His hands gripped the wall as he tried to get his bearings. He felt groggy and could barely focus. He knew there were others in the room but he could barely see them for his eyes were struggling to adjust. He tried to stand up but collapsed on his knees again. His body convulsed as he dry-heaved but nothing came out but saliva. He spat and wiped his mouth, his head swirling all the while.

"Steady." Came a familiar voice next to him. He looked in the direction of the voice for a moment and decided to take the advice. After a few moments he rose again and this time he was able to get to his feet. He held on to the wall for dear life as his eyes started to focus. He looked around the room and could see others in the room. The room was dimly lit.

"Where am I?" he asked.

"Same place." The familiar voice replied.

"I feel like I am about to die!" he said.

"May not be far from the truth. You were taken for a few days, and then put back in here with the rest of us." The familiar voice replied. He focused on her face and realized he was speaking to the Landlady.

"What happened to me?" he asked.

"Not sure. Do you remember anything? How we all got here?" The Landlady asked. He struggled to remember. He recalled sitting out on his porch taking in the afternoon sunshine and breeze when he saw the gas canisters thrown in front of him. He recalled trying to fight through the gas but made it no more than five steps when he succumbed. The next thing he recalled was being thrown into the room he now occupied, held there for what seemed like days until he was taken from the room.

"How long have I been out? Gone?" he asked.

"The days are running together in here, but I would say several days for sure." The Landlady replied. He suddenly winced and gripped his rib cage. He looked down and opened up his shirt and saw he had stitches running from his neck to his groin.

"Sherriff, what did they do to you?" The Landlady asked in shock.

"Something I reckon." he replied.

"We need to get out of here." The Landlady said in a sudden panic.

"Have they taken anyone else?" The Sherriff asked.

"Yes, several of the others."

"Have any of them come back?"

"Only you." The Sherriff stumbled around the room but the room seemed to be shut up tight.

"There was a window here." The Sherriff commented.

"It's still there. They just shut it." The Landlady replied. The Sherriff looked around at the others.

"Anyone else feel weird? Get worked on? Or over?" The Sherriff asked. The others in the cell shook their heads.

The Sherriff went up to the wall where the window once was and pounded. No response. He pounded again. No response. Then turned back to the others, and when he did so the wall he pounded on shot up to reveal the floor to ceiling glass window. Everyone threw their arms up at the sudden burst of light. Then a guard in all black clothing approached the glass and looked inward. The Sherriff approached the glass.

"Hey! Who are you? Why are we in a cage? Let us out of here!" The Sherriff demanded. The guard said nothing. The Sherriff hit the glass.

"Eh! Do you hear me? Let us out of here!" The Sherriff demanded again. The guard still said nothing.

"What are you deaf? Let us out of here!" The Sherriff demanded once more. The guard's attention suddenly turned from the Sherriff and focused on the gurney that wheeled into view behind him. The others in the cell got to their feet and looked as more gurneys came into view and wheeled past them. The Landlady came up next to him.

"Those were the others that were taken." The Landlady said. They could not tell if they were dead or alive but saw blood seeped through the sheets that covered them from the chest down. When the procession finished the Sherriff eyed the guard.

"You let us out of here! And let us out of here now!" The Sherriff yelled. The guard only smiled in response and as he turned and walked away the lights suddenly shut off casting the room in total darkness. Then there was a commotion in the room and suddenly screams let out. The Sherriff turned towards the screams as he tried to focus.

"SHERRIFF!" was the last thing he heard when the screams stopped, and the dim lighting returned to the room. He saw that several others including the Landlady were gone.