The Human Pet

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

            “I’m looking to buy a pet.” Dominic said to the pet storeowner.

            “Of course, sir. Do you know what you’d like? We have a large variety of cats, dogs, reptiles, birds, and we even got a new shipment of humans just yesterday.”

            “I was thinking I’d like a human. I have a friend with one and he says they’re intriguingly intelligent.”

            “Well yes sir, while they are smarter than dogs or cats, they shouldn’t be overestimated. They’re still just pets.”

            “Of course. I do think I’d like a human, though I must admit I don’t really know much about taking care of one.”

            “They’re not so hard to take care of. They have some communication skills, which, though limited, do come in handy to new pet owners.”

            “Sounds great. Could I take one home today?”

            “Of course, sir. Like I mentioned, we just got a new shipment in today from Earth and there are some good choices for you. Would you like a male or a female?”

            “I think a female. I heard they have softer temperaments and are easier to domesticate.”

            “Yes, you heard correctly. If you’ll follow me, I can show you what we have in the cages in the back.”

 

            Sophie woke up feeling drowsy and sensing a major headache coming on. She couldn’t remember where she was or how she got there and as she tried to kick her brain into motion, she became increasingly panicked by the second. She was in a small, dim room with a hard, concrete floor. And even more worryingly, her clothes were nowhere to be found. She sat up and pulled her knees to her chest, trying to make herself as small and covered up as possible. She continued looking around, trying to figure out where she was and how she could get out. The room was small and rectangular, looking to be only about four feet by six feet, with metal bars across one wall. It was too dark to see much beyond the bars, but from what she could tell, there was a hallway with another set of bars on the other side. The room was also surprisingly tall; it must have been at least twelve feet tall.

            Figuring she wouldn’t get any information out of the concrete walls, she tried to think back to how she got there, but was having trouble. The last thing she remembered was being at the library, desperately trying to finish her essay before the library closed. The kind librarian had allowed her to stay a few minutes after the library was supposed to be closing. She had just finished the last sentence of her essay and was about to shut down the computer when she heard Mrs. Doric, the librarian gasp. Sophie hurried over to where Mrs. Doric had been putting books away and stifled a scream when she saw the woman crumpled on the ground. Sophie and Mrs. Doric had become close over the years, and Sophie knew Mrs. Doric’s husband had died and she didn’t have any children or relatives. Mrs. Doric had become sort of like a mother to Sophie, whose own mother had died in a boating incident when Sophie was twelve.

            Sophie had run over to Mrs. Doric’s limp body and tried to get her to wake up, but she was out cold. Sophie had just gotten up to go to the phone to call 911, but before she could even take a step, she remembered feeling a sharp pain in the back of her thigh. That was the last thing she remembered.