White walls. Bright Lights. Lonely room. That was where I slept. It was where I cried. Where I learned life was not on my side. The shock collar around my neck itched as I pondered, lying on my back and staring at the ceiling. There had to be something more out there to the world than war and death that the scientists were telling me. All I knew was that fear was my greatest weapon against my enemies. Fear is controlling, and those who can not control it get consumed and get stuck in a hole. All I can think about is if they were using that same strategy against me. Was I afraid? If I was, was I in control or stuck in the hole like a piece of prey, waiting to be slaughtered?

My attention was stolen when the sound of a door opened behind me, and a man in a white lab coat and white pants walked in. I sat up, my white jumpsuit making a sound in the process, to greet him. In his hand was a bowl of food. In it was that brown kibble stuff. It did not taste great, but it was supposed to make me stronger and keep me healthy or whatever, so I tried not to question it.

"A.L.P.H.A. 01, good morning," he greeted me. I said nothing as he left my food on the floor. When he did not leave the room, I decided to speak.

"What are we doing today?" I asked.

"Mainly assessments," he replied. He was always nice to me. "You're getting close to the day we'll send you out on the field. That's pretty exciting."

You sound so excited.

"Sure," is all I gave him in response.

After finishing my meal, my caretaker, Dain, stood up to lead me out of the white room and into another one. I felt my heart leap for joy as I walked into the Firing Range, seeing a few guns laid out for me to get my hands on.

The room was narrow and long to provide targets at multiple ranges. With the range to my right, I stared straight ahead at the bulletproof window that protected the scientists behind it, a speaker above it for talking and judging eyes, ready to watch my show.

"A.L.P.H.A. 01," came the sound of one of their voices. "You're clear to fire when ready. We will be watching."

I felt my ears flatten a tad as I walked over to the table to consider my options for shooting. I decided to go with the sniper rifle first before any of the others, snipers were my favorite. I aimed the gun at the closest target, and after taking a deep breath, I hit it in the bullseye perfectly. I moved to the next one and did the same thing, getting the target in the middle. However, I missed the center for the farthest target by just a centimeter.

I sighed as I stared at my failed attempt and awaited the criticism I usually got, and boy, did I get it. I groaned in pain as my shock collar beeped with a violent shock that made my whole body twitch. To those who would think I would ever get used to that, I never will.

"Again," the scientist ordered, voice crackling through the speaker.

So I did it again. I did it until the scientists were satisfied and hit every target perfectly. I received a "good job" and was instructed to take another gun. This one was a shotgun, and I hit all the targets to the scientists' liking with great accuracy.

"That's it for guns today, A.L.P.H.A 01. Dain will be taking you for your daily lesson. After you're done, we have a new plan. You are dismissed."

This caught me by surprise.

Something new planned? What in the world could it possibly be?

I rested my gun down as Dain entered the room to take me outside.

I ran my hands through my messy brown hair and prepared myself for what was to come with one last itch at the shock collar.

"What are we doing?" I asked as we walked through the long halls.

"We're going to learn another lesson today," he responded, not elaborating as he led me towards another room, the game room.

Dain held open the door for me, and I walked inside to see a pool table in the middle with other smaller tables on the edges of the room, holding different board games. Dain led me to the table with a chessboard and gestured for me to sit down.

I did and waited for Dain to sit as well before I looked at the board. I had played chess plenty of times before, and Dain said it was a great way to refine my strategy skills when I am sent to the battlefield and need to make fast and quick decisions.

"As you can see, we're going to be working on your strategy skills," he said, moving one of his pawns onto a space. We sat in silence for a minute, but the thought of the "special surprise" was bugging me.

"The scientists mentioned something new planned today?" I prompted, moving my bishop, killing a pawn, and setting up for a check.

Dain nodded. "Yes," he said, moving his king out of the way of my bishop, clearing his throat. "The DOA decided to announce you to the public yesterday, and people can come and see you in person at the lab now."

I froze and stared at him, my ears dropping slightly, my tail curled around my leg. "Are you serious?" I whispered.

Dain sighed. "I know that the last thing you need during these last few months of training is public attention and people being in your face all day, but it shows the public what we've been working so hard to create to protect them."

I narrowed my eyes at him, huffing my next pawn.

"I know you're mad, but we can't keep the people in the dark forever. You'll forgive us someday."

"I will never forgive you," I hissed, the game forgotten. "You beat me every day saying that it is 'good for me,' and you are preparing me for a war! And I do not get a choice? I did not ask to be here!"

