Breaking the Cage

5.

Sarah

     Sarah stirred in her sleep, moving as gently as she could, making sure not to move too much against the binds around her wrists. The wounds there were starting to fester and the smell of putrid flesh filled the cavern taking over the smells of dirt and damp. Sarah knew that her time was almost up, she could feel the will to keep going slipping from her as she sat there day after day. Pain no longer danced for her choosing instead to poke and prod at her in the places that should have healed a long time ago had pack not continued to visit. Pack breaker now came almost every day. He would come in a rush anger lighting up his face and he would hurt her. But his movements were always choppy and unsophisticated. He was hurried and agitated and Sarah had no idea why. She was just glad when each session with pack was over and she could once again succumb to nothing and all it brought with it.

     The creak of door brought Sarah's head up as soft footsteps sounded in darkness. Sarah knew these footsteps as well as she knew hearts song. Willow came to a stop in front of her crouching down so that she was eyelevel with her. Her small frame covered only by the rough grey dress shivered in the growing cold of night. It was always cold in the cage but sometimes it got really cold as even Sarah had to fight against the chattering of teeth. Willow had once again brought food that smelled nothing like the gloppy mess she was usually allowed to have. The food that Willow brought made her tummy talk to her and hunger not to be angry with her Sarah sat quietly as Willow spooned the heavenly soup into her mouth. After they were finished Willow cleaned her up as much as she could and then set about treating her wounds. There wasn't much she could do about the bruises, but she put salve on the smaller cuts and cleaned then treated the deeper cuts. It was only when she got to her wrists that Willow began to speak.

     "Stupid pack. Look at what they're doing to you. And for what?" Her face scrunched up making her already narrow eyes look almost closed. Her hands worked swiftly as she dabbed at the swollen flesh. "I'm getting you out of here." She said softly not looking at Sarah as she tried to drain the putrid pus out of the bulbous sore on her left wrist, the smell intensifying within the wall of the cage.

     Sarah really liked the human; she began to feel like maybe just maybe she didn't need to make death her friend if she could have Willow as her friend. She wanted Willow to be her friend, and she wanted Willow to get her out of the cage. She couldn't remember a time when she wasn't in the cage. She had been very young when they had taken her out of the nursery and shoved her into a metal box with small hole in it. She had stayed there until she had grown so much that she was cramped in the space. That was the first time she had been taken to the cage. She could not remember either of her parents or whether or not she had any siblings. This was her life; and yet here was a human telling her that she could have a different life. Offering her a different life and Sarah found that she wanted the life she was being offered to her. Any life away from the cage, away from the pack was better than where she was now.

     "I'm Sarah." Her voice was rough and breathy as she couldn't remember when the last time she had used it was. Willows eyes snapped to hers as a smile spread over her dainty face.

     "Hello Sarah, It's a pleasure to meet you." She kept her voice small her eyes searching her face before returning to cleaning the wounds. Once she was done she gathered her supplies and headed for door once more. As soon as she reached the wood wall she turned once more and looked back as Sarah. Sarah knew that her human eyes couldn't see her in darkness but she looked her way anyway.

     "Two days, be ready." And she slipped out of door and Sarah was once again left with nothing but darkness. Two days was nothing compared to the years she had spent locked up inside the cage. She could sleep for two days if pack would leave her be. If they were going to escape pack in two days Sarah would need to be able to move quickly and silently. She wiggled her legs wincing from the aches there. She ignored pain for now as she continued to work her muscles as much as she could chained to the wall.