Taken
By Ina Beana
The day I was taken, I was with my flock. My family. We were out and about in the Mall of America, when I was grabbed. I turned to hit the person in the face, but I felt a pinch in my neck and was consumed by darkness. Little did I know, the darkness would reveal to me a nightmare worse than all those I'd endured before.
I was unconscious for what felt like minutes, but I somehow instinctually knew was days. When I woke, I was in a cage, arms suspended by chains, cuts all over my body. It was dark and smelled like the sewer. I blinked my eyes, fighting sleep and realized there were others. We were in a place that I felt was underground. Something like a low ceiling hanger. And I convinced myself there was a way out. I believed that, until I took in my surroundings.
Swinging my head to the left, I saw a cage similar to mine right next to me. I fought to open my eyes and keep my head up, but some drug that coursed through my veins kept me from being close to functional. I listened as the sound of a door screeching open resounded through the hanger. Footsteps echoed down the hall. I stare at the ground, trying to find the strength to lift my head up, but I can't. Then, I see a pair of black boots stop in front of my cage.
The door of my cage swings open, and the boots step inside. The man squats down, and I see he is Russian.
He has some sort of gun slung across his back, and his clothes are camo and a red cap. He smirks as he puffs on a cigarette, blowing smoke straight into my face. His mustache quirks as he finds amusement in my disgusted expression.
He speaks, but I don't understand him. Then, I realize he's Russian.
"English you dumbass. I don't know your language." I growl at him. But my throat was so dry I sounded like I was whispering, and then I began coughing uncontrollably.
"There there young mutant. Take it easy. Besides, this is the nicest 'facility' you'll be in for a while." With that he brings a cup of water to my lips and I drink like it's the last thing I'll ever do.
I finish drinking and he throws the cup into a garbage can outside my cell.
He yells something to his colleagues, and they come and take my hands out of the chains, only to cuff my hands behind my back. They drag me out, because my legs seem to have ceased working, and after dragging me down the hall towards the door for a couple places, I realize who is in here with me. In the same situation as me.
Other experiments. Other "mutants".
I see all girls around my age with scales, fur, anything. No other bird girls, but they're all my age and all mutants. Seeing them makes me realize something.
I'm in serious trouble.
They're trafficking us.
And then the bag is over my head and I'm rushed out the door.