The Black Widow

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Natalia's POV

Ivan keeps looking at me strangely. It has only been a week since the procedure but everything has changed. I often catch Ivan staring at me while I am doing my work. Sometimes he looks like he is about to cry but sometimes he looks angry. However, I do not think it is me he is angry at.

Last night the phone rang. I heard him talking to someone. He said. "Yes, the shots are working perfectly."

He listened for a little while. I think he means the blue liquid he injected into my arm on Friday after dinner. He said I would need one every week now. I asked him what was wrong with me but he said nothing. It burned going in but I didn't complain. He told me in the future I would do it myself. I did not disagree.

After a long pause on the phone, he did this sort of shout-whisper thing. 

"I thought you said it stopped aging? I thought you created this! Right now it sounds like you don't know anything about this. You don't know when it will take effect. You don't know if it's harmful."

He listened again

"This is calm."

More silence.

"Fine...No... not an option."

Pause.

"I said no"

He was angry. I didn't get it. He should stay calm so he can think logically about this.
I missed what he said next but I think he said something about a spider in a room. Then he hung up the phone and walked toward my bedroom.I closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep. He was there for a long time. I could hear him breathing. He never actually entered my bedroom. He just stood in the doorway, like maybe he wanted to come in. I don't know why he didn't. He didn't leave before I fell asleep.

I thought the whole thing was weird. We never got phone calls so that made it weird too.

 I am still shoving my breakfast into my mouth when my instructor came in. I greet him politely. He tells a joke and laughs at it. I don't. I pick up my plate and set it in the sink.

"Would it have killed ya to crack a smile?" He says still laughing. I just look at him, waiting for instructions. He must have thought of something scary or really serious because his face went pale.

"Wow they really did a number on you didn't they?" He looks frightened but is staring at me. I want to ask him what's wrong or what he meant but I don't get a chance. "You.. you can stop doing that Natalia."

I look down at the ground, "Yes sir, Sorry sir." 

I am not entirely sure of what I did but I find it best not to argue. Accept and move on. It works for orders as well as confusing people. Actually come to think of it, the thought of arguing never even crossed my mind. My first thought was to comply. It wasn't until afterward that I thought of another way. That has never happened to me before I always had to choose to listen.

We get on with the lesson but my instructor seems nervous after that. I still have no idea what I did wrong but I think I should make it up to him. I tell myself that I will be good for the whole lesson and surprisingly I don't have a problem. The only time bad things that I could have done occur to me is after the moment is over. 

I breeze through the lesson and it is time for bed again. Ivan reads me a few books even though I am perfectly capable of reading on my own. I don't really pay attention to the book but instead, I think of the strange events that have begun to happen lately. As Ivan finishes up the last book and goes to turn out the lights. I conclude that something is happening and it is happening soon.

The next morning I wake up and do it all over again. And again, and again. We didn't move again which I find to be weird. Why would we suddenly stop? My life has almost become normal. Things have seemed to calm down. For the first time in the history of ever, my life is almost boring. However, that boring only lasted for about six more months.