Mother is holding me and rocking me gently. I can't see Father. It's been a few days or so since we were first taken here. I'm scared but being so close to Mother is reassuring. I love Mother. Her scent is soothing me. She smells like flowers.
The chainsaw noise starts up again, making me cry and bury my head in Mother's chest fur.
Father appears from nowhere. He goes over to the bars of the cage and carefully checks the corridor. "They're going along the line," he says. "Mandy, they're going along the line and taking two cages' worth of animals every day."
"Where are we in the order?" Mother asks.
Father checks again. "We should be safe for a few days."
I let out a whine.
Father comes over to me and strokes my head. "It's okay, Judy. We're here."
"We love you," adds Mother. "We'll always be here for you."
"I love you Mommy," I say.
This makes both of them laugh and coo over me.
Then Father's tone grows serious. He speaks quietly but I have advanced hearing and I hear every word he says. "We have to protect her."
"I know," says Mother, equally as quietly. "We can't let them get their hands on her."
"We can't, but how are we going to make sure they don't get her? There's nowhere to hide in the cell."
They paused. "When they come for us, cause a scene," Mother suggests. "Then she can slip out."
"Good idea," Father agrees.
But they never get a chance to do that. A minute later, the cage is opened and a man's hand grabs Father's legs, pulling him out of the cage.
"Matthew!" screams Mother.
She clings me with one arm and grabs both of Father's hands with her other hand.
"NO!" she screams.
She actually drops me so she can hold Father's hands with both of her own. I press myself against the wall in terror, crying out.
Then someone grabs Mother's legs, wrenching her grip off Father, who disappears.
"Father!" I screech.
Mother desperately clings hold of the bars at the front of the cage. I scream and scream. Then Mother reaches into her fur pocket and throws a tiny item to me. "Remember, Judy, we love you and always will!"
"Mother! Don't leave me, please! Please! Stay with me! Mother!"
"We love you!" Mother yells one last time, before her grip is wrenched off and she's gone.
I run to the front of the cage but the door closes, blocking me from my parents. "MOTHER! FATHER!" I scream, beginning to sob.
I'm only five years old! I can't be separated from my parents! I'm too young! I'm never going to see them again!
I look in despair at the item in my hand. It's a little watch with a cover over it on a chain. I put the chain around my neck and wear the pocketwatch. I can just pick up Mother's scent on it.
It's all I have left of Mother.
