Gemini (BEING REWRITTEN)

The Beginning of The End

August 4th, 2002

Today was the day. The day not only I have been dreading, but every other student in the building.

Graduation Day.

While most of us didn't know the outcome if we passed, I didn't have such a privilege. My mother pulled me aside when I turned sixteen, two years ago, to inform me that I was not allowed to fail these tests under any circumstances. Her daughter was expected to do great things and if I failed, it was a good thing I would be killed in the process. I understood what was expected of me, from the countless ballet practices to the many firearms and hand-to-hand training from not only our instructors, but the Winter Soldier himself every year. I knew at the end of the day, only one of us would live to see the end result and a part of me wished it wouldn't be me.

    The dancing portion of our ceremony seemed to drag on, with only two girls being seen as not enough and taken to a separate room. Afterwards, the remaining seven of us were led to our usual training room, but only one large mat in the center. When our instructor began calling pairs, I knew only half of us would continue. The sound of broken bones snapping echoed off the walls of the mostly empty room, whether it was arms or the ending of a life, it all seemed to blur together. Seeing Natalia and I standing side by side at the end with one other girl remaining was not a surprise to myself, her, or my mother on the other side of the room.

We each were led separately to different rooms, bags tossed over our heads to ensure we knew absolutely nothing of our surroundings. After hearing the metal door slam closed, the bag was ripped from my head. Taking a second to become reacquainted with  my surroundings I noticed another instructor forcing someone to their knees on the other side of the room. In front of me was a small table, almost like ones a doctor would use to hold his tools, but instead held one small firearm. The heels clicking in front of me forced me to look up, locking eyes with my mother's stoic face, motioning to the weapon.

"ты знаешь, что нужно делать."

    Subtly taking in a deep breath, I grab the small handgun checking to see if it's loaded. Turning on my heels, I walk towards the small girl with the sack over her head, pointing the weapon directly where her forehead would be. It's only after I pull the trigger I notice it was the other girl who survived most of the graduation. The pool of blood surrounding her chilling body looking just like every other one that has been put in front of me, added to the continued list of casualties by my hand.

"вы прошли."

Hearing confirmation of the end of our graduation should have brought me a sense of calm, even a sliver of joy, but all I felt was dread. Dreading what came next, dreading who I inevitably will become, and most of all dreading to know what exactly happened to my only friend. Being escorted from the small room, I'm quickly led to what was the barracks for all of my classmates. After being shoved inside and told to pack enough things for a few months, the door is then slammed behind me, leaving me all alone. I don't even hear the door close to the room again until a voice speaks up right behind me, almost making me jump from my skin.

"You are alive?"

I don't believe I have ever spun around so fast, unless it was for combat training. Seeing Natalia perfectly fine confused me at first, thinking she was supposed to be dead since I was alive. That quickly changed when it settled in that she was alive.

"I could ask you the same thing, Tali."

    The two of us being alive could only mean one thing, they realized they could excel even more with two of us instead of just one. Two graduates, two Widows, and even worse two ceremonies. Closing my small bag on my bed felt almost as though I was sealing my own fate and once Natalia sat down on the bed across from me, I felt hers do the same. While we have been told to never make attachments, to keep from speaking to other classmates, Tali and I always seemed to find a way around the rule. Since the night she was moved to be my mattress neighbor, we always found ourselves being awake until late in the night just finding small things to talk about. Whether it was her telling me of her time in the States, which never seemed to get old, or finding something small to pick on her for we continued to break the rule.

    I could honestly say that if I didn't have Natalia by my side through this academy, I don't believe I would have pushed myself to finish. Being the daughter of Red Room meant all eyes were always on me, from every instructor to my mother, I was not allowed to fail. So, it was no surprise to myself that I would have let my luck run out sooner if I didn't have someone to lean on and someone to snap off just a little piece of my annoying heart.

    The door swinging open took our attention from what we were doing, which was just making small comments towards each other while Natalia got her own objects together. Both of us were told to leave the room and follow the instructors, but Natalia was told to leave her things and to come back for them later. Looking at each other confused from the corner of our eyes, I grabbed my bag and followed the two instructors with Natalia behind me. After about five minutes, our instructors split apart, one leading me towards the hangar and the other leading Natalia to the medical wing. Slightly slowing down, I turn to look at Natalia for what could possibly be the last time.

"Good luck, Tali."

With three taps to my own heart, making sure she catches it, and a small smile, I turn around to finally follow my own pathway. Without even turning around, I know she did the same action, three taps directly over the heart.

I will always be with you.

Bracing myself for the August air, I follow the instructor to the base of yet another jet opening. When the Soldier comes walking off, I know exactly where I am meant to go again. Little did I know, I wouldn't be coming back again until much later with so many repercussions and extra baggage following me.