Chapter 3: Escaping

"Hahahaha! Am I lucky or what? I got a rare beast thought to have been extinct. This is gonna bring me millions I tell you, millions!"

Laughter wakes me up. My head is pounding, must be the after effects of that shot. Looking around, my eyes land on that fat man's red hat.

"hm? You awake beast? Well good. I am your new master and you will obey me."

He says while driving in an old wagon. I stare at him for a couple of seconds before closing my eyes and going back to sleep.

"Hey, don't ignore me!"

He pounds on my cage, I curl up as much as I can into a ball without opening my eyes.

"Stupid beast, now I'm regretting buying you."

He looks back onto the road. I open my eyes and look outside. The sight mesmerizes me. It's way better than how mother described it. We drive for I don't know how long until he stops in front of a tent-like house. Looking at it, it seems to be for observing animals. He gets off the wagon and tries to pick me up. Before he could touch my cage, I growl. He takes back his hand swiftly and frowns.

"Stupid beast, don't growl at your master."

He tries again to grab my cage. This time, I let him. As he takes me inside the tent, I proceed to bite him. He drops me.

"AH! Damn beast! That hurt like hell!"

I roll around the ground. Kinda regretting biting him while he was carrying me. He picks me up again. I see a key hanging off of him. An idea pops up in my head. As he places me on the table-top, I kept looking for any possibility to snatch it. Seeing him about to sit down, I slam the cage. He fumbles back as I fall off the table and onto the ground. As he tries to get up, I roll to him.

Sticking my hand out through the small cage bars, I grab the keys. Unfortunately, it gets caught on his pants. So I apply force, this causes his pants to rip.

"What are you doing you damn beast?!"

As he tries to grab my cage, he's unable to reach far enough and accidentally kicks me away instead. Taking the keys, I try to open the cage while it hits around his tent-like home. The cage opens, I jump out. Running outside, I charge straight into the woods. Not looking back, I can hear the fat man yelling for me to come back. I don't listen. This is the most happiness I've ever had. Aside from my mother.

After running for I don't know how long, I fall onto the ground. I take my time feeling the grass and everything else around it. I take my time appreciating the moon that lingers next to the stars, and I take my time wishing mother was here to see this too. I smile, thinking about how mother would react to knowing I've escaped from father. Then I frown.

Time seems to move more slowly, I get up and start walking. I don't want to think about the past. It hurts. The moon follows, I can hear hoots from owls. I hear the gushing of water, possibly from a stream? Thinking of that possibility, I run for it. Taking a closer look, it is a stream. I step towards it. I see my reflection.

Ears like a dog, tail like a dog, I can see why I'm different. No one, not even mother has green eyes. I frown. Taking a step back, I look up to the many trees surrounding me. I choose the highest one and climb it. Sitting upon the tree, I stare out onto the land. Far in the distance, I see a small village. Leaning forward, I stick out my hand to it. Maybe not now, but soon. Maybe I can visit that place?

Thinking of that possibility, a small laugh escapes me. I look up to the sky, I vow. I'll live for mother. But first, my stomach growls. I climb down the tree and look at the stream. Small fish swim inside it. I pounce onto it, the fish slaps me. Trying to bite it, the fish squirts me. Am I doing something wrong?

I continue this endeavor until I'm too tired to move anymore. Feeling like giving up, I remember what mother told me.

"Remember Esther, sometimes, it takes more than strength to solve a problem."

I get up and glare at the fishes. Trying to think back to an old drawing mother made for me, I envision a spear. I feel my energy seeping away from me as a spear appears in front of me. Tumbling onto the ground, I use the spear to keep me standing. Seems that I can't produce an object without energy. Except my tears, that requires no energy.

Waiting upon the fishes, I swiftly stab at one. Hunger, no more! I take a bite from it, immediately regret it. I look at it and wonder what is wrong. Then I remember it needs to be cooked before eaten. Looking around for twigs, I pile them up. Taking 2, I start trying to heat the wood with friction. It's a lot more harder than it seems.

A small spark appears, I immediately begin to use the last of my strength for one shot. As the fire appears, I happily fall to the ground. Hopefully the food will be ready while I rest for a bit. The sound of the fire crackling is new to me. I stare at the fire until my eyes begin to hurt. Then I take the fish. Taking a small bite, it taste better. But still weird. Needs seasoning?

Glancing around the area, I spot a funny looking plant. I grab the plant and plaster it on the fish. Not even caring for the dirt, I eat it whole. Shouldn't have done that. I feel my body giving away. Laying on the ground, I stay like this for the entire night.

"…Hey, are you alright?"