Only when she felt secure did Kestrel realize she was hiding in a place like a farm – maybe it could be called a "farm."
With the animal keepers gone, the large greenhouse was filled with rows of metal cages, similar to chicken coops, with a food tray at one end and an egg conveyor belt at the other. But these narrow cages were not home to birds, but to human beings.
Kestrel hid under a shelf. Across from her, within her view, a young man lay in a cage. His head stuck out from the cage, his neck limited by the small opening, forcing him to lie on his back. A feeding tube was forced into his mouth, constantly supplying food, causing his stomach to bloat.
At the other end, the conveyor belt moved, and after a while, a large, snow-white egg with a shell was moved out, heading to an unknown place.
