Home, a name usually given to a safe place where one can feel happy and at peace. Katerina has never experienced a place like home; She never considered moving from base to base, cell to cell, a 'home situation'.
The Red Room; a secret facility that raises children to be used as assassinating killing machines.
Being an assassin is never easy, but in her short life on earth so far, it's the only normal she knows. Being a 20 year old assassin, normal is difficult to come by.
The Red Room was never her home, it was her prison.
Which is why she needed to escape...
Russia ~ Katerina's 5th Birthday
As a child, innocence and naivety was all you knew. There is no fear, no paranoia of what could come as a result of actions. That burden recited on their parents shoulders until she was old enough to carry her own. That is if it weren't for their demise that occurred the very same day.
As Katerina exited her room on the morning of her birthday, the smell of her mothers cooking filled the air with an aroma of birthday pancakes. 'Today was going to be a good day' she thought while stuffing her face with her breakfast.
***
Hours passed and the sun had set leaving scattered stars to light up the night sky. Young Katerina was walking through the streets with each of her hands gripped tightly with her parents' hands as they headed into a dingy alleyway. Katerina furrowed her brows as she felt her fathers grip tighten when two towering men made their way in the alley the same way. Their pace picked up as the people behind them closed in. They halted to find their path being blocked by two more silhouetted mountain figures that sent Katerina's stomach churning with anxiety. The sound of heavy breathing and panicking mumbles exited Katerina's mothers mouth as she expressed her concern for their safety. It was almost as though they knew who was cornering them and they have been trying to avoid being sighted.
They knew they had been found; The men were here for their daughter. All of their past mistakes of running has resulted in this moment of parental protection as each of them blocked their beloved girl from the four men.
''мы пришли за девушкой, отдадим ее и мы вас быстро добьем. это наказание за бегство и предательство своих хозяев (we have come for the girl, hand her over and we will finish you quickly. this is punishment for running and betraying your owners)''
''никогда (never)'' My fathers angered voice replied hesitant to knowing it is their jobs as parents to protect her all they can even with knowledge of it resulting in their inevitable deaths
Before Katerina had time to react to the situation, the tall figures lunged at her parents aggressively from both ends. Each of them at disadvantage taking on two. All of their past training of now being retired assassins paid off as they were managing. Until the loud ringing of a gun pierced her ears followed by her fathers body falling limp beside her. A mourning cry was released from her mothers mouth breaking the silence while the sheer look of horror was plastered on Katerina's face; her eyes didn't tear away from her fathers body.
Katerina's thoughts were broken by the aggressive grip of one of the men dragging her away as her mother carried on battling the other two. Fear washed over her as she felt her freedom leaving as she got further and further away from her darling mum.
''мать! (mother!)''
Her screaming voice echoed throughout the alleyway as she was dragged into a van.
''мать! мать! мать!'' Her terrified voice repeated as she grew terrified for her mothers life against the men.
The familiar sound of the gun rendered her mothers body still and the fight on hold as her lifeless corpse dropped on the floor next to her fathers with a soft thud. This time Katerina screamed, she screamed and cried like she never had before, that was until a sharp pain struck into her neck and blackness overtook her vision. Before she knew it, she was out.
***
The dull ringing of Katerina's ears rattled her brain as she regained consciousness finding herself in an unfamiliar room surrounded by unfocused shadows of people. Fluttering her eyes open and slamming them shut a few times in order to adjust to the harsh light that recited, She attempts to lift her hand to shield her face only to find that her hands have been tied to a metal chair that she is sat in. Panic and anxiety sets in as the dancing figures in her blurry vision become focused to reveal a strange looking man with short greasy grey hair and terrifying bulging eyes staring at her with interest. Next to him towered a tall, stern-looking woman whose hair was tied in a tight bun.
''наконец ты проснулся, я начал думать, что ты не будешь (finally you are awake, I was beginning to think you wouldn't)'' the man's voice was impatient and somewhat psychotic.
Katerina was Russian, and even so had trouble understanding his thick accent.
''Где я? (Where am I)'' Her voice was raspy and weak.
''The Red Room'' the woman's voice echoed through the room as she spoke in English with a strong Russian accent which made Katerina flinch.
''Why am I here?'' Katerina replied wearily in her second language.
The man took a step towards her as he spoke, ''you are going to be our weapon.''
