Welcome to Arne's pet shop. By pet shop, I mean prison. You won't find anything like it anywhere else.
I remember light flooding into my world, my head was spinning and my vision was blurred. I sat up and looked around only to find I wasn't alone, simply one in a batch of men who were struggling back into consiousness. We were all as confused as eachother, as to what happened to us and why we were here. My heartbeat was throbbing in my ears, for a moment that and a liquified mumble were all I could make out before I looked to my left, where there was a straight drop. Springing to my feet with a new burst of energy I peered over the edge, as I leant forward's to get a better look I banged my pulsing head against something and stumbled back, only to look up. My faded reflection was looking back at me. Wierd, it was almost as if I were facing...
Glass.
My fingertips brushed the cold, smooth surface and once again I jumped back, shocked, confused, almost horrified. The others were starting to discover this too, some from my reaction, some from reaching out themselves and others by running head first into the glass like wasps to windows.
As soon as we'd noticed, and confirmed that there was infact a glass wall infront of us I noticed the other three walls looked like wood, curiously I gave it a slight knock with the backs of my knuckles, pressing my ear to the surface. Definately wood, the floor - too. Except, the floor was covered. Beneath our feet was what looked like wooden chips...
It was like a giant cage.
It was a giant cage!
"What the hell's going on!?" someone screamed, slamming his fist into the glass only to recoil in pain, I looked over but I did not approach. No one did, we stood by and let him punch the glass over and over until his arm broke, the bone shattered while the glass remained whole. He roared and stumbled back, clutching his broken limb, finally someone rushed to his assistance, only to be hooked in the face by the panicing man, "Stay away from me!" he cried, clearly in a state. Angered, the one who was about to help him shot to his feet and attacked, the rest of us stood idily as a fight broke out between the two.
While they scrapped like mindless animals, we began to lose interest. But, something else gained it's own. I could feel vibrations in the floor and walls, some others could too while some remained oblivious, either watching the fight or sitting, thinking where are we, how did we get here?
I, with the others who'd noticed the trembling floor store at the glass. The sight made my blood run cold, I stood, staring as the others dispersed. A giant face was peering in at us. A man, in his twenties I'd imagine. He chuckled, and stood up straight before removing the lid from our prison and reaching a massive hand in toward's the two who were fighting, I took a couple of steps back before I lost balance and ended up sitting on the shavings with my back against the wall, my entire body was shaking.
The descending fingers quickly grabbed the back of the panicing man's shirt and despite his kicking and struggling, quickly plucked him out of the cage. We watched in horror as the lid was put back on, the kicking man was dropped into the giants palm and cupped between his hands.
We could do nothing, nothing but wait as that towering giant carried him away. Quickly, panic spread. The others tried desperately to clamber up the walls, to find any sign of a way out, a latch, anything.
I couldn't get to my feet, let alone try to escape myself...
The giant returned and peered in through the glass again, quickly the escape attempt ceased, no one dared to move, no one could move, we could only stare at our captor. Finally, I managed to look past him, I couldn't see the man who'd been taken away, but what I did see made my knee's go weak...
Cages and tanks, everywhere. Full of people, just like you and me.
Some of them contained women, some contained men. None contained a mix of genders, almost like the layout in a pet store.
Wait a minute...
Cages, tanks, a giant man with a name tag and...
"You, what do you do!?" I shouted, pointing at a random nearby captive. "N-nothing!" he trembled as if I were about to attack him myself, "I swear, I didn't do anything" he cried, "I didn't mean to kill her!"
My eyes narrowed and I looked to someone else, "How about you?" I asked, the man stared at me for a moment before a sharp look caught my eye, "Well!?" I repeat.
"Nothing..." Not the answer I was looking for, but my suspicions have been confirmed.
We're criminals, all of us. After asking the first man I saw the look in everyone's eyes, I could see blood in their memories, hear the screams of their victims just by looking at them.
I can't remember being caught, I can't remember being knocked out and I can't remember coming here. I can't remember anything. However, I can remember how to piece obvious parts together to figure that this is our punishment, for ruining, destroying or taking lives.
"Why is this happening?" Another one's snapped, I looked over to him to see him sitting pitifully in the corner, his head in his hands, rocking back and forth like the mad man he's turning into. "Why is everything so huge, why is there a giant" he whimpered, "What's happening!?"
"It wasn't a giant" I inform them, the only one with enough sense to figure out what's going on. It sounds crazy, impossible infact but there's no other explination. "We're just small."
