My Family

Chapter 13

Kipo sat in her cage watching over the young girl. How she'd stir in her sleep, and mumble nonsense now and then. A smile fell over Kipo's lips. Nothing had happened to Wolf since being here. If anything, that was something to celebrate. The basement door closed as Emilia started down the stairs.

"I have a camera on you both at all times," she said standing in front of Kipo.

"I won't hurt your friend. I'm sure you know I never wanted her." Emilia looked over at the sleeping girl.

"She just got in the way." Emilia sighed out then looked back at Kipo.

"I'm not a monster, despite what your mother told you, or what you've experienced."

"Because locking up a child to poke and prod makes you a saint?"

Emilia laughed at the girl's boldness.

"I've been doing some blood work, but now I need to test your physical endurance. I'll make you a deal, I won't lay a finger on your friend so long as you cooperate." Kipo's chest clenched making it hard to breathe.

"Okay," Kipo said gulping down the bit of anger in her chest.

Emilia smiled then pulled a sheet off of a treadmill.

"You're going to run on this, as fast and as long as I say. I am going to keep track of your vitals. If you try anything, your friend gets it," Emilia said.

Kipo nodded.

Emilia un-locked the cage and pulled Kipo from it. Kipo's legs were a little weak from not using them, but she held herself up. Emilia untied Kipo's hands and started connecting her to monitors and setting her up. With a sinister smile, she lead Kipo to the treadmill and stood her on it.

"We'll start at a walking pace for reference."

The machine started and Kipo followed.

Emilia wrote stuff down then marked up the speed. Fast walking. Kipo did her best to not let her mind wander, and instead pretend she was taking a long walk through a garden.

The machine went faster, into a slow jog. Yellows and blues stuck out against each other. Orange and pink next. Kipo could almost smell the fragrance the flowers gave off. The machine went faster. Kipo matched the pace. She ran through the large maze-like garden. Every flower she could picture flooded her mind. It went even faster.

Kipo imagined racing with her friends. Troy could keep up with her when she wasn't going all out. Dahlia never really tied, knowing it's useless. Where Asher would jump onto Kipo and rush off infront of her.

The machine went faster. Kipo would quickly catch up to Asher and stick her tongue out before running ahead. Then Kipo, being a kluts would fall onto her face. Asher stopped right next to Kipo checking for wounds. Troy and Dahlia would rush up to them.

The machine went even faster. She'd asure her friends she's okay, then they'd race again. Sometimes Kipo would give one of them a piggyback ride. Sometimes Kipo would get piggyback rides.

The machine went even faster, Kipo felt her legs start to go weak, but forced herself to keep running. She normally loved the feeling of running. The jaguar was let free in those moments. But this is the opposite of freedom. Her jaguar is locked away, and her body feels like clasping.

Her jaguar had always been a part of her. Even before the bathroom. This is the first time in her entire life the Jaguar was completely gone. A part of her has ripped away from her, and she couldn't do anything about it. Except for run. Run as her life depended on it. Because a life did depend on it... but it wasn't hers.