Caged

Late at night, I was being chased down a dark alley. The sharp smell of garbage filled the air, and I dodged between overflowing trash cans and piles of torn boxes. My heart pounded in my chest. The loud thudding echoed in my ears, as I darted from side to side, desperately trying to evade this looming threat. But I wasn’t fast enough. I felt their presence getting closer, a shadowy figure standing behind me. I turned, backing into the corner of a chain-linked fence and a thick brick wall.

Suddenly, large, grubby hands reached out, grabbing me tightly. I squirmed, trying to break free, but their grip was too strong. Something was slipped over my mouth, stifling my cries. I could barely make a sound—just a few soft whimpers escaped. Before I could understand what was happening, I was tossed into the back of a white van. The cold metal floor pressed against my body, making me shiver as I lay there, helpless. Exhaustion weighed down my eyelids, and despite my fear, I couldn’t stop myself from drifting into a restless sleep.

When I woke up, I was being dragged by the collar into an unfamiliar building. The concrete walls were rough, and the air smelled sterile, like something was wrong. They shoved me into a cage, slamming the metal door behind me. My mouth was finally free of the contraption they’d used to silence me, and I lunged at the chain-link fence, banging on it, my face pressed up against the metal. I pleaded, desperate for my captor to understand me. My family needed me. I couldn’t stay here.

But they just stared, their eyes cold, unmoved by my cries. Without a word, they walked away, leaving me alone. The cage felt damp, the cold metal biting into me every time I shifted. My cage was small, the concrete floor unforgiving. The air felt thick with loneliness. There were others here too. I couldn’t see them, but I could hear their cries that matched my own. We all wanted to be free, but our captor didn’t seem to care.

I didn’t know how much time passed. Days, maybe weeks. The only clue I had was the bowl of food they gave me a couple of times a day—old, stale food that tasted like dust in my mouth. It was dryer than the time my family got stuck in the desert after a wrong turn. Sometimes they let me out, just long enough to see the sun before dragging me back inside. I barely felt alive anymore—until I heard it. My name.

"Bailey!"

My ears perked up, heart racing. That voice—I knew it! My head shot up, and I scrambled to my feet, rushing to the front of the cage. There, through the bars, I saw him. Toby. My boy. His small hands gripped the metal, his fingers slipping through the holes as he pressed his face close, calling my name again.

I barked, a happy, desperate sound. My whole body shook with excitement. Mom and Dad were there too. I couldn’t believe it—they’d found me! My tail wagged so hard, it practically lifted me off the ground. I crouched low, my paws tapping against the floor, unable to stay still.

The man who had taken me approached, his grubby hands unlocking the gate, letting it swing open with a screech. I didn’t wait for it to fully open as I bolted, flying out of the cage and straight into Toby’s arms. I licked his face over and over, his skin tasting like salt and sweetness, just like I had remembered.

I was finally going home. I was safe. And I couldn’t wait to leave this dreadful place behind forever.