Out Of Nothing - Part 2

Jackie inspected the destroyed village. Aside from some pieces of wood sticking out of the ground or lying on the streets, there was not much to see. She followed a road leading out of the city but it soon was lost under sand. Jackie just kept walking further ahead. At some point she must find something interesting. Slowly the sky turned dark as the sun vanished behind the endless lands of dust. Jackie liked the idea of sleeping outside, with the only wall being underside her. The sand felt immensely comfortable in comparison to the hard steel floor. The stars looked so beautiful.

Jackie heard whispers. She sat up to look around when something pointy hit her in the back. Suddenly she felt very sleepy. The whispers came closer. She fell to the side, losing more and more control over her body. She tried to see who was whispering but she fell asleep before she could do so.

She woke up sitting in a cage. Not this again! Next she noticed her arms where enchained to the sides of her cage, so that she could barely move them. She was sitting cross-legged with her ankles chained to the floor. Another chain around her waist and a new one around her neck. At least with no needles inside them this time. Finally a metal plate was strapped over her mouth. Basically she jumped out of the frying pan right into the fires of hell. She tried to destroy her chains with her demon claws, but couldn’t scratch anything with them. WHO DID THIS?

Right then a slim man in fancy clothes stepped in front of the cage. He wore a bowler hat and round glasses in front of eyes full of hate. His mouth bent to a spiteful smirk. A small man with a pencil in one hand and a notebook in the other, eagerly awaiting to write something stood next to him.

“I can’t believe it, that bastard really caught one of those beasts.” His smirk didn’t vanish for one second. Jackie would like to rip it out of his face.

“I’m sure it’ll be worth a fortune, Master Sawyer”, the small man said with a grovelling voice.

“Now, now, Gerald, we do not refer to her as an ‘it’.”

“I’m sorry master.”

“She’s completely intact?” Sawyer leaned on the cage to get a better look at her. Jackie wished she could spit in his face. Maybe she has acid spit now? That’d be fun!

“Yes!” Gerald skimmed through his notes, “She has all of her limbs, her eyes seem to be perfectly functional, teeth are all still there, as well as her tongue. No crooked bones, she is perfectly healthy!” Aside from mental health, Jackie added in her head.

“Good!” Sawyer walked away from the cage, “bring her to Harrison. We can’t keep her locked up like this forever.”

“Of course, master.”

So they’ll take her shackles off? That’s when she must flee then. After all, she is not just a simple girl anymore, she could do it.

Her cage must have wheels underneath, as Gerald rolls it inside a large hall. Into a small room inside that large hall. There were five other cages, with only one occupied.

“Well, you’re lucky”, Gerald said, looking on his watch, “I think Harrison won’t waste his time on you today. Tomorrow it is then.” Gerald clapped his hands, “Good night!”

Jackie must have been unconscious for most of the day, if it was already going to be night time again. And during that time that little dwarf checked whether her body was still intact. Jackie felt really uncomfortable at that thought.

“They learned I see.” It was the girl in the other cage.

“They had one of you here earlier today. Didn’t have that thing over his mouth. He couldn’t bite anyone from inside that cage they thought. But your teeth aren’t your only weapon, right?” the prisoner laughed. So she DOES have acid spit?

“Killed two guards, but sadly he had no chance against Harrison. I think there are still pieces of him lying around here.”

The floor was covered in blood and undefinable pieces of flesh. It smelled of death. Jackie felt even more sick, but throwing up with a sealed mouth would be no fun at all.

“I’m sorry, did you know him?”

Jackie shook her head. The prisoner nodded.

“I hope you have another weapon they didn’t take care of.”

Jackie had no idea. She wanted to ask what the other guy used to attack the guards but the metal plate prevented her from speaking a single understandable word.

“My name is Reena. I was a thief before the slavers got me.”

Jackie didn’t listen as Reena explained her backstory. She needed to think. There must be a way out of here.

At some point her eyes just fell shut and didn’t open again until it was day again.