Extract taken from 'The Host' a novel by Matthew James
Beth Travers couldn't sleep. It was two weeks since Sadler had turned into The Lizard, ever since then she had been having nightmares. Nothing could take them away, no amount of relaxation, Prozac, sleeping tablets, or Irish Whiskey before bed, could shift them. The nightmare was always the same, she was back in the office of Paul Sadler's at Bainbridge Institution. She would read Sadler his rights, and then he would become The Lizard, and then an opening would form in the wall behind him.
She then would find herself running into a cavern with The Lizard behind her, she could feel hot and foul smelling breath on her neck, Sadler was inches from her. Then she would hear a voice no longer Sadlers' clearly shouting, “The host is dead. You are the next one. The Master comes".
Before her would be a spaceship.
It was always at that point she woke, in a cold sweat, screaming. Tonight was no different, she switched on the night light, noticed all her bed clothes were on the floor, and then got out of bed to pick them up.
On a sudden impulse, she reached over to her bedside cabinet and opened the top drawer, from there she took out a wad of business cards, held together by an elastic band, and took one out. For about ten minutes she gazed at the card letting the words there run round her head:
"Sensitive and caring service. 24 hours per day and every day
Confidentiality assured"
Yes, she thought, I will ring. Besides I need to talk to someone. She dialled the number, heard it ring three times and then a recorded voice speak: “This is Carole Masters... I cannot come to the phone right now... Please leave you name and phone number after the tone...Thank you for calling."
Beth slammed the phone down, and then on a second thought picked it up again, ringing instead the mobile number also on the card. It was answered on the fourth ring, "Hello, Carole Master.. hello?"
"Sorry I 'er didn't mean to disturb you. I need to talk to you desperately. I am the FBI agent who watched Paul Sadler change into an alien. I cannot sleep."
Carole Masters could not believe what she was hearing! Barely ten minutes after her an Pierre had completed their ritual, she had just picked up her phone. Was it pure coincidence that had made Beth Travers phone her then, or had their ritual taken immediate effect?
"You're Beth Travers aren't you?" She looked across to Twilight River, made an 'ok' with her thumb and first finger of her right hand, put her left hand over the phone and whispered ìË
" We're in business!"
Pierre smiled back at her, he shivered for it was now cold. He dressed quickly and handed a robe over to Carole.
"Yeah,I am. Look can I come over? I need to talk to you face to face."
"That could be a problem, I am in Wisconsin."
