Date: ?

Sunset woke up curled in the fetal position. She couldn’t see anything. There was a quiet buzzing sound. The air was musty and damp. It was cold. Very cold. There was a draft that blew wavy chilly air by her face. There were cold metal bands around her wrists. There was something around her neck.

Fantastic. Where am I?

Sunset carefully sat up. She tried not to make noise. The cuffs around her wrists had chains attached to them that rattled when she moved. The mat underneath her seemed to be a yoga mat. She felt around. It was very small. The floor under her was cold metal.

Sunset lifted her hands to her neck.

Hands. Hands! I have hands. I didn't go through the portal! That doesn’t help.

The collar around her neck seemed to be made of leather. It had something complex and electrical on the front right over her thyroid and a clasp in the back she couldn’t undo. After struggling for several minutes she decided to try again later.

Sunset’s stomach growled. She looked around but still couldn’t see anything.

How did they get this place so dark?

Sunset decided to search her surroundings.

She followed the chains to the place they were bolted to the floor.

This cage was designed to hold someone.

Sunset crawled forward. She felt carefully in the dark. She didn’t feel anything other then cold floor. She reached out and felt something else.

Sunset had just enough time to realize that it was a metal bar before she was struck with a blinding pain. The pain shot through her and she blacked out.

Sunset came too slowly. She was laying on the cold metal floor. The the air was still musty and there was still a quiet buzz. Her muscles hurt like they had been cramped or strained. Her neck was stiff. And the hair under the cuffs were singed. She carefully sat up. And looked around in the darkness.

No one moved me. I wonder how long I was out. That sound. That buzzing sound. They must have a current running in the wall of the cage to make escape hard. I wonder if the ceiling is electric too. I don’t know if I want to find out. That shock really hurt.

Sunset carefully backed up until she was sitting on the yoga mat and then stood up. Sunset hit her head on the top of the cage hard. There was a loud clang. Sunset cried out. It wasn't that it hurt she was just startled.

Sunset got down on her knees and carefully reached up. The top was made of thinner bars the the sides. The bars were strong and most importantly not electrocuted.

The top is lower than I was expecting. I wonder if anyone heard me. Is it good if they know I’m awake or worse. I wish there was a way I could see the edges of my cage. It’s so dark! Well if the top isn’t electric maybe I can get a sense of its dimensions and estimate the rest.

Sunset carefully followed the bars of the top of her cage until she found a defect. A small scrap of metal that someone had not not cut properly. Sunset grabbed the piece and started bending it vigorously. After several minutes of working it she managed to get the little bit off. It was a bout an inch long and the with of her finger but it was a tool and she would find a use for it.

Sunset sat down to examine her tool. Lacking sight she explored it with the senses she had. She ran her hands over it over and over again. She sniffed it and then tasted it. She taped it on the ground. Sunset decided it was probably steel. If only she had some flint.

Sunset slipped her tool int her bra. The poky part hurt against her sensitive skin but she needed to know where it was at all times. She then went back to feeling the ceiling of her cage. The top seemed to be about two meters by one and a half meters.

Sunset sat down.

Now what?

Sunset woke to the sound of shuffling feet. She hadn’t realized she had fallen asleep. The feet were coming towards her. There was a bang and a cry of pain and cussing.

“Fuck this stupid crate! Who put this here!” a man said angrily.

Should I respond? How should I respond. I don’t want them to suspect me. I don't want them to know anything. It would be better if I seemed over emotional and traumatized. They might not by that. I fought back hard when they tried to take me. I guess I’ll try to be subtle. Maybe a little defensive. I’m scared but trying to be tough. Hopefully they fall for it.

“Hey Sunshine. Are you awake?” the man said in a uninterested tone.

“Yes.” Sunset’s voice cracked. She cleared her throat. “Yes. Yes I am.” she said with more confidence.

“Good.” he said. He turned a lamp on.

The lamp was extremely dim but to Sunset and the man it was bright. They both squinted and blinked for a moment. Sunset seeing his disorientation started looking around. There were shadows everywhere. She was off the floor by a least a meter and there were boxes or maybe crates everywhere. The walls of her cage were made of vertical bars spaced about ten centimeters apart. The ceiling of her cage was a grid. The ceiling and floor were not attached to each other or the sides. Sunset heard the man shuffling and knew her time to look around was up.

Sunset watched as the man pulled thick gloves over his hands. He was in a thick slightly reflective clothing that Sunset had seen before.

A Faraday suit. He is going to interact with the cage without shutting it off. They don’t trust me at all.

The man picked up a rubber and plastic grabber and picked up a dark blue cylinder. The man walked forward and carefully slid the cylinder through the cage bars. He set the cylinder down and the let go of it. He retracted the tool.

“Drink.” he looked at her intently.

Sunset couldn’t see his eyes but she knew she had his undivided attention.

Sunset reached out with a trembling arm. She took a loud deep breath and steadied herself. She reached out. And picked up the cylinder. It was made out of a tough rubber. The drink seemed like water. Sunset wondered if it had anything funny in it.

“If we wanted you dead we would have blown your brains out while you were asleep.” he said gruffly.

Sunset wanted to object. There were worse things they could put in the glass than poison.

“You would do that?” her voice squeaked badly. “Just like that? Just… just a bullet and and that’s it?” Sunset was beginning to hyperventilate. Sunset chugged the liquid. She kept lots of fluid in her mouth she leaned back and swished it around. No taste. Hopefully it was just water.

“Killing you would be easy but my boss wants you alive.” he chuckled. “It’s been awhile since I’ve seen him this pissed. Whatever you did must have either been really bad or really personal.” he sighed. “Now set the cup down and back away.”

Sunset did a she was told. She set the cylinder down and backed away slowly with her hands up and open.

“Good girl. I’ll check on you tomorrow. Good night. Sleep tight.” he laughed sarcastically. “Like there is anything else for you to do.” He picked up the lamp and walked away.

Sunset watched him. There was a maze of crates to get to the door. Her vantage point meant she could see it. When he opened it there was not light. When the door shut she was plunged back into the unforgiving darkness.

Sunset’s mind was reeling.

It’s night time. I must be in some sort of storage place. What else to they store here. How many hours until his return tomorrow. Where is my watch when I need it. What do they think I did? Did I do it? Do my friends know that I’ve been kidnapped? How’s Twilight doing? Focus.

What do I know. I have a metal tool. The cage is very dangerous. I’m safe in the middle. The top is not attached to the sides. Perhaps there is a support I can detach. With the sides so dangerous maybe I should try to down rather than up. Someone wants me alive for some reason. For now I don’t have to worry about poisoning or dying in my sleep. How am I going to get out of this!

Author's Notes:

If you didn't read my post. I switched the order of my chapters. I am already almost done with the next chapter.

What do you think?

Also do you know what a Faraday suit is? No shame in not knowing. Look up Faraday cage.