Nearly Morning {A Captain America Story}

Chapter Three

{Chapter Three}

Side note: Any feedback or advice you have is greatly appreciated and encouraged.

(Rose's Perspective)

Wide eyed and afraid, I squeeze myself tighter into the corner and away from the stranger. As I retreat slowly, he sees my unease and immediately lowers his weapon. Staring straight into my eyes, he drops his bow and arrow to the ground and raises his hands in what seems to be surrender.

When he speaks, his voice is soft and his tone is gentle.

"Hey... I won't hurt you. Okay? ....See, it's okay. I'm here to help you."

His friendly eyes locked into mine and I hesitate before shakily rising to my feet.

My heart races in my chest and my hands tremble noticeably as I take small, cautious steps towards the man. He extends his arm towards me, encouraging me to take it. I place my delicate hand into his and feel immediate warmth. Letting out a breath of relief, I follow him out the door.

He seemed to be in a hurry, his eyes narrowing at each and every corner as we rush down the dark hallway. As we cross through the laboratory I had become so familiar with, I noticed the machine's lights flashing and a timer counting down.

00.54

A shiver ran up my spine and my eyes widened in alarm. I knew exactly what was coming and now I understood the man's urgency.

Picking up speed, I grip the man's hand tighter as he continues to pull me along through the house until we finally reach the front door which has been left gaping open. As he quickly gazes down at me, I look up to him in sheer panic.

"Come on" He cooed as we slipped out the door.

The harsh wind slapped my face painfully as my body was immediately encased in goosebumps. My bare feet stung as we began scurrying through the snow covered hills just beyond the house I had never left in who knows how long.

As we reached the highest edge of the rolling hills; where the line of trees leading into the wilderness began, he released my hand. Crouching down to my eye level, he looked me in the eyes and placed his hands around my forearms.

"Wait here, okay? You need to wait here."
As he was about to retreat back towards the house, I opened my mouth to protest. Before any word could escape my lips, his shout rang through my ears.

"I'll be right back!" He bellows as he starts launching himself back down the hill of snow.

Standing there, in the freezing cold, I rub my arms roughly in search of body warmth. My teeth chatter and I keep my head bent down to avoid the flakes of snow piercing through the air.
Time all but freezes as I stand atop a hill, waiting for the strange man who made me feel safe to return. Eyes searching through the spray of snow, pelting from the sky, I darted my eyes back and forth in search of his figure, but I as the snow grew thicker and thicker, my vision blurred and my nose burned from the cold.

It was only seconds later that I heard an awful rumble erupt from the house down below. Angling my body to look over the hill, I was suddenly thrown back into the pile of snow that coated the ground behind me. Strips of wooden planks and metal instruments flung through the air as the old house that I was once trapped inside went up in flames and exploded into the chill air of the night.

The light of the flames shone through the darkness and seared my gaze. My cheeks were smacked with the hot, burning heat of the explosion.

Scrambling to my feet, I flung myself in every direction looking everywhere in hope that the man who saved me would be there. He wasn't.

My breaths became shallow and strained. My eyes welled with tears as I struggled to breathe. Initial panic setting inside my chest bubbled violently as my body shook hysterically. A tear slid down my cheek, it's ice cold texture burning as it rolled down my chin. I let out a small cry of fear before picking myself up completely and began wobbly trudging through the blanket of snow.

(Natasha's Perspective)

After splitting up with Barton, I began racing through rooms in search of this man, but he was gone. Kicking one final door down with the heel of my boot, I found myself in yet another room. But there was something eerily unusual about this one.

Unlike the other rooms I had rummaged through, this room has a single light bulb dangling from the ceiling. But that was not what struck me. For, in the back of the room, in the darkest corner, there lay a large box.
Creeping forward, checking over my back after every step, I inspected the box. It appeared to be some sort of capsule; one that you would probably use when sealing a body. Peering into the small window on the door of the capsule, I made the connection.

It wasn't just any old body capsule; it was the kind of capsule you would use to freeze a body, probably for a long period of time.

Inside the box was frozen fragments of ice, the cool air fogging up the window from the inside.

Before I was able to open the door, I was snapped back into focus by the shrill beeps coming from the other room.

Time was running out.

Spinning on my heel, I darted out the door and stumbled into another room. Realising my limited time, I clutched at the chair that sat by the door's entrance and threw it through the room's only window, the glass shattering and the shrill sounds of the wind bouncing off the walls.

Skilfully scaling through the window, I landed onto the snow covered land with a thud.

Just as I took my right foot forward, preparing to sprint, I heard Barton's yells over the howling winds.

"Natasha! Natasha get out of there NOW!"

His yells grew closer and I broke into a sprint, trying to locate the sound.

Rounding to the front of the house, I finally found him dashing towards me. Once he was in earshot I yelled out to him "it's gonna blow!"

"To the hills!" He roared over the thrashing wind as he caught sight of me and spun back around. Then we took off running as fast as we could up the hill, through the deep snow trenches.
The loud boom sounded behind us as the old house was reduced to pieces, lit through the darkness only by the harsh, bright light of the flames which danced along what was left of the house.

Clint and I stared briefly into the fire before continuing to trudge through the snow further away from the fire.

"This way!"
Clint yelled over his shoulder. Once we reached high enough land, I slowed my pace and caught my breath. Clint however, continued his determined pace.

"Barton! We're good now, slow down." I shout to him.

He begins searching frantically in front of him.
"Where is she?" He calls in panic.

"Where is who?" I question, my eyebrows knit together.

But it is only then that I see her; her figure barely visible through the snow raining down. Her petite body is hunched over slightly but as she comes into focus I can tell she can't be much older than 13.

Her eyes are red-rimmed but when she recognises Barton, I see relief wash over her face.

I stood there in shock, mouth agape and posture rigid. She runs towards us and Clint envelops her in his arms, shielding her from the bitter wind of the bone-chilling night. Her sobs are the only sound I hear over the wild thrashing of the trees that rattled in the wind.