The Host: Mind, Body and Soul

Top_Kat · Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 2:12 pm Post subject: Changeling

OK, this is my first atempt at a fanfiction. I will warn you my spelling and grammer are poor, but not terrible. I came up with this idea while reading the parts of the origanial stoy that dealt with things that happened during the invasion. Let me know what you think!
-Kat-

Oh! And one more thing the first part here is from the point of veiw Stands Again. At lest thats the name he is useing now!

Soiux City SD

13 MAY 09:50 hrs Year 7 of the Occupation

It’s all about being pleasant. No complaints, no whining, no pained looks. It’s harder then it looks. Trust me. I spend my day smiling and being pleasant to the parasites that come in to my convenience store. Scanning their “purchases” waving as they pump gas, I even put hotdogs in the little roller grill. Oh, yeah, and fill the bun warmer. Souls love warm buns. I am just another happy soul enjoying his calling. Sure that’s me.

How I manage to pull off my charade is in part due to some special lenses implanted in my eyes. At lest that’s how it was explained to me. They didn’t relay get into the process. There are a lot of things I don’t remember. They have messed with my head a bit too. Memory blocks in places, creepy things like that. For all I know I am some kind of Manchurian candidate.

I am always watching, noting how many seekers there are around, their patrol habits etc. I also am keeping an eye on the other inhabitants of the area. Numbers, resources, locations, the works. I also am tasked with establishing contact with any non-infected human survivors. Not that I think there are any left.

Reporting my findings is so simple it’s almost stupid. The aliens have left the infrastructure pretty much intact. I just drop a coded message into an e-mail account. Yeah, an important military mission, success important to the handful of folks remaining on this earth, and I get orders and deliver reports via hotmail.

I start the coffee machine and stock the coffee creamer sugar and packets. Cups next. A soul can’t have crumby convenience store coffee with out cups, and lids too. Yeah…Gotta do the smile and nod. Yep, we are all friends here! Dealing with most of ‘em isn’t so bad. Its kinda like actually working at a quicky-mart and needing the job. Just have to keep the frustrations off my face. If those murderous worms notice anything is off, I am dead, and probably some other folk if they can drag anything out of my mind.

I look up as the bell dingles on the door. I bring a grin to my face as my most dangerous customer walks in. Katrina’s face lights up when she sees me and hurriedly walks over. Before they came I would have never associated an attractive woman as a serious danger. No mistake, she is. A seeker I can deal with, I deal with several. Most of them just grab some coffee, sandwiches or what ever. Obligatory best pals grins and small talk and out the door.

I take in Katrina’s form as she approaches. The body she wears is easy on the eyes. 5’ 3” tall, long strawberry blond hair. Her figure is a little on the plump side but in the right places. Curves, like a real girl should have. Dressed in jeans and tee shirt, ponytail bobbing as she walked. Each step of her sneakers bringing her closer, I am now in the most danger I’ll face all day.

As she arrives she touches my left arm. I react with a little jolt and feel my face flush. I have a dual feeling of terror and attraction blast though my body. Fear and desire, lust and revulsion, all these heady emotions make war from with in. She always does this to me.
Does she sense my feelings of fear and revulsion? Is my secret out?

She smiles and looks up at me. My eyes are drawn to her beautiful face and light blue eyes. For a moment I’m pulled in, dazzled by them. Then I notice the hint of silver there, the tell-tale sign of alien possession. I keep the silly grin plastered on my face.

“Stands!” she says excitedly. “I am so glad I caught you here!”
I reply with a chuckle. “Where else am I going to be? I suppose I could be visiting with Banks Left…” I trail off. Banks host is an elderly woman who used to sing in a church choir. Her calling is music, so the former Bat makes good use of her voice. Great singing, just not overly attractive. It scares me how I sometimes think like them.

Katrina lightly taps me on my arm. “I hope I am more interesting then that.” She says as she steps closer, cornering me in the coffee area. I can feel the heat radiating from her body. It sends a chill down my spine. Fear and desire, smelling of a light floral perfume.

