She stood in the shadows and breathed quietly. She was free from the cage she had suffered in for so long but couldn't leave it. She continued to stand there and watch the cage door swinging. A part of her wanted to leap into that cage and lock the door. She looked around her and saw others staring at their cages and knew they were feeling exactly the same as she did.

She had been a part of the experimentation done at The Labs for so many years she felt lost now. The pain and suffering was like happiness to her. She didn't know what happy feelings were. No one knew what happy feelings were that were standing there. They never knew sunshine on their tortured hides. Their eyes never saw beauty but only gore and rotting things. Those with wings never felt the wind underneath them. They did not know what life was. They only knew routine. The same thing every day.

She broke her gaze from the cage and looked around her. No one was coming to save them. No one was coming to rescue them. This place was unknown to everyone else out there in the world. She suddenly felt a heavy sense of isolation. She knew no one was coming for the wounded and dying. She knew there was no hope for them. Everything was up to them now.

She turned around and severed the emotional bond she had with the cage that was her housing for so many years. The others close to her did the same and followed her towards the dead woods at the edge of the compound. She felt the heaviness again.

"We are forgotten," she spoke loud enough for the rest to hear. Now it was up to them to live. Tessa was not about to give up.

Tessa + drawing © me