Red Room

years

Two years passed. 

Katya lived through two years of intensive ballet classes. Many bruises, broken toes, and black eyes came from those two years. Most of her injuries inflicted by her dance instructor whenever she stepped out of line. 

It had been two years since Katya arrived at the red room. 

Two years since she had been home or even left the dark halls of the institute. 

She couldn't remember her mother's voice. The placement of the callouses on her father's hands. She couldn't even remember her address or what her home town looked like. 

She had forgotten it all and the only thing that had occupancy in her mind was ballet. If she thought of anything else she messed up. And messing up resulted in punishment. 

Her ballet slippers were no longer white but instead a washed out red. A result of her worn down feet. The blood escaping her skin and soaking into the material. 

Katya took note of the older girls pointe shoes, the vivid red of their shoes. She now knew that they didn't come that way, but were instead stained with the wearers blood. 

The days were long and nights short. They were awoken early in the morning and at most nights they didn't return to their beds until the sun was rising again. 

They were only given a loaf of bread in the morning and night. A glass of water given to them with their meal. Afterwards they were given an injection, of what, she didn't know. All she knew was when she woke up in the morning she felt alert, yet forgetful. 

She would forget a random piece of her past. Whether it be the name of her best friend or where she was told to play in her old neighborhood. When she went to bed she could recall it but when she woke in the morning it was gone. 

All that was left was empty space, which was soon occupied by new ballet routines and movements. 

Today was different though. Today the girls in Katya's group were taken to a new room. Given new equipment and given new instructions. 

Today the girl with blonde hair, who's bed was across from her's, was gone. 

Today a red haired girl occupied her spot. 

Today the girls had to witness the older girls fight. 

Not just till they were bloodied and bruised- but to the death. 

And at the end of the day they were told something that changed everything. 

Tomorrow, they would have to do the same thing that the older girls were doing. 

They would have to fight for their lives. 

By tomorrow night half of the girls in Katya's group would be dead. 

And Katya didn't know which half she would be part of.