Three Seconds to Escape

The crate opened for exactly three seconds. That was enough. Bright light.

Loud voices. And a smell I wish I didn’t recognize. Potatoes. Thousands of them.

Not in the dirt. Not growing. Stacked. Sorted. Weighed.

This wasn’t a rescue. This was a processing facility. I rolled slightly, just enough to see

the sign above us. I can’t read… but I know what places like this are for.

A worker laughed. Someone said, “These will be gone by morning.” Gone where?

I wanted to hide, but there’s nowhere to hide when you’re one of the product.

The crate started moving again. Toward machines that were way too loud