Caged - On hiatus

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

It has been hours since I came to but I was still stuck on the cage behind a moving vehicle. There wasn’t much to see but metal. Compared to my small village, the technology on here was advanced. All their vehicles are made of metals and have engines.

The ride was unpleasant first because I was just sold to someone and two the driver wasn’t very gentle and I had been tossed about in my cage. The amount of burn I had should have toasted me if not for my new healing powers.

Melancholy and fear has continued to fester in my heart as well as hopelessness. From the moment my chain was given from one hand to another I knew my fate was sealed. I tried to fight back the tears but they continued to cascade down my eyes.

A sudden break had me thrown into the cage. Pain blossomed from my back and right shoulder as the electricity singed off my skin. The burning smell of flesh entered my nose and I cringed. When the vehicle finally stabilized I pried my body away from the bars.

I bit my lips as I tried to take the pain before the healing kicks in. It wasn’t also instantaneous so a few tears were shed before the final patch of skin repaired itself. I released a relieved sigh as the last of the pain slowly faded.

However, what I hated the most about my power was the after effects. It depletes my energy and I could faint like in the bidding house. I felt my eyelids getting heavy and my shoulder slacking. I’ve been healing myself for a while now so the energy replenished when I fainted was easily depleted.

Before I could collapse due to fatigue the door opened allowing the light to enter the dim space. I had to close my eyes at first since it blinded me, it took a few seconds to adjust to the new lighting. When it did I first saw a huge concrete space fenced with a building on the right. When my cage was taken out all I could see was a stretch of small green grass and a wide forest everywhere also a few small patches of brown.

Then just as I turned there was a big chunk of metal with two large strips on each side. I remembered my pictures books and immediately recognized it as an airplane or at least something that resembles it. Though I’ve never seen one this close in real life but it was a bit different compared to the airplane described in my book.

It looked a bit different from the drawings I saw but I knew it meant we were flying and that made my heart thrum in fear. Both in stepping foot on a metal cage that will hurl me up into the sky and the knowledge that we were leaving this country.

It meant that the last tiny bit of hope that my family will rescue me was gone. If I get in that thing it’s the end, I know I will never see them again and nothing will ever save me. My fate was sealed and I let the tears gather once more and trail down my cheeks.

My shoulder sagged and I slumped on the metal floor of my cage. It was the end for me.

Another vehicle came after us and my new owner got out of it. He was wearing a black suit and he was smiling at me. It was the kind of smile that make you shiver inside. He tipped his head at me, his green eyes were trained at me something akin to joy was there, shining. He shouted some commands that I couldn’t understand and the men around us quickly obeyed.

“Hello little Akane. It’s time to say goodbye and be with me. Forever.” He said to me though I can’t make out any of his words except my name. I shudder at the way he said it as if he was stating a promise. One I never liked.

My cage was moved into the metal trap thing and the inside was bigger than I thought, there were a few boxes on the back but other than that it was bare of anything else. It has a bit of lighting at least with the small window that showed more of the concrete road and the surrounding green.

The man who bought me, he was there barking orders until he turned around to look at me, he tapped his cane and waved as the ramp got up and closed. To be honest my mind was still reeling, I wanted to say that all of this was a dream. That I was still in my home, sleeping on my mom’s lap as she sung me a lullaby.

But the cold was real and penetrating and all I could do was hug my knees to myself to rock myself to sleep.

--

The ride on the airplane was hellish, the startup was so shaky and the first ascent had my stomach plummeting to the floor. They also forgot to steady my cage so the first lurch had my cage slipping towards tail of the plane. I felt my heart wanting to burst from my chest as I watched the scenery changed from the green of the trees to the blue of the sky and I had the feeling that I was going to fall from this metal contraption if my cage wouldn’t stop moving.

Thankfully the other boxes behind me was there to stop me from moving but it also meant I was thrown towards the bars again. I grit my teeth as the impact and the burns crept up to my whole body. The bad thing was I had to wait until we stabilized before I was able to get away from the cage.

I was trembling in pain as I doubled over on the metal floor. Tears were blinding me as they came in rivulets and my breath was coming up short as my lungs burned from the lack of oxygen and pain. The warm feeling came over but because of the severity of the injury it took longer for it to heal.

I swear this people will kill me first before we can arrive to wherever they were taking me.

As the final skin repaired itself I cringed as the fatigue was as tangible as before. Something caught my eye on the edge of the cage and I gasp as I saw my blood on it. I don’t know if it was the sight of it or my exhaustion but I fainted after that.

The next time I came to I was behind another cage but this one was bigger. I groaned as I opened my eyes, my limbs were all heavy and there was a pounding in my head. It took me a moment to realize that I wasn’t in the airplane or on my cage anymore. No I am still inside one but definitely a different one.

As I tried to move my body I noticed where I was lying in. It was a bed, one used in western houses. It was soft and the blanket covering me equally so, it was pretty white in color with a blue trimming. I looked down on my body to see that I was wearing a new dress. This time it was white.

