I felt secure in that warm dark place. Listening to the steady thump thump of her heart, I managed to relax a little bit. The soothing voice, kept up a near constant sound base as well, murmuring nonsensical sentiments. Encouraging in tone.

It's sufficient to say that she lulled me to sleep while she went about the lab doing the morning chores. At break neck speed. As soon as she could, Maille snuck into a supply closet. Sitting on a box, she grabbed some of the meds from a nearby shelf and pulled me out of her pocket.

"Are you still alive?"

Her voice floated around my head, full of concern. full of worry.

"Little one? Please, tell me you're alive. Please. Try moving something. Just for me." A finger softly ran down my back. "Come on little one. Please."

Move something? For her? Well, I wanted to see her eyes again. With some effort, I managed to open an eye. It took effort, as it had crusted shut. I caught a glimpse of those bright green eyes and a white smile of delight before I shut it again.

"You are alive!" her exultant cry rang in my ears. I'm surprised Howard didn't hear her. She'd been loud. "I can work with alive." she said more quietly. "Hold on little one, I'll get you better. You just work on surviving alright?"

Next thing I know, she was trying to stuff something into my mouth. Bitter, bitterness, trying to pretend to be fruity. It didn't work. I moved a paw in protest, pushing against the object to get it away from me. It was persistent. I shuddered as the bitter liquid moved down my throat.

"Oh, I know little one, most meds don't taste that great. But I promise it will help you feel better."

I would disagree with that. How can bad tasting stuff be anything but bad for you?

"Here." The object pushed against my mouth again. Oh no. I turned my head away. No more bitter stuff. "It's water, little one. Please for me?" Again, she prodded against my mouth. I kept it shut. "I will get the water into you one way or another little one." she said. "just a little bit. You need liquids."
I opened my eyes again. Why did her eyes have to be so convincing? Did she lie at all?
She smiled. "That's it little one." I shuddered as more liquid stuff poured down my throat. Thankfully enough, it tasted like water. I liked water.

"You have beautiful eyes you know." She remarked, pulling the object -at this point I saw that it was a syringe- from my mouth. "Red. I've never seen one eye darker then the other, though." Her fingers ran down my back again. "Perhaps that's why Howard doesn't like your kind. Your eyes are red more often then not."

Red eyes? Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew that wasn't right.
She sighed. "I can't stay here long, Howard has a knack for showing up at the wrong moment. Just hang in there little one." She said wrapping me back up. "I'll try and get some more water into you and a bit of food. You'll make it." She gently placed me back into her pocket. "You will make it."

Martin Elek