Our Solemn Hour

Prolouge

The young girl walks down the street with a light spring in her step. Her long brown hair falls down past her shoulders but at the moment, it's bouncing all over the place. Her backpack hits her back with loud thumps as she picks up the pace. Her large house can be seen down the street and her insides turn with anticipation.

It's her 9th birthday! She's been waiting for this day for what seems like years. She's so so close to becoming a teenager, just a few years left.

She couldn't sit still all day at school, the poor teacher almost went insane. Finally the woman let the children out for play time early.

Now, Artemis runs onto the lawn with a hum, her pink lips widening into a wide grin. She pauses on the steps as she notices the door, which is wide open.

"Mommy? Daddy?" She asks quietly, slipping into the house with a slightly confused expression. Silence greets her. She blinks, letting her backpack slide to the floor. She looks around before noticing the scarlet red spot of the wall.

Her eyes widen and she runs into the large kitchen. The sight that awaits her is enough to make her let out a piercing shriek.

Her beloved parents lay dead on the ground with large holes in their stomach. Their glazed eyes stare blankly at the ceiling.

A sob escapes her lips and she turns around quickly, to go get help. But something blocks her path. Looking up, a man with a cruel smirk stands in front of her.

"My, my, what do we have here?" The man says, his lips curling upward into a grin. "You're so young. Hydra could have very good use for you. We-" The man stops talking abruptly, his eyes widening with shock and pain.

Artemis just manages to move out of the way as the man collapses. A man and a woman stand in the doorway, taking in the scene. The man holds a long bow and wears a mostly black outfit with a purple logo on the side. The woman was flaming red hair and a black catsuit. They seem to be in their early twenties but by the looks on their faces, they seem much older.

The woman looks at Artemis with a gentle expression.

"Hello. My name is Natasha. This is Clint." She gestures to the man with the bow who walks over to the dead agent. "And you are?"

"I'm...I'm Artemis." The young girl says almost silently, tears welling in her eyes. Looking over at her parents, unbearable grief runs through her whole body. A sob escapes her lips and she looks back to Natasha.

"We can help you, Artemis. You can trust us." The Russian says softly and for some unknown reason, Artemis trusts her.

"O-okay." The female holds out her hand and Artemis takes it. She looks back at her parents, with only one thought running through her mind.

"I will avenge you, mommy and daddy." She then turns away and allows the woman to guide her out of the house. Without a backward glance, a life of avenging begins.