Edge of Humanity: Book 2 in the Saving Humanity Series

CHAPTER 13

Cave walls surrounded Caleb. Sickly orange lights spaced evenly across the rock wall cast dark shadows on the floor and ceiling, causing him to see movement which may or may not have actually been there. Scraping echoed from the deep recesses of the cave, as did grunts, squeals, and wheezes. While not overpowering, the consistent scent of decay and death hung in the air. The air was dry and cool, but Caleb's skin was moist, his hair stood on end. He attempted to swallow, but his mouth had gone dry. His hands rested on the RBZ's, and his joints ached from squeezing the undead's flesh.

The walls narrowed; the shadows grew darker. Caleb's heart thudded against his ribcage, his breath came in short, shallow bursts. The thought that this dark cave was the last thing he would ever see crossed his mind, causing goosebumps to form on his flesh. Dizziness swept over him. Visions of Jan and Eric floated through his mind's eye.

Are you really going to give up and let them down? This is just a bump in the road.

The voice in the blackness seemed to echo from the cave walls.

Your chance will come soon enough. Be patient.

Caleb took a deep breath and held it for several seconds before letting it out slowly. He consciously forced his grip on the RBZ's flesh to relax. The tendons in his hands popped and strained as he forced his fingers open, and he eventually removed them from their death grip.

The dimness and closeness of the rock walls still made him uncomfortable but giving in to panic wasn't going to help anything. The last few days were a good indicator panicking didn't help anything. He needed to slow down and think things through.

Be patient. Be smart.

A bright light drew his attention forward. It spilled into the sickly lit tunnel and piqued his curiosity, giving him something bright to focus on instead of something surrounded by shadow. Whatever light illuminated, more than likely would be his doom, but at least he'd know. His fate would be laid out before him and, even if it were more horrible than he ever imagined, at least he'd have answers. There was a weird comfort in knowing what was coming, no matter how awful. As they stepped closer to it, his eyes watered, causing him to blink rapidly to clear his vision.

The room opened before him, bathed in sterile, fluorescent light. Tile covered the rock walls, floor, and ceiling. Metal tables, computers, and scientific instruments were organized throughout the room. All traces of cave disappeared into high-tech science. Caleb's eyes grew wide, his mouth fell open. He had no idea equipment like this existed—he didn't even know what most of it did. He felt like he'd stepped into a science fiction movie from twenty years in the future. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would have never believed this place existed. Along with the wonder, Caleb felt these machines could cause him terrible pain and tear him apart. This equipment was going to be used on him, and without knowing what it did, he had no idea how much it would hurt.

The man who had been at the cave entrance stopped in the middle of the room and clasped his hands behind his back. He turned to face Caleb and the RBZs. In the bright light, Caleb saw him in clearly. The man was on the ridiculously thin side, looking almost like a scarecrow instead of a human. His gray and white hair lined the bottom half of his head, leaving the top to reflect the bright lights of the room. His face was long, his chin pointed, and his green eyes were set close to one another. His skin had a translucent quality to it, leading Caleb to assume he didn't venture into the sun often. It reminded Caleb of the deep cave fish he saw at the zoo. If the man's eyes had been red—or if he didn't have any—he would be the human equivalent. He wore black pants and a dark gray turtleneck, which further washed him out.

"Please place Samuel on the bed." His voice was soft and slightly gritty, as if he didn't talk much and his throat was sore from the effort. He nodded to a place across the room, and Caleb's gaze followed where he indicated.