winter's child

Light

I wake as white seeps through my eyelids. Unfurling, I look around. Machines surround me, tubes appear from nowhere, going from my skin to places I can't see.

I hear rustles and feel arms wrap around me. Mommy and Daddy lean into me.

Blue eyes softening, Daddy asks, "How do you feel?"

"Tired," my pink lips whisper.

Mommy comes over and brushes my hair. I hear words tumble quietly from her lips. It's in Russian, similar to a language I used to know. 

I fall into the starry darkness of sleep in her arms.

When I rise again, I'm in a new room. Sunset drenches the room orange. Big windows are to my right. I slip out of bed, and through the dull silver door. I'm curious what this place is.

I'm faced with a long hallway. I hear voices to my left, so I walk towards them. Everything here is large windows, skyscrapers hanging in the sunset.

I reach a kitchen, and a living room I remember from a grey haze. There's a table with a lot of people around it. They all turn to me, eyes focused.

I recognize some of them from a meeting, I think. From when I was pulled from that city of dust and screams.

Mommy and Daddy come to my side. Daddy picks me up and puts me on his lap, one arm keeping me secure, and the other around Mommy's waist.

He says quietly to me, "Mr. Stark wanted to have you meet some of our friends."

I nod in agreement.

Daddy points to a man to the left of Mr. Stark, "That is Dr. Banner. He helped us find your power."

We both wave shyly.

"This is Steve, my close friend."

"Hi Tanya," the blond man - Steve - says.

"Hi," I whisper, ducking my head.

"That's Thor,"

A man with long blond hair smiles at me.

I smile small back.

"That's Clint,"

A man with a large mug in front of him looks up with a, "Hmm?" I giggle when I notice he has a whipped cream mustache.

Everyone else smiles, although I'm not sure why.

Daddy turns to a pretty brown haired lady, "This is Wanda."

"Hi Tanya," she says with an accent I find familiar.

We sit in silence for a few moments before I slip off to the couch. I see some toys sitting out and want to play.

After half an hour, I see red in the corner of my eye. It is Wanda coming over to me. She sits a bit away from me. "Can I play with you?" she asks gently. I nod as she picks up a doll.

We move them quietly along, not quite sure exactly what we're doing. Suddenly, I feel a piece of my hair flip over to my face. I brush it out of the way without a care.

But it happens again. And again. And again. Eventually I notice Wanda's finger movements line up with my hair. She smiles when her finger glows red and my hair brushes my nose. I giggle. She keeps going, making my hair stand up.

I look over, questioningly, at the dolls, "Can you...?"

"Of course," Wanda grins. She makes them walk stiffly.

"Wanda?" I ask. She smiles, happy to see that we're bonding slowly, "Can you make me float?"

She gives me a little smirk before I feel myself get light. When I look down, my feet can't even brush the top of the couch.