Chloe doesn’t speak again for sometime. When she finally does, she asks, “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I thought you knew. You hear my thoughts. Although perhaps I haven’t thought about this since the mosquito.”
“You should have told me,” she wails. “I’d never have let you stay if I’d known.”
Before I can respond, she continues. Her voice is brittle as she says, “Only I guess that wouldn’t have made any difference. By the time I knew you were here, it was already too late, wasn’t it?”
Salt water begins seeping from our eyes. It stings.
“I hate you,” Chloe says.
I find this surprising. “Why?”
“Why? Why?” Her voice rises shrilly. “You’re going to kill me, and you think I should be fine with that?”
Our body convulses with sobs.
“It’s not,” Chloe gasps between sobs, “not our body! It’s mine.”
“But it’s only a body,” I say. “I’m not killing you, Chloe. Only this body will die.”
“You’re crazy!” she shrieks. “If my body dies, I die.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” I tell her. “Your life energy will simply move on. Perhaps to another body or—”
“I don’t want another body. I want this one. I like it here. I am my body. Or it’s me. Whatever. You’re evil, Welkin. Evil!”
I find myself remembering Professor Float’s instructions. He did stress the importance of suppressing the host. Had I gained control in the first place, I wouldn’t have to deal with this hysterical reaction. “Chloe.” I make myself speak slowly as I point out the obvious. “Your body will die soon anyway. It will grow old and cease being operational.”
“No,” she says. “Not for a long time. A lifetime. My lifetime. I want my life, Welkin. I want it here.” She pats our chest. “Right here. In this body I was born with.”
“But—”
“I have dreams, Welkin. I want to travel the world. Climb mountains. Run races. Ride a bike and ride in cars and on boats and trains and airplanes and… and horses. I want to get my own kitten and swim in the ocean. Visit the Louvre in Paris. And fall in love with someone who loves me back.”
I try again. “But—”
“No! I need more time with the people I love right here and now. My friends and family. If what you say is true about life energy going into bodies, then mine must have come into this one for a reason. I’m supposed to be here. I’m supposed to have this life.”
She may have a point.
“An excellent point, Welks. You have no right to take this life away from me. There must be some way you can leave without killing me.”
There is no way. When my energy entered her body, it bound itself to hers. It’s a process that I don’t fully understand. Energy, especially life energy, is a mystery even to Universals.
“Then,” Chloe says sadly, “there’s only one solution, Welkin.”
For once, I know what she’s thinking. “You want me to stay with you until…?”
“Until the end. I don’t want that, Welks. But if it comes down to a choice between dying now or having you share my whole life,” She shudders, then draws a deep breath. “I choose to live.”
I’d fail bioethics class. Again. But at least I’d have a short break before having to repeat it. Again. Still, the thought of being stuck inside the confines of this body is depressing. “Are you certain you want to stay here?” I ask.
“Absolutely,” Chloe says.
“It’s a difficult choice,” I say.
“Do you remember when you started telling me about time, Welkin? Just now I heard you thinking my lifetime would be a short break for you. So I’m wondering. How long do Universals live?”
“How long? I don’t know. I’ve never known one to stop existing.”
“You live forever?” she asks.
“Forever is a peculiar concept. Very difficult to grasp. And time flows differ-ently in my dimension. In human time, I estimate I came into being when those pyramid tombs on Earth were built.” I pause before adding, “And I’m still a juvenile.”
“Welkin! You’re ancient.” Chloe shakes our head. “So my lifetime compared to yours is super short?”
“Yes. I can guess why you’re asking about that. If I stayed for your human life, it wouldn’t take much of my time.” I don’t say it, but there are other factors to consider. For one, there could be a reason her life energy belongs in this body. It could have a purpose here. Going further, part of that purpose could be the effect it has on other lives. No life exists without affecting others. And finally, as primitive as she is, I’ve come to care for Chloe.
“So you’ll do it? Omigod! Thank you, Welks!” She springs to our feet and twirls us around.
“Stop that,” I tell her. “You’re making us dizzy.”
She stops abruptly. “Sorry. If you stay, I’ll try to stop being so bossy. With my—with our body.”
That doesn’t sound like Chloe.
“I know,” she quavers. “But if you don’t like what I’m doing, you could just…phhtt. Go.”
“Chloe,” I say, “if I stay so you can finish your life here, will it truly be yours if you live in fear of me leaving?”
“I’m not ready to die,” she says. “So I’ll have to try to keep you happy.”
That seems wrong. This situation has become complicated. “I must ponder the variables, Chloe.”
She sighs so deeply that our entire body trembles. We slowly sink down onto the bed. Once again, she passes considerable time in silence. Eventually, she says, “Okay, Welks. You know how I feel. I want to live. I’m going to count on you agreeing that this is the right choice. So,” she says as she stands, “we’re going to the dance.”