I duck my head and feel my face change color. “Infinitely more interesting, I would say.” With out realizing it I have mimicked he gesture by touching her arm.

Katrina smiles even wider, if that were possible. “We are having a cookout out at the lake this evening. The people from work and our families…” She pauses now, almost as if she is unsure. “Will you come with me?” She rushes out almost as one word.

I look at her for a pregnant second and blink. Regaining the power of speech I quietly reply “Sure, I would like that.”

Quick as lighting she lets out a squeal and closes the last few inches separating us. As she wraps her arms around me I hear her say “I love you!”

My response to that is to close my eyes and pull her tighter to me. I don’t trust my voice. Fear and desire, lust and revulsion.

thehostwriter · Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 8:33 pm Post subject:

wow. I really like it. It's very well written and you use the emotion and everything so well.
_________________
If you like, I can get you a soul to occupy and take over your body. You'll be the host.

I love Ian O'Shea!!!!

Team TWILIGHT and Ian because Jared is a jerk and cuz everyone is awesome and Jacob is the greatest best friend. Razz

EMMETT CULLEN IS MINE!!!

Top_Kat · Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 4:11 pm Post subject:

Thanks! I am going to start on the next "chapter" today. I am thinking of doing it from Katrina's point of view, or perhaps one of the other charicters I have planed. It's hard towrite this type of thing 1st person! lol I also have a couple of things I have to work out yet too, like if Katrina has an idea that something is different about poor confused Stands.

KAT

Top_Kat · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 10:03 pm Post subject: Changeling Chap. 2

Again Stands POV

Pine Lake 17:45 hrs

I am standing on a dock, and the cool breeze makes me glad I have the protection of my jacket. Mid May is a fine time of the year, the days warm with welcome sunshine. It is quite comfortable tee shirt weather. But the evenings are still cool. Given the sun falling behind clouds or a breeze then the chill returns. It pays to carry a jacket.

It seems souls still pursue activities like fishing. To this end I am casting a line into the icy waters in an attempt to catch something. I have always questioned the intelligence of any creature that can confuse a strange piece of wiggly plastic for something it eats every day of its life. I guess no one has ever accused a fish of being overly smart, legends of Celtic salmon aside.

I suppose marine intelligence is restricted to dolphins. Or perhaps some whales. I wonder if the souls have ever thought of infecting dolphins? I hope not.

I wonder, is accepting Katrina’s invitation like accepting a proposal of sorts? Sometimes souls have some strange takes on customs. She said people from work and their families. The fact they stay with their host bodies families is so strange. Anyway, her workmates and their “families” are here. I must have nerves of steel, or brains of jello. Probably jello.

Katrina is a dispatcher for emergency services. Once that would have been firemen, cops, paramedics, etc. It still is, really. Except for the fact that there are no more police or sheriffs departments. Just seekers. I suppose Katrina is a seeker. The dispatchers station is in the old sheriffs dept building, along with the seekers.

It’s hard to imagine sweet, kind, loveable Katrina as a murderous seeker. I can’t see her as a monster. I can see beyond the lust I often feel for her flesh. Yes, that attraction is there and very strong. But I also enjoy her. The part that I talk to, make jokes with. The person that is caring and smart. I have a hard time seeing her as a monster. A murderer.

In my mind I know its true, she had to at lest kill the young woman whose body she uses. I assume she did anyway. It is possible that the poor girl is still inside silently screaming. Feeling violated in the most extreme manner. That is the part that makes me feel so conflicted about Katrina. Shortly after every hug or kiss, I wonder, is some poor girl feeling violated? God, emotionally I am a mess. Got to think about the mission…yeah like that feels any better.

I finally give up the pretense of fishing and walk back to the picnic shelter. They are all laughing and having a good time. A bunch of seekers with their partners and their hosts’ children. The whole lot infected. I suppress a shudder and plaster a smile on my face. Hey, we are all friends here, right? Seekers keep us safe from wild humans! No danger here. Just the safest place to be.

