The Host

NARRATOR:

The Earth is at peace.

There is no hunger.

There is no violence.

The environment is healed.

Honesty, courtesy and kindness

are practiced by all.

Our world has never been more

perfect.

Only it is no longer our world.

We've been invaded

by an alien race.

They occupy the bodies

of almost all human

beings on the planet.

The few humans

who have survived

are on the run.

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

(PANTING)

Please.

Come with us.

We only want to help you.

Please be careful.

Please don't hurt yourself.

We don't want to hurt you.

Like hell!

No!

(GRUNTS)

No!

(PANTING)

Barely a bone not broken

or organ ruptured.

I cannot tell you

why she is not dead.

This one wants to live.

Welcome.

I am Healer Fords.

What shall I call you?

You have lived many lives

on many worlds.

A wanderer such as yourself,

there must have been a name.

Call

me

Wanderer.

When will she be able to work?

Not now.

Of course, Healer.

(GASPS)

MELANIE:
No.

No.

No.

I didn't die.

I didn't die.

That's right.

I'm still here.

Don't think this is yours.

This body is mine.

No, mine.

SEEKER:
I don't know how much

you know about this new world.

Almost every human

has been successfully occupied.

As with the other planets

you've inhabited,

we do not change this world.

But experience it.

And perfect it.

What did you think?

Did you think I'd just give up?

However, there are still

pockets of human resistance

that threaten our peace.

Your host was part

of that resistance.

You want me to

locate her memories.

Yes. From those memories,

we can locate other rebels.

MELANIE:
Good luck with that.

But I must warn you.

Most humans fade away, but a

rare few fight their occupation.

Her name is Melanie Stryder.

She was born in Louisiana.

Her family escaped the initial

waves of colonization.

But it was only

a matter of time.

Her father was

discovered alone.

(GUN FIRED)

He took his life rather than

be taken by our Seekers

and risk the lives

of his children.

Melanie has been on the run

ever since with...

MELANIE:
No! Don't say it!

Don't you say it!

Please.

I beg you.

Is she resisting?

Jamie.

His name is Jamie Stryder.

MELANIE:
I hate you.

If only I could hurt you.

I understand why

you are resistant.

You believe that

the loss of your will

is too great a sacrifice.

But we have to think

of the common good.

MELANIE:
Call it whatever you want.

This is murder.

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

One sound and you die.

Do it. I'd rather die.

That's impossible.

You're human.

(GRUNTS)

(GROANS)

JARED:
Come back!

Stop!

Stop!

Wait!

Look! Look! Look at me! (PANTING)

I'm human.

Just like you.

Get off me.

I'm sorry.

My name is Jared Howe.

I didn't mean to scare you.

I haven't spoken to another

human being in two years.

I'm guessing you haven't been

kissed in a while either.

(CHUCKLES)

Melanie Stryder.

I've got someone

waiting for me.

You're not alone?

It's my kid brother.

He's hungry. I ran two hours

to get to this house.

I can give you a ride.

Hey, it's faster than running.

(CHUCKLES) It's even faster

than your running.

(ENGINE STARTING)

MELANIE:
Are you gonna pretend like

you didn't feel something just now?

I know you felt that.

Stop that!

Stop!

(PENCIL CLATTERS)

MELANIE:

What you're doing is wrong.

And you know it.

After meeting Jared Howe,

Melanie and her brother

stayed with him.

They settled in

an abandoned place

yet to be explored

by our souls.

Left, right. (GROANS)

They could almost forget the

invasion happening around them.

You haven't kissed me

since that first night.

Melanie,

you don't have to.

We could be the last ones.

And even if we are,

the last man and woman

left on Earth,

you still don't have to.

I want to.

When you touch me,

it's...

I don't want you to stop.

You should sleep.

Then sleep with me.

All I'm saying is

we have time.

You don't know that.

You don't know if we've

got months or days.

We could be

taken at any moment.

We only have this, now.

SEEKER:
Wanderer? Wanderer?

Wanderer!

Yes, Seeker.

You have not spoken

for several minutes.

They were lovers?

These humans are not like the

other bodies you have inhabited.

They have unusually

strong physical drives.

You have to be vigilant.

Yes.

They saw Seekers nearby.

They were not found,

but knew they had to move on.

They were headed...

I can't see where.

A safe place with others.

Hope...

Before the long journey,

they spent the night in an old

hotel they thought was safe.

Jared was out searching for

supplies for the trip.

Come on. Come on. Come on.

Stay here. Don't move.

I want to go with you.

I'll lead them away

and come right back.

I promise. Come on.

(PANTING)

No!

(GLASS SHATTERING)

MELANIE:
Now you know.

I will do anything.

Go on.

There's nothing more now.

There has to be more.

I will keep trying.

(SIGHS)

Please do, Wanderer.

(DOOR CLOSES)

MELANIE:

No! No, no! Wait! Stop!

You were not meant to see that.

You can't know that!

That could kill them!

Get rid of it. Get rid of it!

Now! Please!

You were not meant to see that.

Quiet.

Quiet.

MELANIE:
Wanderer, please.

(TEARING PAPER)

MELANIE:

After everything you've seen,

how can you still help them?

(VEHICLE APPROACHING)

MELANIE:
Surprise, surprise.

Look who's here.

(CAR DOOR OPENS)

What a pleasant

surprise, Seeker.

Did you follow me?

Only in case you needed me.

MELANIE:
Yeah. Right.

She is so full of it.

What are you doing here?

I thought a change

of scenery might help.

Change.

Wasn't your last planet

completely covered by water?

It's been a week since

you've had new information.

Do you know where they are?

MELANIE:
If you can't

say no, say nothing.

Walk away.

Do you pity them?

The humans?

Don't you?

In your other lives, have you

ever felt anything like this?

They were brutal.

Killing each other.

Killing their planet.

They're lucky they survived

as long as they did.

I do have some good news.

Your identification

of Jared Howe has helped.

There was a sighting. I am

confident we will find him.

No!

MELANIE:
No!

Ah!

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

Seeker, I am so sorry.

I don't know what I was doing.

Perhaps because

you weren't doing it.

SEEKER REED:
We have

put you through enough.

Your host appears

too resistant.

You are going to be re-implanted

into a more compliant host.

MELANIE:
Is he saying

what I think he's saying?

What will happen to this body?

It is time for someone else

to search her memories.

MELANIE:
Her?

You?

Yes.

My body can be held for me.

I will return to it when we

have the information we need.

Then what will happen

to Melanie Stryder?

She will have the death

she originally desired.

Unlike the way humans kill,

it will be done humanely.

MELANIE:

Stop her! Do something!

My Healer has agreed to this?

No. He transferred

to Fort Worth.

Don't feel bad.

You are not the only one.

There are others who have not

had the strength of will.

When? We make the

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