Over the Tracks (MxM)

17-

Caleb whimpered, tensing as he started coughing again. From the moment he had woken up, he had been experimented on by the humans like some sort of lab rat. He wasn't even treated with the decency of a living creature. He wasn't sure how long it had been, but he would have actually preferred the vampiric hell he had lived in for years before and sworn to never return to over just however long he had been here. At least the vampires let him pass out without forcing him to remain conscious, and stopped when it had been enough. For some reason, though, the torture that was somehow even worse than Treston's had stopped what was likely only a few minutes ago. His reinjured body was now being kept in some sort of cage-like box structure with thick glass sides, so small he wouldn't be able to stand to his full short height, if he even could stand at this point.

He laid there for a while before he heard a mechanical whirring, not even noticing the glass walls sliding down. His eyes were closed, and he had curled around himself, cradling his knees to his chest. The position hurt to the point where he could barely breathe, but no matter what he did, the pain was strong, and being curled up that way provided some small sliver of comfort, as well as somehow helping with the tremors that wracked his body.

He felt something starting to rest on his shoulder, but he flinched away, ignoring the spear of pain that went through him at the movement, causing an aching shudder. The gentle pressure hesitated, not returning until after a voice spoke. "Caleb, it's ok. It's just me. Chris." Hearing his voice and name, Caleb dared to open his eyes, looking up at Chris's face. His expression was filled with emotions, although Caleb's mind was too hazy for him to bother even trying to figure out which ones. "We're here to get you out of here."

Caleb was unable to respond with anything other than another whimper and allowing himself to uncurl so it would be easier for Chris to pick him up. When he did, the movement caused his muscles to twitch, slightly tensing before the weakness made them relax, going limp again. Chris definitely noticed as he picked him up, but didn't say anything as he walked out with another human to the side of him. He was only vaguely aware of them passing through the doors of the building, out into the heat of just past midday. Freedom... He could feel his throbbing body being gently lowered into the backseat of a car, or so he assumed, as Chris sat down in the back beside him. The person he had come with took the driver's seat, but Caleb was out before they even left the parking lot.

When Caleb came back to a partly-conscious state, everything was blurred by the pain that no longer had to share his focus with fear and the sense of hopelessness that had begun forming until Chris had come. It was so overwhelming that he could barely hear the voices speaking, letting out a groan before he faded out again.

The next time Caleb woke up, the pain was still there, but it was somehow manageable. He could hear a rhythmic beeping, keeping in time with the pulse he felt as his heart worked hard to beat. He recognized the sounds from some of the tv programs he'd watched. Why am I in a hospital..? He opened his eyes with a wince, but the light beside him was quickly turned off. In the near-dark, he made out Chris's extremely worried features. He tried to say something, but his lips felt too dry to move, and the only noise that came out was a weak moan.

"Shh, just relax for a while. Talking might only make you hurt worse," Chris warned quietly, tone softer than he'd ever heard it before. Caleb didn't protest, staring at him silently. Chris continued whispering to him once Caleb had settled completely, or at least as well as he could. "You're in the hospital because you had too many injuries for us to help you with. You woke up at some point, but wouldn't respond to anything, and we were so worried that we brought you here so real doctors could care for you." Chris gradually moved his hand to cusp Caleb's scorched cheek, which was already wet with salty tears. He pulled a tissue from a box beside him and used it to gently absorb the tears, barely even making contact with the actual skin. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to get to you sooner, or stop this from happening in the first place."