The Creatures that History Forgot

by Ashley Douglass

strangers.” She said as Erika nodded then began looking around the room.

  “Yeah I know not to talk to them.” Erika answered when she saw Rita kneeling beside the table and me partly concealed within the shadows.

  “See that is Kyzudo and she is not a stranger. She is our friend.” Erika said stooping down beside her sister as her mother looked down at me.

  “What is that animal doing in my house!” she yelled grabbing Erika and Rita, dragging them away.

  “She is Kyzudo and she needs our help.” Erika explained as Rita struggled to free herself, whining about how her mother was hurting her arm.

  “She is a wild animals and she could be dangerous.”

  “Fluffy is nice.” Rita yelled when I decided that I needed to explain myself before their mother alerted someone else.

  “I cause no harm. I need help. Please help me.” I said as she stared at me vacantly as her children slipped from her slacken grasp.

  “Please listen Mommy, we have to bring her to the hospital.” Rita said tugging at her mother’s sleeve.

  “What is that thing?” she asked as I raised my tail.

  “I Kyzudo, from under land.” I said as she picked up a broom.

  “You are a demon. Well I won’t let you have my children, you monster” she screamed as she slammed the bristled end against the ground, as I backed away.

  “Mommy stop or you will hurt Fluffy.” Rita said grabbing her mother’s arm but she simply flung her off.

  “How dare you mess with my children.” she yelled as I ran toward the closed door. I reached for the handle when she jabbed the broom at my back, the stiff bristles snapping as I fell to the ground.

  “Mom stop,” Erika yelled grabbing the broom but her mother pushed her out of the way but it left just enough time for me to get to my feet and hurry downstairs where I was planning on hiding in the comforting shadows but I turned when the door slammed. All was darkness, all hope was lost.

  “Help!” I yelled pressing my weight against the door but it would not budge and the knob would not turn.

  “No Mommy, don’t trap Fluffy!” Rita screamed.

  “That is a monster and I going to make sure that it is taken far away from here.”

  “Please Mommy don’t call the pound. She will be good I promise.” Rita said when I heard a series of beeps then a purring buzz.

  “I need an animal control officer. I have a wild animal in my basement.” their mother began as I backed away fearfully.

  “I don’t know what kind of animal it is but it is dangerous…. Stop that Rita”

  “Mommy please don’t hurt Fluffy,”

  “Erika where do you think you are going? Erika, get back here!” she yelled as I peered out of one of the windows of glass bricks to see Erika running to the neighboring house to tell Terry. Her mother screamed but did not follow her not wanting me to get away.

  My jaw parted as a mournful note filled the cavernous space bouncing off the walls taking over my every thought until my mind screamed with grief. The sky became darker until it formed a roof over the world.

  I was trapped and soon the humans would take me as their prisoner. I was never going to escape. I was never going to see my mother again. I was never going to be allowed to return home.

  I failed. My mother was going to die and my people are going to kill each other. My nightmares have become a reflection of the near future, a future that I had no hope of preventing.

  I could never save me people from their fate. I was just an inexperienced whelp. I would never be like my mother and I was foolish for believing otherwise. I was a fool to believe that I understood enough about the humans to reveal myself. I was a fool for no recognizing how I was making grand generalizing about a people I know nothing about. I was foolish for not seeing how my desperate need was affecting my reasoning. I was a fool for believing that I ever stood a chance of saving my people. Maya was right only the wise know when enough information is gathered and I was not wise enough to save my people. I did not deserve to be Sanoka’s daughter.

  I should have went home after I learned the kids did not know the location of the hospital. I should have returned home and hoped that my attempt would be proof enough of my bravery. I should have found a way to trick their mother into getting my mother’s cure without revealing myself. I should have thought this through. I should have listened to Terry.

  I backed away from the window knowing there was no escape. All I could do was wait for the humans to come and take me away. All I could do is wait, for my freedom to be stolen from me. All I could do is wait, for my nightmares to take over reality. All I can do is wait, until all hope is lost.

