Speedy Eagle

The Necklace

Dear Wanda and Pietro,

It's been so long since I last saw you. Almost a year has passed. I'm eight now. Clint managed to get me some cotton candy. Performing in the circus isn't so bad. I do flips on the tight rope and acrobatics is a great hobby. Sometimes I join Clint's act. He has to shoot arrows around me and hit targets at almost impossible angles and distances. That's what Barney does to but Barney's shots are scary. He shoots them so close to where I stand. I sometimes think that he is trying to kill me.

I speak a lot more now though I only really talk to Clint. He has started calling me Anna. It reminds me so much of those days we spent playing together. I hope you're alright and that you survived that explosion and that you'll have a great life. I think I am finally coming to peace with everything that happened back in Sokovia. Do not mistake this with forgetting or ignoring. I think I am finally able to continue on with my life here in America.

Anya

Clint walks in as I tuck the book away. "I see you like writing in the journal."

"It's nice to be able to put them down and get them out. Thank you," I reply. I give him a hug when he sits down.

He leans into me and whispers, "We need to get out of here." I look at him curious. "They steal things in the cities we go to. We need to get out." I nod and throw all my stuff in a bag. Clint does the same. He grabs his bow and we runs as fast as we can but we don't make it.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" a voice calls. We turn and see Barney there, dressed up to perform.

"Let us go, Barney. You can't keep us here," Clint demands.

"But I can't let you go, now can I?" Barney says. He pulls out an arrow and notches it. "You know too much." He shoots the arrow and its hit with another. Arrows go flying and I run behind a games. The noise is silence by one last arrow. I look up. Clint sits there, his bow still pointed. Barney looks down and sees the arrow through his chest. Clint runs to him, throwing his bow down.

"Barney, I'm so sorry." Clint cries and I stay hidden.

"It's okay. I'm sorry we couldn't have been better brothers. I love you." Barney closes his eyes and stops breathing. Clint hugs him tighter and cries. After a couple of minutes he sets Barney down and closes his eyes, setting his arms on his chest.

"Anna, where are you?" Clint calls, quietly. I poke out from the game. "We need to leave. Now."

I nod but before we leave, I give Clint a hug. "I'm sorry." He hugs be back before grabbing his bag and my hand, running through the fence. We charge through trees and bushes. We stop when we get to a town and I collapse, breathing hard. Clint picks me up and takes me to the police station.

Someone runs up to us and Clint explains what the circus has been doing. They try to separate us but I won't let him go. We are led to a room and two policemen come in. Clint sets me in a chair and wraps me in his jacket. He answers every question the police have. Once their done, Clint asks for a phone.

"Who are you calling?" I ask as he dials.

"Someone who can help us and keep us safe," he replies vaguely. I nod and curl up under his jacket more. It's really cold in here. Clint goes out of the room and I get scared, tears stream down my cheeks and I hide under his jacket. I hear the door open and soon I'm wrapped in a hug. "Hey, what's wrong Anna?"

"I thought you had left me here. I don't want to be alone." I wrap my arms around his neck.

"I would never leave you. No matter what. I stepped out of the room for the call. A man came and talked to me earlier today. He told me what was going on and that he could protect me. All I had to do was turn them into the authorities and work for his boss. They're an agency for protection against criminals."

"What if they only want you and they separate us?" I ask.

"Then I won't work for them. I'll only go if we stay together." Clint looks me in the eye. "Alright?" I nod and he gives me a hug. "I have something for you." He reaches into his bag and brings out an envelope. "They mailed this to our house. It's from your old home. I planned to give it to you on your birthday but everything got so crazy last year." He hands me the envelope and I feel its weight in my hands. "I never opened it. Didn't want to invade your privacy."

I open up the envelope. A letter and a necklace fall into my hand. Tears well into my eyes. "It's my necklace. My best friends gave it to me for my sixth birthday. I thought I lost it in the explosion." Clint takes it from my hands gently and puts it around my neck. The necklace is silver eagle with gold accents on its feet, wings, tail and beak. I take the letter out and read it.

Dear Anastasia Rosella,

I am sorry about the loss of your parents. They were great people and even better friends. Your parents may not have told you about me but I was a business partner of your father's. When you were sent to America, they sent anything they could find of yours to me. It took me a while but I finally managed to track you down. I remembered your father telling me about how a young boy gave you this necklace and how you almost never took it off. It is probably the thing you want the most. Not much survived the fire but they managed to find your necklace and a few photos and jewelry from the safe. I'll keep the photos and jewelry until you want them. Just tell me and I will send you them. I figured that eagle was the most important to you. Don't be a stranger, feel free to visit at any time.

Daniella Montez

http://c.shld.net/rpx/i/s/i/spin/image/spin_prod_1088509012?wid=140&wid=180hei=140 for necklace image