The Sisters of the Red Room | Yelena Belova

A Dream of Realness.

3rd Person POV

||Flashback Dream||

1999 - Yelena age 10 - Pre mind control - Currently psychological conditioning

To the death.

These words replayed in Yelena's mind, staining her with the feeling of killer in her bare hands.

Yelena was used to death, the feeling, the smell, the sight but it all faded away as your body overcomes with nerves, adrenaline and regret. Today was spar day, a familiar day in red room training. Two girls were put against each other and weakness was NOT tolerated, it was kill or be killed. She was supposed to be numb to this, the psychological conditioning was embedded in her mind after being repeated continuously to make her numb.

Yelena was put against one of the girl's, she was her best friend or so it seemed like it, she wasn't even sure for herself. Yelena had formed a connection with her overtime ever since they both entered the red room 4 years ago, four long years that many have never experienced yet they had experienced it together. They laughed together and smiled together in times where it felt like using the muscles to do so was impossible, a warmth of some kind radiated in Yelena's heart. And now she had to kill her. Yelena was only 10, a small blonde figure yet with tall posture and a blunt face unlike a 10 year old you had seen before. Yes, Yelena felt remorse, she felt regret and deep inside she wanted to be the one to be killed but weakness wasn't tolerated. Those lines overcame any feelings of remorse and instead induced her with fear. A fear of not wanting to die at the hands of the red room, a fear of not getting to live her life and even if she tried to flunk the fight, they'd know and it would be even worse for her.

Numbness. Her whole figure went numb, numb to pain, numb to feeling. She locked her eyes with her spar partner or should I say former friend. Bandages tied up around her hands and a strand of sweat slivered down the edge of her forehead but that was it, the fear faded. Yelena's small arms flopped to her side and then positioned themselves, one out the front and the other at her side.

Across from her, the girl she was sparing was also in a fighting position. Eyes narrowed down. Both of them looked like they had been shut off.

"Instill. Fear. And Pain." This replayed inside Yelena's mind.

The adult supervising the spar's stepped in front, nodding her head and speaking towards both girl's.

"Weakness is not tolerated. Begin."

The other girl's sat on the sidelines watching as though they had seen this a million times.

It felt like fragments, fragments of a story playing in her mind. Like a freeze frame, one moment she was lunging forwards slamming her fist towards the girl's face and the next moment the girl was holding Yelena in a choke hold.

Yelena pulled her head forwards rapidly, while choking on her own spit, lunging the girl over her head and landing hard on the floor. Yelena was released from the hold and stood up, panting as sweat dripped down her face. Her mouth gaped as she walked towards her opponent, the girl stood up, the familiar lock of their friendship sinking in but both ignored it.

She lunged herself towards Yelena, lifting her leg high and swiping it as an attempt to kick Yelena in the temple. Yelena blocked it, swiping her hand up and grabbing her foot, twisting her foot to rotate the girl's body and slam her onto the floor. The shiver of the thump as the girl fell evaporated over Yelena's spine.

Yelena stood there, though she had a moment of hesitation, she had the upper hand and could have finished her right then and there although she didn't. Instead Yelena walked over and stood over her opponent on the floor, pushing her arm out to offer her a hand up. Yelena stared down at her, blunt face but with her arm outreached to help her up.

"Weak." The instructor called over, Yelena turned to look at her and when she did, her opponent grabbed her hand. They connected and Yelena looked back down at her, but instead of the girl pulling herself up, she slammed Yelena down.

Yelena's body forcefully getting pulled down against the air, slamming down onto the ground. Her opponent took this time to go behind her, straddling her back and pulling her arm around Yelena's neck into a choke hold. Pulling Yelena's head up and straining her neck as Yelena lost access to her breath. Choking.

Yelena tried to pull her neck down but her surroundings faded as she looked around, looking at everyone watching her slowly die.

Yelena rapidly gazed around for an edge. She felt around with her body, with the only movement she had left. An access point to the girl's stomach was available due to Yelena's leg positioned near it. She slammed her foot back, repeatedly slamming it into the girl's stomach with the most force she had.

The girl flinched, although not letting go of Yelena's choke hold, weakened it enough for Yelena to grip her hands up on the choke hold and grip the girl's arms. Slamming them over her head and slamming the girl's body with it. She hit the ground hard, Yelena panted for air.

Her face huffing and her cheeks a rosey red of revenge. Yelena lunged forwards, grabbing onto the girl and pulling her into a choke hold. With much strength and force, Yelena pulled her head back as if she was either attempting to choke her to death or even snap her neck. Realisation hit that this was her life and she had to fight to survive, the remorse shut off in Yelena and her training kicked back in. As the girl lost her breath, her eyes eventually closed, unconscious and then with the continued force... dead.

The girl lost her breath, her face read and her eyes closed. Her body was limp and weightless. Yelena dropped her arms and panted, staring at the body, she pushed herself back and watched as the girl's limp head fell to the ground. Yelena felt pain but she pushed it away, down like a gulp of water.

"Stand up." The instructor said

Yelena pushed herself up with speed and stood up tall as if this never had happened. Controlling her breathing.

"Go wash up and return for training." The instructor said firmly to Yelena as if she hadn't just witnessed death on her own terms.

Yelena nodded and stayed silent, catching one more glimpse at the cold body before heading to wash herself up.

||Flashback Dream End. Present time.||

Y/N POV:

I looked at Yelena tossing and turning in her bed as I laid awake sitting against the bed frame, I woke up and couldn't sleep. This seemed like a normal thing for us Black Widow's, nightmares, never an easy sleep.

Yelena shot up as I thought to myself, her whole body flicking up like a bullet. She panted and felt her surroundings, her whole body sweating and she looked as if she hadn't snapped back into reality. I grabbed her arm, and she turned to me rapidly, gripping my hand as if she was going to throw it off. Her face turned into one of realisation, she dropped her grip and let out a breath.

"It was a nightmare, Yelena." I said slowly and rubbed her arm gently.

"It was real, Y/N. It happened, it was just a reminder that no matter how far we move on, it's still there." She said slowly and doubtfully.

"Let it be there, Yelena. Realise how much you've grown from it and are working to become better, to save people from what you had to experience." Reassuringly my voice said towards her.

Yelena looked up at me, trying to hold a strong face, a frown painting down and then tears welling as they fell down her face like a river trail of pain that had been held in. I put my hand around her waist and pulled her into my chest as I saw this, allowing her to cry into me and she did. I rubbed her back and reassured her as we got through the night.

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Sorry for the late post! School and mental health but I wanted to release something and keep on going so I can update faster!