1992. Leena's distant voice echoed from her head as she stood by the grave.
"I watched it all, everything. From the start to the end all the bad and all the good: too much pain has happened. I just wish I was able to feel it. I was only six when they took me…. I was born to this and I wish that I wasn't. I'll take you through it all from the very start"
January 13th 1982 Romania
"This won't hurt will it?" This red haired woman said politely demanding an answer.
"How would I know?" The tall man replied
"I was only asking Kevin, this feels like it will hurt that's all"
"Karen it'll be fine it's only a baby" he smiled sweetly at his wife "It will be a worse place they will go to when they're out. This is the less painful moment of its life"
"Ok honey, just I don't like what's going to happen to it" she said trying to be discreet about her feelings "I will love this child no matter what, I could die for it"
"Get those feelings out of your head Karen! This child will become a leader no matter what we do or feel."
They stared at each other in this dirty mud hut.
"Karen? Do you understand that?" Kevin looked at her with devil eyes that looked as though he was staring into her soul
Without an ounce of thought she replied "Yes I understand"
2 hours later
The dysfunctional couple were sat with their new born baby
"It's a girl" the midwife looked at them with a smile on her face "she's not crying, what a miracle no late nights for you two. Would you like to hold her?"
Filled will glee Karen reached out for her baby girl. She started to sing a lullaby and rocked her back and forth.
"You are my little soldier princess." She said in a proud, strong voice "I'll call you Leena after your aunty"
"Leena Carter" Kevin walked over to see his little girl "Leena. My little warrior"
The nurse took Leena away from the parents
"The other one will be along any minute now!"
"Nurse says what now? We're having twins" Kevin said with pure shock on his face "Karen how could you not tell me we are having twins?"
"I didn't bloody know did I?"
The delivery for the baby went smoothly, it was another girl
"Two precious gems" a tall woman entered the tent "two soldiers for me I bet"
She stared at Leena in the basket and touched her small cold cheek. She then walked to the other baby and held her up in the air.
"What a miracle, she not crying!" her thick Romanian accent drowned out Kevin's sighs "Mr Carter do you wish to insult me?"
"No mistress Silvie" he raised his arm and saluted at his boss
"Then don't be so rude and sigh all the time" she put the baby down "you could create hurricanes with them "
The nurse came over and gave the baby to Karen "What will this quiet one be called then?"
"Bianca" Kevin replied, "We are calling her Bianca"
3 years later Tobolsk, Russia
"Madam Silvie?" Two guards came running up through the halls of this prison, out of the line, to greet their boss
"Guards go and shoot someone; I want to see a show" she continued to walk down this hall and shouted "NOW, DO NOT KEEP ME ", suddenly softening her voice to a whisper, "waiting"
"Yes madam Silvie"
A single shot sounded down the hall
Only one guard was left standing
"That's what you get for not walking in line gentlemen" Silvie said as she left the hall into an adjacent room at the end
"Hello Silvie"
"Michael, you were expecting me next week weren't you not? Well I'm here now what on earth do you want?"
"Well we have our new trainers and soldiers in today I'm afraid I am going to have to send some elsewhere and I will need your assistance."
"Sure, smart thinking." She walked across the room to the window and looked out with an emotionless face "how many tributes?"
"Pardon me?" Michael looked at her and pulled his glasses off his eyes and onto his head
"How many tributes? And do not make me say it again"
"12,000 new born babies and older toddlers: why?"
He stared at her whilst she smirked and held two photos in her hand. One of Leena and Bianca Carter "No reason" she said in a devious voice
1985 Russia
"COME ALONG NOW GIRLS AND BOYS! You're all safe here we won't bite!"
Michael and Silvie both came out to greet the new fellow tributes
"Hello all" Michael took to the microphone "we are so very glad to finally meet you here" he pulled out a sheet of paper from his blazer pocket
He started to read
"You are here today for 15 years of basic training. You will learn at the best places around the world and you will learn to understand nearly every language. This is a place of talent a place of anger and relaxation. You will not feel pain here our teaching is if you feel pain you are weak; and we do not like the weak!" He looked down at a young boy crying in the crowd of kids "YOU! Crying boy. This place will have no tears no crying or sadness but happiness and relaxed bodies. We here at S.I.L.V.I.E are busy. Too god damn busy trying to save innocent soldiers we don't take kindly to fear or mercy"
Silvie interrupted "we don't like fear, true! But we will accept mercy! Great bravery lies within pity and whose life you spare and don't those who are brave will survive, those who aren't will die"
1987 Russia
"Be brave little sister, don't be a whiny bugger" Leena and Bianca stood in the hall waiting to be allowed in the dormitories
"It has been two years Lee I'll be brave enough don't worry"
The fat guard turned "You may go in now ladies"
"Okay fatty" Leena said "Oi may I ask, did you eat my bloody pies"
"No I didn't now don't be so rude or I'll have to use this gun"
"Ooh big man aren't you, I was only joking I thought the 'no offense' was implied" Bianca grabbed her arm and shut the door
"LEE! You have to be so funny don't you"
"Yes I do it is how I survive sis"
"One of these days that witty banter of yours is going to get you killed"
"With luck" Leena fell onto her bed and looked up at the ceiling with her arms tucked under her head like pillows
Bianca turned to her and smiled
Same year 1987 Russia
"Where's my sister? Bianca? BIANCA?" Leena ran through the halls trying to find her twin
"Bianca what are you doing? Where are you going?"
