Caged Animals

Her face hurt. Fuck, that hurts. She didn't know what it felt like to be kicked by a horse, but it must be something like that. And it hurt even more when she wrinkled her nose. She tried to open her eyes, but closed it again when she was blinded by a strong yellow light. She gave a grunt when she tried to open it again and came across a ball of light, at first thinking it was the sun.

- Amanda! Are you ok? Are you in pain?

She recognized Isa's voice at the same time that she realized that what she was facing was not the sun, because as far as she remembered the sky was not gray and red. She slowly got up from the metal bench she was lying on and looked at her friend kneeling beside her. She reached where it hurt and felt a little dry blood and a cut on the bridge of her nose where the soldier hit.

- Wake up sleeping beauty, the sun has already risen.

Danilo was sitting on the floor with his back against the metal fence that ran around the room forming cages. Professor Elisa was standing up walking and praying.

- Where are we? - Amanda asked.

- On the court of a school. - Isa replied.

- School?

- It looks like a temporary base, - Danilo said getting up. - and these are our beautiful accommodations. Do you want room service?

- Jesus, Danilo it's not the time for this. - Isa said irritably.

- If I don't don't make fun of the situation, no one else will do because we're fucked!

As the two continued to argue Amanda took a closer look at the environment. The 4 were surrounded by wire grids with the wires crossing in diamond shapes, making it possible to see the various other cells with people inside that were scattered around the court. One of the walls had glass doors and apparently it was the only way to get in and out of there.

- That was the plan, right? Not hide from the military, but hand us over to them.

Amanda couldn't help huffing as she turned to the cell on her left and found Kaique staring at her. The boy with blond curls, Silvio, was sitting on the bench while Igor and Saha were sitting on the floor sleeping, hugging with their heads resting on top of each other.

- What are you talking about?

- This crazy guy thinks André was going to play Hitler and keep us confined on the college to continue as a leader! - Danilo explained angrily. - But don't worry, he locked me, Gui and the others in a room to prevent our "evil plan" from happening!

- Wait, are you serious? - Amanda asked getting up and facing the ex professor.

- Now I know what you guys really wanted! Save your skin by handing us over to these-

- SHUT UP KAIQUE!

Everyone was startled by Elisa's cry of fury, especially Kaique. Igor and Sasha woke up scared and the whole court was silent.

- B-but they-

- IT'S YOUR FAULT WE'RE HERE! BUT I WAS THE IDIOT! LETTING YOU DO THAT SHITY RIOT WAS THE WORST MISTAKE OF MY LIFE! I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WILL DO WITH US, BUT I HOPE YOU SUFFER EVERYTHING YOU DESERVE!

The silence that followed after Elisa's outbreak was so great that you could hear the flapping of a fly's wings. Kaique didn't know what to say, he just stood there opening and closing his mouth like a fish that needs water. A few seconds later the glass doors opened and a man in a green uniform and two soldiers entered.

- What's going on here?! - The man in uniform asked.

He walked slowly through the bars watching each person on them. Amanda then noticed people, there were women and men of all colors and ages there, all avoiding the man's eyes. He was a tall, skinny man with gray hair, his eyes were green and slightly bulging, as well as the cheekbones making him look frightening. He walked slowly while the soldiers with rifles accompanied him, both without a mask allowing their faces to be exposed. One was a short-haired, dark-eyed woman while the other was tall, muscular with a slightly gingerly brown beard. Soon they reached the cell where the 4 young people were and stopped in front of them.

- Are these the kids from the college? The ones that gave Martins a hard time? - He asked the soldier.

- Yes sir. It was her - He said pointing to Amanda. - who attracted the infected.

The wide green eyes fixed on Amanda and she felt a shiver run through her body and her throat go dry.

- So this is the young heroine I heard so much about. You made a great sacrifice for your friends. - He said taking a small pot of alcohol gel and passing in the hands. - I'm Lieutenant Joaquim Roche, responsible for the unit in the Center South region of São Paulo.

- Responsible for what? For killing and arresting innocent people? - Isa asked with contempt.

- We are guaranteeing that this infection will not spread further until we find a cure.

- Guaranteeing? I saw what you did. You killed families! Kids! - Amanda said angrily.

- Do you think we take pleasure in that? Unfortunately, a few hundred must die for thousands to live.

- So should I thank you for killing my boyfriend's family? - Amanda asked shocking Isa and Danilo. - The infection spreads through the bite, if we know that you should know it and yet you are murdering innocent people.

- So you're an expert now? We have professionals doing everything possible to discover the origin and cause of this. Do everyone a favor and let the adults take care of this.

- If I hear that phrase again I swear I let a walker devour my ears. - Danilo whispered to Isa.

- Food will be delivered in a few minutes. - The lieutenant said turning and going towards the exit.

Amanda, Isa and Danilo followed the man with their eyes until he went into the sea of cells. Suddenly Isa felt a shiver run down her spine and then noticed that the muscular, bearded soldier was still standing in front of their cell, looking her up and down with a smile on his face. The feeling of disgust was so great that it showed on her face, and instinctively looked away and hugged herself, trying to protect from the scary eyes. Amanda noticed and instinctively positioned herself in front of her friend as she untied her flannel shirt, which miraculously remained attached to her waist. Soon the soldier started walking towards the exit, leaving them alone.

- What do we do? Igor asked through the fence.

- We can't do anything for now, they won't think twice about shooting us. - Amanda said sitting on the bench after putting on her shirt. - We have to wait.

- Wait what? To die? - Danilo asked.

- No, for André and the others. They will get us out of here.

- How are you so sure?

The truth was, Amanda was not sure of anything anymore. All this time she tried to think positive by telling herself that this situation would not last long, that the army would do its best to protect people and that by the end of the year they would be done with college and going on with their lives. But after what happened to Murilo and the college… it was getting hard to keep the positive thinking.

-… I don't, but were there's life there's hope.