The Red widow

past: unkown hydra base: 1995

I lay flat on my back, my arms are tied by my sides with a thick leather belt around my chest. My brown hair sprawled out across the table, a few matted strands strewn across my sweat drenched forehead, I try to twist my wrists to stop the leather from rubbing at my red tinted hands. My heart starts to pound in my chest, once I realize I can't slip out of them. I cry out for help. Thick tears are falling down my face before I can stop.

My breaths start to form gasps, snot running down my chin, the salty taste filling my mouth, it's better than the metallic taste of blood. I arch my back in a feeble way of escape, sobbing once I feel my back fall back onto the metal trolley. I kick my legs, trying to break the straps any way my mind can think off. This room reeks of pain and fear. I could tell from the children's screams in the rooms next to me and the red tinted floors that this room was not used for good.

Tears blur my vision as I kick and scream as loud as I can. Praying that Elena will come and rescue me, like she always said she would. "I will never let them take you, I will protect you" her soft voice sings in my head, i imagine her warm hand stroking my cheek the same way she did when i had a nightmare. Although I never knew who 'them' were, I knew they were dangerous and as a little girl my mind would be plagued with nightmares on who 'them' could be. Tears lodge in my throat so I'm incapable of drawing a proper breath.

I twist my wrists so that I can reach into the pocket of my nightdress. It hurts as I strain to reach the photograph lodged in my pocket. I grasp onto it and pull the creased paper tearing as I shakily crane my neck so I can see it one more time. It is a school picture of Elena, my whole world staring right at me. Although the photo is black and white I can imagine her bright eyes in my head, her gentle smile as she stares back at me, i blink back tears, the girl who i once viewed as my sister, closest to family i ever had was gone, i was alone.

Hot tears roll down my red flushed cheeks as I let out a blood curdling scream of despair. I sob so hard, my lungs burn at every breath, wishing that someone would notice the little girl strapped to the trolley begging for mercy in this colourless room even though she has done nothing to deserve this unfortunate fate.

But they don't. Nobody enters the room for a long time.

I smack my head repeatedly against the table desperate to make this horrible dream stop. "Please let me go. Please, I'll be good, I promise ''I scream, terror gripping my chest so tight I can barely grasp a proper breath, not understanding what horrible thing I could do as a seven year old girl to deserve this. "I promise" I manage to choke out as my lungs give out and I have to stop screaming. My cries stifled to silent tears, still streaming down my face. I shut my eyes hoping when I open them this torchure will end. That someone will unstrap the bands from chest, abdomen, arms and legs and let me go back to the orphanage. No matter how much I hated it, it was better than this. They never let anyone so much as leave their dorm let alone leave : Where are they? Why haven't they come for me yet?

Thoughts and anxiety whirl like a storm in my head wreaking havoc. I blink tears from my eyes as I try to tell where I am. The room is bare apart from the trolley which I lie on white washed walls surround me on all sides. Inked on the metal table in a drawing or more a sign printed on the shimmering metal. An octopus. There is a ticking sound like a clock but I don't see one, the band feels like a boa constrictor around my chest crushing my heart. I feel exhausted but scarily awake, hyper aware of everything. Every tick and tap made me jump.

I must have fallen asleep at some point or they must have given me some sort of sedative because when I reopened my eyes the door creaked open. A tall brunette woman walked into the room first, her brown bob barely touching her shoulders. A small smile is tugging at the corners of her mouth as if she is trying to reassure me. Soothing me. She holds the door open as a shorter man staggers into the room.

He has a large head and golden circular glasses much like Elena's reading glasses and a worn and tired face too old for his body. In his hand is a needle, in the other a rag doll with brown twisted hair and bright blue button eyes. He smiles at me but unlike the womens it holds no emotion. I flinch at his expression. Recoling away from him as his face approaches mine. "Hello little girl" he says with a smile still plastered on his face, his voice has a  eastern european accent. I shudder, his presence has the same feeling as this room.

