Finding Humanity: Book 3 in the Saving Humanity Series

CHAPTER 2

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Caleb sat in the trees and surveyed the cabin. Bark from the log he was on dug through his jeans and into his flesh. The pain shouldn't have been that prominent. His clothes should have protected him, but being threadbare and dirty, they didn't. He couldn't remember the last time he'd put on clean clothes. Not that it mattered. Clean clothes were a luxury no one indulged in anymore. He didn't care, anyway. He hadn't seen another human in...how long? He couldn't tell how much time had passed. That didn't matter either. There wasn't much to look forward to. Besides, no one could be offended by his smell. Not that they would be anyway. Everyone stank.

A bird chirped overhead, but Caleb barely registered the sound. He focused on the cabin, making sure the area was clear and trying not to think about the last time he had been there. It felt like a lifetime ago. Like he had watched the event unfold for someone else. It was surreal that he was there at that moment. He'd had no plans of coming here. He'd had no plans of going anywhere. He'd wandered. His subconscious must have brought him. After losing Nina, he'd shut down. He'd stopped worrying. He was lost in grief and in the world. He'd wanted—hoped—things would end, that the zombies would put him out of his misery, but even the undead had disappeared. He'd kept wandering, looking for release. Instead, he found himself in the woods by the cabin where he and his father had vacationed.

Pain squeezed his chest. Cold from the emptiness near his heart traveled down his arms, causing goosebumps to form on his flesh. It was a remote area, and he hadn't expected to find zombies here, but he'd hoped. Part of him had also assumed other survivors would have ventured up here because it was protected, but all was quiet.

With deliberate movements, Caleb stood from the log and headed for the dwelling. The weeds swished as he walked through, the sun warming his head and shoulders. Bugs buzzed his face. His eyes darted around the area, searching for movement. It was the perfect place for a zombie to hide. The tall grass and weeds provided the perfect cover. He'd give anything for an undead to grab him and pull him to his doom. His shoes clomped on the wooden planks of the porch. With luck, there would be a creature inside. He made no attempt to be quiet. He wanted to draw attention. He wanted to be noticed.

The door swung inward silently. Caleb stared into the cabin, straining his ears for any sound. Only chirping birds and buzzing insects could be heard. Occasionally, water plinked on the lake as a fish surfaced to catch some prey. Jealousy coursed through him. The fish had no idea what had happened, how the world had changed. He wanted that naivete. He wanted to go through life mindless, concerned only with swimming and finding insects to eat on the surface of the water. Caleb sighed and stepped inside.

The cabin was exactly as he remembered it. The scent of dust, mildew, and wood drifted into his nostrils. The living room flowed into the kitchen, which held a small L-shaped counter with a sink and stove top. Shelves covered the walls above that, and were crowded with an unmatched set of dishes, glasses, and mugs. The living room was stuffed with a faded plaid couch, a coffee table covered in nicks and scratches, and another couch, upholstered in tattered velvet that had pictures of a hunter with a dog and ducks. Off to his left was the short hallway that led to the two bedrooms and the bathroom. Tears welled in his eyes as he took in the space.

His breath hitched. The weight of loneliness pressed down on him, weakening his knees and slouching his shoulders. He tore off his backpack and threw it to the floor to reduce his suffering, but the action didn't help. He collapsed onto the floor on all fours. He groaned as he fought to keep his tears from falling. Small puffs of dust rose from the wooden planks as the tears dropped from the end of his nose. He groaned once again. Closing his eyes, he clenched his jaw and tried to stop the emotion from shaking his body. After taking several deep breaths from between gritted teeth, he slowly rose to his feet.