“What happened?” Her forehead wrinkled as her eyebrows pushed together. The corner of her lips turned downward.
“I’m fine,” Venger croaked.
“That’s a bunch of bull.” True fixed her gaze on Caleb. “What happened?”
“It’s a long story, and we don’t have a lot of time.”
True glanced over her shoulder at the rotting walking corpses. Caleb’s gaze followed hers. The sun silhouetted their massive shapes, practically hiding them in the shadows of the building.
“What do they want?”
“Me and the other guy.”
True huffed. “Well, they aren’t going to get you.”
“Yeah, they are.”
True’s head turned to look at Caleb. The red on her cheeks grew deeper. “We have more than enough ammunition to take them down.”
It was almost flattering to hear these people, especially True, so concerned about his safety. It almost made him less angry at them for putting him in this position in the first place, but the feeling quickly faded. Caleb took a deep breath and placed his hands on his hips.
“Any other time, I would absolutely believe you. But I watched Venger shoot one at point blank in the skull, and it didn’t penetrate.”
“What?”
Caleb shook his head. “Not kidding.”
True’s eyes widened, her gaze drifted to the ground. She shook her head slightly in disbelief before she looked at Caleb. “So, what do we do?”
“Give them what they want. Once they get me and the other one, they’ll leave.”
True scoffed. “You don’t know that.”
Caleb sighed. “Yeah, I do.” He turned and headed for the building, yelling over his shoulder. “Make sure everyone knows not to open fire.”
It took Caleb’s eyes a moment to adjust to the dim interior. He stood in a hallway with doors lining both sides. The smell of bleach and dust entered his nostrils. He probably should have asked Venger or True where Samuel was to speed this process along, but going back outside seemed like a waste of time. Tensions ran high, and patience wore thin. The building wasn’t huge; Samuel wouldn’t be hard to find.
Caleb stepped to his right to the first door. Luckily, they had windows on them, so it would save him from opening the doors. The first window he looked through happened to be Samuel’s room. Caleb turned the handle and stepped in. Doc was bent over Samuel, listening with his stethoscope. He straightened up and took the earpieces out of his ears.
“It’s good to see you up and moving.”
Caleb wanted the conversation to continue with niceties and concerns about health, but there wasn’t time.
“I need you to unhook him, please.” He tried to keep the urgency out of his voice, but it was impossible. He really wanted to push Doc out of the way and do it himself, but he didn’t want to start a fight.
The doctor stared at Caleb as if he had spoken a foreign language. His nose wrinkled as he regarded Caleb. “He might not be strong enough to survive on his own. He’s had surgery to stop the internal bleeding, but there are still a lot of issues only time may or may not heal.”
Caleb pressed his lips together and folded his arms across his chest. If it were up to him, he would leave without Samuel. This was his chance to finally be free and get away from his grasp. He could easily lead the RBZs to the building and while they tore it apart, run for the hills, but he didn’t want to see the humans get hurt. He hated feeling as if no one was listening to him. He was trying to save these people who put him here in the first place, but he also knew if he lost his care and concern for other humans, he wouldn’t be any better or different from the zombies.
“I get that. But there are two really large rotting corpses out there who won’t leave until we go with them. And there’s no reasoning with them.”
Doc sighed. “I suppose not. But I strongly recommend not removing him from here.”
“Noted.” Caleb’s noticed Doc didn’t seem surprised about the large rotting corpses comment. He eyed him cautiously. “You know what’s going on out there?”
Doc nodded. “I had just finished stitching him up when True told me the creatures knocked down the fence. My first priority is my patient, so I stayed with him and got him comfortable while they did what they were doing.”
And what exactly were they doing?
It seemed like they had enough time to launch a defensive attack if the people of Sanctuary had watched the RBZs topple the fence. But maybe not. Caleb knew how fast the creatures could move. It would be possible to get their group in position to save off an attack while he went to get Samuel. All he knew was there weren’t any bullet holes in the RBZs, so no one had shot them before Venger did. Caleb stared at the doctor. It didn’t really matter what had happened before the RBZs tore their way into the locker room. This was where he was now, and the situation had to be fixed from here. Samuel was coming with him no matter what.
