𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒗

Chapter 1 - Consequences of Gunfire

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Ekaterinburg, Russia, July 17th, 1918

"Is it done?"

Yakov Yurovsky asked his group of men. They had waited for him outside in front of the Ipatiev house's cellar door. A clocktower in the distance chimed one in the morning.

"Yes, the Romanovs are dead." one whispered as he bowed his head.

"Good. Now the bodies must go."

Away from the group, an eighteen-year-old guard named Andrei Dmitriyev sat against a tree. He watched the men shake hands with Yakov. He hated the ways of the new Russian government and he especially hated him.

Andrei placed his head in his hands, unable to erase the sounds of ringing gunshots and echoing screams he heard minutes earlier. 'Poor Maria.'

Nineteen-year-old Maria had been his best friend's lover.

Maria and her family had been taken captive by the government in this Ipatiev house, or 'The House of Special Purpose,' as Yakov called it.

Andrei's buddy, Vita had developed feelings for her when he was sent to patrol the house and he had gone against the rules by speaking to the family, which was not allowed. Maria also had feelings for him. They were even caught kissing underneath a stairwell by her seventeen-year-old sister Anastasia.

Andrei remembered the night Vita had told him the news of their kiss. He was so so happy to have won her affection and Vita had only told Andrei, trusting him with the secret. Andrei vowed to keep the secret and he did. But soon after, brewing rumors were revealed to be true, and Vita was shot to death outside in front of the guards. It was quick and painless, a bullet fired directly into the young man's heart.

"Traitor." Yakov muttered as he passed the rest of his comrades. "This will be your fate if you don't obey orders."

Vita was gone and so was Maria. Yakov's men had killed her and her family in the cellar just minutes ago.

Andrei couldn't bear the thought of her gone, that the royal family was gone, gone in only minutes. It was only the thought of the two in heaven together that comforted Andrei.

Maria wasn't killed because of what she did or what others thought of her. It was because she was royalty, the third daughter of the former Tsar and Tsarina of Russia.

It was suddenly then that a risky idea hatched in Andrei's mind. He knew it would be dangerous, but he pushed those thoughts aside, now trying to think of a plan.

Andrei abandoned his spot from under the tree and crept in the shadows on the outskirts of the group of men, praying not to be seen. Slowly, he made it to the cellar door. Inside, he sprinted down the steep wooden steps, only to be met with a horrid smell at the door.

Andrei was going to do the one thing he should have done a long time ago. He was going to attempt to save the Romanovs.

He took a deep breath and stepped inside...

Andrei was temporarily blinded due to a thick sheet of gunpowder smoke that encompassed the room. He was somewhat glad. He didn't want to the see the gruesome sight of Romanov blood. Blood that the country had run on nearly a year before.

There was a dim light bulb hanging from the ceiling, giving out a faint glow which didn't help Andrei see any better. But it was all there. All gone.

The pale cellar walls were splattered with red and bodily organs covered the floor. Jewels covered the floor as well as necklaces, bracelets, and rings. Andrei felt something crunch underneath his boot. He cringed.

He then suddenly tripped. His hands and knees were now covered with the blood of Russia's last royal family. He was on the verge of throwing up and it took him everything not to.

One of the members of the family suddenly screamed.

"Maria!?"

No answer.

The gunpowder started to clear, and Andrei could now see the bodies. He saw her. Maria. Sprawled across the floor, eyes closed, cornflower blue never to see the light of day again. Her skirt, blouse, and skin stained with gore. She was still.

Andrei also saw other members of the family lying around her. There looked to be an older man and woman, two young adult girls, one frail tiny boy, and even a small dog corpse.

Open eyes were motionless, last moments on earth painted on their frozen faces. They were dead. They were all dead. All of Russia died in that cellar.

Andrei, stricken with grief, turned to leave when he heard muffled crying.

The weak voice called out, cutting through the rancid suffocating air. "Mama? Papa?"

Andrei turned around to see a body sitting against the wall. A girl. Alive.

As he approached her, she screamed uncontrollably, covering her face with her hands. Andrei saw she was spattered with blood as if she were a canvas and there were small gashes on her arms.

"Don't kill me! Get away from me!" she choked out words, choking on her own desperate screams.

"Be quiet! I'm helping you! Please!" Andrei plead.

She still screamed, tears streaming down her face.

"I'm not going to kill you. I'm not going to hurt you!" he tried reassuring her. "Please miss! I don't want them to find us! I'm trying to save you!"

The girl pressed herself further against the wall as if she'd be able to disappear right into it. "No! No!"

Andrei could now see that she eyed the gun that he kept in his belt. "I'm not going to shoot, please! He will hear you!"

He heard the cellar door open. Yakov's voice filled
the void. "Get down there! Kill them!"

"Please! Please stop!" Andrei tried to grab her arm, gently but firm. He had to be careful of any wounds but he needed to get her out.

"Let go of me!"

Andrei hauled the girl across the room and into the tiny storage closet fixed in the corner. He shut the door, sealing the two in darkness. They heard footsteps enter the cellar room.

"Who was that screaming?" a voice, Yakov's, questioned.

Andrei heard muffled answers.

"Take the bodies away!"

Suddenly, one of the bodies let out a scream that was ear-piercing. It sounded as though it were one of girls. The screaming continued until a gunshot was fired. The screaming ceased.

After what felt like hours had passed, the room finally fell silent. Andrei slowly opened the door, peered out, and opened it fully. He and the girl stepped out of the tiny room to see a blood-stained and jewelry coated floor and a wall that had been hacked and torn open by bayonets.

The bodies were gone.

"We must flee. We can't risk them finding us." Andrei walked towards the exit.

"M-my family, I must see them! I m-must go with them!" the girl exclaimed. She was standing timid, shaking, but standing. Remarkable.

"I'm sorry." Andrei swallowed hard. "Your family is gone."

Andrei watched as she burst yet again into tears.

"We must go now if we want to make it out of here alive," Andrei stated, not wanting to think about the things he had seen. He extended his hand out to the girl but could see that she was hesitant to grab it.

"Please, we have to go. I won't do anything to you, I promise."

The girl lifted her hand but stopped.

"Where are we going?" she asked, trembling.

"Anywhere but here."

The girl grabbed onto his hand, giving it a tight squeeze once she did. The two took one last look back before rushing out of the room.

Both never saw that cellar again.