LOST II

Chapter 39: "Veiled realities"

Traitor! Salma made a face.

Before Salma could stop him, Zayn startled her by closing his cupped hands around the insect, trapping it.

"Mine!" he cried in triumph.

"What're you doing?!" Salma snapped. "Let her go –"

"Shh! It's fine! Listen," Zayn whispered, holding his cupped hands towards her. Without realizing, Salma grabbed his wrists and brought the trapped bee closer to her ear. She heard the familiar musical buzzing.

"She's scared, Zayn! Let her go," Salma pleaded.

"She?" Zayn chuckled.

"Foraging Bees are females," Salma replied, inspecting his closed hands as if to see a way to unlock the contraception to free the insect.

"It's weird that I haven't been stung yet," Zayn said, trying his best to not focus on his racing heart responding like a maniac to the soft touch of her fingers on his skin.

"These don't sting. Only Soldiers bees do, and that too, if they feel the need to defend the hive. Would you please let her go now?"

Zayn could not help but smile at the affection with which she discussed bees.

"You learn something new everything day." Zayn shrugged. "Anyway, you want to do the honors of setting it free, Human bee?"

Salma's eyes snapped away from his hands to him.

"Just cup your hands around mine," Zayn instructed, and when Salma gave him a quizzical look, he urged. "Come on!"

Sighing, Salma did as she was told, only slightly aware of the fact that it was Zayn's hands she was holding in the process. Carefully as he could, Zayn slipped his hands from underneath hers, stepping around Salma in the process. The bee buzzed violently, trying to escape. Zayn abruptly closed his hands around hers. He was suddenly aware of Salma getting trapped between his arms. His already racing heart started pounding at a mad pace. Salma, on the other hand, was in her own little world. The little bee tickled her palm with its buzzing wings. Giggling, Salma stepped back. It was only when she knocked into his chest did she realize she was practically in his arms. Zayn felt her tensing up and inching away. However, for his sake, she stumped her discomfort and fought against the violent urge to roughly shrug out of his arms.

"Okay, I'm letting it go," she said, trying to sound normal.

Salma stepped away just in time for Zayn to remove his hands around hers. She set the little insect free, allowing it to take flight. Salma shielded her eyes as she watched it fly towards the sinking sun.

"I'm sorry little bee." Salma pouted after it. "Please, don't hate me."

Zayn felt his heart clench as her words resonated with the cries of his soul directed at her.

"She won't," he found himself saying, to reassure her or himself, he had no idea.

"She was out going about her business and was harassed for no reason. This was her safe place, you know." Salma sighed.

"Will she come back?" Zayn asked.

Salma stared after the bee, searching through her knowledge of foraging bees and how they responded to danger, if at all. Zayn was desperately waiting, seeking an answer to a completely different kind of question.

"I like to believe she will . . ." Salma said, as she turned around to face him.

He felt a new hope surging through him hearing those words.

"It's weird that I don't know," Salma continued. "I mean they are really persistent. They got their jobs, they got to do them. I'd say threats are irrelevant to them so long as the colony is not the target."