Strangers

Part 21: Cages For Monsters

Willow, Corinne and I started to go towards that island. Obviously Max didn't like it neither. "If we continue to go by this tempo and fly at night, we should be there tomorrow afternoon" Corinne looked at me "You're seriously expecting us to fly at the night?" I nodded "Why not?" she sighed "Our dragons will be tired" Willow said. She's right, but it will just slow us down. I looked at Willow and Corinne's dragons and then at Max. "Alright, but in dawn we continue" they nodded "Yeah" we continued to follow a map whole day. In the twilight we landed on an island. "Okay this should be good enough. I'll go for some wood"

"Alright. I'll go catch some fishes", "I'll find a place for fire" later I made a fire and sat next to Max. "Are you hungry?" I could hear Willow asking from the other side of fire. I nodded and she gave me a fish "Thanks", "No problem" we ate in silence. Later I leaned on Max, ready to go to sleep. "What do you think we will find there?" Corinne asked while looking at fire. She was leaned against her dragon, fire was lighting her. I shrugged "Who knows..more dragons, vikings, dragon hunters, nothing...", "How would you feel if we really don't find anything?" I looked at her then at Willow "I don't know.. It's not like I'm expecting to find something there.. What about you two?", "Sad? Everybody thinks we will find new dragons there. I hope we will" Willow sighed. "Same... That would mean we came for nothing" Corinne finished. That's all she said. I didn't know what to say "We should go to sleep" they nodded in agreement.

They fell asleep, but I couldn't. There is too many things going on in my brain. I just want this to end as soon as possible. Why can't I have a normal life? When I solve a problem at least two new comes. I guess too much thinking got me tired and I fell asleep. In the morning we continued to go towards that island. And same sheldue until we saw a little spot in the horizon. "Hayden, is that it?" I looked forward "Yes, we finally found it!", "It looks bigger than I thought" I nodded "Same here" later we landed. "Where should we start?" I looked around "Maybe we should separate", "I'll go on the right" Willow said first, "I'll on the left" Corinne said after her. "I guess I'll go forward" everybody left their way.

As I walked I felt like I was here before. I couldn't stop looking around. Something's weird here. That death breath was surrounding me. Max looked nervous too. Everything was silent until a hit of metal was heard. "What was that?" Max growled a bit. I started running towards the sound. Trees everywhere around me. When I saw the glade I stopped running and stayed in the shadows where nobody can see me. Metal cages all around. What for? Loud sounds were heard from the inside of them. There was no people walking around, nobody was there. The only sounds were coming from the cages.

I started walking towards them carefully, Max following behind me. Cages are of metal, big enough to trap a bear, silver on some parts, only a single window with bars on every of them. It's too high. "Max come here" he carefully walked towards a cage, obviously scared because of those sounds. They are too loud and creepy, but I need to find out what is making them.

I stood on his saddle and tried to look through the bars on the window of one cage. It was dark and cold. Nobody would like to be inside. Suddenly two eyes appeared on the other side of the bars. I jumped from surprise. As I returned my balance I looked through the bars again. Two eyes were looking back in mine. Brown eyes, everybody would think they belong to a human, but they don't. I can't see a face, but their shape isn't human. My breath got stuck in my throat. I didn't dare to blink or look away. The eyes weren't blinking neither.

I could feel them looking in my mind. Suddenly I felt somehow..angry or sad. I know what is on the other side of those bars. Who's eyes are looking back in mine, why I can't look away? It's like they are saying me to keep looking, hypnotizing me. I could hear a voice speaking in my mind: your future is the same. Nobody can escape, neither can you. Then a loud sound was heard and I fell backwards. "Hayden!" Corinne ran to me. I felt so numb. Like I wasn't  myself at the moment. "Hayden are you alright?!" Then I felt like I woke up from a dream. "We need to leave" I stood up hurriedly "Wait, what? Why?" then sounds from all cages became louder, much louder. Willow ran to us "What's happening?!", "I don't have time to explain! Let's go!!" I jumped on Max and we left an island.

"Hayden what was that? Why we left so hurriedly? What is in those cages? Are you even listening to me?!" I looked at Willow. It's not right to say nothing, but I don't feel like saying anything. "I'm sorry... I just couldn't stay there...", "Just tell us why? What did you see?" I looked at the sea, those eyes were still in front of me, looking back in mine. My eyes closed and I sighed. "If anybody asks you what we found, say nothing", "Why? We won't lie! Hayden tell us what's inside?!" My eyes opened again, but I kept looking at the sea. "Those aren't normal cages.. They aren't made for dragons or animals or even humans", "Then what are they made for?" Corinne asked. I don't know how to answer on that. Which words to use? Neither is good enough. There's no words that are good enough to describe what's trapped inside. I barely spoke next words "For monsters".