Nothing More Than A Dog

Part 1

Slowly I opened my eyes, seeing the  rusty grey bars of my cage. I try to move my paw a slight amount to see if I could get into a more comfortable position, but I only regret my decision as I let out a faint whimper from pain, feeling it shoot through my sore body.
I take a few short deep breaths, refraining myself from causing more pain, After a while I feel stinging of my paw subside but decide to stay almost completely still to prevent causing anymore pain.

My body feels so weak, I haven't eaten in days and I was beat pretty hard yesterday during the training session, then again when some of the kids decided they didn't have enough 'fun' so they came to my cage and dragged me out to hit me some more. I huff in a shallow breath and wince feeling the intense pressure of the bars digging into my back from how tight my cage is, I begin to feel claustrophobic and the sides feel as though they are enclosing in on me. 'ignore it' I tell myself with clenched teeth. I try desperately to pass the fear with the best of my abilities, I should be used to this by now!
Looking around all I have is a thin pink blanket to cover the cold concrete ground. I close my eyes in shame as I see the many accidents I made which has caused me to have many blisters from my blanket going unwashed.

I don't remember the last time I slept in a bed or was treated like a person I think I was maybe 7? Yea that sounds about right. I do remember my father died from a rogue attack and I have faint memories of him.. he was the only person who cared for me, everyone else bullied me and I never knew my mother as she died giving birth to me.
After dad died all I got were a few slaps here and there at first, but as time went on those slaps turned into punches and well those punches turned into this..
I think I'm 18 now, every year on a certain day they'd take me out and make me do tricks before they all got a turn beating me and using my shock collar. They always would say 'this is how we celebrate such a cursed day, your birth brought us misery and this is how you must repay us'

Blinking my eyes a few times I try to make out objects in this complete darkness, there aren't any windows or lights in the basement making it close to impossible for me to see anything.
Most wolves wouldn't be able to see in this gloomy dark basement but eyes have grown used to the darkness over time and have adjusted making it easier to see in the dark, though it makes it harder and painful to see when there is light...
light.. it's such a disguise for the emptiness and horrid things in this world, it gives people hope.. but of course there will always be shadows in light and we can never trust those shadows.

The sound of keys shaking followed by the basement door being opened makes me jump and lose all track of though as I try desperately while struggling to get up into a sitting position as I'm taught, so I'm ready for when the person gets here. My eyes are trying strongly to get used to the light that shines through the open basement door, I feel my fear rise hearing the mans footsteps near closer.

Finally I'm able to get my legs to work with me just in time as I sit with my head hung low in submission.
I see the mans well kept shoes appear at the entrance of my cage and study his grey jeans and blue plaid shirt, though I don't dare look up to meet his eyes.
That's one of the rules I live by.
Rule number 1: Never make eye contact with absolutely anyone.
Rule number 2: Never ever shift under any circumstances.
Rule number 3:Never fight back or run. And Rule number 4: follow all commands given, higher ranks always  come first.

I quickly go over the rules again in my head for probably the millionth time then take a deep painful breath. I take another breath and allow myself to identify the mans smell soon realizing that today it was Jake who came to get me. Jake is ok, he's definitely nicer than his brother Josh, I cringe at the mere thought of him.

Jake kneels down grabbing my leash that was set a few feet away and unlocks the cage, I don't step out, I just sit there and wait for him to put my leash on, if I moved out of command then I'd get punished.