DESOLATION | BUCKY BARNES [1]

DAYBREAK

As the rays of the sun begin to seep through the windows of the bedroom, my eyes flutter open as I'm greeted with the sounds of car horns and birds chirping. Sitting up, I stretch my arms out and take a deep breath, remembering my actions of the night before as I looked at my arm. The wounds scabbed over, but I knew that it was bound to happen sooner or later. Today is going to be different. The room was freezing as I threw the blanket off of my body, but before I even thought about moving, I grab the blanket and wrap it around my body and walking over to the window. From here, the world seems so small and fragile. The sun shines over the buildings, casting shadows on the ground below, and somewhere inside me, I feel at peace.

I'm going to live my life today. For the first time in a long time, I can be free and not be under orders from an organization. But I can't forget that I have to be aware of my surroundings because Winter could be anywhere. That's not the point of today. I turn around, and run over to the walk in closet that I raided last night for something to wear (which I was lucky to find women's clothing), and I'm shocked how an individual can own this much clothing. I've been so adjusted to my uniform that I practically lived in it. It's the only thing I find familiar. As I search the closet, I manage to find a simple, black jacket, a grey t-shirt, dark blue jeans, undergarments and white tennis shoes. Quickly, I strip out of my pajamas and put on the new outfit for today. A slight feeling of excitement starts to form in my chest before it dissipates again. One day.

"Red, stay calm today, okay?" I say to myself, knowing that at any point, something can trigger the dangerous monster inside.

Walking out into the living area, I immediately go straight to the weapons that lay on the coffee table. By reaction, I grab my gun, putting it behind my back, in the waistband of my jeans, and the two knives in their cases and into the pockets of the jacket. The crossbow and its arrows still lay on the table, calling out to me, but I'd look too out of place and dangerous if I bought them out in a big city as Washington, D.C. is. For precautions, I shove the rest of my weapons and my uniform underneath couch, praying that they'll still be there when I get back.

But before I walk out the door, I saw a pair of sunglasses on the counter and I grab them and put them on. Practically, I'm stealing someone else's clothing, home, and now, their sunglasses, but do I care? No, not at all. At least, it's for a good cause. The moment I open the door, the cool, crisp air consumes my body and I shut the door behind me and look around me, hoping to not see him standing there. I sigh in relief, knowing that I'm safe. As I reach the sidewalk, a woman greets me with a small "hello" with a smile as she passes me by, and it completely takes me by surprise because human interaction isn't something I excel, but I shoot her a smile back, returning the kind gesture. So, maybe being here in the States isn't so bad after all.

***

   
After roaming around the city for an hour or so, I stumble upon a little coffee shop, filled with people who are engaged in conversation. Walking in, I find a small table set for two in the middle of the shop, and I sit down and take a look around at my surroundings. If you haven't noticed, my interacting skill aren't great and I don't know how to start a conversation with someone I don't even know. But worse case scenario, I'll just speak in another language to freak them out. I always have a plan. Looking above me, I find a moving picture before realizing that it's a television and I mentally smack myself for being so uneducated, and some sort of news channel is being broadcasted.

"...Last night, the bodies of five men were found brutally murdered in the alley next to Allen's Barber Shop. This crime was committed by a ruthless individual that has no sympathy for other. An unknown source informed us that this could be the work of the infamous assassin named the Red Ghost," the news reporter informs the public and I can barely process what he's saying.