"I know, but you're going to save so many lives! We've tried to get you to understand that but failed."

I glared at him in pure rage. "You failed more than just that." I spat.

"I don't have time to argue with you, A.L.P.H.A.," Dain said, standing up. "We should get you back. Visitors will be arriving soon."

I did not budge at first as Dain started approaching the door. However, I quickly got up when he threatened to shock me when he showed me he had the remote.

We quickly returned to my room, the cold floor feeling nice on my bare feet as we raced against time through the halls.

Once we got into my room, I stepped back from Dain as he walked closer, hands outreached.

"Get back," I spat.

"Relax. I was told to remove your shock collar for the visitors."

You do not want them to see that you torture your pet?

After a few more moments of hesitation, I let him touch my neck, and he removed the collar. My neck felt so free again, I had forgotten what this feeling was like, and I touched the tender skin gingerly as Dain quietly left, leaving me alone again in this white room.

The walls were not completely blank. Lots of the space had been touched by my artistic hand, which I drew in my free time when I was not sleeping. Dain had given me some chalk to line the walls with, and once I needed more space, I just brushed it off.

My hands grabbed that same chalk, and I cleared a wall space. Might as well do something until these said visitors arrive.

After who knows how long of drawing, voices filled my sensitive ears, and my tail flicked as I processed what was happening. Visitors.

I looked straight ahead at the window I had that looked out to a vast white hallway to see people starting to crawl in. I do not know why I was so surprised to see them all wearing clothes that were not white like the scientists. They were colorful and unique.

I watched as many pairs of eyes landed on me, and I suddenly felt sick. I hate this.

"Look at her ears!" one said.

"Look at her tail!"

"She looks so frail and scared."

"Are we sure we should trust the DOA with this creature?"

"What a waste of my taxes."

I covered my ears, hoping to block them out, but it did not work. It never worked. I turned my back to the people as tears threatened to form, but I shoved them away. I needed to show them I was powerful and worth spending whatever a tax was. Make them fear you.

I lashed out at the window behind me and gave them a true growl that made them shriek in fear, sparking something in my brain.

The people all moved backward from the window, some grabbing hold of their kids. Everyone started looking away from the window, whether to recover, ask one of the scientists a question, or leave, but only one stayed in front of the window. He was built much bigger than I, and he watched with crossed arms and a darkened gaze.

I stared back at him, and one of my ears twitched.

The man glanced left, right, and then back at me and beckoned me forward with his head.

Cautiously, I stride towards him, bent knees, never taking my eyes off him.

"Can you hear me?" he whispered.

I nodded in response. The average human probably couldn't, but I could hear almost everything anyone said, including this secret conversation.

"How'd you like to get out of here?"

I inhaled sharply as my heart skipped a beat. Out of here? Was that really an option?

The man smiled. "I'll take that as a yes."

I looked around at the scientists, not interested in our discussion, and I looked back up at him.

"Don't talk. I won't be able to hear you. Scouts are watching the guards, but I must ask you a few questions."

I nodded at him, eager to be free.

"Alright. Are you usually in this room?"

I nodded.

"When do you leave and return?"

I shrugged. "I don't know".

"When are you here?"

I pointed to the floor and closed my eyes, hoping he understood my charade.

"To sleep?"

I nodded.

"OK. Do you know what time you sleep here?"

I shook my head no, causing him to huff.

"How many people take care of you?"

I raised up a finger to show "one."

The man nodded, taking mental notes at my questions.

"Thanks for answering those questions. You look like you've been through a lot. I'm Quinn, part of a rebel group trying to break you out. We'll be back in a few weeks and get you somewhere safe."

That was all the questions he had?

I decided to ignore that and truly comprehend what was going to happen. I felt a single tear fall down my face. Freedom.

Quinn left my window and walked down the hallway to go, and all I could do was sink onto my heels and let myself hope. The only thing stronger than fear was hope. And I had it. Fear was not going to control me. Not today. Better watch out, world. I'm getting out of this hell.

I do not know how much time had passed until the last visitor came and went. Now, I did not complain about the loneliness of my room. They were not all bad. Some of them loved the drawings I made, and some loved my unique blue-gold eyes. One even had a conversation with me. It would not be the worst to wait a little longer for this assumed rescue mission to break me out.

I longed to go outside and see this so-called "sun" and the plants I had only seen in pictures. This was going to be great. I was going to get out.