By Lyn
Copyright 1999
Buck opened his eyes slowly, but could see nothing but black. He moved his hands up to his eyes, checking for a blindfold and finding none. He closed his eyes again, then opened them once more, hoping to clear his vision. This time he could make out just a trace of light, turning the inky darkness to a lighter shade of the same. He rolled over to his side, then to his stomach where he pushed himself up onto his hands and knees. Nausea rolled over him, and he paused a few moments to let it pass before using his hands to feel around him.
The floor beneath him was wood. He crawled forward, using his hands as eyes. In only a foot or so of movement he came upon bars, like those of a jail cell. He grabbed hold and pulled himself up on wobbly legs then followed the bar wall. He could only move a few feet either way before coming to a corner, and only about five or six feet before coming to another. The realization that he was in some sort of cage sank in, causing a sudden burst of anger. He grabbed hold of the bars and pulled on them, as though they would give way. Of course, they didn't.
He began to feel his way up the bars, finding a bared ceiling at about a foot or so above him. Still fighting nausea and a headache that thumped away at his temples, he sank to the floor, his only option being to wait until his captors put in an appearance.
He decided the nausea was from hunger and he began to wonder when he had eaten last. There was also a lingering odor on his clothes. It reminded him of the time the doctor had used chloroform to put Kid to sleep so he could remove a bullet. Both of these things could also account for the headache.
He racked his brain, trying to remember what had happened. He had gone hunting. Quail. He had started back to the station and…..? Blank. He subconsciously rubbed the back of his head, where a lump and a small amount of dried blood was located.
He leaned his head back against the bars and closed his eyes. He was quickly asleep.
Buck awoke next to the sound of keys in a door lock. As he tried to blink away the last vestiges of sleep, he saw light suddenly pour through an opening door. Two men walked through. One approached the cage as the other began lighting lamps in the room and pulling aside heavy curtains.
The first man stood before him, his thumbs looping into the watch pockets of a brocade vest. He wore a black bowler hat and sported a short, neatly trimmed beard. Buck still sat, leaning back against the bars, wondering what the man would do next.
"So, you're finally awake. We had such a hard time keeping you asleep on the trip here, then we couldn't get you to wake when we wanted to. It's a good thing our boss is a busy man. He hasn't had any free time until today."
"Just who's your boss?" Buck asked. The man seemed surprised.
"You speak English? Well, I suppose that might come in handy. I just hope the boss thinks so."
"Should I ask again? Who's your boss?"
"A smart mouth too, huh? Well, that will change. And you'll meet our boss soon enough. He just has some business to conduct and then he'll be here. We came to get things ready."
"Ready for what?"
"You'll find that out soon enough, too. Hungry?"
"Yeah."
"The cook is bringing some food. Gotta keep your strength up."
"For what?"
"I told you already, you'll find…."
"..out soon enough." Buck finished for him. "I guess I'll just have to be patient, huh?"
"You catch on after awhile. I've got work to do." The man walked away and through a second door. He left the door open, but he was out of Buck's vision and Buck couldn't tell by the sounds what the man was doing. The second man had also left the room and Buck was alone once more.
His nose told him that the cook was coming before she even entered the room. His mouth watered and he wondered again how long it had been since he ate last. The woman studied him as if he were some sort of monster or some animal she hadn't seen before. Then she moved forward and slid a tray through a narrow slot at the bottom of the cage door. She turned quickly on her heels and walked quickly out the door she had entered through.
Buck moved forward and pulled the tray toward him. He picked up a biscuit and began to chew, then took a piece of bacon. It wasn't long before the meal had disappeared. The nausea faded and even his headache dissipated. He found himself waiting again. He dozed off.
His eyes snapped open as he heard the sound of boot heels against stone flooring. Buck was momentarily disoriented, but his eyes focused quickly, just to see a man in a fancy black suit standing before him. The man began walking around the cage, as if inspecting Buck, nodding occasionally, before turning to the man in the bowler hat.
"Very nice, very nice. An excellent specimen. You've done well."
"Thank you Mr. Brooks."
Buck sat studying the man as he talked, pulling one of his legs up and leaning his arm against his knee, looking casual and unconcerned, even though his mind was racing, trying to figure out what was happening and how he might get out of this situation.
"Specimen for what?" he finally asked.
"He speaks English?" Brooks asked the man in the man in the bowler hat. Bowler hat nodded. "Well, that's a surprise. Well, well." The man paced a bit, studying Buck some more.
"I've traveled the world over, adding to my collection." He gestured at the various mounted animal heads that graced the walls of the room. Deer, bear, cougar, and numerous animals that Buck had never seen before, were stuffed and placed on wood plaques. Some had horns, some tusks, others had colorful stripes, some had spots. There was even a pelt lying on the floor in front of the fireplace, and a full sized bear stood in a corner.
"You're my next specimen. For my hunt."
On to Chapter Four