My mind is telling me to kick and run but my body stays stock still like i'm frozen in ice. My eyes wide like a scared animal. My body starts to tremble as the man crouches down to my height. "What is your name?" His voice has an edge to it almost like he is excited. I swallow back my tears. "Rebecca"

His smile widens as he walks back up to the nurse and looks up at her like he is marveled by me. I bite my lip in terror watching as the man uncaps the metal needle. It looks lethal in his grip. My heart starts to pound in my chest, my throat burning from the acid rising in it. I hate needles. I curl my tiny child hands into fists by my side. Little did I know a lot worse was going to happen to me. He walks slowly back up to me as the woman cuts one of the straps. The one across my chest setting my arms free. "Now little girl you can have this dolly" he says as the woman lifts my arm. I nod, swallowing tears. "But you have to be a good girl okay" Immediately without thinking i punch the man in the nose. He stumbles back clutching his nose in surprise. He looks shocked, his eyes wide. I expect him to shout or hit me. But instead he laughs. A manic haunting laugh.

He chuckles. "Oh little girl, you are just like your sister" my eyes widened. My heart stops. "What" I whisper as he presses my chest back down onto the table and adjusts the straps. "I have a sister ? is Elena here" I ask with a pleading look in my eyes as the woman rolls my sleeve up. She doesn't say anything. Tears cloud her face. I turn back to face the doctor. He is wearing a white lab jacket.  An octopus is embroidered on the breast pocket of his lab coat, a replica of the one on the bed.

Under the octopus are a sequence of words. I can't quite read them as my vision swims as I feel a sharp prick. Pain erupts in my arm. I let out a strangled cry. I claw at my arm as the burning sensation spreads up my arm to my chest. The nurse backs away almost scared. "Did i give her too much, she is smaller than the others " she whispers. He hushes her leaning down to take my burning cheek in his sweaty hand. I flinch, squirming from his grasp. For a second his hand felt like Elena until I looked up and saw his manic smile that would have never belonged to her. He slaps my cheek.

I flinch as my cheek erupts in pain. I start to cry and sob.  He walks out of the room, the nurse giving me a pitiful look as the bolt closes the door shut. The doll still tucked under the manic man's arm. "Hail hydra" the man chants as he follows the women. I start to scream, a panicked agonizing scream.

"Don't leave me, what did you do to me?" I scream as pain engulfs my whole body like wildfire swarming my limbs in agonizing pain. "Help me" I sob in so much pain I can barely talk. I miss the silence now as my screams fill the room. Blood trickles down my nose, hot and bright red staining my nightdress a scarlet colour. I dig my nails in the hard leather. My breathing is so shallow and uneven I'm not sure I can catch it. I scream and kick, the pain spreading to my head. Pins and needles prick my mind. Black dots swarm my vision as I fight the urge to pass out.

I want my Elena, I want her to wake me up and give me a hug and tell me it will be okay. I want my friends. I even wish for the matron . Her puckered face and strict words but at least she would never let this happen to me, no matter how much she disliked me.

My chest feels as if it is being compressed by hundreds of tons of bricks, my lungs burning at every breath. My pleads and cries are stifled by screams of agony. My lungs feel like they are going to give up. My throat burns, my hands tighten in fists as my back arches and I let out a blood curdling scream. My vision starts to blur black dots engulfing my vision completely as my sobs swarm in my head like a swarm of angry bees. As my eyes close I see the doctor as his face is inches from mine. He breathes the two words which send shivers down my spine. Hail hydra. Then black.

My dreams are haunted by the events that happened previously. The house is on fire. Elena trying to fight a soldier who gripped her throat tightly, "Let her go, she is too young. '' she cries as the man's grip tightens and she drops. Her eyes shut like she is sleeping. I remember crawling to her. Hugging her as tears rolled down my cheeks. "Elena," I begged as the man unwrapped his arm from her throat. His eyes are a sharp piercing blue. Then someone grabbed my waist and hawling me into a truck.

"No Elena" I screamed, kicking and sobbing as the person shoved a hand over my mouth and then black again.