just here and with the Bears。 I was there five life terms。 But I like it better here。 I haven’t had even a
quarter of a life term here！”
“I know。 Believe me； I understand。 Is there anywhere else； though； that you’ve ever wanted to go？ The
Flowers； maybe？ It’s nice there； I’ve been。”
“I don’t want to be a plant；” she mumbled into my shoulder。
“The Spiders…” I began； but then let my voice trail off。 The Spiders were not the right place for Sunny。
“I’m tired of cold。 And I like colors。”
“I know。” I sighed。 “I haven’t been a Dolphin； but I hear it’s nice there。 Color； mobility； family…”
“They’re all so far away。 By the time I got anywhere； Kyle would be… He’d be…” She hiccuped and
then started crying again。
“Don’t you have any other choices？” Kyle asked anxiously。 “Aren’t there a lot more places out there？”
I could hear Trudy talking to the Healer’s host； but I tuned out the words。 Let the humans take care of
their own for the moment。
“Not that the off…world ships are going to；” I told him； shaking my head。 “There are lots of worlds； but
only a few； mostly the newer ones； are still open for settling。 And I’m sorry； Sunny； but I have to send
you far away。 The Seekers want to find my friends here； and they’d bring you back if they could； so you
could show them the way。”
“I don’t even know the way；” she sobbed。 My shoulder was drenched with her tears。 “He covered my
eyes。”
Kyle looked at me as if I could produce some kind of miracle to make this all work out perfectly。 Like
the medicine I’d provided； some kind of magic。 But I knew that I was out of magic； out of happy
endings—for the soul half of the equation； at least。
I stared back hopelessly at Kyle。 “It’s just the Be