The others approach the glass, horrified at the sight they beheld. This place was literally a store. On the back of the 'giants' bright red shirt there was a large yellow logo with 'Arnes pet shop' plastered across it. There were two other people, an blonde women in her twenties too I assume, and an older woman with gray hair and a typically stern look on her face.
I've never seen anything like it, I've never even heared of anything simular. A pet store, selling shrunk criminals? People who'd probably end up on death row, if they weren't stuck in cages being sold like gerbils. One of the employee's, the blonde woman was peering into cages, making sure all was well. When she approached ours I slammed my hands against the glass, "What kind of a sick joke is this!?" I shouted, she giggled and gave the glass a gentle tap, which was enough to shake it and make me jump back, which made her laugh more. It was if she couldn't understand me,
"It's Ok little one" she smiled, keeping her fingertip pressed against the transparent wall, all I could do was stare at it, her fingertip was easily the size of my hand, if not bigger. "I'm sure one as cute as you won't be here for long" she giggled, finally moving onto the next row.
I was still staring at the glass where her she'd tapped her finger, mesmerized by the size of her, and the size of myself.
"Holy shit..."
The voice caught my attention, I looked over to another who was stood by the glass, staring. I was afraid to follow his gaze, but did so anyway to see the glass door at the front of the store open, and a woman came in with two children, all three of the giants could easily destroy our insignificant lives with minimal effort.
For the first time in my life, I thought 'I regret everything'.
But, I don't. I don't regret a moment, a thing I've done.
If this is my punishment, so be it.
I think this to feel proud, but thoughts can't stop my body trembling.
My name is Noel, I am a professional assassin.
The woman stood by the counter, talking to the older lady at the cash register while her children ran around the store, curiously peering into glass tanks or sticking their fingers through bars, by the looks of it this was a repeating occurance, as most of the captives in their cell like cages didn't even flinch as they were stared at like animals in a zoo, they all seemed calm if not quite stressed or irritated. However, those in the same tank as me felt the same way I did. We were terrified, trembling, if someone were to kick off with me now there'd be little I could do but sit and pray that this was all some messed up nightmare.
To my horror, the old woman gestured over to us as she spoke to her customer, who looked toward our enclosure and approached, her children close behind. I, and a couple of others were quick to retreat to the far corner and watch the glass as the three, giant faces filled our window to the open world, staring at us, I for one felt intimidated, frightened, something I haven't felt for a long time, if ever.
She was talking to her children who were pointing and tapping the glass, the man from earlier soon joined them and reached into the tank, we dispersed as fast as we could, I practically dove out of the corner and shot to the other side, the massive hand followed for a moment before snatching up a young man who kicked and screamed as he was lifted out of the box and presented to the family, he tried to run up the shop attendant's arm, but when he was caught and dumped back into the massive palm he could only cower, staring fearfully at the towering people around him, the man stroked his back idily with his thumb while talking to the woman as the two children prodded and stroked their victim, it looked like they were trying to be gentle, but by the young mans reaction they weren't doing it very well.
I barely looked away for a second, almost embarassed for the young man who trembled weakly in the hand's of these giants, but my attention was quickly snapped back to the scene before us as I heared his cries. My eyes widened, one of the children had hold of him, the daughter who looked like the younger of the two, he was trying not to scream through grit teeth as she squeezed his body, "H-help me..." he groaned, struggling vainly. "Please, God help me"
"It's alright" the shop attendant informed the girl, oblivious to the young man's pleading. He couldn't understand us after all. I don't know why, or how. We could understand eachother, and we could understand them but these giants didn't have a clue what we were saying. He was holding his hand underneath the girls and crouching down infront of her, "Just loosen your hand a little..." he said, cupping her hand's for her, the young man, who also happened to be a one hit murderer, fell pitifully back into the girl's palm, panting painfully as air rushed back into his lungs, the girl was thrilled, rubbing her fingertip up and down his back, by the looks of it almost breaking him in the process.
