Concrete floor... Chain link fence...  Bump, bump, bump...  Corner... Chain link fence... Bump, bump, bump... Child, another child and another and another... more fence... another corner... more chain link... a gate!  Rattle, rattle, rattle... "Of course it's locked! We're in a cage! Trapped like animals!"  She told herself, "Don't panic Bell you'll only upset the children." The Children! I don't even know who's locked in this prison with me. I can't see them or hear them. Oh give me clarity!

Bell sat down in what felt like the center of the cage. She felt the cold and damp concrete floor beneath her. In her best supporting role as a calm teenager, she called her cellmates to join her. "Listen children or whomever is in this place with me. Remember I cannot see or hear, but I know you can hear me. Please come stand next to me, I want to feel who you are okay?"

Little bodies surrounded Bell. One by one they stood in front of her so she could feel there distinctive features. Long curly hair, missing hands... "You are the gorgeous Miss Nissa! Okay who's next?" Scars on half of face, only one good eye, spiky hair... "I'd know you anywhere Coppertop!" He beamed and let the next person in line go to Bell.  Silky pin straight hair, missing feet... "You're the adorable Mr. Bucks!" He hugged Bell tightly and let the next child have a turn.  JM held the baby out to Bell could feel her, "Let me see here..." A flattened nose, with a split mouth and two crazy pigtails... "You must be my beautiful Lacey girl!"  Lacey gave Bell a slobbery kiss.  "Whose holding Lacey?" An awkward eleven-year-old girl named JM with webbed hands lightly touched Bell's head.  Bell felt JM's hands and said, "Thank you little Miss JM. You have done a wonderful job taking care of the baby. Will you please help with her from now on?" JM squeezed her neck and she could feel the preteen's tears on her cheek. Bell whispered to her, "It's gonna be alright JM, the Author is with us. He's all around us.  JM kissed her cheek and sat by her side."   Bell felt the baby to see if she was okay. The baby was sucking her thumb, resting peacefully.  "Is there anyone else in here with me? Anyone I haven't touched yet?" A little boy stepped up and tapped a Bell on the head. Misshapen head, twisted spine... She hugged him to her chest, "Panney it's you! We were wondering what became of you. I'm so thankful you're safe." Safe? That's an odd choice of words... Okay don't panic! "Is Grandfather Alfred here?"

The terrified little children stared at her blankly. The younger ones, forgetting she couldn't hear, chimed in, "Grandpa gone."

Bucks spoke up, "Bad men took papa." He started to cry. Coppertop comforted him.

"Okay, let me think..." How is the best way to communicate?... "I've got it! Children, jump once for yes, jump twice for no. Get it? " The children who were able jumped once. Bell tried her best to sound cheery. She clapped, "Well done... I could feel that. Grandfather Alfred is not in the room right?" All those with feet jumped once. Bucks slapped the floor once. "I'm so proud of you. Come everyone, sit by me and let's figure things out okay?" Bucks crawled into her lap. Many jumped once and everyone sat down. They were scared but her game did a good job of distracting them.  

After Bell had felt her all of her cage mates, she came to a sickening conclusion. Only children with defects were in this prison. The healthier ones, like Devin and her Grandfather went some place else. But where?  She had to be brave for the children's sake.  She was the only "grownup" in the room. "Panney can we climb up and over the side?" He stood up and jumped twice. "Is there a top to this cage?" He jumped once. "Do you see any guards?" He jumped twice. "Okay no way to escape but no guards at the moment either..." She smelled the stale air.  "We're definitely inside somewhere..."  Panney jumped once for yes. "Is it an army base?" He jumped twice for no. "Is it a prison?" He jumped twice again. Bell racked her brain and sniffed the air for clues. She smelled machinery and something like motor oil. "Are we in some sort of warehouse or factory Panney?" The dimly lit room outside their 10ft by 10ft cage did resembled an abandoned factory warehouse.  He jumped only once. She sniffed again and smelled vomit, feces and rotting meat.  "Panney do you see other children trapped in cages?" He jumped once.

It's what Bell couldn't see that horrified Panney the most.  He knew that even if they played the game of twenty questions day and night Bell would never guess the horror in scene surrounding them.   What he saw was a continuous row of cages crammed with disfigured and sickly children.  He heard coughing, wailing and screaming. It echoed in the large metal warehouse. Somehow, they had transformed this former factory into a kennel of mutated orphans.  His twisted body shook as he scanned the maddening chain of death. To get a better view he climbed even higher and observed ten cages away, two soldiers depositing a dozen small prisoners back into their coop.  None of these silenced children attempted to escape although no weapons were drawn. In single file, the young captives willingly marched back to prison. Then he noticed an eerie similarity about cage number ten's occupants--all of them were completely bald! At first Panney wondered if they'd suffered an illness, which made their hair fall out.  This curiosity forced him to climb even higher. Hanging like a chimp, he discovered that hairless prisoners not only occupied cage number ten but every cage beyond it as well.   Thousands of fingers clung to the chain links and rattled their cages. It was deafening and Panney dropped down and covered his ears. It sounded like feeding time at the zoo!  Just then the lunch crew appeared. Eight men and women in bland gray uniforms traveled from cage to cage. Quickly they unlocked each gate and deposit two large troughs, the first containing sugar water and the second a mixture of grease and grain. Like animals, the children clawed their way to the troughs and began slurping up the slop. Those too small or weak to reach the tubs lapped the spillage on the floor like dogs. 

When the food attendants reached Panney's cage all of the Tunnel Children backed away and stared at the swill. None dared to eat the maggot filled grease or drink the calorie-laden swill.  Paney held Bell hand and led her to the troughs. She sniffed and cautiously dipped her hand in the grease. Suspiciously she licked the grease off her fingers and gagged. Impulsively she spat out the spoiled lard. "Don't eat this children. None of you! Do you understand?"  They all jumped once and Bell prayed the divine food would follow them even in prison.

After the heavy meal, children in every other chain cube lay in their own filth on the cold concrete floor. Many rocked themselves in an attempt to sleep. There were no toilets or beds. A long channel ran down the entire length of the prison cubes. Astutely Panney wondered what horrific purpose this groove held. An hour later, he discovered the gutter's purpose.  Attendants in plastic yellow coveralls and oversized black rain boots entered holding long black hoses. They maliciously aimed the water at the children's faces while simultaneously cleaning out the cages. All the feces, urine, vomit and leftover slops slid down the channel and swirled down a giant drain at the lowest point in the room.  Now drenched and gasping for air the children trembled in wet rags.  One of the attendants noticed the last cage of "animals" hadn't touched its food. He just shrugged and tossed it up to nerves. Usually the trapped animals were grateful for a feast of corn syrup and lard. What the attendant hadn't noticed was the lack of human waste or the sweet smell emanating from its captives in cage number one.

As soon as the nightly "bath" was completed it was lights out until the next morning when the cycle of terror repeated itself.

-End of Chapter 7-

Author's note: I realize this scene is a gruesome. Life is hard. Many people suffer. There are lessons to be learned and friendships to be gain. Please stick with me. Kindly vote, comment, and add this book to your library. I really appreciate edits and follows too!