“I’m so glad to see you,” Riley cried.
The depth of relief and happiness she felt overwhelmed her. It was strange to feel so attached to the man, since they’d only had a handful of conversations. She was far more familiar with Ion, his mate. Just knowing she wasn’t alone, brought her immense comfort.
“You are alright?” Exo’s four fingered hands fluttered over her.
“As good a can be expected.”
Riley also studied Exo. He was frightened and as pale as a sheet, but didn’t appear injured.
Good, she nodded, then turned to examine the cell.
Smooth stone walls crowded in on three sides. A single dim light illuminated a thin dirty mattress, and a hole in the floor at the back of the hovel. Besides that, there was nothing to their grim accommodations.
“Please tell me that’s not the bathroom,” Riley implored.
“Yes,” Exo whispered morosely. “And if you are thirsty.” He pointed to a dripping spigot on the wall.
“I’m not a hamster. I can’t drink out of that,” Riley snarled.
“Please, don’t get angry,” Exo implored, flinching when she turned irate eyes toward him. “They will come back if you act up.”
The way he behaved, Riley was certain Exo also got the mood moderator implant. It was doing an annoyingly good job at cowing him.
Take it down a notch, Riley coached herself while pulling in several deep breaths.
“We both need to calm down. I’m pretty sure they implanted something in your head, that’s making you worry more than usual. It’s supposed to control us.”
“No,” Exo cried as he grabbed his head and started feeling around.
“Exo, please, stop,” Riley insisted as she grabbed his pale, shaking hands. “There’s nothing we can do about it right now. Let’s try to concentrate on what we can do.”
“Meal time,” a voice said in the corridor.
Several of the walking, talking rats, were dragging someone down the hall.
“Please, no,” the spotted furry creature begged, its branched horns swaying to and fro.
“Silence,” the rat man yelled.
Riley’s eyes widened when the bastard whipped out a serrated blade and swiftly slashed the tawny, horned creature’s neck. She stood frozen in terror as blood spurt on the wall near her cell and sizzled against the electric barrier.
The sound of screaming filled her ears as the blue people in the cells lost their tenuous composure. She wanted to turn away, but couldn’t force her muscles to move, as the rats butchered the twitching corpse right in front of everyone. They tossed the hunks of flesh onto a cart, leaving the entrails on the floor.
Riley’s heart sped up when a swarm of furry blobs rushed through the air vents along the floor. The horde attacked the guts and blood. The disturbing vermin scrambled over top one another as they all attempted to reach the entrails. Riley gagged as she watched the vile remains disappear beneath the writhing mass.
Ratso smugly leaned against the opposite wall, smirking at her. This gruesome display was intended for her.
Message received, asshole.
When they were done dismembering the body, Ratso approached her cell. Riley scrambled back to get out of the psychopath’s way.
“Silence,” he barked as he brandished his knife.
Riley realized Exo was still screaming in terror, and quickly clapped a hand over his mouth.
Ratso kicked several of the furry little vermin as he entered their cell. He sent one of the little creatures careening into the wall with a dull thud.
“Nasty cor,” he grunted. “You better eat before the cor get it.” He tossed the bloody hunk of flesh onto the mattress, then stormed out.
I doubt the furballs are any nastier than you.
Riley blanched as she looked at the bloody pile that was supposed to be their dinner. There was no way they could eat that, ever. She released Exo, and they hugged the wall, watching as the furry blobs swarmed through the vent, to attack the foul offering.
We have to get out of here before we starve to death, or turn into someone’s dinner.
When all but the injured furball finally fled the cell, Riley and Exo slumped to the floor. She held Exo close, to calm his trembling. It comforted her too.
Riley took a deep sighing breath, thankful the strident sounds from the other cells had finally died to manageable sobbing. After several minutes, she shifted uncomfortably. The quiet was almost worse than the chaotic din. It left her alone with the paralyzing thoughts that were trying to surface. She kept wondering what horrific thing would happen next. Thoughts like that would quickly drive her insane.
Instead, Riley focused on the ruddy ball of fur that remained on the far side of their cell. The creature was wobbling back and forth, like it was in pain or traumatized. Riley sympathized. The pathetic creature was only attempting to survive, like everyone else in this nightmarish place.