WILD CHILD │ barnes ¹

three

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐌

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The child was being led down the corridor. The walls were decorated with antique wallpaper and the bannisters on the staircases carved of beautiful wood. The woman in front of her stopped in front of a grand door. She pushed it open and nudged Zhenya inside and closed the door.

Inside a thin lady wearing glasses sat on a velvet armchair. She smiled rather cruelly at the little girl.

'They told me they'd found another one,' she said, a tall glass of champagne raised to her thin lips, 'What's your name girl?'

Her voice was a sharp blood red. The sound was unpleasant.

The child paused, 'Evgenia.'

The lady laughed. 'Evgenia? Do you have a patronymic? A surname? '

The little girl shook her head.

'Well, Evgenia Nikolaevna Veselkina does have a nice ring to it.'

She says nothing.

The woman takes another sip from her flute and places the thin glass among the few books she has on her wooden desk.

'Now Evgenia, I'm sure you have many questions as to what this place is and who I am. My name is Madame B and you will address me as such. You are in the Red Room where you will learn to serve Mother Russia. While you are here you will obey all orders. No questions are to be asked. If you are caught disobeying any orders, consequences will be severe. Do you understand Evgenia?'

She nodded her head yes. 

Madame B smiled at her again, her red painted lips stretching over her teeth like a predator leering at its prey.

Evgenia decided that she didn't like her. Not that it mattered.

♔

Evgenia has become acquaintanced with the Red Room's routine. In the morning she has lessons - Russian, English, French and ballet with the other girls, and then in the afternoon, Madame B allows them to have free time.

The older girls look at them enviously as they run in the courtyard and play in the snow.

There will be no more play time soon, they had whispered.

Now Evgenia had finished her lessons for the day. She pranced down to the gated courtyard, the shrieks of Masha and Tatianna following her. 

It had snowed heavily the night before and now the gray statues were dusted with it. Evgenia was delighted. She loved snow.

But today the children would not play. 

From across the yard, a girl named Alexandra paused from carving a snowball. 

'Smotret,' she yelled at the other girls, 'A new person!'

Next to Evgenia, Masha and Tatiana looked up from their snowman.

The heavy gate had opened to allow a red headed woman to slip in. She was not tall but carried herself with a sense of intimidating importance. The children were excited, it was not often that they saw fresh faces. Apart from the occasional new girl joining the younger age groups, they never saw anyone else.