The Human Zoo

Arthur woke up in a glass cage. He placed his hand on the glass as smooth as marble. His black hand contrasted with the white as milk surroundings. He looked around with his black eyes, and wondered how he still breath. For no hole perforated the walls.

A creature of red crocodile skin with a little girl of the same color walked in front of the glass. Sharp spear like tentacles elongated from their heads. The girl’s eyes shined as they fell on Arthur’s round face, and she grinned. Her mother talked in some strange language, and out came her fangs.

“Hey, what are you talking about?” said Arthur.

“Allow me to elaborate,” said a voice from the speaker.

“Who are you?”

“Silence, human. Do not speak before the zoo speaker.”

“You sound more like a warden.”

“A warden. Ah, clever name.”

“Why am I here?”

“Because you won’t be safe outside. There are Metroid, stalking predators, and high speed particles that can kill you in an atto second.”

“I don’t care. Free me. I have to go home.”

“You mean Earth?”

“Yes.”

“It’s there no more. We had to unfortunately burn it to make room for an industrial complex for shoes.”

“Shoes? Are you serious?”

“Hey, be grateful we rescued you. You are safe here.”

“No, I want to be free.”

He hit the glass, and it rumbled. He took five steps back, and locked his eyes on the glass door.

“It won’t break.”

“You don’t know me.” He kicked the ground, and blasted toward the glass wall.

“It’s true. We do have little data on your species.”

Cracks spread through the glass wall like a fungus. The transparent turned to opaque for a fleeting moment until shattering into a thousand pieces like rain drops of a thunder storm. He fell, and alarms blared into his ear. The white walls turned to red as though tainted with blood.

“Alert! Alert! A subject named human—“

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“Arthur,” he whispered,

“Has escaped, arrest him immediately. The Warden demands it. Hey, that is a cool name.”

“You will never catch me,” said Arthur as he made a run. A red alien the double his size walked in front of him. His pink shirt’s buttons barely stick to his body. He wore rainbow colored diamond rings on his right hand. He glared at him. His hands big enough to crush him in an instant. He opened his mouth, and his fangs came out like a saber tooth tiger. He screamed and said, “Ah! Get away from me!”

Arthur smiled, and slid between his legs as he jumped here and there. He sprinted past several other glass cages. Each one gave him a glimpse into another world. Aquatic creatures floated in deep purple water and communicated with bioluminescent patterns. Winged creatures flew in scorching desert, and made music with wind.

“Arthur, only think for a moment, were the ants on your planet safe?”

“I am not an ant.”

“Oh, but you are here.” He passed another glass window. Creatures of crystal as huge as mountains floated in white space, and made flashes of red and blue light. Their size and majesty blinded him.

Three security cards with white carbon fiber armor jumped before him. He dashed and pinned the middle one to the ground. He grabbed his black and round pipe-like gun and kept running.

“How?”

“I have sweat, you fool,” said Arthur. “I can literally run for miles.”

“Good, because that’s what you have to do.”

“What?”

Black lasers shot from behind, but he leaned to dough them. He fired back, and the lasers made no sound. What aren’t they? Yeah, lasers don’t make sounds. It’s just light. He turned right and passed by a window. He got stuck in his run, and paddled back. The darkness of space crept through the round window. Its infinite darkness went beyond his sight. Stars of colossal size floated like pebbles in a black sea. Their sharp light couldn’t cut through the thick veil. If he got lost, no one will even be able to see his dead body. He’ll freeze in its cold embrace.

“You are safe here,” said Warden.

His eyes burned with rage. “I’m not a rat to be put in a cage.”

He made a run and passed by several other windows. He slowed as he passed each window. The darkness outside ate the walls, and his feet lighten like he already floated in the abyss. The path divide into three. A symbol resembling a round car hung near the path to the left. He turned left, and found himself in a large hall with cars upon cars. Their shape like rounded rectangles, with black windows, and large thrusters in the back. The warden walked in with his hands up in the air. He straight his beard made of tentacles, and said in a heavy voice, “You have everything here. Good food, good living. We will provide everything for you. Even find you a mate. Your life is complete here.”

“I want my freedom.”

“You are free here. We’ll let you do anything you want. How are you free out there? There’s nothing. You have seen it. What is there? Nothing? No more earth, no more humans. You’ll be all alone. But we can help you. Besides, I am the key to your freedom.” He took a step forward, and Arthur took a step back.

“I know my previous attitude may have been a little misleading.”

“Very.”

He smiled. “I’m sorry. Nothing ever happens here. Everyone is content. I think I just got into the moment. But I know this is serious for you. To wake up here. I understand.”

“May be you do.” Arthur drew near and Warden stretched his hand out. He caught it, and looked into his eyes. Warden smiled, but Arthur smirked. He pushed him toward himself, and pinned his face to the ground. He checked his pockets and took out a round device with a button on it.

“I’m the key to your freedom. Well, let’s find out.” He pressed the button and every car beeped. “Wow, you weren’t lying.”

“Guards!” the Warden shouted, and he looked back. An army of guards ran toward him. He looked around, and found a car as big as a container truck. He hopped on, and Warden said, “You weasel can near drive such handle such sophisticated piece of technology.”

The car’s thrusters burned bright with fire, and he said, “Oh.”

“We invented flying cars too.” The thrusters roared like thunder. “And we also had fingerprint scanners, so no one can do something like this.” The car whistled and burst through the garage door. Lasers whizzed around him. He cut through the dark veil, and into the beyond.