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Wanderer finds herself attending some extra ‘rehab’ sessions, although her Comforter, Kathy, notes that she’s missed quite a few of her regularly schedules ones. Wanderer is definitely not faring well with the souls’ version of the ’12 step program’. Melanie is still in her head and this makes Kathy and Wanderer quite restless. Kathy’s solution is for Wanderer to explore some social horizons.
Wanderer admits that she doesn’t really talk to anybody outside of school. Kathy reasons that maybe that’s why she’s having such difficulty focusing on anything else, as she has nothing to distract her. Kathy is convinced that if Wanderer goes out with some friends, Melanie will get bored (kind of like a 3rd wheel who can’t leave). Wanderer agrees that it makes sense, and then Kathy talks about the most difficult things the souls had to conquer when taking over the humans: the mating instinct (a.k.a. hormones!).
Wanderer is totally confused, Cathy attempts to explain the obvious, then she proceeds to tell Wanderer that the dreams she is having do not count and that she should go find a real man. “It might do you a lot of good.”
Melanie is disgusted by this and Wanderer expresses that disgust, but she reassures Kathy (and herself) that Melanie does not control her. The conversation then turns to Jared which makes Melanie even more present. “Perhaps they’ll find Melanie’s love,” Kathy says, “and then you can be together. If his feelings are as fervent as hers, the new soul will probably be amenable.” Wanderer flips out and runs for the door, thinking thoughts that she is sure cannot be hers, but they sure feel like they are.
As Wanderer flees from the Comforter’s house, she finds her way back to hers and who is there, lurking in the shadows? Our favourite friend: The Seeker. Wanderer is on the verge of throwing up and the Seeker insists that they must go find a Healer, but Wanderer refuses. The Seeker keeps insisting and Wanderer starts to contemplate combat. She would win, after all.
The two go indoors (the Seeker, uninvited). While the Seeker berates Wanderer with nonsense, Wanderer recalls the day when she’d first woken in Melanie’s body. She remembers the conversation between Fords and the Seeker, and how it was not a very pleasant one. This Seeker definitely has the tendency to irritate those around her.
“Why are you here?” Wanderer asks the Seeker, although she knows the Seeker is there for more intel. Wanderer doesn’t have any, other than what she already told the Seeker in an email. It’s not enough for the Seeker and she wants more. She wants locations, directions, a map; information that Wanderer doesn’t have. All Wanderer really can find is a series of lines and curves. A pathway? A map? She doesn’t know. And Melanie won’t let her. It’s clear, however, that these “lines” lead to Jared and Jamie.
The Seeker is not amused, and questions Wanderer’s ability and supposed track record. She brings up the past and here we learn a little bit about another species: The See Weeds. We learn that their planet take-over did not go as well as planned due to a mass suicide. Melanie salutes them. That is no surprise, for they were able to do what she attempted: kill themselves off rather than be slaves to the souls.
Wanderer just wants the Seeker to leave her alone already. She tries to set up an exit cue, reinstating that she doesn’t have any more information at present, but the Seeker is damn persistent. Their conversation, and the chapter, finishes with the Seeker telling Wanderer that she may as well stick close to her and hope that she gets lucky, dwindling any chance Wanderer had at a social life.
