Frostbitten

Chapter 12

Many weeks passed and I tried not to remember them. More training with the soldier and more sleepless nights. I stopped counting the nights spent staring at my ceiling, thinking about the monster they had made me. I sat cross-legged on my bed thinking, and came to the conclusion that I needed to talk to my master. I had too many questions to answer on my own.

I walked up to the door of my master's office and quietly knocked.

"Come in." a voice said from behind the big door.

I opened the door and timidly walked in and the man turned around, and offered me a chair.

"You have questions, I assume?" he inquired knowingly.

I nodded and began, "What kind of drug are you giving me and how long do I have to take it?"

He was taken aback at my bluntness but answered quickly, "It hinders your ability to have children, after a few more doses it will be permanent. We can't have you risking your health and abilities on an unimportant and unnecessary life." I stared at the floor in shock. Permanent. I'd never have children.

"How long will I be doing this?" I asked, "All of this, the fighting, the training, the...everything else."

My master smiled smugly and replied, "As long as we need you to. You can live forever, my child!"

I stared at him in his glee. "What have you done to me?" I yelled, jumping up from my chair.

"Sit down, Soldier!" my master ordered, "I will tell you what we have created in you if you calm down." I complied and he began, "There is a process we can put you through to freeze your body on a cellular scale and stop time from wreaking havoc on your body. We have also given you a series of treatments that have enhanced your body in many ways including your ice controlling abilities. When you are not needed we will put you and the Winter Soldier into the ice, you are a team and we need you together."

He dismissed me and I walked back to my room thinking over what I had been told and trying not to cry.

---

The punching bag swung back and forth as I hit it. I stopped for a moment to catch my breath and caught a glimpse of a clock on the wall. It read 12:30, midnight, I couldn't sleep. I began to beat the bag hanging from the ceiling and suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder. I whipped around and was ready to beat up whoever had touched me. I saw the soldier and let out my breath.

"What are you doing up at this time of night?" I asked him. He looked surprised that I spoke to him.

"I couldn't sleep." He mumbled. "What about you? Why are you beating up a punching bag in the middle of the night?" I told him I had too much on my mind to sleep and he asked if I wanted to talk about it.

"Not to be rude, but I don't really know you well enough to tell you my life story." I said quietly. "Even if I could remember it." I added.

He looked at me sadly and said, "What if you knew me better?" I flinched and pulled back from him quickly. I didn't dare take my eyes off him, knowing I must look terrified.

"Did he send you down here for me?" I asked fearfully. "He didn't say anything about being with you."

The soldier cocked his head in confusion, and I knew instantly that I was wrong.

"What are you talking about?" Asked the soldier. "What did they do to you?"

I turned away and said I'd rather not talk about it. "I'm not proud of what I've done." I added.

"I'm sorry," He apologized, "I won't press you about it. But you should probably try to get some sleep, staying up like this doesn't help, Trust me." I nodded a response and started for the door. The soldier stopped me before I left and asked, "What should I call you? They said you were called Frostbite, but that doesn't seem right."

I smiled and said, "I don't know what my name is. What do you want to call me?"

He thought for a moment and replied, "Snowflake. Because you are beautiful and perfect."

"I'm far from perfect but it's a nice attempt" I thought. "It's nice." I said, "Can I pick a name for you? I keep calling you soldier and that won't work." He nodded. I looked at him for a minute and picked a name, "Frosty." I said. "Perfect for Mr. Winter." He smiled and bade me good dreams as I left for bed and for the first time in a long time, I felt happy.