Caterpillar Part 1

-Trigger Warning/ Abuse/ Strong Language-

Two years ago...

The sky was dark as pitch as the thunderclouds loomed over the crag town of Ultair. Hundreds of people worked the quarries, day and night, the clangs of pickaxes resound with every ore reserve.

"NO SLACKING OFF! THOSE WHO CANNOT FULFILL THEIR DAILY QUOTA WON'T EAT." The taskmaster bellowed, an ionized whip crackled on his arm.

Every man and woman was picking up the pace. Some collapsed from the fatigue, others were gunned down for trying to escape. Some, were punished for not working too hard.

"Sir, we have news from the inner mines. Apparently the tunnels were too narrow for normal men to navigate." One soldier reported.

"Then send Operation: Canary." The taskmaster said with a malicious grin as the soldier walks towards an enclosed compound.

"Rise and shine you dogs!" He kicks the door open, and the sounds of waking children resonated.

No younger than 3 to 4 years, the boys and girls were all skinny, gaunt, and emaciated. They all wore the same clothing, an oversized tunic and a number engraved on it. And a large metallic collar strapped around their necks.

"Number 2, Number 7, Number 9. You'll be today's forerunners." The soldier took out a split screen monitor and their neck collars became primed.

Operation: Canary, or the use of Children known as Canary Boys to access uncharted territory and to safely create a navigation route so that the miners can access the repositories.

The job does not pay, and the danger is always high. Not to mention, no one would care.

"Add Number 16. This task will need... his 'peculiarities'." The taskmaster steps in.

Number 16, the boy with ash brown and dull blue eyes stepped forward, but unlike the others, he had wrist cuffs that were also primed.

The Canary Boys were led down the cavity that needed to be explored. And the taskmaster set the countdown on their collars.

"You've got 2 hours. Either something down there kills you, or those collars will and kill the bastards that ate you." The Taskmaster smiled gruesomely and kicks all four of them one by one towards the crevice.

Number 16 looks around and activates his luxerite lamp. The dim crevice was illuminated in an equally dim blue light. Their shadows were as short as they were.

"Number 16!" Number 2 screams and he turns around and finds Number 7 holding his leg, twisted in a painful angle and beyond any medical help from the camp. His fall must have been too severe for him to safely land.

"I... I can't move my leg." Number 7 took gasp of air as each sentence was in laid with tears.

"We don't have time Number 16..." Number 9 said as he also lights up his luxerite. "We... We'll remember you, Number 7."

Number 16 held back his tears and abandons Number 7 who desperately cries for help.

The crevice began to widen, but the air began to smell like brimstone. The smell of rotten eggs began to permeate everywhere and it was getting hard for any of the boys to breathe.

Number 16 brings out his purifier mask but Number 9's mask has a small crack. But even the tiniest crack was fatal in their line of work.

In a span of minutes, Number 9's movements began to slow down. In seconds before they reached the safe zone, he collapsed. Number 16 removes his mask and tries to give it to Number 9 but he stops Number 16.

"Sto... Stop trying to save everyone. If anyone needs to survive. It's you." Number 9 said as he grabs Number 16's wrist. "Number 2, make sure he makes it. Promise me."

Number 2 nods and grabs Number 16 as they run for what seems to be the surface. They clawed and scratched until their fingers bled. When the Crevice was large enough, Number 2 was the first to got out.

When Number 16 got out, his eyes were almost blinded by the numerous orange crystals that radiates heat.

"A trove of Firestones..." Number 16 said in awe as he looks at the clusters with admiration. But he knows that this is not the time to admire the stones. He prepares for a warp device for the miners to gain access.

"Number 2, I need help with the condenser ca... Number 2?" Number 16 called out, but Number 2 was mesmerized by the Firestones, and when he touched it, flames began to crawl all over him. The crystals grew eyes, and it snapped at Number 2's head in an instant, decapitating him.

Number 16 covered his mouth before he could let out a disgruntled scream. He jumped back to the entrance, but he could hear the snarls.

Salamanders, fire lizards. Those were the monsters that killed Number 2. Number 16 wore his mask as he could still hear the sound of snarling. His heart was aching, his eyes were cloudy, his lungs were screaming for him to stop running.

When he was out of the Brimstone Area to back where he was, he started climbing towards the path he was forced to take the tumble. When he got out, a huge explosion followed, alerting the whole mine and shaking the whole compound.

Number 16 was out, but he was crying. The deaths of the others... They were unnecessary.

Why? Why are we suffering? What did we do wrong?!

Number 16 was still weeping when an Ion whip smacks his back and he let out a gasp of pain. He sprawled to the floor as the pain that shot from his spine burned with agony. The Taskmaster grabbed him by the back of his head and lifts him up. The young boy yelped in pain even more.

"I told you to find us a way in, not cause a forsaken explosion!" He shouted and throws him to the ground and starts brandishing his whip on Number 16.

Everyone watched, horrified as a grown man was punishing a boy no older than 4. Yet no one lifted a finger to help him. They know it was cruel. They knew it wasn't the right thing to do. They know it was against morality.

Yet still... Still.

No one was there to help him. No one stepped up and had the courage to say 'no'.

"Take him to solitary confinement!"

The guards took him to an isolated room, and chained Number 16 down to the ankles, wrists, and neck.

He wasn't a human nor an animal. No... He was a possession. He was... an Item. An object.