The Puppy Mill Farm

-How the darkness creeped in-

Do you ever look around you and think.. why? Why am I here to simply suffer?

My hands cradle my small body in an attempt to reach comfort in my position. I can't. No matter how much I protect my bruises and injuries, the small, harsh space of the cell has my limbs sticking out at odd places and pressed sharply against the bars, it's nothing short of painful.

It seemed that no matter how many times I ended up in this cell, I could never fear it enough to instill the submissive behavior they wanted from me. I just ended right back in the gutter, my lungs burning and my body aching.

Nonetheless I should explain how I ended up here, besides nothing helps me reflect more than the pounding on my head.

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"Mom!" I yelled, my tiny hands reaching for her towering figure as I ran towards her.

It was always like this. They'd take my mommy as soon as I woke up and they'd let her back later. We'd some times play when she came back but it was becoming more rare. She claimed she was tired, that I was a big boy and I could play by myself now. I knew that, but I still preferred to play with her, couldn't she see that?

As soon as my mom enters the small cell we share she collapses on the floor, her eyes tear up as she embraces me in a hug.

I put my small fingers on her back and take comfort in her warm body. Unlike the guards around us we did not wear any fabric over our bodies, something to do with them calling us animals. It was ok though, I couldn't imagine those tight fabrics would be comfortable for my tail.

I draw out the hug as much as possible before my mom starts to pull away slightly. Now would be the time I usually ask what happened? Why is she crying? I've found it useless to ask now, she won't tell me either way.

"Mom, can we play today..?" I look up at her with my big, pleading, mix-matched eyes and beg. "I don't want to play alone tod-" unable to finish my comment I hear a voice overtake mine.

"I'll play with him if you're busy, Number30."

It's the voice of one of the guards who speaks. I look up at him in fear and immediately hide behind my moms body. They're bad, that's all I know.

"No, No, please sir, don't, please, I'll- I'll do anything.." my mother begs, breaking down into sobs as she clutches the dirt floor beneath her. "Please.."

I look down at my mom afraid. My eyes never travel to the guards in fear of angering him. I know we weren't allowed to look at them. I wanted to, I wanted to show him my anger at making my mother cry.

That never went well. I learned my lesson soon enough.

The man snickered and tossed a baton into our cell, his smile growing more and more sinister, "play with that."

I see my mother's eyes widen for a second before she collects her self and turns to me, "Luka, why.. why don't you go to the corner for a second, like when we play? I'll play with you today bun, I promise.. I just need you to give mommy a second."

I nod, silently walking a few steps before sitting down and staring at the corner of the cell. I knew this wasn't a game.. at least not a fun one.

All I heard as my eyes closed on themselves was the sound of my mother's heavy breathing and the man's taunting voice calling for more. More pain.