Sarcasm is what allows me to function here, just as long as I can do it with a straight face. The key is they don’t suspect something like me. As long as I keep up appearances, I probally could do this for years. I suppose I will for the rest of my life.

“Stands! How do you want your burger?” Will calls out. He is one of the Seekers. His mate is in the body of an Asian woman and goes by the name Floats Above. She’s a former Dragon. She operates a florists shop. I have gathered all kinds of information like that.

“Make mine medium well please.” I answer. Katrina is heading towards me with my favorite soft drink in her hand. She knows me, but how well? I guess she knows Stands Again, not the inner me.

“One medium well coming up!” Will calls out with a dopey grin and flash of silver reflecting off his eyes.

“Catch any fish?” She asks as she hands me the drink. As usually she is grinning. God, that smile, I love her but I shouldn’t. I love a monster.

I put an arm around her as I accept the beverage. “No, no fish dinner for us.” I pull her tight. How could she be a monster? I pull her tighter and plant a kiss on her forehead.

The meal is actually quite good. Burgers, potato salad, deviled eggs, lemonade, and other picnic foods. After eating we gather near the old stone fire place at one end of the stone picnic shelter. A fine fire is warming us. I even feel relaxed. Katrina is snuggled up close. I actually feel happy and content for a brief moment.

“Stands, Have you ever thought about coming back? To the Seekers I mean, well we could use you.” Will looks at me with a serious face, waiting my response.

My blood runs cold. Thoughts race through my head, what does he know, what does he suspect? Am I found out? I calm myself to answer him.

“I haven’t really thought on it.” I say. “I don’t know.” I hope that came out evenly. Part of my cover story was that I was a retired Seeker. Supposedly to cover any unusual behavior.

I try to look nonplused by his comment but with all those Seekers looking at me I have a shudder that I can’t suppress. Did I give myself away? Fear shoots through my body.

“That’s ok, Stands. I understand, really I do.” Will quietly replies. “We all understand.” His face looks sincere, but then again Seekers can lie far better the normal Souls.

“Sure. If you will excuse me, I am going to get a blanket from the car.” I extract myself from Katrina’s arms and rise to my feet. She has a confused look on her face. I look down at her and push a strand of hair back behind her ears. “I’ll be right back.”

I walk past the group ignoring their confused looks that turn from me to Will. As I head down the hill to the parking area I can hear him starting to explain.

“He was a Seeker, you know, in the beginning. Well, in the fighting the Humans captured him.” There is a pause and I think I can hear a gasp behind me. I can feel all those silver eyes drilling holes in the back of my head.
“They had him for awhile.” Will continued. “They tortured him and experimented on him, trying to remove him from his host.”

Behind me I can hear more astonished gasps. Then the sounds of movement.

“Let him have a minute Honey.” I can hear Floats Above saying. “You have to give him a chance to pull himself together.”

I get down to the car and pull a couple of blankets out of the trunk. I guess if they suspected I would be dead by now. Or at lest in custody. I also know something. Will looked for me in their records.

After a few minutes I return with the blanket and sit next to Katrina. She stays mostly quiet and snuggles real close and holds me tight. It feels good and I relent. For the rest of the night I am not troubled by thoughts of who all may be in Katrina’s head. I just let myself be comforted and loved, enjoying the feeling and warmth.

stepheniemeyerisamazing · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:55 am Post subject:

omg...this is good...really good...please please please finish it...=)...thanks a bunch kat
_________________
TEAM EDWARD AND IAN...because Jared is a jerk and Jacob stinks...=)

Pet · Seeker Joined: 28 Jul 2008 Posts: 295 Location: the origin

wow! i love it so far.
well done.
_________________
team ian & team jacob

Top_Kat · Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2008 6:45 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the encouragement! I am working on the next bit now, I am still considering some things I want to do with a couple of the charicters. Ahh Katrina. What to do with her?!

