The Wolf and the Widow | Winterwidow

Chapter 1: In Two Days Time

"Widows in training."

All of us girls stood in a straight line. Motionless, and silent as we listen to the man pacing in front of us.

"Soon, someone will be coming to train you. A trained expert in combat. A soldier. He will be coming in two days time. I expect you all to be ready by then. He will order all of you to fight him. You will be forced to spar him, whether fit for the occasion, or not."

Ivan Petrovich, a very tall man, paced around in from of us. The girls around me shift awkward and nervous glances to one another.

"This is what you have all been training for. For years, little ones. For years, you have been training, so that you may stand against him. And for what? For power. For skill. For your trophy."

He stops, and stares us all down.

"The hourglass."

I see the girl next to me tense up a little at his words.

We have been training in the red room for years, and now that we are young adults, we are finally ready to meet him. We've been told of this day since the moment we got here. The day we'd been trained by him. The still unnamed soldier.

"In two days time, you must all be ready. If you are not; You die. Simple as that. Now go to bed. You'll need the rest. Trust me. Go."

All of us walk down to the bedroom assigned to us. On the second floor of the building. I hear the girls chatter as we walk down the hall.

"Do you think he's really as strong as they say he is?"

"Do you think he'll kill us?"

"I wonder what he looks like..."

"I wonder if any of us could beat him."

"What's his name?"

The girls around me are all talking to their friends. I however, am not. I don't have friends here, because I know how all red room friendships end. They die. There are only 18 of us left. We started with 28. Over the years, we've lost 10. Now that we are nearing the end of our training, the numbers will go down much, much faster. Until there's only one.

Me.

We all change into our night clothes, and start locking ourselves to our beds. Simple shorts and tank tops. We don't get much, because the red room facility doesn't have much money. But that's fine. We learn to appreciate what we have here in the red room, because we have so little. I close my eyes, but my thoughts are invaded by curiosity. Who is this mysterious soldier we have yet to meet? I'm not sure if I can wait 2 days to find out.

After some time passed, 2 hours maybe, everyone else is asleep. Here we go again.

I grab the key to my cuffs and unlock me from my bed. I carefully stand and creep through the silent room of sleeping assassins. When I reach the door, I put my ear to it.

...

Nothing.

I quietly crack open the door and step out. The stone floor is cold even through my socks. I walk down the hall and to the training room. Punching bags and dumbbells fill the room, with several other workout devices and gadgets. I walk over to one of the punching bags and take a fighting stance. I throw my balled fist at the bag and it swings back. Perfect. Feels good. I continue to punch the bag for a good while. And again, the mysterious assassin occupies my thoughts.

I can't get over it. What I've been waiting for my whole life. Meeting this one man. Fighting this one man. In 2 days, I will meet our new trainer. I want to kick his ass.

I'm the best Black Widow here. The smartest, and arguably he best in combat. I hold back with the other girls. That's the only reason. I let them win. I always make sure to lose my battles. It's best to hide your best weapon. In case of dire need. I let them beat me up. They think I'm the worst. But I'm not. I could kick all of their asses if I wanted to. I pound my fists harder at the bag. I feel determination burning in my chest. Determination to beat the anonymous soldier. It's dark and cold in here, but I feel warm.

After about a half hour of punching, I decide that getting rest will be important. I slip out of the training room and out into the dark silent hall. I sneak my way down and into the girls room.

Everyone is still asleep. Good. I tip toe down too my bed at the far corner of the room. I slip under the thin white sheet and cuff my wrist to the bed. I rest my head on the pillow. and close my eyes. I'm tired as it is, so it shouldn't be too difficult to fall asleep tonight. The melody of calm breathing lulls me to sleep.