'She was possibly the sweetest thing…' A loud bang was heard in the room followed by a thud. He cowered in his sleep-'I won't let him get hurt again! W-We just need to wait. Something good will happen.'
Stop it. We can't keep doing this…Waiting won't help. He thought as he tossed around.
"I never would use our friendship as a tool, let's get that straight right now."
I...Want to forgive you but I don't have the stomach for it. His head felt clouded as the dark void around him shattered and a snake appeared in front of him.
"SSSSssss, Death comes to those who ssssssleep. Vile, Vicious, Vacuous Vermin…My venom will take him, choose what are you going to do? I love to ssssssee you try." The snake said as she slithered into his cage… his only option was to fight her she would not make a meal out of him. He will NOT die tonight, I Wont let you hurt him again!
The snake disappeared as the area around him changed, the ground was white cleaner than before. He felt smaller now as a group of animals leered over the cub, the prominent voice being a badger. He pointed his claw mockingly, "Look at the cowering little cub, hehehe. Wimpy little runt was left behind, what a disappointment." A tear fell down his face, that hit to close to home.
"Pitch...Just let it out, you can't keep this bottled up. Forget about him, just walk it off." Mike's voice spoke in his ear.
The cub saw the group of animal's hovering over an animal cub, a koala. It cried out in pain, they didn't stop beating the poor thing… tears still dripping from her face. The onlooker saw the events unfold, his rage was silent as clutched his fists. "Hehehheheehe… Ground em into the dirt. Little b-" Unbeknownst to the group a lone cub stood behind them...they stopped laughing.
And moments later he stood over the broken forms as they groaned, A tiny bit of blood left on his wrist. He shook violently as an another voice spoke below him as he rose his fist;
"We gotta go, they've...had enough…Don't lose yourself." Mike said.
The area changed again and he was sitting in an another cage with the Grey mouse.
"God, I hate needles…" Fighter stated.
"They ain't too bad," Mike said.
"Says the mouse who hasn't been pricked with one twice his size."
"I stand corrected." He chuckled.
"To kill or to be killed...was there even a choice?" His voice rang hollow to the bear.
As the polar bear appeared before him with a wolfish grin.
….
"Gah!" The bear woke up in a daze, drenched in sweat. He sighed openly.
"Wakey, wakey kiddo. Want some bacon?" Mike, did you really have to remind me I haven't had meat in a while?
"Ahhh, good morning to you too." he yawned while scratching his head.
Mike was staring outside the cage, he looked distant. Fighter heard a small growl from his companion's stomach. He smiled bitterly. "So, any explanation why a freakin' leopard managed to escape it's cage yesterday?"
If he only knew the answer, he shrugged. But he did note something, each of the cages had locks...Wait, didn't Tali know the code?
"Fantastic. Not only do I need to stay hidden, but I gotta worry about these little shits coming to get me. How fitting." He groaned
"At least your not a target now." Fighter said dryly.
"Even so, it's frustrating." He pulled on his whiskers, passing them through his finger tips. Another restriction added to their prison.
"It could be worse at least it's stable, right?" Fighter gave a bitter smile, he scratched the back of his head.
"Stable? Buddy, stable is what I call being able to bathe in water that isn't used for drinking. I can't even use the bathroom water now." He sniffed the air, he could say that at least half the animals there, himself included. "I just want a way out of this shit." He kept playing with his whiskers.
Fighter narrowed his brow, he shared the notion but something still bothered him, he picked up the teal cellphone. From what he could gauge it had no service what-so-ever, the device was lucky he had patience or else it would found a new home in a trash bin or upside another animal's head he wasn't picky.
His companion continued, "Seriously every day is struggle here, what's next? A piranha tank dropping on our heads in our sleep?" The bear nodded as he continued to rant. He inspected it before he went sleep and found some interesting things about the device. One; he found out that the device had voice mail stored into the thing, you had to press a button combination for thing to work. Also the voice that talked usually was male aside from some interesting calls;
"Fifty bucks." She stated flatly.
"Fifty for what! I get better deals down the street!" The male replied annoyed.
"Please, and you think they're safe?
"At least I know they don't rip me off for something so small."
