Hidden Fox

Eighteen

"I'm not gonna lie to you." Iris said after long moments of silence. I could hear the child next to me breathing rapidly. Too rapid for her to be asleep. "This place is a hell hole."

I can see that.

"And you're older, which means it's gonna be worse."

"How do you mean?"

"We're here for more than just research and studying. Something specific that the younger girls can't provide."

I drew in a sharp breath, my stomach revolting in disgust. "How long have you been here?"

The silhouette of her shoulders shrugged up and down once. "The days and months blur together eventually. I'm twenty, I shifted at fourteen. It wasn't too long after I shifted I was brought here."

My hand clamped over my mouth. This girl had been here for up to six years? "How did they find you?"

"No idea. I don't remember much about coming here, or my life before here for that matter."

"Your parents? Your pack?"

Her head shook, "Nothing. Trust me, I try every day to remember pieces of myself and I come up empty handed every time."

"I remember." A fragile voice to the right piped up. I turned to see the redhead was now sitting up, her legs folded under her, her body turned where she could see both of us. My eyes were adjusting, and I could form the waves of her hair strands, and the structure of her face through the dark.

"Not everything, but I still have nightmares of watching Mommy die."

I choked back an involuntary sob, not expecting her to say that at all. I stayed silent, and the child continued.

"Daddy was already gone, and she was trying to get to me. They attacked after I shifted and I was carried away. Mommy kept screaming for me, but I can't hear the words anymore. Can't even see her face. I just know it's her."

Slowly, I crawled across the floor, reaching my hands through the bars in an attempt to comfort her. She gladly fell into them, and I held her, the only thing separating us were the bars we were pressed against.

"What's your name?" I whispered.

"Kalmia. I'm eight."

And there went my heart, shattering into a million pieces for this girl. Eight years old! Not even have gotten a chance to experience the world. She was alone, with not even her mother searching for her.

Suddenly, I put two and two together. Aralia. Kalmia. Iris. Rue. Ivy. Those were all plant names. Newly sprouted. They gave us the names of plants, replacing our old identity by brainwashing us.

Two things became clear: I was determined not to forget the ones who loved me, who were searching for me. And as I held onto Kalmia, I knew I had to be there for her; she didn't have a family, these girls were all she had anymore. And I knew we were going to get out of here.

🐾🐾🐾

The day went by without anything else exciting. I watched the window above the door as the light shifted through the hours, our only way to telling the time. It was dimmer than ever by the time Ian brought Rue and Ivy back, throwing them into their cells. He called them by name, and that told me who was who.