Bandages and Blankets

Chapter 1

I curled my tail around my body. I wanted to protect it from all the people here. People with long white coats and fancy names I couldn't remember. They loved to pull and sting my tail and ears so I have to protect them.

I looked around and noticed the long coats leaving. I sigh happily because that means I can sleep safe. But before I can fall asleep the bars of the cage I am in start buzzing. That means that there is electricity on the bars. I have to be careful not to move. Or I will be in a lot of pain. I have some experience.

They put me here when I was six. I had some space back then but now I am full grown and I am almost too big for this cage. So every move I make is a change to be in pain.

I am a lot smaller than the long coats. Maybe they put something in me that makes that I can't grow taller.

I wasn't born the way I am now. They did some experiments on me. There is a lot I don't remember anymore but I know that I am the only hybrid in this world. One of the long coats told me that.

I carefully fall asleep. In the middle of the night I wake up from a horrible pain. I must have touched the bars of the cage. I shrink into a ball and start crying from the pain. I carefully pick up my tail where the burn started and I see that a lot of hair singed away. The skin underneath is red and blisters start to form.

I try to sleep again but it is not working. I am in too much pain. I almost touch the bars again but I pull my leg away just in time.

By the time the long coats come back I am a sobbing mess. I really want to stay strong but I just can't.

"Put the electricity out. He is going out."

I embrace myself for the pain I am going to feel today. I feel some relief when the buzzing ends. But the cage isn't opening like normal. I hear someone doing something with my cage and out of nothing my cage starts to lift. I shriek and start falling to one corner of my cage.

They lift my cage up and put it down on a thing with wheels. I am in a dark space and at once we start moving. I shiver in the cold and hold my tail close.

When we arrive the thing I am in stops moving. I think I am in a van but I've never been in one before. They get me out with cage and all. And move me into a shop. Inside are a lot of animals. I think it is a pet store. Why am I here. Are they going to sell me?

They put my cage in the end of the store with some cats and dogs. The other animals smell at me and back away. I don't want their attention.

The long coats leave and I am being left behind. It isn't quit in the store. All kind of animal noises are heard. Some costumes come in and leave again. At the end of the day I am exhausted because I couldn't sleep. A man closes the door and the animals starts backing away in their cages.

"Look what we have here. New toys came in today. With a special cage. I heard there can be electricity set on these bars. Let's test it."

I back away from the bars. And the buzzing starts again. The owner picks up a stick and starts poking me with it. He uses so much power I feel my back against the bars. I am not prepared for the pain and cry out.

The owner picks up some baby kittens and puts them in my cage. "I think you can make sure they are tamed before tomorrow morning." He tells me and walks away. I pick up the three kittens and hold them close to me. They fall asleep easily but I am in too much pain to sleep. I cry softly without starting to wake the kittens up.

The owner is now beating up some dogs and I hear them howl. A ringing noise start and the owner walks away. The lights go out and we are alone.