[Kitsumi]

"Does anyone know who took us?" I asked tentatively. But the guards seemed to have finally noticed that we were talking among ourselves. One of them was suddenly looming over me. "Silence," he growled. It was the first thing I had heard one of them say. Before I could even begin to register my surprise, he offered a harsh slap to my face.

[Kitsumi]

It hurt so badly that I forgot to even cry out in pain. I saw spots for several seconds afterwords as I fell into the person beside me in the next line over. They didn't even try to steady me, probably too afraid of the guards' reaction to them. Instead I fell to the floor heavily. I didn't realize that anyone could be so strong. That one open-handed hit had caused me to practically black out. These guys were powerful.

[Kitsumi]

"Let's be more gentle with the merchandise, shall we?"

I never had the chance to see who spoke. His voice was velvety soft, but with a dangerous undertone. He seemed to be a man in charge. The guard who had slapped me sighed, but didn't protest. His hands grabbed me beneath my armpits, hauling me to my feet. "No more talking," he warned as I fell back in line with the others.

[Kitsumi]

The lines began to move soon after that. For several steps we walked side by side down a very wide hallway. But eventually the different lines were led down new hallways. Mine was the third line to be ushered in a new direction. This new hallway was more narrow, but there was still room for the guards to walk beside us. My legs shook as we entered a dark room with absolutely no light. Were we going to be killed?

[Kitsumi]

We weren't killed. In fact, we weren't even harmed. There was the sound of a switch being activated, and the room was suddenly lit up by several harsh lights. I blinked, shielding my eyes from the sudden brightness.

"This is your new home," a guard said. "So get comfortable. Meals will be served soon. Until then, occupy yourselves without making too much noise. If I get a headache, you're all going to regret it."

[Kitsumi]

I would have began writing this entry right then and there. But this cell was different than my last, and I couldn't help but get a good look at it. It was a lot larger than my original cell. I now realized that the first cell had only been for holding, before prisoners were sorted. This one was equipped with a bunk and a toilet. There wasn't much else, but it was still an improvement.

[Kitsumi]

I was testing out the comfort level of the bed - which was very low - when the guards began handing out food. I pressed myself against the bars of my cell, eager to fill my belly. But our captors demanded that we stand with our backs against the far wall of our cells. I did as they said and then I waited. It seemed to take forever for the guard to appear in front of me. When he did, I eyed the wooden plate that he held hungrily.

[Kitsumi]

They key to my own little prison was apparently difficult to locate. It took the guard several tries before he found the key that fit the lock. "Don't try anything," he warned me. "Or you will be beaten and left hungry." I didn't answer, but nodded to show that I understood. He entered my cell and pushed the plate over to me. I waited only long enough for him to lock the door once again before I ran towards the food.

[Kitsumi]

It was no gourmet feast. On the plate was a slice of bread so hard that it hurt to chew. There was some sort of stringy meat on top of cold white rice. Mashed fruit - an attempt at applesauce, possibly - took up the last portion of the plate. My mother's cooking had spoiled me, and this slop tasted horrible. But I scarfed it down. I needed nourishment if I planned to make an escape.

[Kitsumi]

Now that my stomach is full, I'm not sure what to do. There isn't much I can do in this cell. I'm not sure how long I was able to sleep, but it was long enough that I feel wide awake and alert now. I don't want to risk speaking too loudly and aggravate the guards. Perhaps I should begin trying to build up my strength. I'm going to need it if I want to make it out of this alive.

[Kitsumi]

Day 2

I'm so sore today. I may have overtaxed my muscles yesterday. I tried to do as many strength building motions as I could remember. I did push-ups and sit-ups, lunges and squats. The guards laughed at me, but I ignored them. I didn't stop until my body was shaking and I was dripping sweat. The only problem is, now I don't even want to get out of my bunk.

[Kitsumi]

I must have slept longer than I should have. Breakfast was waiting for me when I woke up. I'm not even sure what the sludge in the bowl was. Maybe it was porridge? I ate it, barely able to hold it down. It gave me a bit of strength, but not enough to try building my muscles again today. If I feel well enough to try tomorrow, I'll remember to start more slowly.

[Kitsumi]

I was dragging myself around the cell when I heard a voice from the cell next to mine. "What village are you from?" The woman who spoke was probably around thirty years old. Her eyes were kind, but wet with unshed tears. When I told her where I came from, she gave me a sad smile. "I'm from the next village over. My daughter was around your age."

[Kitsumi]

"Were the two of you separated?" I was pretty sure I already knew the answer. The way she looked as if she were about to fall apart, I could tell that something had happened.

The woman nodded. "These monsters tore her from my arms. I was able to keep track of her until they separated all of us yesterday." The tears began to flow. "She's so young and fragile. Her health has never been very good."

[Kitsumi]

I didn't know what to say. I couldn't say that it would be okay. I had no idea whether or not it was true. But I wanted to say something to bring her some comfort. "I'm sure she's okay. Whatever these people want us for, at least they don't seem to want to kill us."