Humanity's Hope: Book 1 in the Saving Humanity Series

CHAPTER 16

Caleb stepped into the dimly lit restaurant. It took his incredibly exhausted brain a minute to realize that the bright lights in the window were to draw the attention of potential customers on the street, but it was blocked to create ambiance inside. The smell of yeast and cooking meat reached his nostrils. His head spun. He really needed to eat. He was going to have to risk using his card. He was pretty sure he would die otherwise.

He scanned the restaurant. There were a few tables with customers at them, but the place wasn't overly busy. Candles set in the middle of the tables flicked soft orange light onto the patrons' faces and around the room. Caleb was actually thankful for the dimness. It hid his grunge. He found a booth at the back of the room and headed toward it. It was positioned perfectly so he could take in the whole room, and it was near the exit door in case he needed to make a hasty escape. He eased his body into the overstuffed vinyl, and his body relaxed thankfully. He was tempted to lean his head back and close his eyes. He didn't doubt he would be able to drift into a deep sleep. But that defeated the purpose of him being there and lowered his guard. He had to remain vigilant. There would be a chance to sleep later. At least that's what he told himself.

A young man, probably not much older than Caleb, set a menu down on the table in front of him. He wore a dark blue shirt and jeans with a white apron that had splatters of red sauce on it. Caleb knew that it was tomato sauce, but in the dim light with his tired eyes, his brain could have easily mistaken it for blood. That caused goosebumps to form on his flesh. It brought back too many memories, reminded him of times he desperately wanted to forget—even recent events.

"Can I start you off with something to drink?" The guy put his hands on his hips and smiled at Caleb. That eased his discomfort slightly.

"Water," Caleb croaked out.

The waiter nodded once before heading off, then returned a few minutes later with a glass of water. He set it on the table. The ice clinked against the glass, and the beads of condensation on the outside ran to the table. Caleb snatched the glass and brought it to his lips. The liquid was cold and had a slight mineral taste to it. It slid over his tongue and cheeks and washed away the gritty feeling that had been there. It slid down his throat and coated the dryness that lined his esophagus walls. The ice slid into his lips, and disappointment hit him as he realized the water was gone. Setting the glass on the table, he took a deep breath. Instantly, the waiter was at his table with more water.

"You still need a few minutes to decide?"

Caleb nodded. "Please."

"Take your time." He set the carafe on the table next to the glass.

Caleb downed another glass of water. He was feeling worlds better, but the smell of fresh pizza made his stomach growl. He cursed himself in his mind. He should have taken the backpack with him. Fear kept him from doing what was logical. He didn't want to leave any trace of his whereabouts or raise suspicious, so he traveled light and didn't mess with anything that would give him away. And that was incredibly dangerous. Survival depended on him taking care of himself. He could have figured out how to hide and keep himself safe. It wasn't like this was the first time he had to do this. Well, against the living it was, but still.

And you failed.

It was one incident, he snapped in his mind.

It only takes once for things to go bad. The image of his father crept into his mind.

Caleb pushed it away and grabbed the menu off the table. He studied it hard to keep his mind occupied.

"Caleb?"

He barely heard the voice penetrate his thoughts.

"I thought that was you."

Someone nudged his shoulder and Caleb's head jerked to the side. His first inclination was to find something he could use as a weapon, but there was nothing close. His hands balled into fists. His gaze fell on Jan. His body relaxed, his hands opened, and he felt like he wanted to burst into tears. She wore a white button-up shirt with a powder-blue skirt that stopped just above her knees. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail with wisps sticking out on the side of her head. She smiled as she tucked a stray behind her ear. Caleb slid out of his seat and stood. He hadn't realized that she was just as tall as he was. He smiled back. The urge to wrap her in a hug surged through him, but he refrained. How weird would that have been? He just found her, he couldn't scare her away. There was the chance he would accomplish that in just a few minutes. He gestured toward the booth.