I eased away from them, into the shadows.
“Don’t call me that!” the woman sobbed. “That’s not my name! It’s hers, it’s hers! Don’t say it again!”
I’d gotten the wrong name.
Mel objected to the guilt that washed through me. It’s not your fault. Summer is a human name, too.
“Of course not,” Doc promised. “What is your name?”
“I—I—I don’t know!” she wailed. “What happened? Who was I? Don’t make me be someone else again.”
She tossed and thrashed on the cot.
“Calm down; it’s going to be okay, I promise. No one’s going to make you be anyone but you, and you’ll remember your name. It’s going to come back.”
“Who are you?” she demanded. “Who’s she? She’s like… like I was. I saw her eyes!”
“I’m Doc. And I’m human, just like you. See?” He moved his face into the light and blinked at her. “We’re both just ourselves. There are lots of humans here. They’ll be so happy to meet you.”
She cringed again. “Humans! I’m afraid of humans.”
“No, you’re not. The… person who used to be in your body was afraid of humans. She was a soul, remember that? And then remember before that, before she was there? You were human then, and you are again.”
“I can’t remember my name,” she told him in a panicked voice.
“I know. It’ll come back.”
“Are you a doctor?”
“I am.”
“I was… she was, too. A… Healer. Like a doctor. She was Summer Song. Who am I?”
“We’ll find out. I promise you that.”
I edged toward the exit. Trudy would be a good person to help Doc, or maybe Heidi. Someone with a calming face.
“She’s not human!” the woman whispered urgently to Doc, her eye caught by my movement.
“She’s a friend; don’t be afraid. She helped me bring you back.”
“Where is Summer Song? She was scared. There were humans.…”
I ducked out the door while she was distracted.
I heard Doc answer the question behind me. “She’s going to a new planet. Do you remember where she was before she came here?”
I could guess what her answer would be from the name.
“She was… a Bat? She could fly.… She could sing.… I remember… but it was… not here. Where am I?”
I hurried down the hall to find help for Doc. I was surprised when I saw the light of the great cavern ahead—surprised because it was so quiet. Usually you could hear voices before you saw the light. It was the middle of the day. There should have been someone in the big garden room, if only crossing through.
I walked out into the bright noon light, and the giant space was empty.
The fresh tendrils of the cantaloupe vines were dark green, darker than the dry earth they sprang from. The earth was too dry—the irrigating barrel stood ready to fix that, the hoses laid out along the furrows. But no one manned the crude machine. It sat abandoned on the side of the field.
I stood very still, trying to hear something. The huge cavern was silent, and the silence was ominous. Where was everyone?
Had they evacuated without me? A pang of fear and hurt shot through me. But they wouldn’t have left without Doc, of course. They would never leave Doc. I wanted to dart back through the long tunnel to make sure Doc had not disappeared, too.
They wouldn’t go without us, either, silly. Jared and Jamie and Ian wouldn’t leave us behind.
You’re right. You’re right. Let’s… check the kitchen?
I jogged down the silent corridor, getting more anxious as the silence continued. Maybe it was my imagination, and the loud thumping of my pulse in my ears. Of course there must be something to hear. If I could calm down and slow my breathing, I’d be able to hear voices.
But I reached the kitchen and it was empty, too. Empty of people. On the tables, half-eaten lunches had been abandoned. Peanut butter on the last of the soft bread. Apples and warm cans of soda.
My stomach reminded me that I hadn’t eaten at all today, but I barely noted the twist of hunger. The panic was so much stronger.
What if… what if we didn’t evacuate soon enough?
No! Mel gasped. No, we would have heard something! Someone would have… or there would be… They’d still be here, looking for us. They wouldn’t give up until they’d checked everywhere. So that can’t be it.
Unless they’re looking for us now.
I spun back toward the door, my eyes darting through the shadows.
I had to go warn Doc. We had to get out of here if we were the last two.