The Host

“Ok, now be careful it’s quite dark in here, so watch your step” Brandt said in a calm voice.

“How large are these caves exactly?” Ian couldn’t help but be curious of how 29 people could live in a cave.

“Don’t know exactly, but it is very, very large. When I first came to the caves it was like a giant dark maze, but you get used to it after awhile.”

I could tell that Kyle didn’t completely trust Brandt yet, but that was just how Kyle was, he rarely trusted anybody except for Ian and me.

“Not far now, we’re almost to the main section of the caves, you could call it.” Brandt gave a slight laugh.

“Lovely” I heard Kyle mumble from beside me. I couldn’t help but playfully elbow him in the ribs. He just laughed at my playful attempt to hurt him.

About a minute later I started to see a light up ahead and I could hear voices but they were to far away for me to hear what they were saying.

The caves also had a strange kind of smell to it, I’m no expert but if anyone asked me I would have said the place had a sort of sulphur smell to it.

As the light became closer, I could hear the voices becoming louder and clearer as we approached.

I suddenly became nervous and slightly scared of what was up ahead. My breathing was coming much faster than usual and my heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest.

Ian sensed that I was nervous and scared. I never knew how he could so easily sense when something was wrong, but he could.

Ian then came to walk beside me and wrapped his arm around my waist.

“It’s going to be ok Es, there is no need to be afraid, I promise” he said holding me tighter to his side.

“I’m not afraid.” I lied, but Ian sighed and I knew that he didn’t believe me.

We made our way into what Brandt had called the ‘main section’.

A dark haired man with chocolate brown eyes walked up to Brandt. By the look of the man he must have been mid-thirties at the most.

“Hey Brandt, good trip, did you find anything interesting out there?” the man asked.

“Doc” Brandt nodded his head towards the man and then towards us “yea, it was a good trip actually, I found three more ‘living’ humans wandering around where the car is stored.”

“Guys, this is Doc, he’s a good friend of mine and Doc this is…” Brandt didn’t even get to finish what he was saying before Kyle finished it for him.

“…I’m Kyle and this is my brother Ian and my sister Esmee.” Kyle finished.

“Nice to meet you all, like Brandt said I’m Doc and look after all the medical problems here at in the caves” Doc said with a slight laugh and then he turned back to Brandt again.

“Does Jeb know about them yet?” Doc questioned.

“No, not yet” he said with a sigh.

“Wait, who’s Jeb?” Kyle asked with a confused look on his face.

“I’m Jeb.” A deep, rough voice came from the other side of the large room “and you three are?”