The Overcomer, Stranger Things

The dream feeling isn't sweet

Gwen felt like she was in a dream as her big blue eyes swept across the white room she was in. There were so many questions running through the young girl's mind she thought her head would explode. She died, right? Shouldn't she be dead? Where was she? Where was her mom? How did she get here? Who was that man drinking a Slurpee in the corner?

"H-hey," Gwen called out weakly, causing the curly-haired brunette to set down his cherry slushie before scurrying over to her.

"You feel," the man started, struggling to speak English, with a heavy Russian accent, as he raised his thumbs up and then down, "you feel good? Yes or no?"

"Who are you?" Gwen groaned as she tried to sit up, only to realize she was strapped down to the table.

"My name is Alexei," the man put a hand on his chest, "I am scientist."

"Where am I?" Gwen asked, still trying to get her hands free.

"You are in Kamchatka," Alexei answered, causing the girl to furrow her eyebrows in confusion, "Russian work camp."

"Russian work camp?!"

"Yes," Alexei nodded, his smile falling when he saw the expression on the blond's face. "You not like Russians?"

"I'm fine with Russians," Gwen huffed before explaining, "it's the slavery part I'm worried about."

"You not like slaves?"

"I never said that!" Gwen exclaimed before asking, "Can you untie these restraints? They're cutting off my blood circulation."

"Um," Alexei looked behind him, making sure no one was there, before nodding. "Yes, but no running, got it?"

"Got it," Gwen nodded as he unstrapped her. Once she was free, the girl immediately broke her promise and sprinted toward the door, only for a tall, much meaner-looking man to stand in her way.

"Well, well," the Russian started, as he walked toward the girl, causing her to shrink back toward Alexei. "Look at that. The American is awake," he clapped Alexei on the shoulder, making the scientist wince slightly.

"Why am I here?" Gwen demanded, looking up at the ginormous man with a domineering expression.

"Oh, silly American," he bopped her nose, causing the girl to gape at him. "You not in charge, I in charge, understand?"

"No--!"

"You will call me Corporal Molotov," the man cut her off as his eyes hardened. "Everything you say and everything you do is up to me now," he looked at her. "You are mine."

"What--"

"Did I say you could speak?!" Molotov roared as he got in her face, causing the girl to jump back.

"Molotov, no," Alexei put an arm in front of the 9-year-old. "She is just a child."

"A child with powers," Molotov hissed back. "She is going to work," he turned to the small girl who was looking up at him with wide eyes, "or she is going to die. What do you choose American?"

~:~

Gwen fidgeted with her fingers as she followed the mean Russian outside, Alexei trailing behind them. The small girl's body trembled, her teeth involuntarily chattering as the trio trudged through the snow. The snowflakes fell, tiny little specs of ice floating down and landing on the blond's nose and forehead, causing the girl to wrap her arms around herself for warmth. She was still in her clothes from earlier, a yellow t-shirt and jean shorts, which were not ideal clothing for a blizzard.

The sky above her was dull and grey, barely morning, and the wind nipped at her exposed skin. Her body felt like it was burning as the near-freezing temperature seemed to bite into her soft flesh. She looked down at her hands, seeing that they had started to turn blue, and the tips of her fingers were purple. She didn't know what was worse: this or the Upside Down. The girl was brought out of her thoughts by Molotov hitting a rickety chair with his large pole.