The others had retreated from the glass, no longer able to whitness the young man's tourment. I, however remained where I was. Watching. Altough I was horrified, I couldn't step away, I couldn't avert my eyes. I'm an assassin, a cold blooded killer, and right now all I want to do is run out there and save the pitiful young man from the girl's hands. I felt bad for him, and at the same time, angry, and shocked that anyone could put us through such torture, selling us as pets. At this rate, I'd rather be on death row. I don't know how long I'd been watching, a few minutes perhaps. Finally, the girl handed him back over to the man who carried the tired, frightened murderer away. He wasn't put back in the cage with the rest of us, he was dropped uncerimoniously into a cardboard box with tiny holes cut in it, and handed to the woman. I can't believe what I'm seeing. Before I could come to terms with the fact that that'd soon be us, I felt my fingertips touch my forehead and each shoulder. God bless to that young man, I wondered how long he'd last.
Time dragged on. Some of us sat in our prison, others paced the walls, a couple were still trying to plan an escape. I sat in the corner with my hood up and my eyes closed, trying to erase the image of that poor young man's torture. I couldn't get his screaming out of my head, I don't know how I can sympathise for him yet easily end a man who pleads for mercy. Minutes, hours, how long have we been sat here? I don't know, but in the neverending time no one's said a word. We've flinched and shifted as people peered in through the glass, but as of yet no one else has been taken away.
My eyes snapped open and I looked to the glass, only to cringe as a fierce light shone into my pale blue eyes, only to be blocked by a massive shadow. My vision sharpened again, and my eyes widened at the sight I beheld. Another woman and her daughter staring at me, giving the glass a gentle tap, I looked around, everyone else had long since moved to the back of the cage, none of them had bothered to wake me, to take me with them as they cowered away, leaving me sat in the middle of the cage on my own, staring at the giant faces. I didn't even see the hand descending from above me until it was too late, the massive fingers curled underneath me and scooped me out of the tank, only to put another hand on top of me, surrounding me in darkness. By the time I was exposed to the light again I was crouched on something plastic, I looked around, the three giants were stood around me, and I was stood on...
a wheel?
"No way" I muttered, spotting the cage I'd been taken out of on the other side of the shop, I quickly tried to scramble off the apparatus and tried to make a break for the edge of the table, only to be snatched up again and pushed back onto it, the massive hand gave my stomach a prod, almost knocking the air right out of me, I stumbled back a little, causing the wheel to rock, and me to fall back with a grunt, by the time I got to my feet again the older shop attending woman gently started to manipulate the wheel, spinning it forward so the ground beneath me moved back, I was forced to take one step, then another before she started to spin the wheel completely, I had no choice but to run, it was either that or fall and get spun around with it. Both the woman and daughter seemed thrilled, the opposite of how I felt as I ran for all I could. With a sudden jolt the wheel was stopped and I was thrown back again before being scooped off it by a warm hand, I looked up to see the mother's face, she ran her finger gently down my back as she presented me to her daughter, who reached out to touch me too. My eyes narrowed, if they're going to treat me like an animal
I'm going to act like one.
I drew back a little before lunging forward's and biting the girl's finger, altough it was little more than a nip to someone of their size it still made her squeak and jump back, and then she laughed. Not the reaction I was hoping for. Eyes widened as she extended her hand again, and I was dumped into it, altough I was still blatantly terrified, I must admit I did feel a little safer in adult hands, but I felt far less than secure with this child, especially as she manipilated me, pushing me back into her palm as I tried to scramble away, hooking her finger under my arms and forcing me to stand up atough I felt much steadier crouching, my legs shook as I stood on the unsteady surface before she moved her finger and I dropped to my hands and knees again. After being handled, stroked and admired to exhaustion I was dropped back into the cage with the others, only to collapse onto the floor, still trembling weakly. Most of the others stayed away, but two helped me to my feet, or - hauled me to my feet, "Are you Ok?" one asked,
"Yeah..." I breathed, "I'm fine..." a little shaken, but I'll keep that to myself, not that they hadn't figured it out already.
I watched the woman and her daughter leave the shop, the young girl waved before heading out with her mother. Suddenly my vision was filled with the younger woman, the blonde shop attendant who smiled at me, the two supporting me ran to the far corner, almost knocking me over again, I stared at the girl.
"I told you, didn't I?" she giggled. Told me? What does she mean? I asked myself, not expecting the answer I recieved. "That you'd find a home pretty quickly" she smiled, "I didn't think it'd be that quickly, tho. Especially after how you acted" she added, she reached into the cage and gently ran her finger down my back, I was too afraid to move for a moment but as she went to do it again I shot off to the others. The woman laughed, put the lid back on the tank and walked off, the others stared at me, awaiting my reaction.
I didn't have one. All I could do was slide down the wall and sit there, staring at nothing.
"I have a really bad feeling about this..."