"I wasn't always afraid of the dark". Constrained Writing Contest #27

It’s night time. My family have gone to bed. I’m stuck here alone. It’s dark. I guess I’ll just curl up and wait.
Eyes closing. I don’t want to sleep. Mustn’t sleep. Hard to stay awake. Eyes shut. I’m going to….

“Quick, quick, run. Not that way, this way. Hurry.” My brain said as my poor little heart beat so fast it sounded like a low, constant thrumming in my ears. I didn’t notice… well not much. I was busy. The humans were everywhere. This was bad. Diving under a car as legs in sets of two ran by seemed like a good idea until one of the humans spotted me. Now, there’s a lot of shouting. Oh! heavens and rainbows, I’m trapped.

“Get off me, GET OFF ME!” I’m squealing loudly now, the humans have me in some kind of net. I can’t get out.
“OUCH!” … that hurts. Something just stung across my back. Something to do with that strap. “YEOW!”
“Oh that hurts. Why did you kick me? I’m trapped. I just want to get out.”
“ Oh the pain. My ribs hurt. The ones with two legs, the humans, why won’t they stop hurting me? I’m tired. Can’t fight any more. So much pain… so much pain.”

“Where am I?” I hear my own voice.
“Prison.” Comes a reply. I can’t see the owner of the voice, but I can ‘feel’ them, and I can feel others too. I can smell them all. I can’t see anyone.
“Prison?” I repeat the word.
I‘m moving. It hurts. My leg. My front leg won’t work. What’s wrong with my leg? Trying to stand but I hurt so much. My back. My leg. My ribs. I remember now. The humans caught me and kicked me until the world went black. Now I’m here.

I cry. I can’t help it. I’m in a dark place, no light, no warmth and so much pain. Others here hurt too. I can tell, but they are quiet.

I cry again, louder. Whimpering, I try to get up, try to walk. I want to run. I can’t. I’m hurt.

“Hey boy! What’s the matter? You having a bad dream again?”

I feel the warmth. There’s light. There’s peace. I don’t hurt. I open my eyes. I’m in my warm bed and my human is hugging me.

"I wasn't always afraid of the dark". I whimper and nuzzle down, I'm safe now.