Hope Is the Thing with Feathers
ShortStory 7,217 words Recommended by 2 award/anthology sources
"Kuro?” I say softly. The back of the SUV is open, but all the carriers are still covered, and I can’t tell which is which. “Hello,” Kuro croaks. Middle row, left side. I resist the urge to turn and see if anyone is watching me. With my body blocking as best I can, I lean forward, lift the cloth slightly, and push the paperclip through the wire mesh."
Quasar links out; the story lives on Asimov's, where the author gets the click.