A Soviet's Struggle

Де́сять

The Prison's lights flickered on in one dramatic sweep. Guards with their Batons slamming onto the bars of the Prison Cells to wake up the prisoners. This wing of the Prison was specifically for the females, and Mavin laid in her bed, motionless. Footsteps walked towards her Cell, the Avian responding by rolling onto the other side of her body, facing the Iron Bars that made up her cell door. A guard who came by to wake her up often lightly tapped onto the bars, noticing her eyes glaring back at him.

"Morning, Mavin." He said with a monotone to his voice. "Today's a new day."

Mavin sat up, running her metal digits through her feathers. She looked at the officer, depression filling her eyes, like always.

"Dobroe ootra." She stated, rubbing her eyes and yawning. "Another day, another dollar. Yeah?"

She got up and stretched her one of three only fleshy parts left - her Torso. Mavin had lost almost all of her bodily attachments in the fire of Nömberg - her left arm, right forearm, and legs needing amputation. Mavin's head, of course, was still attached, with little scarring from burnt flesh. The officer, who had put his Baton back in its place, crossed his arms and walked a bit to Mavin's right, his front, to the next Prisoner.

"I'd assume so, Mrs. Romanova." He stated, starting to walk off. Mavin gave a smile and walked to her sink. She looked into the mirror, looking at herself. What looked back was a broken mother, who had lost everything. She remembered the event so clearly: She remembered standing on her charred legs, trying to run back to save her only living daughter - to no avail. Once the first responders smelt gas leakage, they took her and drove off. She remembered watching the home explode in a fiery mass and losing all hope. She glanced at her Prosthetic arms, which were metal and wires, surgically implanted in the bone and nerves surrounding it; this allowed her to move the arms at will. She sighed, again accepting that she lost her future and walked to the Iron Bars, waiting to be released.

"24 years left." She muttered, looking at the Inmate across from her, who was sitting in her bed. "Fucking Alan. Fucking Shröder. Fucking Resistance. Why did I believe that Bastard?" She leaned against the cool metal, sighing loudly enough for the other inmate to hear her. This inmate, who helped work the kitchen, looked over at Mavin - clearly distraught. She saw her mutter something under her beak, but she didn't think too much of it. She went back to sitting in her bed, glancing at the dripping sink.

"I hope that bastard dies. I had my chance, I fucked it over." Mavin scoffed, watching the guards slowly come her way with escorts and keys . "I wish I could hit myself." She folded her arms across her chest, breathing heavily. She glanced over at the inmate, who was focused on the water in front of her. Mavin kept quiet, knowing that talking to another Inmate was a no-go in this Prison. She knew that she could get in serious trouble. One guard walked over to Mavin, who looked back at him. He had cuffs and keys. Two escorts were at his side. His glasses covered his eyes, giving him a mysterious identity. His uniform, a black vest with a blue shirt, had the German Police crest on the vest, and on his back: "Polizei" in bold, white letters.

He unlocked the door, causing Mavin to stop leaning on the bars and stepping back. He walked in, and with force, grabbed her metal arms and put them in the cuffs. He shoved her out of her cell, the escorts catching her. He nodded at them, the escorts grabbing one arm each, guiding her to the dining hall for breakfast.

The Caféteria staff switched off in turns. One was for Breakfast, one for Lunch, and one for Dinner. Mavin worked the Dinner shift. Being part of the Caféteria staff was the only time she saw Fredrich, her husband, since the two sexes were mixed into the Caféteria. The tables were segregated, males, females, and species were also separate. Avians sat together, Mammals sat together, Insectoids sat together and Reptiles sat together. Males were on one side of the Caféteria, Females on the other. They were not allowed to talk to the opposite sex for whatever reason. But, being part of the staff allowed Mavin to see the hands of her Husband as he grabbed his tray from the little slit that prevented Inmates seeing each other.