Eternal Winter

IX: Detained

December ?? 2025

Area Unknown

Another night went by and Natasha was stilled hugged by the darkness. The dreadful screams of James grew longer by the hours. They use to go in and out but now they never did. She felt as if she was the one being punctured, pierced, stabbed and scared.

She dug her nails into her pale, bruised arms. It was the only action that kept her mind off the screams of hell.

The walls around her became too familiar, like the scars that will soon form on her body.

Trikov barely took any time on her, it was like he was too interested in watching James bleed instead of her. The thought haunted her for hours.

"It's okay Natasha." She tried to calm herself. "It's gonna be fine."

No.

No it's not going to be fine.

She could not scream anymore. Her throat was raw and burned even when she swallowed. Natasha could feel the life slipping out of her body, like a devil lived beneath her, feeding on her soul. Only that the devil was not below her but right next door, also feeding on another life.

Other than the screams and the cold laughter, there was not a single sound that can give Natasha a hint to where she was being held captive. She felt completely dejected.

James was weak, no, more than weak. He felt broken.

It seemed like his insides turned to ash. The chains that kept him up numbed his wrists and created rings of blues and purples.

Trikov entered the room for what seemed like the twentieth time that day. The door creaked and moaned as it shut behind him. He wore a v-neck shirt that revealed the tattoos across his arms and chest. Tattoos that almost look like a memoir to all the lives he took and all the destruction he caused.

Trikov sat on an iron stool and looked into James' fading blue eyes. "May I ask how your stay is?"

James spat out blood towards Trikov.

The air around him became denser every time he smiled.

"Well, sweet dreams you nichego ne stoit sobaka (worthless dog)" The door closed with the hush of the locks.

James took a deep breath and cried. He felt heat drip off his cheeks and burning his fresh wounds. This was the worst situation he has ever been through. Yes, he has been through pain but the pain stopped once he left. This time, it continued for hours on end, no break, no mission to escape the pain for awhile. He felt like his nightmares, his fears, turned into his reality.

He then realized he was alone.

"Natalia!"

Natasha could hear his familiar yet unfamiliar voice, tears streamed down her cheeks as she heard pain and desperation seep into the room.

"James?" She choked.

"Natalia! On tebe bol'no? Yesli on ya sobirayus' chertovski otorvat' organy, i kormit' ikh sobstvennykh sobak! (Did he hurt you? If he did I'm gonna fucking tear his organs out and feed them to his own dogs!)"

"James," She said as softly as she could. "Posle togo, kak u nas yest' shans, ya broshu yego telo v yamu so zmeysmi (Once we have the chance, I'll throw his body in a pit of snakes.)" She hissed.

She could hear him laugh, but it was not out of humor. "Nice talk."

Natasha did not respond, she was happy to hear his voice but it also dimmed whatever light was left inside her. She can tell James changed, he has been through so much more over the days but she was afraid that if they ever did come out of this, he would never be the same James she fell in love with. Again.

James hated that the conversation ended so soon. He wanted to hear her voice, he wanted to know that she was alive. The only thing that could get him through this was Natasha and he needed to see her at the end of this. If the end will ever come.

He tried to jerk out of his chains for what seemed like the millionth time. He wanted to free himself from one set of chains so he could be one step closer to Natasha. So he could press his hands on the cold wall that separated them.

Then all was silent.

Water dripped from the ceiling and echoed across the empty and forgotten halls.

Halls.

Natasha stood up like energy just surged into her body, and ran to the door. She placed her ear and against the wall and listened to what felt like an angel was calling her.

"We're underground." She said to herself. "We are underground." She placed her hand on her forehead. "That's why we don't hear any sign of civilization. They've tried to keep us as far from anything as possible." She smiled. "He's still afraid that we will screw him up. He's afraid that we will still come out of this."

We still have a chance.

From that one sound, her view changed completely.

But that is the thing, she lost all hope and now hope was what was keeping her going.

Seeing James' sky once again is all she needs.

It is all she wants.