Page 11 of My Wild Pet

She moves closer to the edge of her cage, her gestures growing more exaggerated as she repeats the word. Her urgency is contagious, but it only makes me feel more frustrated.

I shake my head, mouthing back, “I don’t understand.”

She presses on, joined by another woman who begins miming motions—pointing to herself, gesturing outward, then pretending to hold something close.

“Bet?” I mutter under my breath. “What bet? What does that mean?”

The second woman shakes her head emphatically and repeats the motions.

“Set?” I try again.

My patience snaps. I throw my hands up in exasperation. “I don’t know!”

The first woman’s shoulders slump. Disappointment is written all over her face.

I sink to the cold floor, wrapping my arms around my knees. But I can’t stop watching her. She leans against her cell wall now, defeated, while the other women murmur among themselves, casting worried glances my way.

“Whatever it is, they know something I don’t,” I whisper to myself. “And whatever it is... it’s not good.”

Three days ago, Slender was taken from the men’s cell and didn’t come back. And a handful of the blonde women were led out too, but a few of them returned, so I don’t think anyone was being executed. They looked unharmed. No, that’s not true. Physically unharmed, but emotionally traumatized.

I promise myself that when they come for me, I’ll try to remain calm, to figure out as much as possible. In the hopes that the more I understand about my situation, the better chance I have of getting home.

As the days wear on, I’m still not entirely convinced this is a spaceship and as stupid as Big is, I am starting to believe this might be just other humans messing with us. I’ve never felt the ship move nor have we seen anything really alien except the few aliens when we arrived. And there are toilets in our cells. How would these kinds of aliens know about human toilets?

CHAPTER 4

Aefre

The Abyssal Nexus looms in front of me. It’s a massive Octopod station shaped like a living creature with bioluminescent tendrils snaking out into deep space. It only reminds me of how much I hate dealing with Octopods.

“Prepare for docking,” the captain announces. A faint chime echoes through theLuminous Arc, followed by the computer’s acknowledgment when the docking is complete.

I gaze at the Nexus, its glowing mass reflecting off my ship’s windows. “The auction awaits,” I mutter.

I make my way to the exit, where my guards stand waiting. I don’t expect trouble here, but this is Octopod territory after all. I motion for them to follow.

We walk along the station’s dimly lit corridors with their glowing orange patterns. Breathing in the thick air as our feet move through the faint mist drifts along the floor, which allows the Octopods to glide more easily and the rest of us to slip.

The Octopod Docking Overseer approaches. “Imperial Trainer Aefre. Your arrival has been logged. The auction preparations are underway. Please proceed to the Auction Hall.”

“Ensure my transport is secured,” I reply curtly, but he’s already moved on, issuing orders to harsh handlers who are dragging restrained humans off transport ships further down the hall.

One of my guards grimaces as we watch a group of human men roughly yanked into formation by their tentacled captors. “Those male pets, they’re so shattered,” he observes.

I say nothing, my eyes fixed on the scene. The Octopods’ treatment of humans is crude. Their methods dull the spirit, stripping away everything that makes humans valuable as pets.

We continue through the station, the long, curving corridors shimmering with orange light. The walls pulse faintly with bioluminescent designs, and the mist thickens underfoot. Trainers pass by, some nodding in recognition, others avoiding my gaze.

Just as we near the Auction Hall, the sound of humans crying reaches us. I raise a hand, signaling my guards to stop. Seconds later, a group of humans are led across the corridor, their faces pale with fear and their steps unsteady on the slick floor.

I watch them, assessing their condition. “Those humans are damaged,” I say under my breath. “They’ll fetch a price, but they’re useless. The Octopods have made them compliant, but in the process, reduced them to just living bags of water.”

“Do you still want to go in?” one of my guards asks.

I hesitate for the briefest moment, the weight of doubt creeping in.If this is the quality on offer, am I wasting my time?But I’ve come too far to turn back now. “We’re already here. We might as well go in.”

At the entrance to the Auction Hall, two Octopod guards stop us. “No personal security allowed. Only buyers, Master Trainer,” one of them clicks.

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