Author's Notes: I don't own Sonic,duh. Critism is greatly appriciated. If you can guess who 1563,1562, and 1564 are, I'll give you a cookie. I won't tell anyone,though. You can think about it all you want. This story can be a bit mature, and parts may seem a bit cruel. I know where I want to go with this story, but I'd love to hear your opinions!

And I know this chapter is a bit short. It's kind of both an introduction and a first chapter! Enjoy!

Scritch, Scratch, Scritch, Scratch. A hedgehog known simply as 1563 scratched at this left cheek, hoping the lice hadn't gotten to him. He had been lucky not to have those repulsive creatures on his skin. 1563 assumed the irritation must have been from his lack of cleanliness. The guards had been even more cruel than usual lately, not letting any of the prisoners take a shower.

Okay. That was a lie. Prisoners were taken to the "showers", but everyone knew that that was a ploy. The showers gassed you, and you were more than extremely lucky if you lived. And yet… You still weren't lucky because you were send back to work to your death, digging your own grave and such. Surviving a gassing was a sign of strength.

Signs of strength among the "animals" were strictly prohibited. Those who showed strength in any way were forced to work twice as hard or were shot. 1563 was cautious to never show a sign of strength. He had no strength to exhibit anyway. Mobians never did. The humans saw them as animals, even though they could talk as they did. They discriminated against those two legged creatures, not seeing they walked as they did. Innocent mobians were murdered by the bunched daily, and 1563 made sure he wasn't one of them.

It was true. The humans had broken the poor hedgehog. 1563 didn't even know his real name. He was stuck in this hellhole for fifteen years, the majority of his life. He only had one year of his life free, and was too young to remember neither his name nor what he really looked like. Everyone in camp appeared the same. Brown furred, bleary-eyed workers. The dirt and torture made them his way. Showers couldn't even get rid of the brown. They only dispensed muddy water anyway.

Today was hell like all the others. Everyone in camp was called to stand out in the cold like they did every week. They weren't allowed to move or talk, yet the humans thought they weren't intelligent enough to do that anyway. 1563 winced as a cat across from him collapsed on his knees. The cat cried as he was dragged away to his death. 1563 could only cry in his head as he thought of how the poor man would die.

Hours later, a guard's voice sparked 1563's attention. The standing was over and now the prisoners were to be assigned jobs around camp. The guard tossed him forward like a rag doll, and he was assigned to sew hair into the guard's coats again along with 1562 and 1564.

1562 and 1564 were the closest thing to friends to 1563, and he would be most upset if one of them was gassed. The trio slept in the same "bed", which was a plank at the prisoners slept upon. In the purgatory, none of them were allowed a bed of their own, even if they had a contagious disease. 1562 slept on the right edge, facing away from everyone else. He was dubbed as the girlish boy in all of camp because of his shy and reserved nature. 1562 also seemed a bit sensitive, but the fox wasn't to be messed with. Everyone knew that. 1564, like 1563 and unlike 1562, was a hedgehog, and he never seemed to talk to anyone besides his bunkmates. He always silent and serious, unlike 1562, who could be very fun-loving. 1563 said if it was needed, he'd try to protect both of them, and they were both overjoyed he said that. Both boys agreed to the same pact.

1562 sighed as he finished another coat. "I hate this stupid errand." He said in a low, hushed voice. "This could be my fur I'm sewing in here."

1564 shook his head. "It probably isn't."

1563 shrugged. "It could be, 1564. We don't know."

A guard came by, and whipped them. "Hush up and sew!" His words were as harsh as his whip, and were as snippy as well. 1562 made a disgusted face behind the human's back while everyone else gulped. They quickly returned to working.