1. Courtyard

I woke to the sound of the other animals roused on by the guards. The low danger level experiments were bound to try and escape. Most of them were new, but usually, the weaker ones struggle more.

From the early time of 4 am you could hear the howls and painful cries as lower tiers were tasered by the collars around their necks. They weren't strong enough to resist, so they always collapse.

Some of these low tiers are smarter and know where their place lies. Mid tiers are still too weak to resist the shocks as well, but they stay standing. High tiers are the most powerful (that's me.) We receive higher voltages and restraints to keep us in line. We are called high tiers for a reason.

After both the mid and low tiers were taken to their designated areas it was now our turn to be let out. There are only six or seven of us including myself, but I don't bother to count often considering that I'm not as attached to anyone other than my friend, Scrappy.

As the guards let us out one by one, it was now my turn.

Five guards were designated to take me out, all of them held long metal clamps they could attach to my collar. One of the guards seemed to be shaking as he approached me. Four guards stood around me and clamped their rods onto my collar.

"And move!" all guards shouted in unison to instruct the others to move accordingly, while the fifth guard carefully put a muzzle around my mouse and nose.

While leaving the cell I could see my tiny white friend a few metres in front of me. Scrappy's fluffy white tail dragged along the ground, already a bit matted by a year of abuse from the facility. Scrappy's black and white striped shirt dipped just below their knees, looking quite big on the already small creature. Scrappy's fluffy cat-like ears stood on end, a chunk was taken out of their right ear. Scrappy turned towards me.

Scrappy's mouth was still covered with the muzzle, but his blue and green coloured eyes lit up when he saw me. I smiled.

They didn't see.

The facility is made up of different sections. The first floor was where the cafeteria and guard quarters were located. The second floor was split up into sections. The first section was where the low danger level creatures were located, the next being mid-tier and at the very end were the high-tiers. The third floor was for testing. I dare not speak of that place. The top floor held god knows what, but I assume that was where the professors stayed.

When we reached the mid-tier section, we went to the very middle of where the cages parted, where a stairway reached the first floor. Scrappy had already made their way to two large doors which stated "Courtyard". I followed suit.

"Step inside number 28." A guard sternly told Scrappy as he held open the door. The guards unclamped their poles from Scrappy's collar and he stepped through the double doors. They closed on him and the guards left just as I reached the door.

I looked behind me to see a grey rabbit-dog with blue glossed over eyes. A tag on the left side of his chest had the number 22 written across it. We just call him Harlo though. He was a rank 8 experiment, just like me. His arms and legs were covered in bandages and I stood a bit taller than him.

I nodded once. We had been here the longest out of the living experiments. I heard there was a mid-tier that had been here as long as us as well. Harlo nodded back, unsmiling. That was his thing. It was also mine.

"Number 23."

Pause. I hadn't been listening.

"Number 23!"

I glared at the guard and he shrunk away from my gaze.

"Enter." The guard instructed.

I spared him another glance and walked through the doors.

A blinding light from the sun shone into my eyes. I squinted and looked away from the sun. The grass was warm and plush, one of the only beautiful things in this rotten place. I took in a breath through my nose and scratched my irritated neck.

I undid the muzzle around my mouth it. I proceeded to toss it on the ground and met eyes with a familiar person. Instantly, I smiled at them.

Scrappy stood inches away, their small mouth set in a cat-like frown, but their eyes were smiling.

Scrappy ran at me and tackled me to the ground, ensnaring me in a hug. I chuckled and rested my arms around Scrappy as we lay together. Everything seemed to wash away as I lay there with Scrappy.

"It's good to see you," I whispered happily. An adorable 'mew' escaped from Scrappy's mouth. I grinned from ear to ear.

We both stood up and I looked down at Scrappy. The top of their head comes up to my forearm, they are already small but compared to me they look tiny. Scrappy looked up at me with huge eyes, arms outstretched.

"Want up?"

Scrappy nodded frantically, eyes sparkling.

I sputtered out a throaty chuckle before lowering myself to Scrappy's height, picking them up. I then placed Scrappy on my left shoulders and held my left hand on his side to keep him steady.

