Edge of Humanity: Book 2 in the Saving Humanity Series

CHAPTER 6

The world spun violently around Caleb. His body was tossed aggressively from side to side. His muscles strained to the point he thought they would snap. His bones felt like they would shatter like glass with every jostle. As abruptly as the motion started, it stopped, but Caleb's head didn't. It continued to spin inside his skull. Nausea gripped his stomach, and points of light burst in his vision. An eerie silence pervaded the truck. Sand and dust threatened to choke him. He closed his eyes and took shallow breaths. He regretted eating breakfast as the salty meatiness of bacon climbed into the back of his throat. Pain covered every inch of his body. He stayed as still as possible to let the dizziness and discomfort wane. As much as he wanted to, Caleb knew he couldn't stay motionless forever. He had to find out where he was and ensure he wasn't in any more danger.

Swallowing down vomit, Caleb opened his eyes and tried to get his bearings. He wasn't as dizzy, and the dust settled, but neither of those made the hurt in his body dissipate. He was against the passenger door of the truck, gravity pulling him down and telling Caleb the truck rested on its side; the window and windshield were spiderwebs of cracks. The dash had been thrust into his knees, pushing Caleb into his seat, and the seatbelt had tightened. With difficulty, Caleb pushed the button to release the belt. It clicked free, allowing Caleb to inhale a deep breath, which he immediately regretted. A sharp pain pinched him near his sternum and caused him to cough, which sent tendrils of extreme pain around his chest, making his ribs feel like they were on fire. Another wave of pain washed over the rest of his body, and the bacon inched its way up his throat again.

I'm going to lay here until this passes.

Are you crazy? This is your chance! Get out! Get away!

He groaned. It probably was his only chance to get away. He had to assess the situation. Caleb lifted his head as far as he could. As he turned to look at Samuel, something dripped onto his lips. Instinctively, he licked it off. The taste of salt and chocolate danced across his tongue—one hundred times more delicious than what he had experienced in his dream. He ran his tongue across his lips to lick every last drop, but the flavor faded. Two more drops hit his face: one on his cheek and one on his philtrum. His tongue flicked out and snagged it. He shuddered as the deliciousness traveled across his tongue. More drips hit his face. His mouth opened to catch them like a hungry baby bird. As he positioned himself to catch the next one, it became apparent they came from Samuel. He was bent at an awkward angle. Gravity pulled him toward the ground, which was beneath Caleb's door, but the seat belt and middle console kept Samuel from falling into Caleb. Unconsciousness had overtaken him. His hair was wet and slick dripping onto Caleb. It wasn't water or sweat. It was blood.

Caleb snapped his mouth shut and recoiled. Unfortunately, he couldn't go far, and the blood continued to hit him. He waited for nausea and revulsion to make him puke—he wanted them to make him sick—but there was nothing. Even the bile from earlier had settled down. In fact, he felt a little better. The pain in his body had waned, and his head wasn't pounding as hard.

It's all in your head. You're just imagining you feel better.

The voice in the darkness responded by chuckling softly.

I have to get out of here.

The thought of getting out and getting away was more than appealing; it was a necessity. He didn't want to think about the fact he had drunk—and enjoyed—Samuel's blood. What did this make him? Nothing. It made him nothing, and it was time for him to disappear. Caleb struggled to push himself away from the door. He may have been feeling slightly better, but he was far from being 100 percent—or even 50 percent. The pain flared anew. He pushed through it and freed his legs from under the dash. It took longer than he had expected, and when he was out, his muscles shook with exertion, and he was sweating. Samuel continued to drip on him.