A Vignette: Warning: Disturbing to Animal Lovers

peta.org

She starts to shiver when she hears 

the key turn in the lock,

trembles violently as he nears her cage,

opens the gate.

Last time, there were needles that hurt,

that made her sick.

Once he pulled her back tooth out.

That was one of the worst times.

She cannot find a spot against the bars 

that doesn't hurt her body.

Sleep is a fitful thing,

with bad dreams.

She wants out of the cage.

But not with him,

and what he does to her.

A strange life this is.

She can remember no other.

But somewhere

in her DNA,

there lies

the understanding that

life is not meant

to be lived

like this.

peta.org

In researching for this piece, I discover that even though it has been established that chimpanzees do not respond similarly to humans, they are still being injected with the AIDS virus, and hepatitis. This adds nothing to our body of medical knowledge and serves no purpose. While Europe has banned the medical testing of chimpanzees, the US has the dubious distinction of being the only country still doing so. 

written for Kerry's prompt at Real Toads: to write a vignette, creating an atmosphere, rather than telling a story.