The Nature of Predators - Why the Caged Bird Sings (1/11)

Memory Transcription Subject: Cala, Krakotl Child Prisoner

Date [standardized human time]: July 2, 2137

The cell was drafty and cold, much colder than I’d been told pens would be. I could see the tall primates walking outside the bars. They would slide food into the place where I was contained, occasionally offering a guttural bark of what they were serving. It was lonely enough here that some days, I didn’t have the heart to eat. Other times, I would occupy myself by watching the predators from between the bars. There was one in particular that was stationed to guard my cage during the day, and I found myself pressed up against the metal rods, watching it with curiosity. It would bring a deck of cards, stacking them in piles on the floor—a strangely tame behavior. It almost seemed like it carried a deep sadness, and struggled to make it through the day too. Mama said I was a bright chick, so I thought maybe I could figure out what it was planning.

“James, why did you stay in London?” the creature had asked itself, as it stacked cards on the floor. “It was you I would’ve texted on a dry, empty shift. Now, it’s just another fucking day.”

The predator’s skin was brown, like the spots on the banana peels they gave me sometimes, with a fiber-thin patch of hair on its head. I heard one of its comrades refer to it as “Andrew,” while another pronounced its name as “Andy.” Personalization—nicknames—from them? I’d begun thinking back to when Mama started bringing me to work at the exterminators; I’d do little things around the office to help the Krakotl heroes out. The workers were always nice to me, with the local guildmaster giving me a toy flamethrower for my third hatchday. I’d known then and there that I wanted to carry a real one, before the bad predators could eat all of us.

Mama had trained me to join the exterminators very young, and even brought me on a few missions; she wouldn’t let me go to predator attack scenes because I wasn’t old enough. I did everything I could to impress her, and learn how monstrous and foul predators were, because I was smart! When I heard about the extermination fleet coming, the entire guild was helping in one way or another. We talked about how these humans couldn’t exist as a family at dinner, and all the awful things in their past; they were supposed to be these uncontrollable rage monsters, like on the TV shows. They even snarled as their main expression, something I’d found to be true in captivity, so we had to be right about the other things; the tameness didn’t make sense.

I understood how the extermination fleet needed more crew members to fight the predators, and how I could finally go on a real mission like I wanted to with the guild. Acting as a soldier against a real world of predators would show that I was ready and brave enough. Papa helped me create an application, looking so proud of me. That was all I ever wanted; once we’d wiped Earth away, we wouldn’t have to worry about them hurting us and taking our home anymore. It was really simple. Hunters couldn’t behave any other way, because of their instincts, just like we couldn’t escape our fear. Sure enough, they locked us up when they destroyed our ship next to Earth—which meant we failed. 

Are Mama and Papa already dead? Would they be disappointed in me?

Andy didn’t bother speaking with a captive prey animal, and I wouldn’t even consider getting it to try if I wasn’t really bored and lonely. I wanted to go home, to Nishtal. In a lot of ways, this was better than being on that ship, and feeling like I was about to die. The bombs hadn’t felt big or far-reaching enough, and everyone had been really scared as we were falling. There were a lot of people that didn’t wake up in the wreck; I’d been “lucky.” Captain Karlem’s head was twisted in a way that was real funky and made me feel sick. At least in here, he couldn’t yell at me, and force me to use those icky drugs to stay on the weapons station. I could sleep here, without all of the terror of real combat. It wasn’t fun the way I imagined exterminator missions would be.

I pressed my beak between the bars, studying the predator as it flipped through cards. “Human?”

The Terran paused for a brief moment, then continued on as if it hadn’t heard me. Part of me wanted to give up, but I really needed to talk to someone. This was the same predator that I saw every day, and it hadn’t snapped and eaten me yet. It definitely had the keys on its belt to get in here and do that if it lost control, but it didn’t. The creature brought me prey food, so it must want me taken care of for some reason. 

“Andrew?” I croaked, hoping it wouldn’t be angry that I used a predator word.

The human stiffened, head snapping around; the eyes staring directly at me. The exterminators came to my school in first year, and gave a lesson on how if any animal’s pupils pointed at a Krakotl, it meant their death was near. A lot of the other kids had gone really quiet, but I’d already been used to that idea! That made me really cool to my classmates, along with the fact that I was familiar with all of the guild members. I could accept the dangers, because I was brave for the good of the herd. That was why the predators kept me locked up; these ones understood the extermination fleet’s higher purpose, and knew it was a threat to them. Andrew’s binocular eyes twitched, a strange conflict brewing within those pupils. It hadn’t attacked me yet, so maybe there was hope.

