Secret Lives

Chapter 24, Now or Never

Chapter 24

It was like a constant drumming in my skull, like someone had taken a hammer and beaten me with it.

I didn’t eat for two days nor did I sleep, I simply stared into the far distance past the cells that surrounded me.

I assumed I had been brought back to where I was before but as weak as I now was, my nose still hoped for the smell of food to float our way.

My arm was still shattered and useless for anything, the limb feeling like jelly after a few days; I didn’t even hope it would right anymore as I realised once I was better I was just be back in the same old arena.

I was too weak to do anything, from the way my ribs began to press against my fur, I knew soon that I would die of starvation from the cruel fate I had brought upon myself.

The only thing keeping me sane was the small voice inside my head.  I knew who it belonged to but I failed to wrap a name around it.

‘You need to get up Sonya, you won’t survive if you continue like this’.

Maybe the voice was right, maybe it wasn’t.  My limbs were not motivated to work again nor did I want them to.

‘What about your family, will they miss you not; would they be impressed to know you let yourself die’?

I was sure Chris was soon to be hunted down and killed himself, he thought I was dead anyways so what did it matter.

It was the first day when I finally was lucid enough to remember part of the day.

I could feel as the stale air dared to move around me, my eyes not watching anything in particular.

The subtle sound of my cell opening didn’t even rouse me, the cold hands that touched my fur making me wish I had the strength to attack whoever it was.

‘Oh Sonya, if only Chris was here.  I’ not sure the guy would even sleep seeing you like this’.

The voice registered in my mind but I came up blank trying to work out who this was his hands hard and calloused from work against my fur.

Sliding his fingers under my head, I soon found I was being cradled against something warm, the smell of water overwhelming my senses.

Spying the small contained placed near my snout, I was quick to begin lapping up the water, the cool substance being absorbed quickly as I swallowed.

‘Derek’s crazy if he thinks this is sane.  You don’t belong here; you were supposed to be dead weeks ago’.

Running a hand down my ribs, I didn’t bother to stop this person, their scent even seeming familiar as I thought about it.

I wanted to refuse this person’s help; I wanted no part of anything these hunters had planned.

The small offering of food certainly tore me from my thoughts not long after, my teeth tearing at the simple steak, the room beginning to become clearer.

It wasn’t until I felt the food beginning to settle in my stomach did I realise just who had helped me.

Brad was obviously closer than Mitch than expected; after all he had just helped me for some reason I was yet to understand.

Giving my head a brief pat, I was lowered back down to the floor; Brad’s head now hovering over me like he was examining me.

‘Rest up Sonya; I’m going to get you out of here.  Chris deserves to know you’re alive and I doubt Derek plans on informing him any time soon’.