Chapter 3: Fleeting Freedom

...Enjoy!...

The air outside the vivarium was certainly different. The cool breeze blew strongly through the barren trees in the field, with a familiar whistle, sweeping along dried leaves and dust.

The field was wide and endless, with no road in sight.

Walking across it, I just could not help but wonder how far we were from civilization and how the vivarium felt like a planet on its own.

The afternoon sun ruled the clear sky, its rays touching everything below with an unforgiving hotness.

A hotness that constantly reminded me that what was before my eyes was not a figment of my delusions, that I was finally out of the research building.

Just then, a hearty laugh-the best I'd had in years-escaped my mouth, a small, yet significant celebration of my fleeting freedom.

"I think this one's nuts," one of the purchaser's workers said, gesturing towards me, and his friends chuckled.

"Too bad, he's a cute one," another replied, evidently disappointed.

I stayed quiet, listening subconsciously to their conversation, whilst hoping we'd get to our destination faster. The scorching sun was getting increasingly unbearable.

"Think the boss gon' let us have some fun with him before impregnating him?"

My breath hitched at the question, every hair on my body standing with a frightening alertness. I felt my heart thumped frantically, as I grew anxious.

For the first time that day, I prayed.

"Nah, he's special. Don't even think about it."

And my prayer was immediately answered.

The topic of the conversation quickly took a different turn towards politics and I secretly heaved a sigh of relief.

A black luxurious looking car soon came into sight, packed by the side of an unpaved road, its tinted windows glinting in the sun.

Like a baggage, I was bundled into the backseat, sandwiched by two of the men.

The vehicle violently roared to life and drove off, in a cloud of dust.

The drive to our destination was smooth and peaceful. Contradicting my expectations, almost few to no words were exchanged in the car.

The drive went on for hours, with occasional stops at petrol stations for bathroom breaks and meals, though, I had nothing to eat.

For the first time in 16 years, I saw a minute part of the world outside - a vacuous filling station that was also secluded in a remote part of the country.

Before long, we began driving through cities, places that were different from what I remembered, or rather, the little I remembered.

Places that hinted at humans' advancement in technology, with little to no building that was not riddled with tech equipments.

Our last break was at a cozy restaurant. Its glass doors, compared to the large metal ones of the vivarium, swung open automatically, as we approached it.

My widened eyes and flinched body failed to hide my amusement as the workers burst into laughter at my reaction.

If it wasn't for the immense anxiousness I was feeling, I would have chuckled as well. For the first time during the journey, I felt slightly at ease.

The interior was a beautiful blend of retro and vogue, with people encircling tables, chatting and laughing. It was a relaxing atmosphere.

We occupied a table and an attendant took our orders. Very quickly, the meals were served and I was given a bowl of boiled flour strings and chicken meat or 'Chicken noodle soup' as the men called it.

I moaned as I wolfed down the richly seasoned meal, which, compared to the bland and 'nutritious' meals I was fed at the institution, was in all ways, better.

"Slow down, will ya?" One of the men- Armin-said with a slightly amused chuckle.

"If you were in his shoes, you would have done more than this. Who knows how little he was fed there?!" Brian-another man-replied, fiddling his meal with a spoon as he stared down at it.

His words were edged with care, though he tried to hide it.

During the drive, I got to know the names of all the four workers, Brian, Adhiraj, Armin and Miguel, and bits of their personalities.

Brian was evidently the oldest of the four men, with gray slicked back hair and thick moustache. He was also nice and wise, compared to other three.

Evidence of his kindness was how he stopped the men from potentially assaulting me in the field earlier.

Though it might have been him being wise, I could not help but think he was being kind.

"Right."

"Hey, what was it like at the facility?" Armin questioned, his curious eyes fixated on me, along with the others' and Brian's cursive, yet inquisitive glance.

I remained quiet, as one of the crucial rules I was ordered to follow in the vivarium was to never tell anyone about the activities that took place in it.

"Hmm?" Armin probed.

"Uh..uh I.." the words dripped out of my mouth in pathetic stutters, my face flushed from nervousness and my hands clammy.

"Stop, it's time to move." Brian came to my rescue once again. The three men, as instructed stood to their feet and we all exited the restaurant.

And after what seemed like an eternity, we arrived at our destination - a modern house in a rather quiet part of the city.

It seemed like the owner resided in it, with the intention of cutting themself away from the world.

They liked being alone-this was the first fact I knew about the Alpha whose child I would be carrying.

...Thank you for reading!...

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