“It’s…lonely. And cold,” I croaked. “I…want to know why you do that card thing every day.”

Andrew’s jaw tightened. “What difference does it make to you?”

“I was curious. You seem sad, and I’m sad too. I like games, and Mama said I’m smart. Maybe…I could learn.”

Something resembling rage flashed in the human’s eyes, making me back away from the bars. “I knew you were…small, but how old are you?”

“Eight, I think? I don’t know how long it’s been—but I can get bigger! I can be brave and smart.”

“The…aliens bombing our home were children, that young?” Andrew’s eyes were watering, predator teeth gritted and on full display. Was I being threatened? “Hell, we didn’t charge most children. You know what you did, don’t you? Kid or not, you dropped multiple bombs. One of them killed my brother.”

“I just did what they told me. I can listen, like I listened to how you were sad about James—I didn’t mean to make you sad. I only wanted Mama and Papa to be safe and not eaten. I can follow your orders too!” 

“No! You really don’t understand what you did, Cala. I cared about the people you blew up from your little spaceship. It’s wrong to kill people who never hurt you or did anything to you. We’re just…trying to live our lives!”

I tilted my head at the predator, wishing I understood what it wanted from me. It seemed very angry, which wasn’t a good thing. I would never kill people; I’d come here to stop humans from killing every prey species and putting us all in pens, like this one. Andrew issued a frustrated huff, and collected the cards off the floor. He buzzed the keycard beside the door, and I hopped back against the paltry bed. The human was even taller when compared to the cramped size of the cell, but I was…almost glad it had decided to eat me. My parents were gone, and nothing fun ever happened. Humans were going to kill everyone, while I was alone on this planet for good. At least I’d gotten Andy to talk to a prey animal, because I was brave.

I hope Mama would be proud of me. I always wanted to be as strong and heroic as her.

Andrew prowled over to me, giving me a closer look of the sleek black band on its wrist; it seemed to have a tiny screen, like a mini holopad. The human settled down next to me with the same quiet sadness I’d seen outside the cage, though this time, it didn’t seem like its sorrow was for its own circumstances. I studied the stack of cards in its grip, and watched it split the pack in half—crashing both sides into each other by arcing the deck, and slowly releasing them with its thumbs. The guard held out the intermingled rectangles to me, which I hesitantly took. Maybe the creature was going to show me that game it liked? Mama always told me that playing was for kids, and I should stop doing it if I wanted to be a real exterminator. I didn’t know why the predator would encourage it.

“I can’t bring myself to hate you. It’s not your fault,” the hunter growled. “Everyone knows that if you stick a gun in a kid’s hand and tell them to shoot someone else, they’ll do it. You never had a chance.”

My beak parted in thought. “I’ve never had a gun. I’ve had a flamethrower. They’re heavy!”

“Good Lord. Cala, why don’t I…show you the game? It’s called solitaire. The story goes that it was invented a few hundred years ago by an imprisoned noble, locked in a cell just like this. I thought it was fitting, since I spend each day in a prison, but it might be even more fitting for your scenario.”

“It’s a game for locked-up humans?” Puzzlement caused my eyes to narrow, as I inspected the thin rectangles. There were simple, colorful pictures on them. “I don’t get it. So I stack the cards in piles?”

“Sort of. You have to put them in numerical order by suit, and move them around to arrange it that way. But first, you need to shuffle them, so they’re randomized. Like I just did.” Andrew ran a thumb down the side of the deck, earning a crisp smacking sound. “Why don’t you try that?”

I lifted the top half of the cards hesitantly, more than a little surprised that the human was actually going to teach me this solitaire game. My wingtips struggled to grip the edges the way Andy had, so I fumbled to release them in increments. The rectangles went flying into the air, as I dropped the vast majority; my digits didn’t accommodate shuffling the ways its slender ones did. I cowered, certain the predator would be angry that I’d failed—the way Captain Karlem kept yelling at me when I didn’t shoot the right weapons fast enough. Instead, the beast shifted onto all fours, scooping up the cards in dutiful fashion. Its patience was shocking, given how these types of animals were supposed to be very quick to attack and anger. I handed the remaining cards back to Andrew, and watched it spread them out on the floor.

“Your wings aren’t so good for shuffling, huh? Try it this way.” The human placed its palms on the backs of the cards, pushing them in circular motions, and clicked its tongue against its mouth as I confusedly flipped one rectangle over. “Leave them face down, so you can’t see what you’re mixing. Just move them around, and push them back together after they’re really mixed. You can do it, Cala.”

