Understanding Me

A Single Noise

"Madison." I blink a few times as my eyes adjust to the new brightness. "Madison Stone?" I hold onto my pounding head as I sit up, bed creaking as I do so. I look around the room, its small, just big enough to fit a small single bed, the walls are white with not the slightest spec of dirt or dust. There's a door opposite the bed, a camera above it and a speaker hanging in the upper corner of the room. "Madison, you have no idea how long I've waited to meet you." The speaker sounds again, the voice is low and static but clear enough for me to hear.

"Who are you?" I ask, trying to find the origins of the voice. I look towards the camera above the bed, knowing full well that they, whoever they are, are watching me. Is it S.H.I.E.L.D? Is it Hydra? Is it someone I don't know? Questions racing through my head, but one thing standing out. They found me.

"My name is Gregory Scott, you don't know me, but I know everything about you." I nod, trying to keep my composure while still devising a way to escape. I could easily break the door down, but it's what comes next that scares me. I tighten my fists as I prepare to bust out. "That won't work Miss Stone, this room is covered in a material that absorbs the impact of your abilities, you won't be getting out that way." He adds. I huff as I turn towards the camera.

"So, I'm a prisoner here."

"No. I don't think of it like that." I cringe at the voice.

"I can leave then?" I ask, looking straight into the camera, challenging an answer. The voice pauses for a moment.

"Madison, you're not an enemy of Hydra. We want you to work for us." I tried to conceal my fear as I looked to the floor, turning away from the camera, now knowing or at least understanding who was behind the camera. It was Hydra, Hydra found me. Just then I realised how much I actually wished it was S.H.I.E.L.D who found me and I could feel the ache spreading through my bones that they weren't here. I couldn't decide if I was more disappointed to think that Hydra had found me first... or that S.H.I.E.L.D weren't looking at all. I shook the thought from my head, as well as the tears from my eyes.

"That's what they all say." I looked back to the camera, keeping my face strong and devoid of emotion.

"That's right, you were S.H.I.E.L.D's prisoner for a while." I swallowed hard, the sentence making me sick hearing it out loud. I didn't dare make a movement. "But you've been on the run for three years now, a hell to track down... but you popped up on our radar every now and then. Stories of a saviour, a ghost. You couldn't stay quiet, they made sure of that, no, Maddy you had something to prove to them. What?" The voice stopped and waited for my response. I took a few steps back as the room started to get smaller and the words rang in my ears, pictures plagued my mind and the same sentence I had told myself each day escaped my lips.

"I'm not a monster." A puffed a shaky breath from my cheeks.

"No, you're not Maddy. You've done well in these past few years. You've protected the helpless lady from robbers or rapists. You've talked people from the ledge, given people homes. You're the Ghost." I took a sharp breath in thinking about the name I was given by the people I saved. Ghost. I try not to think about the things I've done but when I do its scares me to wonder if I do it all so save people, or to prove something about myself. "We just want to expand your neighbourhood, join us and help save more people, Maddy." Save more people? The speaker cut out and immediately I looked up to the camera, anger boiling my blood.

"You don't save people; I saw that first-hand. I will never join you." I stood up from the bed walking closer towards the camera in a challenging stride. The speaker spit to life again and a small sigh was heard.

"I had hoped you'd understand what we do here, or you at least were willing to learn, but I understand now that you will take a little more convincing. You will join us Madison Stone, if not standing by our side... then on your knees." I squinted at the voice, my brows lowering in confusion and anger. Just then a piercing sound rang out in the small room. The noise smashing through my ear drums making them bleed. The power surged through my entire body and although the walls absorbed what was released, the small room shook and the pressure felt overwhelming. I could just about hear my own screams over the deafening tone; feeling warm tears streamed down my cheeks as black spots invaded my eyes. Just as I was about to pass out the sound cut out, my muscles burned and although I tried, I couldn't move even an inch. From my blurred vision I could see the door on the far wall open and a lady walk in. As she got closer fear settled in my stomach, the sneer on her lips so distinct... so recognisable.

"Hello Miss Stone." I looked up at Miss Williams who stood over me, my eyebrows knotting in confusion. I gulped down a sick feeling coming up my throat, the thought that she had been watching me at high school, she worked for Hydra this whole time. Her words coming out as small mumbles compared to the ringing in my ears. She paused for a minute, repeating my name until it became slightly more audible. "A single noise igniting your powers. We've been correcting it for years and now we have the perfect test subject." She paused, leaning down smiling. "We've all been waiting a very long time to meet you. We've now managed to weaponize the greatest instrument of mass destruction this planet has ever seen. You've only unlocked the tip of the iceberg; you have no idea how powerful you are, do you?" She leant in closer to my ear. "Hail Hydra." She whispered coldly before standing and strutting out of the room, the door slamming behind her.