"Please your one to talk."
"..."
"Everybody got different tools for different jobs. Use a Hammer for a nail, a screwdriver to screw, and a drill too...you get the picture."
"Well, your hammer keeps missing the nail, the screw is sub-bar at best and your drill can't pierce it at all." She stated as a matter of fact. He paused for moment…than hung up the phone. It seems he knew discretion is the better part of valor.
Fighter's laughter matched the intensity of a hyena yesterday. Second, was the location of the warehouse they were in: Pier 22 Sycamore docks. Now, if he could find a way to use that info that would be fantastic.
"...Then we gotta worry about women jumping us while we sleep..." Mike smiled happily as he heard that.
And finally the most annoying piece of the puzzle: the pictures stored in the phone. This man did not give anything remotely close to a damn when he took the pictures. They were either too blurry or the idiot had the camera zoomed in too far in for anything distinguishable. The only thing of note was a picture of two figures chasing each other, one white while the other was grey, both of them were animals… odd. he thought.
His companion noticed the bear staring at the phone and shook his head. The mouse crawled up his arm onto the phone obscuring the device. The bear's gaze went back to his friend, he must of tuned him out.
"Sorry." He said.
"We both know that thing has no service so stop fiddling with it."
They avoided eye contact. Mike was the first to speak.
"Look I'm gonna grab something to eat. I'll sneak around."
The bear narrowed his brow. "Are forgetting you can't be seen? Not mention, ahhhh.' He yawned. it's too early."
Mike frowned annoyed, "Wait! I got an idea!"
"Huh, it's Christmas miracle." He stated with smirk.
"You ass. Just distract the guy handing out food and I can get some grub."
….
The bear arrived at the lunch area with his companion in tow. It was simple, chat up whoever was there and keep them busy for Mike to snatch for food for himself. For once things seemed that way due to a disturbance in the area with a couple of animals, the prey rather than the predator half. The most prominent voice being a monkey trying to question the food distributor: Tali.
She held a tray of vegetables for the bunnies and many of the smaller animals that were there. The monkey spoke over despite this. "Have you seen my brother, Andy? He didn't come back to his cage for a couple of days..."
She didn't respond, not due to rudeness mind you but, when a dozen of bunnies and other small animals start chomping at the bit for food both figuratively and literally you have your hands full. The monkey clearly didn't have the patience though, he flipped the tray out of the mongoose's hand causing the tray to land with a crash causing most of the little one's scatter, all but one. It wanted to grab the celery stick left on the ground.
Now any sane mammal at this point would realize that maybe they went too far and apologize profusely. But rationality and common sense seem to skip this animal today.
"This place isn't that large just come and help me find him!" He pleaded.
"I would help you, but I need to feed everyone here. Your not the only one with a problem." She sighed and picked up the plate. And yet again a mistake was made, he looked at the rabbit that stayed behind and scowled at it.
"These cotton-tails can wait!" He stepped on the food the bunny was inspecting.
"Have you ever thought the problem might be you?" The bunny replied innocently.
Before things got violent, Malcolm arrived in the nick of time he looked over the two as Tail picked up her tray. "What seems to be the problem?" he asked in a sour tone. He seemed sleeply.
"My brother is missing could you help me find him?" The monkey asked.
"What was his name?" He asked curiously, the response from the monkey made is eyes light up for a moment…
"Yes, let me see if we can find him. Follow me to my office. And Tali come to my office for a moment when I'm done." He walked off not bothering to wait for answer as lead the monkey to the bathroom. Now was the moment to strike, now or never.
Fighter walked to Tali as she patted the bunny on it's head and gave it some celery. Some good deeds are rewarded. He chuckled softly at the sight, this was a rarity. She heard the bear and smirked. "So your gonna stand there and watch or do I have to spoon feed you?" she asked
"Heh. No it's just refreshing to see you like this." He stated.
"Tch. You rubbed off me I guess." He narrowed his eyes, there was a question on his mind he needed answered while Mike sneaked behind into the Crate.
"Tali, you know the codes to the cages, right?"
"Why do you ask?" She narrowed her brow quizzically, her tone grown had serious.
