BLACK WIDOW

recumbentibus

recumbentibus
(n.)
the knockout or ending blow, verbally or physically

•••

"You can't keep dancing with the devil and ask why you're still in hell."

•••

"Here in the Red Room, we teach young women to be stronger than strong men, yet appear to be fragile women," Madame B told the final 6 girls in front of her. "Only one of you will win the title of the Black Widow. Only one of you come out of here alive. Only one of you will go through the Ceremony."

Natalia looked around at the girls in the program. Only one of you will make it out alive. Only one of you will be the Black Widow. Only one of you will go through the Ceremony. Only one. One of twenty-eight. Six left. All these girls had blood on theirs hands. And Natalia was soon to have more than all combined.

"It will not take much. Each of you have gone through all the training you will receive. I will preform final examinations throughout the next few months. Whoever shows the most promise will move on to Phase Three and receive extensive training to become Russia's most feared soldier."

The women were all different. Though as Natalia studied them, she noticed there was one similarity in each of them.

Each girl had the stare of a killer. They were all ready to do anything to become the Black Widow. Natalia didn't know if she had that look.

But she wanted that look. And she was ready to do anything to get it. The longing she had for that look was what gave her the look. She was ready to do anything for the program.

Another thing that stood out was a woman with hair as red as Natalia's. Her killer's grimace was more intense than the rest of the girls. Red hair was very uncommon. And their were now two women with the same striking red color.

Natalia was curious about the hard woman.

"Now girls. Brute combat training. We will spar. Winner may choose between a knock out or pinning. And if you die, you will have proven unworthy of the program. Valentina. Anastasia. Winner stays, next girl comes on," Madame B instructed.

Two girls stepped into the boxing ring in the middle of the room.

One of them had short, straight, black hair. She was very short and she seemed to be weak. She looked terrified. The other was the woman with the crimson hair. It reached her mid back, falling in small ringlets.  And she was very, very tall. Maybe even half a foot taller then Natalia.

"Natalia, you are supposed to be a fast learner. You will fight last. Observe what the girls are doing," Madame B instructed.

"Yes, Madame."

She turned away from you to face the ring where the two girls were ready to fight.

"Begin," was all she said before the taller red head lashed out at the shorter woman.

As Natalia observed the women, she could determine that "Brute" combat form meant exactly what it sounded like: fighting like a brute. Weighted punches. Strong kicks. Head butting. Elbowing with power. As the women fought, Madame B scribbled on a clipboard.

Natalia could observe that the redhead had the upper hand. She was delivering blow after blow to where the other had no room to fight back.

And faster than Natalia would have predicted, the redhead delivered such a powerful blow to the short woman's temple that she collapsed onto the mat, blood leaking from her ear and nose.