BLACK WIDOW

indelible

indelible
(adj.)
making marks that cannot be removed

•••

"I feel like I died and they forgot to bury me."

•••

<Ivan! Ivan! Look what I have found!> Natalia found herself in a very young form. She ran through a wooden house to the man who had raised her and held out her small hands.

<What have you found?> he asked, his chair spinning around to face the small child. She held out her hands and opened them only a sliver, not wanting the item to fall out or fly away.

<It is a wounded hummingbird, Young Natalia,> Ivan noted as his opened her hands a bit farther.

<Wounded?> asked the small girl curiously.

<Meaning it is hurt,> he informed. <Would you like to try and cure it?>

An excited smile crossed Natalia's young face.

<Well let us go, Natalia,> he said with a soft smile as her lead her to another room.

Then coming out of the door, time had spanned a month exactly, Natalia confirmed through memory. Leading out the front door, Ivan placed a hand on Natalia's back as she held up get tiny hands and opened them to free the small hummingbird, who had healed under she and Ivan's eye. The smile on the young girl's face was priceless as she looked up to her favorite person in pride.

The scene before her changed. She wasn't too much older. Maybe eight or nine. She was sitting with Ivan in front of a textbook.

<Why do I have to learn this, Ivan?> she asked, leaning back in her chair.

"It is a necessity for everyone to learn English," he told her.

<I do not know what you said, Ivan,> Natalia said, annoyed. He sighed and looked sadly at Natalia.

<I said that it is a necessity for everyone to learn english, young one,> he told her as he put his glasses on and looked down at the page.

<What about the other languages?> she asked. <French and Dutch and German and Spanish?>

The question obviously stumped Ivan.

<Because unlike others, you are a prestigious young woman,> he told her hesitantly.

<You seem unsure,> she pointed out.

He signed. "Let's just get back to the books," he said.

Natalia furrowed her brows and replied a confused, "Yes."

Now she was older. Back in the Bolshoi Theatre. She was dancing.

<Higher,> Headmaster Alonya screeched as Natalia went through her routine. Her legs were weak and her arms ached. She would do anything to stop, but Smirnov would not have that, of course. <Faster, Natalia. You are better than this!> Natalia could feel the pain in her legs as if it were actually happening. But Smirnov had pushed her to the limit. Natalia crumpled to the floor. She couldn't feel her arms or legs. <Get up!> Alonya growled.