Please don't feed the children

They told me not to speak.

That is there first rule here, don't speak until you are spoken to.

I am sitting on the cold brick floor when i can feel wetness creep along my fingernails. As i look at my hand i realize that it's blood. That means they've found someone. Again, they've found someone. I turn my head from the wall and close my eyes.

But yet, there's no screaming.

My eyes shift cautiously back to the wall, and i still don't hear a thing. And i think i can hear the soft pattering of feet, not the loud clack off boots off the brick. I sigh a little, just before a voice calls out loudly.

"Is anyone there?" I pause. I can't respond, this defiantly wasn't one of them. This was the voice of prey, and they told me never to speak to them.

If i did, i know they wouldn't forgive me.

"Hello?" the prey calls out again, and i can't help but want to scream at it, yell go away or you shouldn't be here. But i can't, they won't let me. It sounds nervous and scared, just like the rest of them. But this one is very odd...... it dosen't have the usual voice amongst the other prey they have captured. this sounds like one of them, except much, much younger. It sounds like me.

"I can hear you breathing." It says again.

Scared, i back away silently, slowing my breath with each movement. And then i hear the clack of boots, and i know that it's over for it. When i hear the creak of the cage door besides mine, i am surprised to not hear it's uttering scream.

They should have been done with it. the prey should be dead.

But instead the prey yells for them to get off. Get off? i run to my barred door and try to peer over.

I see them grab it by the arms and tug him along over to me. I run back to a corner of the walls before they open my door and toss the prey in.

"Hey! Let me go! Why are you doing this?!" It retorts to them.

But just like with me, they just say:

"Speak only when you are spoken to."

Then they leave. Without it.

I come to a realization that this is not prey, it is a breeder.

Just like me.

But this is a male. They don't want me to breed with them anymore.

He turns to me, noticing that he wasn't the only one locked up here. "What is this?" he whispered. He was just breeding stock, he was not one of them. So i don't respond.

Until he reaches out and grabs my arm before i could flee.

"What is this?!" he says again, raising his voice.

In the risk of violence, i cave. But not with out the assurance i was going to be alone if i were to break their rules. I run to the door and look around.

They weren't here.

So i turn my head and speak quietly. "Home."

He looks at me curious, obviously scared to death. "What is your name?" he asks, but i can't answer.

"They don't give you one." I whispered. He looked at me surprised.

"You don't have a name yourself?" I nodded no, because truthfully, i didn't remember what others had called me before all of this. When i looked back up a his speechless face, it was the first time that i noticed his woodsy hazel eyes. One of them partially hidden by black smooth hair that was a little long. I gazed down at my knotted red-brown hair. I felt a bit jealous. But i realized that didn't matter. Soon, he would look just as dirt and messy as i was.