Chapter 15

Amira brushes her eyes open when from afar, metal clangs ding in her ears. The smell of rust and blood linger in her nostrils; she can't help but wonder where she is at. 

Out of curiosity, she reaches for the bars and scans her eyes around the dim hallway. In hopes of escaping, she joggles it but fails.

"Hey, is anybody here?" she wails but her voice just echoes back.

"Why am I in this cage? Let me go! I don't belong here!"

In the absence of response, she roams her eyes around the corners of the cell and notices the kids sleeping on the cold hard ground. She bustles her way to them and wakes them all at once. 

"Hey, wake up! Wake up!" she gulps but none of them opens their eyes. She listens for the heartbeat from each of their chest and when she confirms they are still alive, panic de-escalates.

She rests her back on the cemented wall and thinks about what has happened, what awaits them in that cell, and if she'll ever find what s