I looked around the courtyard, everyone seemed to be grouping around certain people. Harlo walked past us. Scrappy waved at him and Harlo waved back, then made his way over to a sharp-toothed white sheep with blue wings. A black blindfold covered her eyes, I recognised her as Rolly, a rank 7 experiment. She absentmindedly ate the grass as Harlo sits beside her cross-legged.

Scrappy and I spot Sailor, a white cat-kangaroo creature, sitting in a corner of the courtyard facing the wall. Her tail was thin and ragged. She also had a chunk taken out of her right ear because Scrappy and Sailor have the same cat DNA in them.

As we approached Sailor, I lifted Scrappy off of my shoulder and they scurried over to her. When Scrappy reached Sailor they incased her in a hug.

"Wha- ah! Scrappy!" Sailor was caught off guard for a second a turned to look at Scrappy. Sailor's left eye was covered by a black eye patch, the other eye had a scarily constricted black pupil.

I have always been on edge around this rank 8 creature, but if Scrappy liked a sharp-toothed, grinning, crooked-whiskered cat-kangaroo, then I could tolerate her. Sailor's cockney accent was starting to grow on me, her craziness was amusing.

"I founda new spoon the ovva day!" she croaked, holding it out to Scrappy, "nice and shiny! Innit?"

Scrappy mewed in agreement. Sailor then looked up at me and held out her hand, "ello ol' chap!"

I took her hand and she shook it furiously.

"Nice sunny day! It 'urts my eyes it does!" Sailor is... interesting I must say.

I sit cross-legged beside them. I am massive compared to them...

Scrappy patted my hand and pointed behind me. I turned to look over my shoulder and saw Harlo and Rolly standing there.

"Hi!" Rolly greeted us enthusiastically. Harlo nodded. He held a red wheelbarrow with Rolly sitting inside it.

Harlo sat beside the wheelbarrow and Sailor directed her attention to Rolly.

"'ow are you two?" She asked, looking back and forth between them frantically.

"Good! It's so bright out here! So many flowers! So lovely!" Rolly exclaimed bouncing up and down on the spot.

"Calm yer arse!" Sailor suddenly snapped, growling. Sometimes it seems like she has two different personalities. Everyone was used to this already. Almost immediately Sailor's scowl was gone and she smiled again. Scrappy sat in the gap between my crossed legs. "I have news! From the possessors!"

"Professors?" Rolly chimed.

"Same thing," Sailor snapped, "Anyways, there's sum newbies today! All low-tier, as the ushe."

"Which ones?" Rolly asked.

"Mew," Scrappy pointed at three mouse-bunnies huddled together.

"Poor fellas. The world is confusin' when we're born." Rolly tutted at Sailor's comment, smiling.

"It wasn't confusing for me! They are just weak!" Rolly smiled. I've always found her presence uneasy. Her mind is always focused on violence. Survival of the fittest is her motto. You wouldn't expect that from a small creature like her.

"Be nice lil' one. I remember when yous first came 'ere, yous were so young and scared!" Sailor chuckled darkly.

"Well... NOW I'm big and strong!" Rolly held up her arms and flexed them.

"Not as big as this fella!" Sailor patted my back. I grew uncomfortable when Rolly realised that I was present. She sinks away from me.

"O-oh yeah..." Rolly stated and rubbed her paws together.

Scrappy places their paw over mine again, they were never fond of Rolly either. Scrappy is very peace orientated. Our friendship is balanced out well since Scrappy is level headed and I'm...

"Back to my spoon!" Sailor interrupted the silence, a cue for everyone to disperse. Sailor turned towards the wall again and mumbled incoherent sentences to herself.

Harlo stood up and tugged Rolly (in the wheelbarrow) along with him.

Scrappy meowed which gained my attention. Scrappy pointed in the general direction of the "playground" in the distance. My smile returned and I patted Scrappy on the head before asking, "to the playground?" Of course, Scrappy nods. I pick Scrappy up and placed Scrappy on my shoulder again. Scrappy stood up, leaning against my head as I walked to the playground.

Some of the other animals paused to look at us, but most were lost in their own world.

When we reached the playground, Scrappy swung down from my arm and landed on his hind paws expertly. Scrappy looked up at me. I nod and watch as Scrappy sped away and disappear into the playground.

I then rested my head down for a nap.