Dim fluorescent lights shine down onto the cold concrete floor. A boy—no older than ten—stirs awake, a chill running down his spine. His hazy view coming into focus as the sharp ring of metal against metal pierces the silence, his dulled senses struggling to adjust to his surroundings.

“Wake up!” a gruff voice barks, followed by a loud metallic ring. The boy jerks upright; his senses returning to him at the sound. His gaze darts around the room, frantically taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. Glass litters the floor from the shattered windows above, while rusted metal and toppled crates fill the space in disarray. The room is in as rough shape as the boy himself. That’s when he notices the bars surrounding him—he’s in a cage.

He pressed back against the cold metal, panic rising in his chest. He was small and thin, his skin blotched with scrapes and bruises. Dark hair clung to his forehead in messy strands, fox ears drooping low against his head.

“Caught ourselves a beast this time,” a man says with a hint of amusement, pausing to look the boy over. The man was broad-shouldered with a heavy jaw, his clothes were stained and wrinkled from long hours in this place.

The boy’s gaze flicked up toward the man. His mismatched eyes caught the light—one pale blue, the other a washed-out pink—though fear dulled their strange colors.

He smirks. “That makes you lucky number six. Let’s hope you last a bit longer than the others.” With a final scoff, the man scribbles something on his clipboard and walks away.

“W-where am I? Who are you people?” the boy cries out, his voice trembling. His plea echoes off the walls, unanswered. Two men—armed with blades—stand positioned at the front of the room. One was thickset, face roughened by stubble and old scars, the other leaner, his stance sharp and alert. They pulled the door open with a deafening metal screech. The child reached for the top of his head to cover his ears, the sound piercing his eardrums. His tail instinctively curling around him in a futile attempt to find comfort.

The boy swallowed hard, his breath unsteady. Calm down. Breathe. His arms covered his face as he curled into himself. Mai... it’s going to be okay. The words echoed in his mind, but they weren’t his. It came in his mother’s voice—quiet and certain—looping in his mind. He held onto it, squeezing his eyes shut, as if reaching for it might pull him away from his reality.

But the world didn’t fade. The cold air still pressing against his skin. Mai watches as the man pauses to exchange a few words with one of the guards before he continues out the door. The screeching echoed once again as the guards pushed the door shut. Securing the door, they then turned and made their way towards another cage. Only now did the boy realize he wasn’t alone—other children were locked in cages just like his.

He watched as the guards unlocked one of the cages, forcefully dragging out a girl who looked only a few years older than him. Her wrists looked thin enough to snap under their grip, her tangled hair hanging over eyes that were already empty. She didn’t fight, only let herself be hauled away.

Mai froze the moment he saw the other children. Most looked defeated, their empty eyes staring at nothing. Some—he wasn’t even sure if they were alive. Everything will be okay... He kept repeating it, but the words felt hollow. Mai stayed curled up, squeezing his eyes shut, wishing—somehow—this would all just come to an end.

“You need to calm down...” a faint voice came from a cage nearby.

Mai lifts his head, searching for the source. A boy, maybe fifteen, with unkempt, light teal hair, slumped against the bars of his cage. His face was weary, his eyes dull—just like everyone else’s.

“H-How can I stay calm... What is this place?” Mai’s voice wavered, barely reaching above a whisper. He stared at the older boy, desperate for answers.

“The more lively you are, the more of a fight you’ll put up... That’s what they want,” the teen said, his voice remaining flat. He didn’t look at Mai, just stared ahead. The teen’s fingers absentmindedly traced the rusted bars of his cage.

“What do you mean... This doesn’t make any sense,” Mai cried, his voice cracking. He brought his legs up, hugging them tightly, trying to find some comfort. His chest rising and falling in uneven breaths. Nothing about this place felt real, but deep down, something told him otherwise.

“They’re using us. We’re just lab rats to them... They don’t get many fighters, so don’t be one,” the teen said, shifting away from where he was leaning. His movements slow and careful, as if every inch of him ached.

Mai turned away. He knew the boy was right, but he couldn’t accept it. There had to be a way out—there had to be hope. As he glanced around at the other children, their eyes hollow and bodies motionless, that hope felt smaller than ever.

Mai kicked the bars of his cage, rough flakes of rust crumbling off on impact. The metal rattled, the sound echoing through the silent room. “Let me out!” he yelled, his voice cracking. The guards didn’t even glance his way. Gritting his teeth, he kicked the bars again, more rust flaking off, scattering onto the cold floor—nothing.