The doctor’s eyes traveled from Caleb’s face and down his arms. They stopped on the bite on his arm. He nodded toward it. “That what you were afraid of me seeing earlier?”
Caleb glanced down at his arm and unfolded them. He fidgeted for a moment, trying to find a way to hide it, but at this point, it was moot.
“Your recovery seems a bit miraculous and rapid. You wanna explain what’s going on?”
“I wasn’t as hurt as I pretended to be. This is nothing. Now, if you don’t mind, we need to get these RBZs out of here before they tear your town apart.” His tone was harsher than he meant it to be, but his patience was running out.
Visions of the RBZs forgetting what he told them ran through his mind, and he saw them running through the buildings and ripping them apart. The humans attempted to stop them with their guns, doing nothing but throwing the creatures into a rage. Bodies lay on the yellow sand with crimson blood and pink brain matter oozing out of crushed skulls. He imagined them making it to the oasis and turning the pristine, tranquil area into a dusty, muddy, destroyed landscape. Caleb didn’t want this settlement destroyed. These people had worked hard to secure and build their sanctuary. Giant, rotting corpses weren’t going to take it away—especially if Caleb could help it.
“If it makes you feel better, I can attack you and take you out before taking him. But trust me, saving his life is not worth putting everyone else at risk.”
Doc glanced from Caleb to Samuel and then back again. “Give me a minute to unhook his IVs.” He turned and removed the tubes from Samuel’s hands and the oxygen mask from his face.
Samuel looked small lying in the bed, like he had withered. The blood and grime had been washed away, leaving behind a pale husk of a human. Bruises covered three-fourths of his face, along with cuts and scrapes. Samuel looked horrible, but not undead. There was still life under those wounds. Irritation built inside Caleb, if Samuel was alive, he was a threat. Even unconscious, he brought RBZs to his location.
Doc finished unhooking Samuel from the machines and turned to Caleb. “The bed rolls, so we can just push him outside.”
Caleb walked to the door and held it open.
Once outside, Caleb blinked to speed his eyes in adjusting to the brightness. He felt like he had walked into a Western movie at the part right before the showdown. Everything had grown eerily silent, and the streets were clear. Venger had been taken somewhere out of sight, hopefully for medical treatment. The townsfolk hid behind the corners of buildings, but Caleb knew they weren’t cowering in fear; they were armed and ready to fire. The only thing needed to complete the fantasy was for a tumbleweed to blow across their path.
“Remember,” Caleb called into the silence. “Don’t fire. It won’t have any effect.”
He felt Doc’s eyes on him, but there wasn’t time for an explanation. He stepped toward the ruined building. The large shadows paced inside. Taking a deep breath, Caleb steeled himself for what he had to do.
“He’s here,” he called to the RBZs. “He’s all yours.”
With a grunt
and lumbering steps, the creatures stepped into the sunlight. Several gasps sounded around him as the undead stepped into view, along with the sound of slides being pulled back and bullets being chambered. Caleb’s heart leapt into his throat, his skin tingled. The RBZs heard it too. Their eyes narrowed, and their lips curled upward. Their milky eyes scanned the area behind Caleb. They bent forward, preparing to charge if the threat escalated.
Caleb held his hands out to his sides. “Everyone just take a deep breath. Keep calm. Let them get what they want, and then they’ll be gone.”
He wasn’t sure if those words were true, but part of him believed they were. After all, the RBZs had waited while he found Samuel. As long as everyone else stayed calm, he believed they would too. The RBZs stayed on their guard as they stomped across the street and up to Samuel. While the fresh one kept watch, the desiccated one bent over his unconscious body and sniffed. It looked at its partner and grunted, then lifted Samuel from the bed. His limp body flopped over the RBZ’s arm as the creature positioned him like a baby.
Go!
