Elemental {Avengers}

35. Roza

A large room, a crackling fireplace. A window, and outside, a wild goose chase was brewing. My body shivered, tiny compared to the spacious room, tiny compared to the large fur coat around me. 

The smell of roast rabbit wafted through the room, cooking in the fireplace. Papa had shot it for dinner, had taught me how to position the gun, how to aim, how to fire. I had flinched when he had shot the poor thing. Cried when he had bought the body back. But Papa said that it was the circle of life, that the little rabbit will be sent to the heavens, that it would be hopping around with the other rabbits, eating all the grass it wanted.

The old, boxy television sat in the corner, displaying a scene, Tony Stark, the billionaire. Bombs going off in a place called  Syria. Tony Stark waving his hands, achieving a wave of applause. Papa said he was a bad man for bombing people.

A couple of muskets leaned against the wall, a wooden slatted box next to the fire. A sink and a tap built into an old rickety bench.

Down the hallway was my bedroom, with my tiny little wire framed bed, and Papa's bedroom, with a double mattress, where Mama used to sleep.

Papa came in from the cold, a blast of wind careening past him. He approached the fireplace, turning the metal rod, making sure the meat didn't burn. " How's my little rose? Have you been turning the rabbit?"

" Yes, Papa." I said, surprised that my voice was that small, barely a whisper in the room. I coughed, and flinched, knowing that Papa wouldn't like that.

" Stay warm, Roza. You need to stay warm" he said to me, looking me straight in the eyes. His warm brown eyes splattered with golden flecks.

But I was not warm, shivering in Papa's fur coat, teeth almost chattering though I tried to keep them closed.

" Roza, guess what?" he said, happiness filling his voice.

" What is it, Papa?"

" I got you something"

I gasped, jumping off of the floor, hugging him with all my strength. He never got me presents. "whatisitwhatisitwhatisit???!!!"

He revealed something from behind his back, a small trinket, no bigger than a pocket watch. I breathed out a sigh of surprise, my eyes widening in anticipation. A carved piece of Birch, much like most of the forest around the house. When I took it in my hand, I turned it over, and gasped in surprise. An elephant, the carvings of the trunk and the toes rough and simple, and yet I hugged the trinket to my chest, smiling wider than any smile I had in the last year. 

The little elephant glowed in the light of the fire, the carvings and marks distinct shapes. " It is an elephant Roza. Elephants have very long memories."

" Do they?"

" Yes, they do. They remember loved ones forever. Don't forget me, Roza, huh?"

I tilted my head, confused. " Are you going somewhere, Papa?"

" No, Roza, never. I will never leave you" he said, touching my heart with his hand. " In here. I will always be in here with you. Just try your hardest to remember, okay?"

" Whatever you say, Papa" I smiled, hugging him, coughing into his chest. " I love you"

~

Leaning against the wall of the fireplace, I slept. At least that's what Papa thought I was doing, anyway. I soaked up the warmth if the fireplace, which was my new bed now, Papa saying that I needed somewhere warm to sleep. I was feeling very cold, and tired. He said that I couldn't go outside anymore, and that it wasn't good for me. I knew that something was wrong. I could feel it in my bones.