Outsider

Seven

To put it simply, training for Hydra was hard.  Long days, no breaks, little food and water- my body was running on sheer adrenaline.  I had no time to mourn Papa, and no time to make my next decision on how to get out of the Hydra base.  I had no time to make any decisions, really.  It was do this do that, or die.  

I was put through something the Hydra officers called the 'Black Widow Program.'  First, gruelling hours were spent climbing ropes and scaling walls.  I remember gazing up at my first rock wall, eyes wide with fear.  My stomach felt nauseous and the floor spun around me.  God, that wall was really high.  Please, God, don't make me do this, I prayed, shutting my eyes.  

A gruff hand shoved me forward.  "Climb," the Hydra officer said.

I turned around and looked at him in the eyes.  "Please, no-" I said, voice quivering.

A gun was pointed at my chest.  "Climb, bitch," said the officer.  

Do this do that, or die.

I stepped forward and placed my hands on the rock wall.  I could barely lift myself off the ground.  "I can't do this," I cried, tears and snot mixing on my face.  

"Climb!"  The gun was now pointed at my temple.  I had no choice, so with all my strength I hoisted myself off the ground.  Slowly but surely, distance was gained between the ground and I.  After what felt like forever, I was nearly at the top of the wall, and I was tired.  Very tired.  I looked down and it seemed like I was worlds away from the ground.  My head spun, I coughed vomit onto my shirt.  But still the officer was not satisified.  Shaking his head he yelled, "You're not done yet, girl.  Climb!"

"I can't!" I screeched.  My arms ached, my abdomen felt like fire, I was ready to give up.  But, I heard a voice.  And it was telling me to go on.

"You can do it, liebling."

"Papa-" I gasped.

My hands slipped and I lost grip of the wall.  I fell backwards, and in an instant my body pounded against the cold, hard, matted floor.  

And there was Papa, saying, "Keep fighting, Elissa."

I looked up and saw his kind, blue eyes.  I called out, "Papa..."  But as I reached out for the embrace of my father, my vision went fuzzy and then black.  I opened my eyes, and it was not Papa who was looking down upon me, but the Hydra officer.  He roughly hauled me up and merely said, "Do it again."

And I did it again.  And again, and again.  And as the weeks passed my hands became rough and calloused, soon blisters formed, and I went to sleep with sore muscles.  Soon I was trained on how to punch, kick, and spar, how to throw a knife, and how to fire a gun.  But, I kept training.  Yes, I would play this little game with Hydra for now- train so that I become their pawn.  But one day, I would escape.  

And one day I would be their worst nightmare.