Page 20 of Accidentally Abducted
I followed the feeling of Lola's presence through the maze-like corridors of the freighter. Everything was dark, cold, and dirty. The metal was rusted and scratched; the hinges smeared with black grease, and space dust hung in the air.
Lola was close. That feeling kept me going around every corner, as I walked into the depths of the giant slave ship.
I stopped at a wide door that opened to a massive metal pit. Stairs edged the wall in a spiral shape. Moaning and crying echoed up from the belly of the holding area.
The feeling of Lola's presence was cut off.
I took a step back. Maybe I'd gone too far? Or was she too far away?
I must have taken a wrong turn, I thought. I stepped back a few more feet until I reached the point where the narrow hallway split in two.
Lola's presence was stronger here. She had definitely come this way.
There was no time to stand there and wonder. I turned on my heel and marched into the dark corridor, barely able to see what was in front of me. If Lola was close, that was enough for me.
The floor slanted suddenly at a sharp angle. My boots slipped on the metal sheets, sending me sliding down at least two stories before coming to a stop.
Lights flickered above me. My uniform was caked in space dust.
When my eyes adjusted to the change in lighting, I looked around to figure out where I'd ended up.
It was a wide room full of cages. They were slid haphazardly, as if they'd been pushed down the ramp without care and without consideration for the beings that were trapped inside.
Soft moans and ragged shouts came from the cages; there had to be at least a dozen of them, presumably waiting to be sorted into the cells that took up most of the ship's holding area.
The air smelled like excrement, sweat, and tears.
"Lola!" I shouted.
A dozen broken voices cried out in response. It was nearly impossible to tell which one was hers. They came from all sides, echoing around the tiny chamber.
I focused on the feeling of her, moving to one of the cages closest to the entrance. She would have been the newest edition, right?
"Lola!"
"Zeysor?" Her voice was tiny and hoarse.
I touched the cold metal cage, peering through the tiny holes to get a better look. It was dark, but I could make out the human's form.
"Lola!" I shouted. "I'm going to get you out of here."
"How?" She asked. She was broken.
I grabbed onto two metal handles, pulling on the cage, begging it to move even an inch. It was too heavy, even for me. This wasn't going to work.
"Where's the lock?" I demanded.
"It's electronic," Lola said, hitting the left side of the cage. "You're going to need a key or something."
"I'm going to get you out of here somehow," I promised her as I fidgeted with the lock.
Crying voices rose from the other cages, all begging to be saved or spared whatever terrible fate awaited them on the slave colony. Were they criminals, or were they innocent like Lola?
I didn't have time to think of them right now. I needed to free Lola before the slave ship unlocked from the station and we were lost forever.
"Hold it!" A voice rang out.
I ducked down behind the cage, holding my breath.