Top_Kat · Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2008 3:25 am Post subject:

25 June Year seven of the occupation. 17:00 hrs
Stands point of view.

I am becoming more comfortable around Katrina. Part of me screams of the danger. I may slip… The Funny thing is that some days I almost forget that I am not a Soul. I can’t really forget, it is always at the back of my mind. But at times I don’t think about it. I even feel like I am one of them. Scary.

I turn the steaks with a pair of tongs and listen to the meat juices drip into the coals. The sent of grilling sirloin makes my mouth water. Off to the side I have a couple of hotdogs for the twins. East Wind and Sunrise. Children that aren’t hosts. They aren’t going to be hosts, ever. Will was adamant about that. I was surprised when I had heard that this was permitted.

We are watching them because their parents are taking a weekend trip to Des Moines for a Jazz festival. And I suppose they need a break too. East and Sunny are well behaved kids. Real sweet, but a pair of two year old girls can be a handful.

Katrina and I are now considered partners; I am not sure what I think of that. It helps my cover and it gets me access to more information. I also now admit I have very strong feelings for her. My mission, I can’t let my feelings get in the way of my mission.

After the day playing with kids in the backyard all afternoon a “post game” nap goes over well. East Wind falls asleep in my arms so I lay her down on the sofa. Her silky black hair fanning out in a cascade across the cushion. She just looked adorable.

I look over to see that Sunrise is sleeping in Katrina’s lap, still clutching her stuffed turtle. She is smiling. It seems that she is almost glowing. She just looks over at me and says “Don’t you just love children?”

I feel a great deal of emotion well up in my chest. My throat is tight. “Yeah, aren’t they some thing?”

My God, there may be a chance. Some kids may get a chance to live. I don’t know what to make of this.

Sorry, a short one. I have had a busy weekend.
The good news is the police found my bike. The bad news is that its in several pieces, some of wich are missing.

Mostly fluff, but setting a stage for the next step of the story.

-Kat-

WishingWantingWilling · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 7:58 pm Post subject:

ur a really good writer ^^
i love reading fanfics =]
_________________
~WISHING that i was a parasite
~WANTING an Ian of my own
~WILLING to give a lot for these things

Ian is #2

'click click' mwahah

Top_Kat · Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2008 2:43 pm Post subject:

Thanks, Wishing. I hope you enjoy them. I have another one today. It's just were some action is starting. This one is Stands pov,but I do promise the next bit is in Katrina's point of view. I had to work some stuff about her out before I wrote from her pov.

Top_Kat · Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2008 2:47 pm Post subject:

01:00 hours 28 June Year 7 of the occupation.

I drive down the lonely highway in the early morning darkness. I see few cars on the road, not surprising since I am getting into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We used to call it the UP when I was a kid. I was born there near Marquette. Almost a Cannuk. Now I am returning.

I got the message 2 days ago and decoded it twice. I never expected to get activated for an assignment after so long. I half wondered if I was reporting to an automated system, a ghost in the machine. I wouldn’t have been surprised if it had turned out that I was all that was left of the operation. The reply I got to my confirmation changed my mind of that.

As I come around a corner I catch the blurred form of a deer darting out of the underbrush along the roadside. I swerve narrowly missing a jack pine. Man that’s got my heart pounding. I am so wired up. Damn. I got to get it under control.

I am supposed to be on a fishing trip with a friend of mine from before. Some guy I knew before coming to earth. It seemed weak to me. Katrina didn’t buy it, or at lest I didn’t think she did. It’s not like she can suspect what really is up. I feel bad; she had a hurt look on her face. I think she thinks I am either leaving or cheating. Or maybe I am wrong. I only play the part of a soul. I truly don’t know how they think. I will say this, when in a human host they seem to behave very human like. Defiantly human in emotion, if nothing else. The hurt look on her face, the tear I thought I saw….