A weapon? Katerina was a child, she never thought of herself as being capable of being a weapon nor did she understand what he meant by it. Then she realised...these were the people who turned her mother and father into masters of combat, this was why they were on the run. They were assassinating weapons, as soon she will be one as well.
***
The Red Room - 10 years after Katerina started at the red room
As Katerina stood there face to face with her opponent, her breath quickened in anticipation of the oncoming conflict that happens daily in the training arena. The concrete walls latch onto the stench of blood and sweat from the death matches identical to the one that Katerina was placed in right this very second.
She's studied her opponent's face, her opponents long, straight, blonde hair was tied up messily into a ponytail, her chocolate brown eyes contrast and shoot daggers into Katerina's own silver ones. The scars that are left scattered on the blondes face show the clear defeat from other battles the blonde has lost.
There was contrast between her and Katerina. The opponent couldn't help but reveal the fear that rested in her brain. Katerina however, she never showed fear, never showed anything other than anger and determination to survive another day.
The blonde was smart to fear Katerina. She was the best fighter, the smartest and had a mission success rate of 100%. Quite impressive for a 15 year old. And above all that, Katerina was ruthless.
The fight began, Katerina quickly got the high ground by aggressively punching the blonde in the throat catching her by surprise and causing her to stumble back gasping for air before returning with a skilled kick to the side. Katerina groaned in slight pain before finding the blondes weak spots, her legs and head.
As the fight continued, The blonde became tired, leaving Katerina with a chance to strike. With swift movement, Katerina wrapped her legs around the blonde's head and brought her down to the ground causing the blonde to tap out. Katerina loosened her grip slightly and still pinned the girl down.
''прикончи ее (finish her)'' Madame B's voice rang clear through the room.
Katerina looked up in confusion at Madame B breaking eye contact with the blonde while still holding her to the ground. ''Мадам, разве мы не должны убивать во время тренировок? (Madame, aren't we not supposed to kill during training?)''
''this is the fourth fight in a row she has lost, this girl is as good as dead on a mission anyways. So, finish her.'' She demanded in English.
Katerina looked down at the blonde who was silently begging for her life.
There was a reason Katerina was seen as ruthless; she never faltered in killing her opponents, no matter who they were.
Without hesitation, she grabbed the blonde by the throat lifting her off of the ground and holding her up the wall. The sound of cut off breaths as the blonde's windpipe faltered escaped the girls mouth. With that, Katerina snapped her neck, rendering the girl silent as her body dangled in Katerina's hand. Even still, the young assassin showed no remorse or emotion at all towards her fallen opponent. After a few moments, she dropped the body, letting it sprawl out over the dark cold concrete.
Katerina stepped over the body and walked over to Madame B who was stood tall outside of the training room.
''Молодец Катерина, вас уволили. Иди убирайся. (well done Katerina, you are dismissed. Go get cleaned up.)'' Madame B blatantly spoke with an impressed tone.
Katerina nodded and left, trying not to limp as she headed back to her bed, falling asleep seconds after her head hit the pillow, her wavy, dark brown hair scattered out and her empty, hollow Silver eyes fluttered shut.
She slept only to avoid the pain that occurred when she was awake.
But sometimes the pain followed her into her dreams.
The burning feeling electricity ran through my veins as screams desperately made their way out of my body. Every day, its the same. it burned like a mixture of fire and ice was tearing up each muscle and regenerating it again and again and again. Some moments my brain shuts it out for a sweet second of release before i snap back, then it all goes black. The last thing I hear is my only acquaintance, Tatiana, next to me in the other chair yelling and begging for me to stay awake.
Katerina sprung upright, her breathing heavy and staggered and her body sweaty. It was the nightmares again. That is the third night this week. The third night in a row where she can't escape the reality of where she is.
As she starts the calm down, Katerina looks around to find the other girls asleep apart from a certain blonde headed acquaintance.
''Tatiana what are you doing awake?'' Katerina asked in her second language knowing that Tatiana needed to practice her english.
''Nightmares'' she answered slightly embarrassed. She shook it off quickly, ''what about you?''
''Nightmares'' Katerina echoed back in the same way she did. ''It will get better soon'' she whispered hopefully to reassure her.
The blonde nodded before returning to bed as Katerina did the same. Drifting off to a dreamless sleep.
Authors Note: i hope you enjoyed the first chapter of 'outrunning the red room'
The first one is relatively short ik but i will try to make the others longer
See you next time....
SM xxx