A Cold Winter Eve

Chapter 9

A star within my grasps. Its points sharp, sparking in the lights. I grip it. The points digging into my skin. I squeeze tighter, hot blood dripping down my arm. So they want me to fight. Fine. All indulge them. The dark lit sky opens and Soldier and the Grey One enters.

"Alright get up." I flip off the table and hold out my wrists.

"So you can fight me. Find out what makes me tick. I've been through this before Soldier." He visibly flinches but the grey one just frowns. "And what makes you tick?  I walk toward the two of them.  Still holding my hands out in front of me.  "How many have you killed?" I point my bloodied star toward the female, her burning stare, melting the star dust. Blood and metal reinventing into a coat of paint around my hand. Crushing my nerves and suffocating my bones.

"We all kill." Her stare icy cold now. A locked battle for control. But my hand weighs me down. I collapse to the floor, my knees scraping the cold tile. I stare into the white. And wait.

"Umm Nat? What is she doing?" I see his purple glow from the floor. My hand connects with the floor again. Sealing me there. I choke down my whimper. Hydra demands it must. And so I demand it must. But to see my blood stain the night sky again. Would be a punishment among itself.

"Hey. Hey kid?" A grey hand forces my head up.  Finally.  I meet the eyes.  Green and with a cold black flame.  "What are you doing?"

"I'm waiting.  As you should know."  Do I need to lay their job out for them?  They seemed so competent.  Except those chattering creatures.  Like the one standing behind the Grey One.  I believe to be called Nat.

"Clint.  Bucky.  Watch her for a moment."  She stalks from the room.  I strain to hear her.  I close my eyes and breath.  And I follow her voice.  "What game is she playing at?"

"I don't know Nat.  But that collapse?  That seemed like it was beyond her control.  She seemed like what she did to Bucky... she was going to do to you but something stopped her."

"I know.  Steve.  That's why it doesn't make any sense."

"If I may interfere?"  Oh no.  Not another chattering creature.  "Maybe she thinks Natasha here is a leader of sorts?"  Natasha.  I whisper the name over my tongue.  Feeling the letters mingle.  I won't remember her name.  But to try. I can use it.  But they still come back toward me.

"Umm."  Natasha leans town the yellow man. "What should I say?"

"Maybe tell her to stand up or something?"  He shrugs, uncomfortable.  Good.

"Could you stand up?"  I feel my legs unlock and the gold and red encased hand freeze over.  I rise to my feet, particles of the encasing shattering upon the ground.  I stare Natasha down. "Well... Um.  Let's get going."  We stroll from my white prison.   My many faced enemy stands around.  Except the glowing orange girl. She's long gone. Good. That makes this... Easier. The ice from my shattered cast covers the room. Jutting from the walls. Casting their long shadows across the many faces crowding my vision. And we walk. Down the ice studded halls. And too a larger white prison. The ice jabs from the hexagon floors and lays ruin to windowed walls. Windows. While the sun may not shine. A window is a sight to behold. Shame I won't see one again. Not for a very, very long time.

Those three. The man who glows yellow and wears that blue suit. Natasha.  And the soldier.  All ready to take me down.  I stand quietly across from them.  Bouncing lightly on my feet, I crossed my arms.

"Are you going to attack or not?!"  A chattering creature above us yells.  I gaze up upon him, his face. Amused.  As though I would lose.

"Fine."  The Soldier looks upon me. "You ready kid?"  I nod my head slightly, taking a quiet step back and the soldier charges.  He runs his fists swinging.  But I still stand there.  3.   2.  1.  His fist inches from my face.  I sidestep.   He goes flying into the ground.  Someone yells his name.  He quickly waves them off.  So eager to take me down himself.  But I do not care.  They are not apart of the equation.

"желание." He freezes from his rise from the ground.  Panic in his eyes.  I swallow, steeling myself to do what must be done.  To use the words.  "ржавый.  семнадцать.  рассвет."

"No!  Please..."  I look away from the hunched form on the ground, panic gripping his body in its painful embrace.

"печь.  девять.  доброкачественный." I hear pounding footsteps, if they could only get there in time.  They could stop me, forever.  "возвращение домой.  один.  грузовой вагон."  I breathe out.  The footsteps have stopped.  And the soldier had risen. 

"Ready to comply."

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Sorry to take so long to get this out.  Got really busy and then die after Spider-Man: Far From Home. 

Literally cried multiple times and the end credits are spectacular.  I recommend everyone go see it.  It's amazing.

Stay classy

- Dragonheart