Мишка ✦ 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐰

𒊹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫𒊹

2010

The two friends stood in the courtyard together. Despite the cold the girls where expected to do gun drill practice every day outside in the courtyard.

The group of eight year old girls stood in their outdoor clothing. Their plaited hair fell down their backs underneath their hats. The most striking thing about the scene was the large firearms held in each of the girl's hands and rested against their shoulder. The guns where nearly the same size as the children.

In synchronisation the girls shifted the gun in their hands and turned to attention, their boots creating an echo in the enclosed space as their feet stamp against the ground. Their instructor shouted at them like they were a military regiment.

They were. These girls where being trained to be soldiers, weapons, killers.

Georgina and Nataliya's relationship was one of few but powerful words. They spoke to each other in looks more than in words. As they stood opposite each other a look was exchanged between them. It wasn't a smile but it was happy look. One that said "I don't hate this quite so much because you're here". They understood each other's body language and every micro movement they made. Despite not being able to show their emotions Georgina always knew what Nataliya was thinking or feeling. It was like she could read her mind.

Georgina was in the dormitory polishing her boots when Nataliya came in, blood dripping from her face. "Natti, chto sluchilosʹ?" Georgina looked up from her shoes at Nataliya. Nataliya wiped the blood from her nose and smeared it across her cheek and hand. "Starkovsky" Nataliya responded bluntly. She was clearly frustrated by what had happened. Pyotr Starkovsky was one of the most ruthless hand-to-hand combat instructors in the academy and unfortunately for Nataliya she'd had a training session with him that had ended in the man throwing several punches at her face. Nataliya was impressive in combat but she couldn't compete with Starkovsky and for them to pit her against him was unfair, there was no way she'd have come out on top. That was why she was frustrated, Madame B had put her in a fight she couldn't win. Nataliya didn't understand, she worked so hard and was the best in everything and yet it still wasn't good enough. She understood they wanted to challenge and push her but it was as if she could never do enough. Nattie, what happened?

Georgina gave Nataliya a sympathetic look. The brunette patted the space next to her on the bed. Nataliya dragged her feet across the dormitory and sat next to her best friend. They sat in a comfortable silence next to each other. The Red Room had taught them affection and emotions were weakness so the best friends often never showed their friendship verbally or physically, instead they had a look that they both understood. They could be at opposite ends of a room in complete silence and still be able to understand each other. They were a comfort to one an other in the most hostile of environments.

At first Nataliya protested when Georgina tried wiping the blood from her face but after Georgina gave a short tusk, sucking on her teeth Nataliya gave up and let the brunette clean the blood off her face. "posmotri na besporyadok, kotoryy ty sdelal" Georgina threw her hand out with a sigh, pointing at the trail of blood that Nataliya had dripped across the floor. For a moment Georgina gave Nataliya a disappointed look as if she was a mother scolding her child but after a beat the girl broke out into a fit of snickers. Never truly laughing but with the same intention of finding it funny. Look at the mess you made

Over the years Nataliya and Georgina had become increasingly close. Inseparable even. It had reached a point where they were willing to defy orders over their friendship and in the Red Room that was a problem. Madame B had been watching the young girl's friendship closely and she decided enough was enough.

After class the red haired girl went back to her dormitory expecting to meet her optimistic best friend. It didn't take long for Nataliya to realise Georgina wasn't going to turn up. Something was wrong. The girl analysed the room closely for a sign of where her best friend was. Georgina's bed was different. Normally Georgina's clothes and belongings were always neatly folded at the foot of her bed with her shoes tucked underneath the bed but it was all missing. Nataliya scrambled towards the bed and searched frantically for her best friend's doll that she kept hidden under the mattress. Many of the girls in the Red Room had small personal items they kept hidden as a reminder of home and where they came from. Nataliya's object was a locket that had her parents initials scratched into it that her Mama had given her after she'd come back from a mission. Georgina's thing was a small porcelain doll that she'd snuck with her when she was taken to the Red Room and it was missing. It wasn't unusual for items to be found and taken away by the guards often as punishment but this was different. All of Georgina's belongings were gone.

Nataliya turned on her heals towards the door to search the rest of the facility for her best friend. She was stopped abruptly as she reached the door and Madame B appeared in the doorway. "Gde Dzhordzhina?" Nataliya asked the old woman harshly. She knew Madame B had something to do with it. Madame B's lip twitched slightly threatening a smirk before she spoke "Idi so mnoy" she ordered and Nataliya obliged, following the grey haired woman. Where is Georgina? Come with me

They arrived at a room Nataliya had never been to before. Madame B turned the handle and opened the door. Nataliya's heart dropped to her stomach as she saw the sight in front of her.

Muffled sniffles came from underneath the brown bag. Even without seeing her face Nataliya knew it was Georgina. Nataliya didn't even get a moment to process what was happening before the guard loaded the gun in his hand with a click and the the next click was shortly followed by a loud bag. The gun shot shouldn't of made Nataliya jump as she was so used to hearing them but it did. Her eyes snapped shut after the first click and Nataliya couldn't bring herself to open them until after she heard the sound of her body crash to the floor.

She didn't even cry. Even in her final moments Georgina was braver than Nataliya. Now she was lay on the floor dead with a bullet in her head whilst Nataliya stood watching helplessly, mouth half open as if she wanted to shout but she couldn't like a nightmare and tears threatening to spill. "You did this Nataliya." The English surprised her. She didn't dare tear her eyes away from her dead best friend as she listened to Madame B's words "This is what happens when you let Love control you. If you hadn't been so weak she would still be alive. Let this be a lesson Nataliya not to let emotions get the best of you in the future or who knows what could happen. You wouldn't want to fail a mission because of weakness would you Nataliya?".

The young girl shook her head weakly. Madame B was relentless in her attempt to break the young Assest.