Caleb turned and headed for the gate. Behind him, the RBZ roared. Caleb headed toward where the chain link fence had fallen. He was in a canyon, so once he was clear of the settlement, he would find a place to hide. The sand was both sticky and slick under his feet. It was hard for him to get traction and to move forward, but he kept driving onward. Grunts and heavy footsteps behind him let him know the RBZs chased him. He figured they’d be too simple to draw him back by attacking the other humans. If nothing else, he was getting them out of Sanctuary. He just hoped the humans were smart enough to let them all keep running.
He couldn’t risk looking back. The fence clinked under his feet as he ran over it, and a rock outcropping to his left drew his attention. If he could make it there, he would be able to lose his pursuers. There were cracks he could slip into RBZs couldn’t, so he could get away.
Then you can disappear.
The sand beneath his feet turned to rock. It became easier for him to drive his legs forward. A few more steps and he’d be at the rocks. He pushed himself faster. He leapt to get onto the rock, bracing for the impact, but his feet never touched the ground. Weight settled around his midsection, squeezing his chest, making it difficult to gasp in air. He brought his hands down to push against the obstacle, and his palms slid across rotting flesh. Looking over his shoulder, his gaze fell on the fresh RBZ. It held Caleb out in front in both hands and continued running forward. Caleb yelled in frustration and struggled against the grip, even though he knew it was in vain.
Well, that didn’t work out. Maybe next time you shouldn’t worry so much about others and put yourself first.
CHAPTER 12
White text scrolled across the black screen. Caleb scrutinized the code, looking for anything that seemed out of place. A line of random symbols made its way toward the top of the screen, and Caleb stopped it before it disappeared. Squinting, he studied the line, highlighted a few symbols, and hit the backspace key. Once done, he started the text scrolling again.
The radio softly played classic rock, but Caleb barely heard it; he focused on the code in front of him. His blinks got slower the longer he stared, and the text grew blurry. With a yawn, he leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes, then scratched his stomach. It gurgled beneath his fingertips, full of dinner and satisfied. He burped, then leaned forward in his chair to scrutinize the code again.
The radio screeched with the familiar tone of the Emergency Broadcast System. Caleb heard it, but he didn’t pay too much attention. The station was always running tests. The monotone, unemotional, computer-generated voice followed the screeching. Caleb had it low enough he couldn’t make out was being said. When the speech finished, the alarm sounded again, and Caleb expected music to follow. Again, the screeching sounded. Annoyed, Caleb clicked off the radio with authority. Taking a deep breath, he leaned back in his chair and rubbed his face. He tried not to let his irritation dominate his mood, but the more tired he got, the harder it was to fight. The fact this program still wasn’t running didn’t help. He’d been through the lines of code numerous times and kept finding errors. It drove him crazy. He was so meticulous when it came to programming; how did so many errors find their way into the code? He growled into his hands.
“Caleb?” The voice was spoken softly into his room.
He dropped his hands into his lap and turned his chair toward the door. His sister leaned against the frame, her forehead wrinkled with worry.
“Mom and Dad want us to come to the living room.”
“Why?” The word came out much harsher than he wanted.
Nina shrugged.
“Okay. Be there in a sec.” He turned back to his computer and minimized the screen with the code so nothing would happen to it while he was gone.
Perhaps a break was what he needed. Maybe it would clear his mind and help him gain a new perspective. Whatever his parents wanted to talk to them about must have been serious, and it must have just happened. Dinner had ended half an hour ago, and if they had news, they would have shared it then. Concern crept into Caleb’s chest.
He stepped into the living room where his parents sat on the couch holding hands. Worry highlighted the lines around his dad’s eyes. His mom’s face was pale and pinched, as if she fought the urge to vomit. A rock settled in Caleb’s stomach. It was as he suspected; something serious and terrible had happened. Whatever was going on, he didn’t want to hear about it. He didn’t know if he could handle it, but at the same time, he wanted to get this moment over with.
“Did someone die?” Fear and emotion shook his voice. Visions of his grandmothers ran through his mind, and he studied his parents’ faces to determine which of their mothers had passed.
Nina stood off to Caleb’s left behind the recliner. Her knuckles were white from gripping the back. The rock grew bigger, and he stared at his parents, waiting for an answer.