My eyes wandered the new place, beside me was a small drawer with a lamp on top of it and a chair was sitting on the center. On the farthest left of me was a closet. I looked up to see the ceiling wasn’t so high and just above the corner was a small window, barred as well with the same papers my cage was littered in.

But the sight of sunshine brought a bit of peace in my mind as well as the sound of chirping birds. I could see a large tree just outside of the window, one of its branches was stuck inside this room. Taking a deeper breath I turned to stare forward, lifting the blanket off of me to stand up and walk just in front of the steel bars.

I stopped a few inches away from it and even with this distance I could feel the electricity from the bar warming me. I gulped as I looked up, my breath was caught in my throat. It seems I was inside an alcove in a small part of this house because before me the ceiling were a lot higher and the marbled white ground was endless. It was a bit hard to see on the edges but with my limited view all I could see were the same alcove on the halls and a number glass cages lining on the walls.

Some of them filled with creatures. All of them looked hopeless.

I bit my lips as my eyes watered again. I was just some part of a collection.

The moment I let off a staggering breath all of them looked at me and I froze. Their stares were heavy and I felt my breath leave. Their eyes looked blank, their posture was that of someone that had given up all hope. And I was going to be like them.

I took a step back, away from all of them. The room I was in was thankfully deep and when I hit the wall I couldn’t see any of them anymore. I took a breath in as my sobs got out. I hugged myself and rocked my body.

This was it, the last nail to my proverbial coffin. There was no way it wasn’t my reality now.

“Daijoubu desu ka” (Are you alright?)

I heard someone say and I almost got whiplash at how fast I thrown my head up. The voice was soft and delicate and she was speaking my language, she was speaking Japanese! When I looked up I was startled at first as my eyes landed on a tall spider.

She was a half woman and half spider. She had the body of a huge spider and her upper half resembles a human. Or at least as I looked at her, her body was all black with a few stripes of yellow on her ribs and some on her spider body. And her eyes, her eyes were pools of black, almond shaped and there were six of them. Six! The other four was smaller than the other two and sit beside it on her temple. Her hair was as black as her own body, the only other color on her was the red on her lips and the bright red collar on her neck.

I touched the same one on my own neck. My eyes blinking as the smile on her face was full of understanding.

“You must be the new girl.” I heard her talk once more, her tone was so soft I was wondering if I really heard her. I could only stare at her, she sighed chuckling a little but her eyes held sadness. I just remained unmoving until she was fidgeting under my scrutiny. I mean I had nothing to say really. Cry maybe but I don’t want to break down in front of a stranger.

“Um,” She started unsure while scratching the side of her face. “It must be really hard on you right now. If- If you want I could be someone to talk to. Believe me, you’ll need it.” She said to me, still having that small smile on her face.

“I know it must be hopeless but you’ll have to be strong okay. Or else you’ll really break.” She spoke as if she had experienced it already and staring at her many eyes I understood. It was the truth. I wet my lips first, racking my brain of any words.

“I- When did I get here and where is here?” I asked unsure since I was unconscious through the whole ride. I put my hands on my side to help me stand up, dragging the chair near to the bars to sit in front of her. Seeing me move she folded her long legs to sit as well, now she was just the same height as me.

I don’t know why I came near her or why I felt drawn to her but the image of my mother came in my mind. She resembled her, her mannerism and gentleness and the smell of home. Pain pricked my heart at the thought of my family again and I choked on my sob.

“You’ve been here since an hour ago, you’re in America.” She answered and I furrowed my brows. America? I tried to remember the maps my grandfather used to teach me and the large continent struck me. It was definitely so far from Japan.

“That’s–“ I stopped and she nodded. “So far away. Yes.” I could hear the longing in her voice as she looked far away, her lips thinning as if she was picturing her home and I couldn’t help but do the same.

Then she suddenly smiles again bringing my attention back to her. “Oh, I also changed you earlier, your clothes were all tattered, I was so glad to see you unhurt!” She exclaimed when she remembered and I nodded my head and gave thanks to her. At least it was another woman who changed me.

“You must be a healer.” She exclaimed and I nodded my head. “That was why he was so happy. I’ve never seen him in such a good mood before.” She said while shaking her head, I looked at her curious.

“Who?”

She snorted, her human like arms on her hips. “Our master, William Reed. He likes to collect ‘things’.” She quoted, a sneer on her face making her look more dangerous. I nodded my head on the new information.

“I heard you can heal others too. He’s been looking for just that kind of power for a long time now.” She shared and that fear was back on my heart again.

“Yes, I could see that.” I replied dejectedly, my hands fiddling on the dress. “So, where is he?” I asked a bit of fear leaked in my voice at the thought of him. She reached out to me and I flinched, her hands hovered between us before she took it back.

“I’m sorry. He- He’s not here, he had other things to do but he will be back.” She replied, holding her hands and I sit there awkwardly. I cleared my throat as I absorbed her words.

