I smile at the girl in front of me. Chichiko. I really hope I can trust her, I've tried to make alliances several times, and none of them were trustworthy. But I feel like I have a connection to her, something that was declared between us way before we found each other. Like having a sister, or a best friend.
But what did I know about either of those two things?
"How long have you been here?" I ask, keeping my voice low as I retract my wings. Her wings are beautiful, but I am still proud of my own, each reflecting the two sides of me. I'm still smiling, because how often do you see a successful hybrid like myself?
"Ever since I can remember, but I'm going to break out one of these days. They can't keep me here." She has a determination that I have heard in my voice before, many times. And I hope she knows what's in store with breaking out. It's hard work, and you need a good sense of direction to where your running. One wrong hall could kill you. Literally.
I had spent ten years planning my escape, memorizing halls, noting each window there was, each door, each exit. I had played senerious in my head over and over to see which one was most efficient. I had tried once, when I was eleven. In my frenzy to find a window, I had turned down a wrong hallway, and ended up running into a group of scientists. They drugged me, and when I was put back into my cage, they didn't feed me for a week. Then the last time I broke free, I had ran through the halls and out a door. I flew as fast as I could, to God knows where, and lived out of garbage cans for months. Then they found me again, and I had been moved here.
"Don't worry, we won't be treated as animals anymore. We'll be free." I whisper and give her my best smile. She smiles back and leans against her cage.
She looks well fed, and not as many scars as I have. There's a red mark on her cheek that looks like she had just been slapped, but that's all I can see that has been recent. She must be a 'obey the rules and you will be rewarded' kind of person. Sure, but I'd like those idiots to know who they're dealing with and how uncontrollable I am.
I sigh and rub my temple. I might as well get some rest. Tomorrow will probably be filled with tests, questions, and pain. Lots of pain. Oh joy...
A loud scream wakes me up, along with the whole room. More screams are heard, pounding on cages, whimpers of fear. I look frantically around, and then see three Erasers come out of the darkness, morphed and ugly. They're walking toward my cage, and I can't help but wonder, is it my time to die? Then they turn to the boy beside me and open his cage, forcefully pull him out, all the while he is screaming and begging.
"What are you doing!" I yell at them and Chichiko puts a hand on my shoulder.
"They're putting him down, he's a failed experiment." She explains calmly, like she's seen this happen many times. She probably has, but it still doesn't mean that it's right.
"Why won't they let him die peacefully, they're going to slaughter him!"
"That's the way it is here," She says, then looks away as they stuff the boy in a cage and wheel him away to his death.