THE CELLMATE
I AM woken by a sharp slap to the face. "What happened?! You fail the mission?! I specifically said to eliminate those three! You disappoint by killing not even one?!" Rumlow, my handler, growls giving me another slap. Making the already red spot on my face, even redder.
My body sore from the fight that took place beforehand, lets my head swing to the side. "I'm sorry," I softly whisper. The feeling of self hate spreading throughout my body.
"You don't get to be sorry." With that the guards drag me back to the cell I have been in for as long as I can remember.
Hours pass before I hear footsteps. I tense up preparing for a beating or some type of physical harassment.
Instead I am greeted by a familiar face. Edward, my only friend in this place, walks up to the bars and takes a seat.
"I heard what happened. I'm sorry." He murmurs. But I catch it with my SuperSolider hearing.
I nod in response, not having the heart to speak real words.
"It's not your fault, ya know? I heard that they sent you to go after Captain America, Winter Solider, and Black Widow. Any highly trained.. person wouldn't be able to even lay a good hit on them."
I just heave a sigh, keeping my head down. He gives a sigh of his own. "Fine. I get it. Kinda, not really." He pauses, "will you at least say something to me? Anything?"
"I didn't complete my mission. I'm worthless. Useless. They should just kill me," I muttered. He looks at me with shocked, wide eyes.
"You don't really think that, do you?!" He takes a deep breath. "Look, um, I have to go. I'll come back as soon as I can. Please, just have hope."
I nod in appreciation before standing and walking to the corner of my cell. My thoughts overtaking my mind. 'Why did I break? I'm not supposed to break. I am solid. I am marble.'
I sit in silence for a long period of time. The two voices in my head having a war amongst themselves. 'Am I supposed to be here? Is this why the Winter Solider went rogue? Is what I'm doing actually right?'
My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of two sets of feet. My head turns up to see who has come.
The sound comes closer. There were actually three sets. One lighter than the others. As they pass by my cell, I see who it is. A girl with chocolate brown hair is in between two guards. A vest is wrapped around her. Black and white striped jumpsuit on her. I look down at my own outfit. A raggedy stained white t-shirt. I guess not really white anymore. Combat pants accompany the combat boots that are on my feet.
I turn my attention back to the three people. The girl is placed in the cell beside me. The guards simply tossing her in. Her gaze on the floor the entire time.
When I think the guards are leaving, they then stop by my cell. "Well hey fellas, how may I help y'all today?" I ask, putting on a southern accent.
They just glower at me as they open my cell door. "Crossbones will dich sehen. Etwas über eine Strafe." They answer in German, with an evil smirk. (Crossbones wants to see you. Something about a punishment.)
My face pales as the words seem to make a shudder flow down my back. The smirk is wiped from my face, as I bob my head up and down.
I gulp as I stand on shaky feet. The lighter of the voices making me do these actions. It's two different people that are in my head. One being the trained assassin, ShadowHunter. The other a much more kind hearted girl, wanting to be let out. And then there's me, stuck in the vessel of the body. Having to take these voices and letting one win over the other.
The darker of the two, turn my eyes to stone as my back straightens. My walk more confident. I nod to the two men as I stride down the hall right to the door of Brock Rumlows' office.
I knock on the door awaiting an answer. The gesture is followed with a solid "Come in." I open the door to my handlers office.
"Sie wollten mich sehen, der herr?" I ask in German. (You wanted to see me, sir?)
"Please asset, speak in English. German is so exhausting. And yes, I wanted to see you. Due to your uncompleted mission I am forced to ask, why was it?"
"Why was what, sir?"
He grunts in irritation and I have to fight the urge to roll my eyes. "Why was the mission incomplete?"
I take a pause not knowing how to answer. One side of me doesn't want to admit that my brainwashing is wearing off. No memories have come back yet, but that doesn't mean they can't. The other side wants to say something about it. To fix it so I can be the perfect asset. The perfect solider.
They battle it out until finally I respond, "I'm sorry sir. Just the level of difficulty was raised more than all my other missions. I know that is not an excuse, but it is my answer." I reply confidently.
He wages between if that was an okay answer or not. Finally, he nods in agreement. "You're right that is not an excuse, but it is one I am willing to accept," with that he dismisses me back to my cell.
I take a huge sigh of relief. That went better than expected. I groan internally as the voices start talking again. 'If you guys are gonna continue this. At least try to compromise.' Yeah, like that's gonna happen. These two are polar opposites.
As I round the corner I see some of the male prisoners surrounding the new girls' cell try to prod at her, making grabby hands at her.
As she helplessly sits in the middle of her cell I yell out to the poor excuses of the male species, " hey! If I see one of you so much as look at her again, I will get a knife from one of the guards and severe your balls from your body, capeesh?!" At that I walk in my cell as a guard closes the door. All of the prisoners now have their eyes downcast to their shoes or bare feet, knowing my reputation.
"Thank you." I hear a whisper from beside me. I turn to see the new girl. She looks to be around 17 or 18.
I nod in recognization. I turn to sit in my corner. She seems to want to say something, but keeps quiet anyway.
Moments of peace pass, besides the occasional whine or grunt from surrounding cell mates. My eyes are sealed shut finally taking a minute to breathe. I used to be isolated in my concrete surrounded cell, but after I was started to go crazy, mental really, they transferred me here. Can't have a pet who won't listen.
After a few minutes more the new, female cell mate speaks up, "who are you? Where are we?"
I look over at her. She looks so heartbroken. So innocent. "HYRDA." Is the only word I say. The answer could go both ways. I am HYRDA and that's where we are.
She becomes silent once again but only for a minute or two. "How long have you been here?"
We make eye contact as I answer this question, "as long as I can remember. That's enough questions." She wants to say ask else but I shut her up with just one look.
Nightfall falls upon us after a few hours. I know that because it's lights out time. All lights shut out at 9pm. I curl up in my corner. I am not worried about other prisoners coming to touch me, they know who I am.
As I am shutting my eyes I see the girl in the middle of her cell. She was trying to stay awake as she sat upright, glancing at the males around her.
I exhale as I speak up, "you can lean against my cell wall." I insist, muttering the words in a low voice, to not attract attention from the others. She looks up grateful, as she scoots to lean against the bars as she quickly falls asleep.
A ghost smile is against my lips, but it quickly vanishes as I turn cold. My face like stone as I close my eyes once again. The world dimming down.
Authors Note: So that's depressing but now y'all get to listen to me rant! So who's this new female cell mate, you must ask? Well your gonna have to read. Will this new found person bring some friends? Will she ever escape this hell that is her life?
- J.S.
11.3.2020
1504 words