A/N: Wow, I've been away for far too long. Oops. Just...life, you know. Wonder if anyone still cares at this point xD Regardless, I found some documents on my computer that were never posted. So let's clear these out, yeah? Still been reading/faving/alerting, branching out my fandom interests, and like to think I might have learned/picked up the odd thing from reading those with great writing skills and ideas. I'll tidy up my old stories, dust off these files and post them before I lose nerve (again) and maybe write out some of the ideas that keep swimming round my head but don't get the justice of writing they deserve (just a quick note jotted down to keep them alive). If anyone's still interested, then...wow, what did I do to deserve people like you? And to any new readers; hello, welcome, thanks for popping on by and I hope to see you around again ^^
Any and all criticsm and advice is welcome, I think I'd like to start taking my writing more seriously now that I have a calm(ish) period of my life right now, so show me what you got!

Guard Duty.

Again.

I honestly think I'd rather spend a night behind bars.

But I joke with my friends, wave them of as they head home, partying, or wherever they're headed.

And then I'm alone again. With it.

I yank at the rusted locks, sliding the bolts home. The warehouse is in pitch black now, but I prefer it that way.

When it's dark, we can both pretend we're alone. Can both pretend we're nowhere near each other.

Why the heck am I taking it's feelings into account along with my own?

We've been told over and over.

It's an animal.

Just another god-forsaken animal.

Like a stray dog.

Wait, I don't like that imagery. Dogs have sharp teeth, and will bite back at you if you kick 'em.

Cat then.

I fumble my way over to the stack of boxes filled with weapon supplies. Another advantage of the bolts and locks is that those other creatures will have a hard time getting in if they find the place.

I know Hun considers using it as bait to catch the others. And sometimes, sitting there watching it, I don't know what hurts it more.

The knowledge that it's being used as bait for its own kind – or the fact that they haven't showed.

I've seen what they do to it. From stringing it up like a rag doll, streaming electricity through it; to strapping it to a table, pumping god-knows-what into it's blood…just to see how loudly it will scream.

They caught it at the junkyard. It tried to flee, but they roped and darted it. Make a big show telling that story, too.

All it shows is pain and fear. I can't blame it. That's all it's known in a long while.

I've heard it crying sometimes, at night when it thinks it's alone; too scared to show us any weakness. I swear one time I saw tears in its eyes, before it noticed I was there, and shot me a look intense enough to kill.

I know they're intelligent. Fought them often enough to be sure. But I don't think I ever heard of this one killing anyone.

One of them caught me last week – one of the "turtles", "green freaks", "animals"…call them what you will. The orange one, thank god, or I wouldn't be here right now. They're tearing the city to pieces I've heard. Looking for him. The one they lost.

Sometimes folk claim there's even a giant rat with them; but after everything I've seen, I'm still able to tell a lie from truth. Come on – a giant rat! Even if there was one, it would be dead in weeks. Ain't got a protective shell or anything.

They took it to 'the cage' once. So weak it could hardly move, let alone defend itself. Then they threw it in. I had to laugh and jeer along with the rest, but I so wanted to leave.

I remember it looked at me. Its terror was obvious. It seemed to be screaming out for help. I bet if they had told it to beg, it would have in an instant. But what could I do, caught in the crowd? I ain't that high in the Purple Dragon chain that I could just…let it go.

I've considered freeing it, somehow chasing it away – like it would need a reason to leave. I've considered pretending that the others found it, came for it. Pretending they fought me and won.

And then I consider if anyone finds it before it's so called "family" does. I consider what will happen to me if it's found to be alone. And weirdly, I consider what will happen to it. Him. Whatever.

The doors bang back on the locks, making me jump. I can feel my heart racing as I grab one of the guns near me, slowly creeping closer to the door. I keep my finger close to the panic button on the phone I was given.

I swallow, and carefully put my eye to a small gap in the woodwork.

Finally I let loose my held breath.

"Wind. Just the wind." I tell myself quietly.

The creature in the small cage just whimpers in response.

When I get back to my seat on the wooden boxes, I relax, sighing. I close my eyes, fighting sleep, but seeing no real reason to.

I hear it trying to move in the small space it's been given. I have to bite my tongue to stop myself from feeling anything for it.

'Stupid conscience' I growl to myself, fighting the urge to go over and comfort it like I would a little kid.

Animal, I chant to myself, animal, animal.

God, this is boring.

I've taken to rolling an empty beer can with my foot.

Clink, Clink

It's all I can hear in this place. Even the thing in the cage is silent tonight

Clink, Clink

First thing I'm gonna' do tomorrow, is go out to the pet shop, and buy my little sister that pup she's always wanted.

Clink, Clink

Make up for yelling at her yesterday.

Clink, Clink

You know, I think this sound's making me loopy in the head.

Clink, Clink

My girlfriend'll like that. It'll make her think I'm all sweet.

Clink, Clink

I gotta' quit this place.

Clink, Clink

Too dangerous. Thinking o' settling down, you know. Couple a' kids running about the place.

Clink, Clink

But first, I've gotta' get through tonight without becoming bored to death.

Clink, Chink, Clink

I rest my head back against the wooden boxes. My eyes begin to droop.

Chink, Chink, Chink

My eyes flutter beneath my lids. I can't be bothered with getting scared by some random noise again tonight. Probably just a bloody bird anyways.

Chink...Chink...

The chain. Dam wind.

Chink

Creak

What a minute. The wind couldn't –

I've dropped to my knees. I'm screaming.

My fingers dance over the handle whose metal is inside me.

Footsteps. Darkness...I'm gone...