The door opened, just like it did every day, but this day was different. The footsteps were light and uneven. The smell was sweet and unfamiliar. When the door opened it was always because someone was bringing me food, but not today. There was no food.
The door of my cage creaked open. Then there were hands and smells and voices sending me to the corner as far away from them as possible. I could not get away. There was nowhere to go.
It is frightening to be held for the first time, but oddly comforting too. I didn’t realize how much my feet ached from the bars until they were free from them. I have spent every minute of every day in the dark and only today did I realize that there was light.
Now I am doing something that I never knew was possible. I’m living my life.