Page 11

ELEVEN

CIPHER

Lights. Too bright. Hurts. Can’t see.

Pain everywhere, stabbing like knives. Can’t breathe. Can’t breathe.

Why can’t breathe?

“Huuurrrrttsssssss. Pleeaaaassssseee. Hurrtssss.”

Coughing, bad cough, chest rattling. Warm but not for long. Smell of piss. Gagging, retching, choking.

“Please.” So hard to breathe.

Another smell, like flesh and blood–food. Food? Where?

“Huuuuunnngrrrry.”

Trapped. Must fight. Must find food. Must get free. Yanking. Hurts so bad.

“Let go. Letgooooooo. ”

Voices. Human voices. Food?

Where is the pack? Why alone? Why so cold? Why so much pain? Why trapped with food but so hungry?

“Feeeeeed me.” Begging. Must fill the empty.

Where is food? There, a person. Meat. Smell it.

Trapped. Teeth biting at nothing. Must fill mouth. Must bite.

Heart beating so loud, light too bright, trapped. Screaming, a ragged cough, can’t breathe, can’t breathe.

Groaning, begging.

Hunger too much.

Hunger everything.

Must find meat.

Must eat.

So thirsty.

So much pain.

Lights too bright.

“Feeeeed me.”

A scream.

“Feeeeed me.”

So hard to breathe.

“Feeeeed me. Pleeeeese. ”

A pinch. Head heavy, heartbeat fading, stomach rumbling, blood cooling, eyes shutting. Shutting down. So hungry.

Nothing.