Page 9 of Slavic

Myeyes search the crowd forRowan.Thankfully,Ifind her laying only a few feet away from me.Movingtoward her,Ialmost step on another girl that is laying at my feet, curled up in a ball, whimpering.

“Wherethe hell are we?”

“Notsure you’re ready for that answer, asI’mstill in denial myself.”

“Whoare you?Howlong have you been here?”

“Keep-your-voice-down!Theirhearing is extremely sensitive.Ifyou want to keep your head, whatever you do, don’t scream …EVER!Myname isSherry, andIwas one of the first brought into these luxury accommodations.”Shemotions around at themetal walls surrounding us. “I’malso the last of that group still in here.They’vetaken all the others and so far, none have come back.What’syour name?”

“Ruby.”

“Whereare you from?”

“Ohio, but we were inTexaslast.”

“Iwas taken fromArizona.Seemslike they’re hopping from state to state, grabbing a few of us in each one.”

“Doyou have any idea where we’re at?Theair feels heavy, and it’s hot as hell in here.”

“Onceyour mind wakes up some, you’ll notice the vibration under your feet.Ithink we’re on some sort of ship.Theybrought you in a little while ago, and that seems to be the trend every twelve hours or so.”

“Howwould you know that?”

“Ihad my watch on when they took me.IthinkI’vebeen here three days, butI’mnot sure how longIwas asleep.Seemslike each group is different.Somewake up quickly, and others lay there so long you’re not sure if they’ll get up or not.”

Rubbingmy eyes,Itake a second to look around now that things are getting clearer.Ican see we’re in a cage of some sort, and there are girls laying everywhere, wherever “here” is.

Severalof them seem to be waking up, andIcan tellI’mnot the only one who’s confused.Steppingover the girl next to me,Ibend down, shakingRowan’sshoulder gently.Ican tell her breathing is labored when she turns my way.

“What?” she whispers sleepily.

Imotion for her to be quiet and that wakes her up immediately.Pullingher close,Iask, “Doyou remember anything?”Shelooks dazed and confused for a moment.

“What? …No, the last thingIrecall was you walking into the bathroom to take a shower.Waita minute, … there was something holding you and then a really bright flash.”Herbreath catches andIcan tell she’s about to panic.

“Lookat meRowan,Ineed you to breathe,Sis.That’sright. …No, don’t look around, just keep your eyes on me.Wedon’t have your meds, soIneed you to concentrate on making your lungs expand.Takea few deep breaths in and then out.Nowdo it with me.Watchmy chest and mimic it just like we did when we were kids.”

BeforeIcan say anything else, everyone near us starts waking up.Tearsand whimpers can be heard all around, and even thoughIknow this is bad,I’mgladIhaveRowanwith me.Havingher here is keeping me from losing my shit.Thatis, until the first piercing scream echoes throughout the room.

Instantly, girls are running everywhere in front of me.I’mnot sure who helps who up, me orRowan, but to keep from getting trampled we both move with the group.Thewhole time we make sure to keep a tight grip on each other in the midst of all this screaming.Oneof the girls falls, and it takes me a second to realize she’s actually passed out.

Confusedby what’s causing them all to panic,Itry to see around them, only to disbelieve my own eyes.Standingat what appears to be the door to this cage is …NO, there’s no such thing!Mymind must be messing with me because these things are make-believe … snake-men aren’t real!

Aslender hand on my arm pulls me andRowantoward the back of the room. “Comewith me, they always grab the ones closest to the door.”

IfeelRowantensing up andIput my hand over her mouth before she can scream. “Don’tmake a sound,”Iwhisper as we move slowly away from all the others.

“Ruby?”

“Yeah,Sis.?”

“Areyou seeing whatIam?”

“Ithink so.”

“There’sno such thing!”,Rowanpractically whimpers out.

Thescreaming gets so intense,Ihave to hold my hands over my ears, especially when it opens the door and … slides in.Massivefangs flash and a noise thatIswear sounds like laughter comes out of that gigantic mouth.It’sa fucking snake, aNaga.Acharacter you would read about in a damnSci-fi book.Onething is very apparent; it’s part something, but it’s nothing like the stories say.Itsupper part doesn’t resemble a handsome human male at all, it’s a damn snake with arms and a smooshed-up face.

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