It had been hours since anyone but him had spoken, it was driving him insane. The other children remained motionless and distant. Even the older boy, the only one who had acknowledged him, hadn’t moved. Mai clenched his fist, his nails digging into his palms. He needed something—a sound, a voice, anything—to remind him that he wasn’t alone in this nightmare.

With a growl of frustration, he kicked the bars once again. “Stop it,” the older boy hissed, his voice low but firm. His tired eyes flicked toward Mai, “You’re just making it worse.” Mai ignored him, lifting his foot to kick the bars once again. The older boy clenched his jaw, “I said stop!” he snapped, his body jolting up from his seated position. His fingers tightened around the rusted bars of his own cage. “You think they’re just gonna let you out because you’re loud? All you’re doing is pissing them off—and pissing me off.”

Mai whipped his head toward the older boy, glaring. “So what, I’m just supposed to sit here?” he yelled, his voice cracking yet filled with frustration. “You don’t even try! You just sit there like it’s already over!” The teen’s expression faltered for a moment, his grip on the bars loosening. He tried to answer, but he couldn’t, he had no answer. The question lingered in his mind, pressing against thoughts he had long since buried.

But Mai wasn’t done. “Don’t you care? Don’t you wanna fight back?" Mai pushed, his tail bristling with emotion. The older boy clenched his jaw and said nothing.

The creak of a wooden door cut through the heavy silence. Mai’s entire body tensed as one of the guards came back into the room, escorting the girl he had seen taken earlier.

The girl looked even worse than before they had taken her, but somehow, she seemed to have more energy. Her breaths were still heavy, and body still shaking, but there was something in her eyes now—not exhaustion, but something else, something sharp.

The guard brought the girl to her cell, unlocking the door. She stepped in without being told. As soon as the door shut behind her, she sank onto the floor. Mai barely had time to process before the guard turned, making his way towards his cage. Stopping in front of Mai’s cell, the guard smirked, “Your turn, beast.”

Mai backed into the far corner of his cage, hoping that whatever little he could do would make the man stop—but it wouldn’t.

The guard unlocked the barred door and forcibly reached in, grabbing Mai’s leg and dragging him out. Panic shot through him as he kicked and thrashed, but the grip only tightened. “Stop! Get your hands off me!” Mai screamed.

“The boss was right, you really are a feisty little animal, aren’t ya?” the guard says with a sadistic smile, tightening his grip on Mai’s leg, “Don’t worry, we know how to break ya.”

Mai continued to claw at the ground as he was dragged from his cell, his hands desperately clinging onto anything they could. His dull nails sharpened into claws, scraping against the metal of his cell as panic surged through him. Mai continued to cry out as he was pulled towards the creaky wooden door.

His fingers latched onto one of the bars of the older boy’s cell, holding on with all the strength he had. “Please! Help me!” Mai cried.

The older boy stared at him, something flickering behind his tired eyes. For a moment, his hand lifted—weak, hesitant—but it was too late. With a final, brutal yank, the guard tore Mai away. The older boy’s fingers curled back, guilt filling his gaze as he watched Mai twist and scream.

The teen sat there in silence as the door closed, the distant echo of Mai’s screams still ringing in his ears. He huddled into himself, his arms wrapping around his knees as dread settled in. Why... Why couldn’t he just give up? His fingers dug into his tattered sleeves, his jaw tightening. I didn’t help... he needed me, and I wasn’t any help... His eyes burned, tears tried forming, but couldn’t. He just sat there, staring at the rusted floor, hating himself for doing nothing.

The boy looked around at the other children, he had been here the longest—he had failed all of them. Did they all fight like him once? He tried to remember—but couldn’t. He had forgotten what they were like when they first arrived. The boy clenched his fists even harder, blood forming under his fingernails. Could I have changed all this?

He threw his clenched fist into the ground. Pain shot through his hand, but it didn’t matter—it didn’t sting as much as the guilt eating him alive. Again and again. His fist slammed against the cold metal floor. His vision blurred with frustration and shame. Why didn’t I do something? His knuckles throbbed, but he didn’t stop. I’m fucking useless... The words echoed in his mind, each time hitting harder. I should’ve fought harder... His body trembled, rage and resolve clashing inside him. I need to fucking change!