  Abducted

  I raised my head from the cold floor when I heard a deep vibration that grew louder as it approached my prison. I looked to the window of glass bricks to see flash of light defuse through the thick glass before vanishing. I got up then ran to the window trying to make sense out of the blurred shapes that rushed about.

  There was a large white mass that must have been one of the human’s large transportation vehicles. Tall humanoid figures emerged dressed in similar colors like the uniforms of the Death Stalkers. Two figures half the size of those that arrived rushed forward with their spindly distorted appendages raised. They stopped but a full sized figure ran toward the children, who I knew to be Terry and Erika. The single figure out of uniform led them pass the kids as a short blob of color pulled at her sleeve. It must have been Rita attempting to save me but there was no hope.

  I glanced at the door when I realized that the girls’ mother was no longer leaning against it. I was free. I just need to hurry I thought as I rushed up the stairs. I turned the knob then push the door wide open.

  I was free I thought as I hurried to the door that I used to enter this death trap. I grasped the knob but it began to turn on its own accord. I released the knob then backed away when the door was flung open. Standing in the doorway was Rita cowering in the shadow of her massive mother.

  I turned away, looking for the other door that I knew led to the front of the house. I raced through the house then I stopped at the door. I rose onto my hind legs to reach the knob. It turned but the door would not budge. I looked up to see a brass laver that must work like a dead bolt. I leaned against the door stretching toward the laver when I saw a group of men entered the room. They carried a net which was spread between them like a banner. I only had a few seconds to leap away from the door before the net rushed toward me.

  I looked back at them after I landed on a cushion raised by a stiff fabric covered frame. I growled raising my tail when they pulled out an object of dark metal. A long hollow chamber was pointed at me as they grasped its thick handle with a finger looped around a thin curved protrusion. I knew if that thin crescent piece of metal was ever yanked back that the air would scream and blood would leak through circular holes that bore through flesh and snapped bones. Those pieces of metal were death to all who could see the circular passageway in its center. It was the device that was used to kill my father.

  “Please not kill me.” I whimpered as I lowered my tail and bowed my head in defeat.

  “It can talk.” said one as he slowly lowered his weapon.

  “What are you?” asked another approaching me with his weapon pointing at me.

  “I Kyzudo.”

  “What are you? Where are you from? How can you talk?” he asked as I thought about telling him that I was the leader of my people, which would reveal that there are more of us. Also if I told him that I was from the land under this one, the humans would know where my people hid. I dare not tell him anything even if I must die like my father.

  “I no tell.” I said proudly when he thrust the weapon into my face but I ducked out of the way then raced across the room. The other fired as I leap onto a table of glass and wood then dove behind a long cushion with a wooden frame. A long dart hung from the cushion, fired from one of their weapons of war. They stopped firing but their leader slowly walked
over to me with a metal loop attacked to a long rod.

  “I don’t know what you are but you are not going to escape from us.” he said as I backed into a corner. The metal loop found my neck then tightened as I thrashed about in an effort to free myself when the man dragged me away. I grasped the metal rod with my hands trying to pull it free but I was too weak. Maybe I would have been successful if I was just a little older.

  “No…Please Help.” I screamed as I was dragged out the front door and across the front yard. Terry and the others were crying by the storage unit I stayed in but ran toward me when they saw me.

  “No you can’t take Fluffy.” Rita yelled as the back doors of the transportation machine were opened revealing a wall of wire cages.

  “Terry stop them,” I yelled before the man lifted me up by the metal loop so my feet dangled uselessly.

  “In you go,” the man said trying to force me into the cage but I grabbed the edges of the cage with my feet and tail.

  “Help,” I yelled again when some pushed me hard in the chest.

  “Kyzudo!” Terry yelled trying to push through the men but he was just too young and weak to reach me.

  The door to my cage was closed along with the doors to the transportation machine as Terry watched me sadly with watery eyes.

  The men began to pile in then the machine started to glide forward.

  I hung my head as Terry slide back as if the road were pulling him away from me. All is lost. Soon my