Air
... the birds were back.
They sounded different.
Maybe an animal, maybe a bear.
She gets up, eyes closed as she reaches for the door.
Up and down, 100 times.
She managed today.
She drops down to the floor, coughing.
... air was getting hard.
Breathing in, breathing out, it felt like it was running out.
She didn't sleep for a while.
Deep sleep.
Were they planning something?
Maybe they'd do more experiments.
More pricks, more prods, more kicks, shoves, cuts, burns.
... at least she'd be fed.
And bathed.
She hadn't had that in a while, she wondered why.
Did they forget about her?
... the air was different, this time around.
There was always noise.
But, there wasn't this time.
The birds didn't sing, but warned.
The air was strong, but cold and silent.
It felt chilling.
It was strange.
Her chest hurt from it.
It started to do that more, nowadays.
Why?
She was used to pain, but why did the air hurt so much?
... why was the air so different this time?