“Oh my goodness what have I been doing. I haven’t even asked for your name or told you my name.” She said trying to diffuse the atmosphere. “I’m Fumiko, you could call me Fumi. I’m a Jorōgumo. And you?” She asked, her eyes trained at me as she patiently waited for my name.

“Akane. I’m a human?” I answered, giving her a forced smile and she nodded telling me how pretty my name was. “What’s a Jorōgumo?” I asked her.

“That means I’m a spider woman and you seems like you aren’t sure you’re a human.” She said and I just shrugged, I just don’t know anymore.

“I’m called an Akuma by my village. And I have these strange powers.” I answered and she frowned and despite having no eyebrows and eyelids I could see her glare.

“I can say that you are not. However, you’re not fully human either. The other half I’m quite unsure though there’s just only a handful of yokai I know who could heal others but those were very strict in preserving their bloodlines and they hate humans. I can’t also place your scent, It’s not usual to have halflings because they’re weak and prone to danger. But a healer should have been protected, Halfling or not since they’re very rare. Hmm.” She mumbled the end of her sentence and I strained to catch her words but I don’t know anything of what she just said.

“Well,” she sighed, shrugging her shoulders putting the thought off her mind. “Do you want to take a bath and eat? I’m supposed to take care of you and teach you English as Master William says.” Fumi said and I glowed at the mention of the bath. I nodded my head, feeling grateful that at least I can have someone with me as I go through this.

--

My life in the mansion was hectic at most. When William came to need me, I thought it was because he has some grave illness or something but it was more sinister than that. He wanted youth and while I never thought that I could do something like that it turned out that I can at the price of my energy depleting every time.

I’ve lost count how many times I’ve fainted since I got here. It was a long painful procedure, I don’t even know how they know of something like that but it seemed like I was sold with some instruction manuals on how to use my powers. How those people came to know about this is still a mystery to me.

I still can’t keep the amazement in my eyes as I saw the green glow travel from my heart to my hands seeping into his skin and watching as his once grey hair return into the brown that it was before. And his skin that were wrinkling smoothing back into a taut flawless skin. It take months to fully do that.

But of course it was only temporary so I had to do it again and again and again and by the time I got back to my cell I was burnt out. I was very thankful to Fumi for if she wasn’t there I don’t know how I could even survive.

She’s the one feeding me when I can’t even move my muscles, bathe me and clothe me. And she would even take the whip whenever William tried to strike me when I faint on one of our sessions. My heart broke each time she took my lashing.

“Stupid b***h!” He always shouted at her as he lash out at her using a different whip, it was specially made to hurt her just like the papers on my cage. I shiver each time he shouted and I hated his voice and his whips. The sound of it haunts me.

And she’s also William’s servant, he’s a very heavy handed man and it shows. There were times where I could see the wound she’s desperate to conceal. Sometimes I would save some of my energy to heal her but Fumi, my sweet Fumi she just tells me to save it for my own. For I also get the beating from time to time. Sometimes for being so weak from healing him and sometimes when he just felt like it. It was his way to make us obey him, when he raise his hands we tremble and he loved that fact.

I was really thankful to Fumiko. She became like my mom in this hellhole. She tries to protect me every time with that sweet smile of hers always on her lips.

She was also in charge of my schooling. I learned English and American customs from her. It was a bit of an adapting to eat their food using their utensils. But I survived, that was all we can do, survive.

Time passed like that, my power grew stronger as I continued to practice it. This time William’s frequent visits were getting longer in between. I don’t complain about that. I was thankful never seeing his smug face even if he was handsome. It was the face of the devil.

More so when I learned what he does to Fumi, he wasn’t just beating her, no, the worst part was he also violated her. It took me a few years to understand the concept. I was young when I came here but even my innocence wasn’t spared. He saw how strong our building relationship was and he tried to smudge my view of her by asking his men to drag me to his room just as he was doing it.

I was thirteen when he did that. I saw her under him, bruised and trembling and when she saw me I could see the shame in her eyes and my blood roared in anger and my red eyes were bathed in red. My chest burns along with my hands and at that time I had this strong feeling of wanting to hurt him. But I don’t know what happened after that because they shot me a tranquilizer leaving me to sleep through the day.

Fumi avoided me for a week after that, she was embarrassed and angry at how he ruined her and my innocence. Even I was angry at him, refusing to do his command, I withstood a week of punishment, my power continued to heal me but it only added to my agony as my energy drops down every time. My torture ended only when he dragged Fumi to be punished as well did I concede to his command again.

He was an evil man and I would never forgive him. But I what could I do? We were both just a prisoner. It was laughable really since we were actually stronger than humans but here we were stuck and toyed with by the very same species who were weaker than us.

It’s been thirteen years since I’ve been sacrificed by my village and sold here. It was tough but I was still alive, I did try to kill myself once only to be stopped by Fumi and my traitorous powers. This just made my hatred burning stronger but I am still chained. It was my life.

Or at least it was until that snarling beast came to the mansion as another part of its collection.