I pull into a motel parking lot. Several trucks and SUV’s are lined up with various rooms. I go into the office and check in. As instructed I use the name Wind Chaser. Tonight I am a former Bat from the singing world. Sadly some times my daily fictions are more real to me then the truth. I could sometimes swear that I have some memories of the Singing world or Mists planet.

The Girl behind the counter is friendly in the manner of all souls. Seeing that I am from out of state she laughs and tells me that the brown trout are running in good numbers. Lots of fishermen are coming into the area. Large trout are being caught when the fly hatches are on the river.

I pick up my suitcase from my station wagon. Actually it’s Katrina’s, I am only borrowing it. My car was a little to old for this long of a trip. It’s a pre-invasion minivan. I walk up to the door and balance both bags in one hand so I can open the door. I step into the dark room and fumble for the light switch. It doesn’t seem to work.

I step into the room to drop the bags and see if I can find another light. As I start to move the door swings shut blocking out the light from the parking lot lights. A hand comes over my mouth and a gun is put to my head. I am pushed forward as a dim light flickers to life on top of the table.

I stare in shock for a few moments. Seated there is a man, a non infected man, his eyes a plain brown. On top of that I know him. The years have been a little hard on Col. Abernathy. Worry lines crease his forehead and his hair is a lot sparser and more grey then I remember it. In the last 7 years he has aged 15.

As I regain my senses he speaks. “Glad you could make it, Williams. Well, if you are Williams.” He gives me a warm grin, “No offense son, but I can’t just check the color of your eyes. This will just take a second.”

I remember the last bit from the war; it was how we confirmed identity near the end. It made it hard to send orders up and down the chain of command but it was the only way to be sure. I remember the Colonel shooting his Ex O in the head when he proved to be infected.

The third man in the room approached with a canister. “Just breathe this in soldier,” he said as he sprayed a mist in my face. It sort of smells like berries, and things fad out to blue.

Top_Kat · Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 10:45 pm Post subject:

Katrina’s POV

I tried not to cry. I really tried. Why does he need to go alone? Who is this Water’s Song person? Why can’t I meet them? Are they a former partner? Is he going to be with them? NO! He can’t be leaving! He just can’t!

His face looks troubled. Is that guilt? He approaches and wraps me in his arms. My thought is tight.
“I love you, you know that, right?” My voice sounds rough with my fear. Please! Can’t you feel this too?

He squeezes me tight. I can feel him slightly trembling. He puts his cheek against mine. “I love you too,” he whispers into my ear. “I won’t be long, just a week or so.”

He pushes me back a little. “As soon as I get back we will take a trip of our own….’Trina, don’t worry. I’ll visit Water’s and, well it will be ok. I just have to do this alone.”

“Why…I just don’t understand. I want to be with you. Why can’t I meet your friend?” I ask. I feel the tears start. It just makes no sense. Why doesn’t he want me there? Something has to be wrong! What is he hiding from me? Would he rather be with the Water’s person?

He gets quiet, and I can see strong emotions working across his face. It’s a complex mix, hard to read.

“Do you trust me?” He asks. He touches the side of my face. “I will just be gone a short time. I…its not like I would…ever” he pauses seeming at a loss for words. “Please trust me” He pleads. “I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you.” He seams so earnest. I want to believe him. I have to!

I watch as he pulls away in our car. I try to smile and wave but it is half hearted. Can’t he see my heart is breaking? Please! Just stay, just take me with you! Stands!

As our car takes him away I stumble back into our home, broken hearted. All I can do is sob.

Top_Kat · Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 10:48 pm Post subject:

This one is short, but I was just trying to get Katrinas pov across. How she feels about the seperation, and the begining of her suspisions.
So, what do y'all think?

WishingWantingWilling · Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 1:52 am Post subject:

i think its a good idea to hav her pov too =]
_________________
~WISHING that i was a parasite
~WANTING an Ian of my own
~WILLING to give a lot for these things

Ian is #2

'click click' mwahah

Top_Kat · Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 3:48 am Post subject:

I will update with the next new chapter soon. Sorry for takeing so long.
Forgot my flash drive today. Sad