Outsider

Eight

"I don't understand why I have to learn ballet, Oliver." 

"All the Black Widows learned ballet as part of their training,"

"But why do I have to learn ballet?"

Oliver scrunched his eyebrows together, thinking hard.  Finally he said, "Ballet is a skill that looks graceful, but it requires an immense amount of strength.  Even the deadliest of assassins learn ballet, so they too can gain grace."

"That sounds like a lot of bullshit," I told him bluntly, but quickly added, "No offence.  But, assassins don't need grace and beauty."  Oliver rolled his eyes and swatted me playfully.  He replied, "Well the heads of Hydra like watching little ballerinas perform for them, so there.  Is that still bullshit?"

"No, sorry," I said to him meekly.  Then, we burst out laughing.  

I would like to say that this was what happened most nights in the Hydra facility, but that was not the case.  You see, there had been an attack on New York earlier that day.  Although that was miles away from our facility, many Hydra officers had to leave.  Only a few low-ranking soldiers were left, and they were less strict with proper protocols.  Oliver and I were not locked in our cells, and instead spent the night in the training room, lying on the mats underneath the rockwalls and merely talking.  A small luxury, but I was willing to take it.

Many months had passed since Papa was killed.  Although some days it would leave a heavy baring on my back, the wounds in my mind from that awful night were slowly healing.  Yes, I was beaten down and pushed past my limit each time I trained, but in some crazy way I was sort of getting used to my new life.  And Oliver was helping every step of the way.  

I never saw the Winter Soldier after that one fateful night with Alexander Pierce.  I didn't want to see him, anyway.  He could go off on a mission and get killed in the most gruesome way and I wouldn't shed a tear.  In fact, I would laugh.  The Winter Soldier killed Papa, and he was the evil in this world.

Oliver trained too, but we were never allowed to train together.  He had more privileges than I since he had been there longer, so whenever he was out of his cell and I was in mine, he would come and sneak food to me; and we would talk about anything on our minds.  We became friends, and some light returned to my world.

"I don't know how to dance," I stated, rolling on my side to face Oliver.

Oliver chuckled and said, "It's not that hard, Elissa."

"Do you know how to dance?"

"Yes, my mother taught me."  A question I never thought of until now crossed my mind.  I came from Alaska to this Hydra base in Russia, but where did Oliver come from?  He certainly didn't sound Russian, but he could speak the language fluently along with several others.  I sat up and asked, "Ollie?"

"Yes?"

"How did you get here?"

Oliver's eyes instantly darkened, and he shut them quickly.  Minutes passed.  Oliver drew in a few shaky breaths, and then I saw one tear slide down his pale cheek.  It was the first time I had seen Oliver break, and the sight was truly devastating.  His optimistic demanour was gone, and I was left sitting beside a shivering, young boy who was too coping with the horrors of Hydra.  I was about to tell Oliver that he didn't have to share his story, but then he said, "My mother and father were a happy couple.  They married and settled in a nice house in Finland, but they were very poor."

"My father would grow a pathetic crop that would produce barely any money.  So, my mother went and made a deal with the devil."

"The devil?" I repeated.

Oliver replied, "Hydra.  Mother started doing their dirty work, and they would in return give her money.  All was well for a little while, we had enough money for food, even enough money for Christmas.  But, one day my mother failed one of her missions.  It cost Hydra a lot of soldiers, so Hydra decided that she needed to pay."

"Did they come to your house as well?" 

Oliver nodded.  "The officer that did was lenient.  He said that he would spare Father and I if Mother would go with them back to Hydra, but my father fought against that decision.  If she returned to Hydra, then she would surely die!  So, this officer gave Father a choice:  Either my mother or I would go back to the Hydra facility to pay off the debt Mother owed them.  And my father chose me.  We left, and the Winter Soldier was there and he-"  Oliver's lips quivered at the last part, and he wiped away the tears that had formed around his red, puffy eyes.  I looked at Oliver's dirty, pale hands, and I looked at my hands which were calloused and filthy as well.  Quickly, I grabbed his hand and leaned in beside him.  I rubbed his trembling back and whispered, "I'm so sorry, Ollie."

Oliver looked at me and said sincerely, "It's not your fault, Elissa.  I know you wouldn't wish this upon anyone."  Then, he stared out the window that was high above on the wall of the room.  Outside it was snowing big, fluffy snowflakes, underneath the black night's sky with twinkling stars.  A full moon was out, big and luminous, and there was a soft white glow that had made its way onto the ground where we sat.  "I can't be mad at my father," Oliver stated, still staring out the window.  "Under those circumstances, I would make some decisions that would be harmful as well."

"I would be mad at him," I responded, sure of myself.

Oliver smiled at me.  "Anger gets you nowhere, Liss.  I can be mad at Father all I want, but it still won't change the fact that what happened happened and I can't do anything about it.  But one day, I would like to go back to my house in Finland.  To give my mother this:"  From underneath his shirt, Oliver pulled out a small, wooden amulet carved so it was smooth.  The wood was mainly dark, but with light flecks speckled on it.  I breathed, "It's beautiful,"  I stroked it gently with my finger.

"Mother gave it to me before I was taken away," Oliver explained, "It's supposed to mean strength.  Mother wanted me to stay strong, and I want to give it back to her so she can stay strong as well.  She needs it more than me."

"One day, I would like to get out of here as well." I declared defiantly.

Oliver laughed and wrapped his arm around me.  "One day we'll escape, Elissa.  Just wait and see- one day we'll get out of Hydra-"

"Together."