BLACK WIDOW

liberosis

liberosis
(n.)
the desire to care less about things

•••

"Killing Yelena was never easy. It was however, necessary."

•••

Surprisingly, Natalia awoke from from slumber naturally, feeling quite rested. James had done it. She could feel that her cuts and bruises had healed and she felt no pain from her leg. But her abdomen was still aching.

She opened her eyes and looked around seeing that the other girls were also awake and waiting patiently to be unlocked. She didn't have to wait very long for a staff worker to come in and unlock all of them.

The remaining three girls: Yelena, Natalia, and Valentina, silently made their way to the locker room. Usually Yelena and Natalia would have small talk at this time. But after what happened the previous night, she was silent towards the young woman.

As she walked, she could feel that her leg was still broken. But she barely had to limp. Her stomach still ached wildly and was so very sore. When she went to replace her shirt, she saw the impeccable stitches along the cut James created. It had bled a bit, but it had passed that point now. James was right. It would probably be healed in a couple more days.

As she was braiding her hair, Yelena approached her timidly.

"What happened to you?" she asked Natalia nervously.

Natalia took an impatient breath and smiled sarcastically. "I was beaten nearly dead for winning and being happy about it."

Yelena looked at her feet, embarrassed. "And what happened to the Soldier? He looked worse than you did."

"He voiced his opinion and Madame B made him pay," she said, tying the end of her hair.

"But what did that do to him?"

Natalia looked to the ceiling, aggravated at the fact that Yelena is asking all these questions and even more aggravated that James hasn't told her.

"I don't know," she said, still avoiding eye contact with Yelena. Yelena, nor Natalia spoke for almost a minute.

<You've changed, Natalia Alianovna,>  was all she said as she turned on her heel and began to walk out.

Natalia hurried after her and grabbed her arm. Yelena angrily turned to face her waiting to hear what she had to say.

<Maybe I have, Belova. But think: was it for better?> she asked, hitting a nerve with the girl.

<I am steady. My course is planned. I am prepared for my journey. I do hope you are prepared for yours.> Yelena snarled, pulling away from Natalia and stomping out of the locker room.

Natalia looked after her, dumbfounded by the girls change in heart towards her.

She had to kill Yelena as soon as possible.

She was alone in the locker room. Valentina could care less about either of them. But now, one of two people that she loved, hated her. She did. After these two years, she had grown to love Yelena. And now she had to kill her. Because in the end, even though she had had her fair share of doubts, Russia will always be her priority. She only wished it didn't have to be this way.

And before she could stop it, a tear fell from her eye onto the concrete floor. And though it was only water, all Natalia could see was red. The red was seeping, spilling, spreading. Filling up her vision. And even though she didn't technically exist, her ledger was soaked in the blood of the terrible things she had done. And it was only going to grow redder.