Captivity, and After The memory of it shakes deep in my bones, painful to experience again, even after all this. Captivity had been horrendus. Food every other day, water barely that. I had been in a cage for the first week, later moved to a cell because I had been "good." I didn't understand any of it. They were monsters, all who I came into contact with. I tried to ask them questions at first, but they only tore into me at the command of the People, and soon those questions became cries and whimpers and "please don't hurt me." The collar dug in deep around my neck, the scent of blood, sweat, and metal permeating the air, making me sick with fear. And then one day, the door was open. The People opened it often to mock me, to mock my wish to survive. The last time I tried, they kicked me so hard, I swear my ribs cracked in half. But here it was. An opportunity. No one was around. I had poked my head out the door just in case. The rest of the monsters were already asleep, and the People too. I stepped quietly, careful not to rattle the chain that hung loose around my neck. But I quickly became too excited with the prospect of freedom, freedom at last, that I broke into a run, dragging my chain along with me across the concrete. The rattling must have woken the monsters and a few People too, because I heard growls and barks and shouts all around me. I kept running. I was fast on my four legs, even in my state of health (or lack thereof). I felt the cool night air in my fur, and it was a blessing. This new freedom was a blessing. The shouts behind me faded into nothing as I ran and ran and ran. But soon, exhaustion caught up with me, and I slumped to my belly between two...buildings, I believe they are called? A People found me in the morning, and I couldn't help but growl at them. They did not look like the other People I'd encountered, much nicer and softer around the edges with longer hair and a nicer face. Maybe this was a female? I have not seen one before. She put me to sleep somehow, and I rested. I woke up in another cage, this one much larger and with lots of food and water. A few more People in white coats come and took me to another cell, this one much, much larger than the one I had before, and it had things in it. Lights and things and more things I still don't understand. A People was there, another female? I think so. She spoke in soft tones, and cleaned me up, and put me back in my other cell. It's a pity—I was starting to like that other one. Time passed, who knows how much, People coming and going and petting me (which I liked) and talking to me with weird voices (which I didn't), and eventually, a female came along, and she petted me plenty and smiled a lot too (smiling is this weird thing People do with their mouths when they are happy). She was talking with another People, who was smiling too (I liked that other People—he gave me food and water), and wrote on some papers. Then, he took me out of my cage, and strapped a loose collar around my neck, attached a leash, and handed the leash to the female, waving goodbye. That was a very good day, the best in a long time, and I had many more to enjoy with Michelle, my female People. fin