The Volunteer
Istand from my chair and tilt my head.
Did I hear something?
I take a step toward the stairs.
A buzz slices through the air, then the bulb hanging from the ceiling goes out.
I stagger to the wall and try the switch. On, off. Nothing.
The room is pitch black. No window. No light. No electricity.
A faint vibration rolls through the ground around us.
Then another.
This isn’t good.
Fear flows down the stairs as I scramble up them.
Just get out. If someone wants the creature, they can take it.
I turn the door handle and push.
It doesn’t move.
I try again. Nothing.
The lock.
Closing my eyes and focusing on the feel, I find the right buttons to press for the code to unlock the door.
But the numbers don’t light up.
And the pad doesn’t beep.
And the door doesn’t unlock.
The keypad is electronic.
“Hey!” I pound on the door. “Hey, let me out!”
I press my ear to the surface. But I don’t hear anything.
I pound again.
Either they aren’t there at all, or they don’t care that I’m stuck down here.
“Fuck.”
Hand on the wall, I make my way back down the steps into the room.
My breaths are too loud in the small space.
I clench my jaw. I’ve been in scarier situations.
Keeping my hand on the wall, I go the opposite way from the kennel.
Okay, so maybe being trapped with a wolf shifter in a locked pitch-black room with a vampire war about to wage outside is the scariest situation I’ve been in.
But the wolf shifter is a kid. And he’s trapped in a kennel.
My fingers find the edge of the metal cabinet.
There’s a rustle of movement from the kennel as I yank the cabinet open.
“Why are you so scared?” A child speaks.
And fuck. My heart is beating so hard my chest hurts.
“Let me out, and I promise I won’t bite you.” I can hear the boy’s smile.
He can’t unlock the kennel.
I feel around for what I need.
Even with human hands. The people in charge would’ve planned for that.
Something falls out of the cabinet and clangs to the floor.
The creepy-as-fuck kid laughs.
“Sh-shut up, or I’ll fucking shoot you!” My fingers finally find the candle and matches I saw earlier.
The matchbox shakes in my hand, but I get a match out.
I strike it against the side of the box, and it lights on the first try, flaring bright in my vision.
There’s another rustling from the kennel.
Holding my damn breath, I slowly turn to face the cage.
Yellow wolf eyes shine back at me. From inside the kennel.
I exhale, accidentally blowing the match out.