"Our cages have codes for each of them to open, one would assume you know the code… She stared him sternly. 'Since you know that...How long have you been here?" She grew silent, her tail stopped moving and laid still on the ground.
"I can't answer that." she said.
"Right. It's fine you've done enough for me anyways just wanted to know." He placed arm on his waist and sighed.
"Two years…" she replied
"I assume they've been rough."He responded.
"That's putting it lightly. Word of advice- don't cross Malcolm, he won't hesitate to target those you love." She growled as she narrowed her brow, the malice in her eyes told him all he needed to know. Mike managed to sneak a piece of carrot as he sneaked around the crate, he tapped the crate just enough for him to hear.
"Look about yesterday-"
"Don't mention it," He scratched the back of his head.
"No. I owe you that. Heh, maybe we could chat later."
He gave a friendly smile. "Want to know more about me, falling for me already?" He joked.
"No." She stated flatly. "I want to get to know before this place changes you...or you die. Besides don't I deserve that much?"
He rose his brow quizzically, Where was she going with this?
"After all we have slept together, I should get to know you first." They both chuckled.
"Maybe later." He grabbed some carrots and celery from her and went to meet his companion. She sighed as soon as he was gone. She dreaded moment this but she had to obey Malcolm for now.
She walked to the bathroom area.
Malcolm stood in the center of the room. He picked through his teeth with his claw.
"I see you solved the problem rather quickly."
"Yes...it was easy to figure out." He walked past her as he stretched.
"What was it that you need me for, sir?"
"I need to get rid of another rat..." He gave her a murderous glare as he grinned.
….
The two meet near freezer area, Mike was the first to speak. "Thanks, couldn't done it without you." he munched. The bear nodded and ate his share, but he looked pensive as he chomped down on his food.
"Now that we've both had some food in us, want to continue where we left off?" he was referring to conversation prior. "There's nothing to talk about, this place for the most part is stable."
"You realize that this place has major problems right?" He pointed to the freezer across from them.
"You told me before we went to bed that there are bodies in that room, animal parts. You don't think that's a little bit suspect?"
"Yes, but it not like we can do anything about it, why not try to stay clear any potential murderers and just live our life's here?" He shrugged his shoulders avoid Mike's eye contact.
Mike paused, he looked at his friend, he was for lack of a better word, pissed. "Y- you think I like living like this!?" He gave his friend a cold stare. "I didn't spend years of my life just to be stuck in a prison while I watch my friend risk his life just so we can survive!" He spat out annoyed.
Fighter looked to the ground, he didn't want to hear this, he knew where this was going to go.
"No one can live like this do you understand? No child should go through this shit everyday and still be fine after that. You deserve better, hell, we deserve better!"
"And how do you know we won't go through the same process again, huh?' the bear retorted growing more annoyed by the minute. "We've been placed in a good, stable environment. Why not take advantage of it?"
Mike growled as he placed his hand on his head frustrated. "Take advantage of what, Death? Nothing hear screams exploitable, man!' he narrowed his brow and gave him a pensive stare. "This isn't about the living arrangements is it?"
Shit. He thought.
"You don't want to go through the home hoping process with the humans I know it's bull, but come on!"
"We can stay here. As long as I'm here, I can keep you safe."
"You and I both know that statement is full of shit, right? This is same sich, we've been through this before."
Shut your mouth, now. He glared at the mouse.
"I didn't go through losing my family just to go through this crap again! And you should feel the same!" He shouted hysterically.
Fighter gave a cold stare, he shouldn't have brought that up, but he wasn't going to stop…
"I know I can't go back to them, but that's how it goes. I made my choice. Kid,' he paused for a moment and looked away, he wiped his face. "You're the only family I've got now."
The bear stared at the mouse, his eyes still gave off a cold aura."I wonder when you'll abandon me too?" he stated flatly.
Mike looked up at him, worried. "No. I-"
"Save it—Your right I should feel the same way as them, right? Locke left me hanging, and my mother orchestrated the whole thing… why should I care then?" He walked off, he was done with this.
Mike realized what he did, "Shit..." he said as he watched him walk off, a shadow lingered over the crate as he left. It's eyes focused on the mouse.
