Excerpt:
“I … I am Calista,” came the hesitant, wary reply. “Who are you? Are you in the cell next to mine?” “Calista,” he repeated, savoring the name on his tongue. It was sweet, and it had been too long since he’d tasted anything so sweet. “I’m Falco. I assume I’m in the cell next to you. I saw no other doors.” “Look for the rat,” came the female voice. Falco opened his mouth to object, but then thought better of it. He watched the base of the block wall intently, eyes searching out a small hole through which a rat could travel. His vigilance was rewarded with the twitching whiskers and pointed nose of a lean brown rat. “Do you see him?” came the female’s voice. “Aye.” “Don’t hurt him,” she begged. “If you see him, then you are my neighbor.” “Why would I not kill a rat?” “Because he’s my only friend here.” She made a clucking sound and the rat scurried back through the short tunnel connecting the cells. He heard her coo at the little beast, “That’s my good boy.” Falco’s heart sank. How long had the woman been in this place that she’d made a pet of a rat? “How long have you been in here?” he asked.
Holly Bargo
3/28/2018 03:17:29 pm
Thank you!
Christine Young
3/28/2018 01:41:35 pm
A pet rat, not so unusual but intriguing here.
Holly Bargo
3/28/2018 03:17:55 pm
It's hard to make friends with fleas and lice. 3/28/2018 02:05:44 pm
My heart goes out to Calisa. Hope things will pick up for her now she's got Falco in the next cell.
Holly Bargo
3/28/2018 03:18:22 pm
Yep, but perhaps not quite the way one might think. 3/28/2018 02:57:56 pm
What an intriguing excerpt. Just how long has she been there?
Holly Bargo
3/28/2018 03:19:25 pm
Falco asks just that question. Since Calista lives in darkness, her estimation of the passage of days is vague and she refers to female bodily rhythms to gauge time. 3/28/2018 11:58:22 pm
They might need to make themselves comfortable. Kidding. Waiting for the escape! Comments are closed.
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