The Dead May Rise ✓ (GxG)

Ten

Trakhni moyu zhizn' = fuck my life.
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     "Amvrosiy?" Anyechka called out to her child.

     "Da, Mama?" Bear responded back as she slipped into the room.

     Anyechka turned around to face the mouth of the room, smiling softly at Bear. "There you are." She inhaled. "I just thought I'd tell you that Boris will be coming over later today."

    Young Bear exhaled heavily, shaking her head ever so slightly. "Bozhe moi." Bear crossed her arms, upset, before pouting. "Trakhni moyu zhizn'…"

     "Amvrosiy…" Anyechka began sounding disappointed. "You know we don't use that kind of language in this home."

    Bear said nothing; she just continued to pout.

    Anyechka neared her child—-kneeling down so her eyes met Bear's. "Now," she began softly and less directly as her earlier scolding. "What is it that you don't like about Boris?"

    Bear looked to the ground, wetting her lips.

    "Amvrosiy…" Anyechka began once again. "Are you scared of him?"

      Bear's head shot up aggressively as she swallowed. Bear's mind lingered on the many times Boris had threatened Bear with violence if she even said a single word to Anyechka about what he did. She shook her head, swiftly. "Nyet! Nyet! I'm not scared of him, Mamochka!"

     "Amvrosiy…" Anyechka continued on. "You don't have to lie to me."

     Bear straightened the way she stood. "I'm not." Then, Bear turned away, leaving the room.

    ─┉─¡! • !¡─┉─

     Bear held her breath as she continued to rock back and forth, nervously.

     Boris would be at the Kryvichyn residence soon enough and Bear didn't particularly want to come face to face with him and his wrath that day.

     As the sound of the door opening echoed in the home, Bear pushed herself further and further into the backroom.

     Maybe he won't be here long, young Bear began to think to herself, hopefully. Maybe he won't find me; maybe he won't even think to look for me.

    Despite Bear's hope, she knew deep down that none of her thoughts would pan out to be true.

    Bear exhaled slowly before sucking in another breath and holding it.

    "Anyechka!" Boris called out as he walked through the front door. He pulled off his bulky, hefty fur coat and slipped it onto the rack. "I'm here!" Boris's footsteps echoed through the home.

      "Der'mo," eight-year-old Bear whispered to herself. He'll be here soon, she began to think. I have just a few moments before he spots me and lets his wrath loose.

     Bear could feel herself shaking a little now. Keep it together, her mind called out.

     "Anyechka?" Boris continued to call out. He had slowly made his way toward the back room.

     Bear inhaled deeply. As soon as he enters here, I need to run out, she ran over her plan in her mind.

    Bear shifted her weight onto the other leg.

     And finally, the moment that Bear was dreading was there—-Boris entered the backroom.

     Bear took a deep breath, rushed forward, dove past Boris, running down the hallway all while Boris was still trying to process what was going on.

     As Anyechka entered the home once again, trying to explain to Boris that he had come earlier than she expected, Bear dove out the door.

─┉─¡! • !¡─┉─

    Aedona's now pink eyes widened a little. "Valeryan's awake?" She queried.

    Roman nodded. "Da. He started to stir a few moments ago."

     Aedona straightened her posture. "I need to see him then," she demanded. She exhaled. "I'm sorry," she apologized to Roman for her tone. "It's just that I… I promised him nothing bad would happen to him." She swallowed. "And I failed to uphold that promise."

    Roman took in what Donnie had said. He wetted his lips. "Y-yeah. Go ahead. He's right where you saw him last time."

      Donnie went to push forward, but Bear impulsively grabbed her arm, stopping her. Aedona looked at Bear, her pink eyes narrowing on the Warmonger.

     Bear let go of Donnie's arm. "Sorry," Bear apologized in a quiet voice.

    Donnie exhaled heavily. "What do you want?"

   Bear sucked in a breath. "I think there's something I need to tell you."

      "Make it quick," Aedona replied, impatiently tapping her foot against the ground.

       Bear's hands nervously trembled. "Saving you wasn't easy… I-I had to take some extreme measures to save you… and Valeryan, at that."

     Donnie raised a ginger eyebrow at the Warmonger. "What are you trying to say, Kryvichyn?"

     "I had to turn you and V-Valeryan like me…" Bear explained. "...Into sirens." She swallowed.

      Aedona grumbled under her breath before saying, "So, you turned us into monsters then?"

       Bear looked taken aback by that comment.

      "Is there away to undo it?" Donnie asked, angrily.

      "N-No. There's not… Not as far as I'm aware of," Bear said in response.

       Donnie rolled her eyes before pushing past Bear. "You're useless!"

       Bear frowned before looking to the ground quickly.

       Donnie made her way over to where Valeryan lay sprawled out. "Val?" She began.

       Valeryan's head turned to face Donnie. "Where are we?" He choked out. "A-Are the Germans here?"

      "Nope! Just me," Dagmar chirped in response, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet. She noticed the concerned look on Valeryan's face. "But don't worry though! I'm just a civilian!"

      Valeryan exhaled. "Thank goodness."

      "Valeryan, I'm sorry…" Donnie began.

       "For what?" Valeryan questioned.

        Donnie swallowed. "I told you that you'd be safe… I was wrong."

         Valeryan propped himself up a little. "It's not your fault. You didn't even know that the Germans would have gas with them." He looked her in the eyes. "You didn't know about it prior, right?"

       Aedona shook her head.

       "That's what I thought." Valeryan pulled himself into a sitting position.

        "I uh-" Donnie cut herself off. She winced. The abdominal wound was acting up again. Donnie placed her hand on the wound, feeling blood once again seeping through her fingers. She staggered backwards, right into Bear's open arms.