Andrew backed away, as I began shoving the cards around the pile. The human was encouraging a lot of what Mama called immature behavior; I should be ashamed of doing a stupid activity like this. Then again, the beast was playing even though it seemed grown up. At least, I hoped Terrans couldn’t be any bigger than this one. I kept watch of the predator out of my periphery, and continued mixing the rectangles until it seemed satisfied. I herded them back into a single pile; it moved back in to straighten up the deck, and began arranging them in the strange order. I squawked in indignation as it flipped cards at the end, despite telling me not to. I thought it didn’t want me to see what they were? I didn’t like this game. I still didn’t know how to play at all!

The human seems less sad now, so maybe I should keep playing. Am I supposed to care if it’s sad? Would Mama…want it to be sad?

I listened to Andrew’s explanation of the rules, trying to keep my attention focused on the beast. It really wasn’t that scary, but maybe I was just used to being around these creatures after all this time here. I remembered when the soldiers came and found the crashed ship, carrying horrible guns—and there were so many of them. The crew who could walk or fly had left me, because I’d slow them down with my smaller wings and legs. They said they’d come back for me, but I doubted they would, even if the predators didn’t eat them. That hadn’t stopped me from staying by the ship. The humans shot me with something in the neck, and the world went dizzy, making me pass out to be an easy meal. Next thing I knew, I was here. I wish I knew more about cattle pens, and how I could tell when it was my time to be the food. My execution might be once I was bigger.

“What do Krakotl taste like?” I asked the predator, after he finished the explanation of the rules.

Andrew’s face scrunched up strangely, skin folding by his nose. “I wouldn’t know. We don’t eat people, Cala! Whatever you were told about us, it’s not true.”

“Yes, it is. It’s in the exterminators’ pamphlet, and they’re trustworthy. They protect people from being eaten! They’re really awesome. Do humans have flamethrowers?”

“We do have flamethrowers, but not for that. The exterminators make living creatures…suffer for no reason, Cala. They killed a billion humans because we have eyes that you don’t like. I don’t know what’s wrong with the Krakotl, indoctrinating children into Kalsim Youth and striking such…fears into your heart. Listen to me, please; it’s not true.”

“I don’t know about that. They say that you lie a lot, and trick people. You probably think I’m stupid, but I’m smart.”

Andrew closed his binocular eyes. “I’ve hardly even talked to you, so how on Earth could I have lied to you? Have you seen any of the things the exterminators talked about?”

“The snarls. You bare your teeth a lot.”

“That’s a happy expression. It doesn’t hurt anything. I’m sitting here right next to you, aren’t I? I mean, look; if you think I’m some deceitful predator, why did you try to talk to me? Why do you want me to teach you the game?”

“I have nothing else to do, and I’m lonely. I used to have friends at school. Now, there’s nobody. I miss home. I miss Mama.”

The human’s lips curved downward. “I’m sorry they made you a part of this, kid. Your parents did this to you, and made these decisions on your behalf. I see that. You deserve to be at home, playing games…being a kid. You’re so damn young. When I was your age, I was outside kicking a football around on a pitch…riding bikes with my brother. James.”

“You miss James because that was your playmate?”

“I miss him because he was family. Like you miss your mother.” A tear rolled down Andrew’s cheek, before he cleared his throat. “Why don’t we stick to the solitaire?”

“Okay.”

I began turning over and picking up cards at Andy’s instruction, determined to show him that I was smart; I didn’t want him to give up on teaching me games. Besides, any time I asked him questions, it seemed to make him upset. I didn’t know if Mama would’ve wanted the predator to be sad, but I’d decided I didn’t really want him feeling that way. It wasn’t a good emotion, as I well knew. Besides, if I pushed him away by being a dumb chick or a prey animal, then I would be completely alone again. This card game might’ve been designed to be played by oneself, but I was a lot less lonely with the human here. Maybe I could figure out what he wanted from me, and make this cattle pen a little better.

Next

A/N - The Krakotl child soldier story, as you voted in our recent poll, begins! Cala is imprisoned for her role in dropping bombs on London, as well as other cities, and decides to talk to her daytime guard out of loneliness and boredom. She’d observed Andrew for some time, learning that his brother died and seeing his own sadness. He’s reluctant to talk to her at first, but agrees to show her solitaire. He’s dismayed and frustrated to learn how little she understands what she’s done wrong, as well as how her parents steered her toward this life by feeding her predator lines that she repeats, training her to join the exterminators, and signing her up for the fleet.

Do you think that Andrew will be unable to undo what Cala was taught, or that he’ll even try, with the bitterness and pain he’s holding onto? What do you think about Cala’s upbringing and present mindset, and whether it’s appropriate for her to be imprisoned?

As always, thank you for reading and supporting!