Caged Escape

Lauren's eyes darted to the row of empty cages along the wall. The knock came again, sharper: "Hello? Occupied?" Panic surged. She yanked open the nearest cage door—a medium-sized transport crate for monkeys or small mammals—and dove inside, pulling a thin blanket from the shelf over her curled body. The gauze "bikini" rode up uncomfortably, barely covering anything. She slammed the door shut just as the knob turned, the latch clicking with a mocking finality.

Curled in the dim space, knees to chin, Lauren held her breath. The door opened; footsteps entered. "Weird, thought I heard water," a male voice said—Andrew, the cute elephant keeper from earlier. Tension coiled in her gut; if he found her like this, half-naked in a cage...

He shuffled papers, then grabbed supplies from a cabinet. Lauren peeked through a slit in the blanket: his back to her, oblivious. Humor hit her absurdly—she, a grown woman, cowering like a trapped raccoon. But the crate's bars dug into her side, and a sneeze tickled her nose from the musty smell.

Andrew hummed, then wheeled a cart over. "Gotta move this to the primate area—new arrival prep." Lauren's heart plummeted as he lifted her cage onto the cart with a grunt. "Heavy today. What'd they put in here?"

The cart jolted forward, out the door, down the corridor. Lauren bounced inside, blanket slipping, exposing a shoulder. They emerged into the morning sun—public paths ahead, early visitors milling about. Oh no, no, no! She was being wheeled right into the zoo's bustling heart, caged and nearly nude.

Tourists pointed. "Look, a new monkey!" A kid pressed his face to the bars. Lauren yanked the blanket tighter, mortified tears welling. Andrew pushed on, whistling.