“Kids, it might be best if you took a seat.” His mom’s voice was soft, but far from comforting.
The thought of sitting made the hair on the back of Caleb’s arms stand on end. He wanted to be able to run. If the news was distressing enough, he wanted to get ahead of it so he could turn back and examine it logically. It was an impossible way to look at it, but the notion gave him comfort. Caleb felt like if he sat, he resolved himself to whatever had happened and wasn’t able to protest—as if it would change anything.
“I prefer to stand.” Caleb’s mouth had gone dry and his tongue stuck to his teeth as he spoke.
“Me too,” Nina said.
Dad took a deep breath, and his hand tightened around Mom’s. “What we’re about to tell you is going to seem far-fetched, but I assure you, it’s the absolute truth.”
He paused, his gaze drifting to his lap as he managed his thoughts. When he looked up again, he looked like he had aged ten years. Dark circles sat under his eyes, the light twinkled off the gray strands in his hair.
“The dead have risen from the grave.”
The words drifted into Caleb’s ears and bounced around his skull. They formed a complete sentence, but it didn’t seem to be a coherent one. He thought the most appropriate response would be to laugh—because this was a joke—but the look on his parents’ faces said otherwise. The rock grew bigger and heavier, pushing bile into the back of his throat. It became clear why his mom looked like she wanted to puke.
* * * *
The steps of the RBZ jostled Caleb from side to side. The movement caused his head to pound and his stomach to clench. He’d given up trying to escape the creature’s grasp. When he was first grabbed, he pounded and clawed at the thick fingers and wriggled to get free, but it was pointless. Caleb had torn chunks of the creature’s flesh down to the bone, but it didn’t notice. The creature couldn’t feel pain. At one point, he ordered the RBZ to put him down, but the only response he received was a grunt. The creature had its mission, and Caleb was along for the ride.
You lingered too lo
ng in Sanctuary. You should have left while the creatures were waiting. You don’t owe those people or Samuel anything.
The thought made Caleb sick to his stomach. It had been his chance to get away, and he had been more concerned about making sure everyone was safe. He didn’t owe them anything. All of them had either tried to kill him or use him for their own gain. Even Venger had pointed a gun at him out of fear. What did he care if they were destroyed by the RBZs? But he did. There was no reason for them to get hurt because of him. He had to hang on to his human side.
You’ve got to look out for number one. You’re the most important. Not them. Not anyone.
Caleb pushed the thoughts from his head. They were a moot point. This was where he was. He had to bide his time and wait for the chance to escape again. The thought sent a chill down his spine. How did he keep finding himself in these predicaments? The universe must have been out to get him, because nothing worked in his favor.
The rhythmic whump whump whump of the creature’s footsteps rattled Caleb’s skull. They were back on the highway heading toward the mountains. The second RBZ ran slightly behind, Samuel draped over his arm, its other hand cradling the limp body. The gesture almost seemed kind, nurturing. But Caleb knew better. Whoever had sent the creatures had no doubt given them specific orders, which probably entailed no harm would come to Caleb or Samuel. It explained so much. Yet it did nothing to comfort Caleb. He still had no idea where he was being taken, who he was being taken to, or what would happen to him. The fact the creatures ran down the middle of the road meant no one was coming to his rescue.
You’re on your own. Like always.
Caleb didn’t let the thought depress him. He was better on his own. He could always trust himself and his skills. When others were around, they always ended up getting hurt. A lump developed in his throat as thoughts and images of his family and friends attempted to scroll through his brain. Clenching his teeth, he focused on his surroundings.
The yellow, wind-rippled sand gradually turned into gray dirt flecked with pebbles and islands of orange and green lichen-covered boulders. The air felt cooler and thinner—although it could have been Caleb’s imagination. It wouldn’t be much longer before they were in the mountains. Then, the landscape color would change to gray and white with splotches of orange and green lichen, and the sagebrush would get bigger and fuller before giving way to pine and fir trees.
Saving Humanity Series (Book 2): Edge of Humanity Page 10
