No. A wave of dread washed through me. No, she couldn't do that. That would be the worst possible thing to happen to them. ~Give...give me a moment.~ I said shakily pushing myself up to my feet. Agony, it was like walking through lava. Each step felt worse then the last. With my feet slick with blood, it was difficult if not next to impossible to get a good grip on the tunnels, and I ended up slipping most of the way down towards the Isolation box. My ears twitched frantically as I caught faint scratches and squeaks, that mixed in with scents of other hamsters nearby, watching me. Getting out of this, now that I had been caught by Lisa, I didn't look forward to tonight.

~Where are you now?~ Lisa asked a while later. I actually had no idea how long I was taking, my mind had hazed with pain.
~Almos...Almost to Iso.~ I managed. It was too close to the main feeding area for my comfort, but it would mean Lisa would be able to see me easier, not that I wanted her to...much.
I pulled myself out of the last tunnel and heard her gasp aloud. I huddled there in front of the entry way, unable to stop shaking, to stop twitching.
~HENRY!~ The lid above me disappeared in a flash. "You look awful!" she said speaking out loud. Her hands reached down. "Come on let me see you, closer."
I shied away, not looking at her ~I'm fine.~
~You're fine, my foot. Get on my hand.~
~You'll get bloody.~
~Like I care about that!~
It had been worth a shot. I closed my eyes. ~Pick me up, I'm not sure I can move.~
That brought silence on her part. I winced, squeaking softly as one hand, gently and carefully came underneath me, the other hand covering me as she held me close to her chest. I felt a slight breeze as she walked through the store, holding me as steady as she could. The hand on top moved away, causing me to shiver, as I heard the click of a door opening and shutting. Nearby water began to flow.
"Here Henry." She startled me by speaking out loud in a soft voice. I opened my eyes to stare up into her worried face. "I need to wash the blood off. The water is warm."
She lowered me into a sink with walls tall enough to be cliffs. Gently she slid me into a pool of water that probably wasn't deeper than an inch or two, but deep enough for me.
"Try to hold still alright?" She said. "I'm not purposely going to hurt you, but there's enough matting and grime, not to mention blood! on you."
~I'll...try....~ I whispered, lifting a foot to try and relieve some of the pain that standing on it brought. It just made the other three throb worse in the warm water. I cried out when a shower of water suddenly hit me. Her hands gently scrubbed at my fur, carefully washing out my wounds. I twitched like a vibrating phone every time she came across one of the newer wounds, but I managed to keep quiet and for the most part still.
It wasn't until she finally moved to clean my feet that I freaked out. Even the slightest pressure had me screaming in pain. Lisa had to fight with me, not giving up even when I bit her. She ended up throwing a wash cloth over my head to keep me from attacking her and gripped my twisting body firmly with one hand while using the other to clean each paw one at a time.
"I'm almost done, Henry." her muffled voice said, tersely, just barely audible over my whimpers. "Just hang in there for a bit longer okay?"
Finally, mercifully, she stopped touching my feet and pulled me from out of the washcloth, tumbling me into a dry towel. Gently she moved the cloth, working to dry out my fur, making a little nest for me to huddle in when she was done.
"Just rest here okay, Henry?" She said placing the nest in an empty fish tank, placing a lamp on the lid over me that gave off heat. "I'll be back soon...I have to finish opening up the store. You'll be safe here."

Safe? I hadn't felt safe in forever. Wobbling slightly, I lifted my head, but Lisa had already left, the door clicking shut. I had no idea where she's placed me, but it was quiet, warm, and away from all the other hamsters. I burrowed into the blanket, relaxing more than I had in ages.

#Henry