The Rat in The Signal

Chapter 16

Art by me

Rat squeaking, human speaking

Ayo, deep subject matter of diffrent types of abuse for this chapter and next, not chapters for kids!

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Animal - (n.) any such living thing other than a human being. Ex: Seven was an animal. Always was, forever will.

And just like all animals, he found himself caged, or at least, the rebellion's version of a jail cell. A part of the warren the kids dug out themselves, a wooden stake in the ground while a snare was around his neck to keep him trapped.

He couldn't run, couldn't try to escape, couldn't even chew through the wire because of the muzzle still on him. He sat by the wall, knees to his chest as he rested his chin down on them.

His eyes bore into the ground in front of him, finger tapping on his jeans. How much time did he have left? If he could dig up the stake could he use it as a weapon? Where was Squeaks and was she okay?

Closing his eyes and forcing himself to take a breath. Squeaks would be fine, he should just worry about himself right now.

Squeaks... he could really use her right now... she was a good listener, even if she didn't understand what he was saying. She would let him comb through her hair with his hand and rest on his lap or be right beside him, helping him keep warm during the nights they were together on The Maw. She was the closest thing he had to a friend...

"Sev?"

Seven looked up, eyes squinting as the once dark room was given light by a torch from outside. His eyes traveled up, a growl escaping him as he made out the outline of the figure.

Rain.

She quietly snuck into the room, something in her hands. He could only growl in frustration, wanting to reach out and just-- attack her, scratch her, something to just make her feel the pain he was in. She seemed to notice, staying just out of reach, sitting down and crossing her legs.

"Seven, I brought you something to eat," Rain whispered. Food? Seven looked down, seeing the small bit of food she had in her hands. A small piece of bread and a bit of meat, sitting there just a few feet away from him and was useless to him from how tight his jaws were being held together by the metal around him.

His eyes glanced up to her, an unamused, deadpan stare as a growl grumbled in his throat. 'Get you and your backstabbing ass out of here,' he thought, his nails digging into the fabric of his jeans, muscles tensing as his anger built up again.

He wanted to shout and scream at her, yell in her face about how much trouble she just put him into. He wanted to see her beg for mercy as she withered in all her guilt. He didn't care she was family, he hated her, hated her for all of this!

"I... I know you're mad... but, Sev, please, just listen to me," Rain said softly. The boy in blue's growl grew louder, showing his teeth behind the muzzle grating, taking a handful of the soft sand under him and flinging it at her.

Rain let put a small cry of pain as it sprayed into her face, rubbing her eyes with her coat sleeves. "Sev, wait, please! Plah- yuck, you got it in my mouth!"

Seven gave a small snort, throwing another handful at her. Rain covered her eyes this time, which were now redding and itching, watering in hopes of getting rid of the grit.

"Please, I wasn't given a choice, he said he'd hurt me and you both if I didn't tell," she said, eyes squinting in fear of any sudden attack of more sand being thrown.