A Random Book of Randomness

Artificial Countryhuman Part 1

"Come on now," he said quietly, "it's ok, I haven't hurt you before, I'm not going to do it now."

He tried to reach for it again and again 6801 growled, swatting at his hand and hissing.

"Please sweetie, I know you don't trust me yet, I wouldn't trust me if I was in your place, but I don't want to see you suffering like this anymore. I dare not imagine the hell you've been through and I don't think I even could if I wanted to, I just want to help you, to get you out of this hell hole and away from this life worse than death, but I can't if you're not going to trust me."

She looked up at the stranger, deep into his green eyes, they were so warm, she felt safe looking into them, like he really would never try to hurt her.  She whimpered in the back of her throat and lowered her head, closing her eyes to show that she trusted him.  Nothing happened for a few seconds but 6801 eventually felt hands touch her face where the muzzle straps were, she flinched and the stranger gently hushed her, speaking softly to calm her down until he finally slipped off the muzzle.

"There, all done," he said, "you did so good, I'm proud of you."

He handed her the rest of the bar and she wolfed it down, earning a chuckle from the stranger. "I guess you really were hungry, we'll make sure to get you something to eat when we get out of here."  He then started touching her ear tag and she growled again, she may trust him now but that doesn't mean she wants people touching her ears. "Sorry, guess you also don't like your ears touched, I'll remember that.  6801 though, was that what everyone kept calling you, is that your name?"

6801 nodded, she then saw something shiny on the stranger's outfit and yanked on it, making him chuckle again, "it's a nametag, it tells people what my name is like your ear tag, it says Poldara, can you say that, Poldara."

6801 blinked at the stranger named Poldara, say something, she didn't know how to do that, no one taught her to, the only thing she knew was to growl and hiss, so she responded by blowing a raspberry instead.

Poldara laughed and blew one back, and for the first time in her seven years of life, 6801 laughed, she surprised herself when she made that noise, she didn't know she could make it.  Poldara seemed to like it because he blew more raspberries and she kept laughing, she liked it too, it felt good to make the weird noise, it made her happy, she never felt happy, it was a nice thing to feel.

"You're so sweet, I don't understand how someone could treat you so horribly without being overwhelmed by guilt," Poldara said, "you deserve so much more than this, and I promise that I will give it to you, you'll never be abused or neglected again."

6801 couldn't believe her ears, she couldn't believe this was real, was she dreaming?  Tears started flowing as the overwhelming emotions piled up inside her, most of them she never felt before.  She threw her arms around Poldara in the only way she knew how to show affection, just crying like she never cried before.

She felt his arms wrap around her too and a quiet sob come from him, she looked up and saw that he was tearing up too.

"It's ok, I got you, I won't ever let anyone hurt you ever again," he muttered, "I swear on my wings that you will be loved and cared for, you won't ever have to live in fear, pain, or hunger.  As long as there is breath in my lungs and a beat in my heart I will protect you, no matter what."

"Poldara," a new voice suddenly came, "Poldara where are you, are you in here?"

"Yes Uncle, come here, there's something you need to see," Poldara called to the voice, then said to 6801, "there's someone I want you to meet, he's a countryhuman just like us, he won't hurt you either, I promise."