Little Flower -- AVENGERS

02. the defence

Monday 9th June - 2008 - 2209
Bolshevik Island - Russia

Her room was small, enough for a little bed, a small chest of drawers and also a desk, papers and pens tucked in their places as to not cause any attention from the Matron. She loved to pull any of the girls up for their 'messy rooms'.

Mila stared at the creme walls darkening with every second, her eyes never leaving the same spot. It was too late to start reading a book - if the Matron found her awake then she'd have it in for her. Floorboards creaked outside her bedroom door and slowly the knob started to stake. Scared, Mila jumped out of bed and grabbed her pair of scissors, she crouched low to the ground - just as she'd been taught to and got ready to pounce.

Mila knew it wasn't the Matron - she never did bed checks this late. To her surprise, Aleksa with her dark hair pulled down around her face stared shocked at Mila.

"Ty ne dolzhen byt' zdes!" (you should not be here) "Ty dolzhen vernut'sya v krovat!" (You have to go back to bed) Mila growled. She slowly stood up and placed the scissors back where they were meant to go. Aleksa shook her head, her eyes squinting in the dark In her hand was a torch covered by her other hand.

"Net." (no) Aleksa replied. "YA dolzhen nayti vykhod otsyuda." (I have to find a way out of here)

Mila shook her head. "Soldaty naydut tebya i otvezut v podval." (Soldiers will find you and take you to the basement)

"Chto proiskhodit v podvale?" (What happens in the basement?) Mila shuddered. Slowly she rolled up her sleeves to show little red spots, markings from injections she had received less than a week ago after she failed to obey instructions.

"Eto ne imeyet znacheniya - ya dolzhen nayti vykhod!" (it doesn't matter - I have to find a way out!) Mila shrugged her shoulders, fearing that if she were to continue talking for much longer than the Matron would hear and punish them both.

"Ukhodi - naydi vykhod. YA ne pomogu tebe." (Go away - find a way out. I will not help you.)

Aleksa nodded, slowly her figure faded into the dar. Mila tiptoed to the door and shut it as quietly as she could. Jumping back into bed, she pretended to sleep as large footsteps pounded past her door. Soon enough Aleksa's screams and pleas travelled down the corridor. Mila screwed up her eyes and covered her ears with her hands. Aleksa's wails only got louder and louder and soldiers shouted - she knew no other child in this complex would dare look to see what was happening.

Instead, Mila imagined she was in a warm house with cosy blankets over her. She imagined a mother and a father lying either side of her, hugging her tightly. Softly, Mila began to sing into her sheets.

"Neuklyuzhiy malen'kiy medved' shel po lesu
On sobiral sosnovyye shishki i pel pesni
Sosnovaya shishka upala pryamo na lob.
Malen'kiy medved' razozlilsya i topnul nogoy."

(A clumsy little bear was walking through the forest
He collected pine cones and sang songs
The pine cone fell right on the forehead.
The little bear got angry and stamped his foot!)

Soon enough, the screams died down and Mila found herself drifting into a dreamless sleep.