Bianca was surrounded by ten other kids and holding her bags
"I'm being moved Lee help me! I don't want to go I want to be with you lee"
"Don't let her leave sir please" Leena begged the guard "please don't take my sister away"
"Lee!" Bianca hugged Leena tightly she whispered in her ear "I love you big sister"
"I love you too Bianca! Remember me"
"I will"
"TIME TO GO GIRLS" the guard shouted
"NO! NO NO NO! Not yet Bianca please don't go. Don't let her go"
"No! Lee I want to stay with my sister let me stay"
"Can't let you stay, George lad hold Leena back please"
"Sure sir no problem" George grabbed Leena "Don't struggle please they will hurt you"
"Let them I'd rather be dead then to watch her being taken away" Leena continued to struggle "where is she going? Where are they taking her?"
George replied in a soft voice "I don't know, sorry. Are you to sisters?"
Leena stopped struggling "yes, she is my twin sister"
"Oh I see" George looked at her with his huge sparkly blue eyes. He had wavy brown hair that complimented his sharp edged cheek bone. Leena observed his appearance and smiled. She knew she could trust this boy.
"What's your name? Mines Leena Carter"
"Hello Leena I'm George Tee. I just moved from Italy here" he smiled at her; she liked his smile it was shining like the sun rising up in the morning and waking up the world.
"Lovely to meet you George, apparently people have been moving around a lot recently. I came here a couple years ago from my home in Romania"
"I came from Romania, born until they took me to Italia"
"Really what a small world eh?" she said sarcastically
George noticed this sarcasm though and ignored it "I prefer to call it a large world with many possibilities. I will one day return to Romania and I know we just met but I hope you'll be with me there."
"That would be great I'd like to return there with you and Bianca"
"She'll be alright you know they won't hurt her" he put his arm around her as they walked off to their training class
"Can you promise that Mr George Tee" she grew closer to him putting her arm around his waist
"Can't promise sorry"
They smiled at each other and walked down the corridor.
1991 Romania
Leena ran through the corridors searching. She was moved from Russia back home in Romania. While searching for her sister Bianca she discovered George and her little sister Tiegan who was born 1985.
"George? Tiggy?" she ran to George and hugged him tightly she then took one look at her sister and hugged her "You know me right? I'm Lee your big sister"
Timidly she replied "I know you, Leena. Dad talks about you all the time"
"Does he?" Leena said sounding too shocked for it to be true
"Yep you are quote 'the best daughter ever; and Bianca is the funniest' you are missed loads by them even mum"
Tiggy ran off to her class and left Leena with George
He said in a cocky voice "I knew we'd end up here together"
"You fancy me don't you?" Lee smiled "don't worry about it, that's fine if you do to be fair I think you're cute"
"Really me cute, well maybe I think you are in a way quite sexy!" he winked at her discreetly "So lunch at 1300 hours?"
"Are you asking me out George?"
"Yes I am got a problem with that Carter"
"No I would be honoured to go out with you" she leaned in and kissed him on the lips and pressed herself against him "I'll see you at lunch"
She walked away smiling proudly at herself and her success. George touched his lips and smiled. Both of them were filled with glee, they walked to their next lesson.
1300 hours lunch
"George we meet again"
"Leena darling"
"So what now?" she sat down and looked into his eyes across the table
"Well I say we go out sometime"
"Where we're nine years old George what exactly are we supposed to be doing at our age?"
"Lee I don't care how old we are, I like you a lot and nothing will stop me wanting you?"
"That's sweet but there is only one man I will love more than anything" Leena reached for her dog tags hanging around her neck "My dad gave me these when I was 2 he told me to keep them safe, I didn't know why until now."
"Why?" George looks interested to know more about this mysterious girl "Why did he give them to you?"
"Well he loves me more than anything, in fact I'm going on my year leave in a couple of weeks I hope to see him again and tell him how much I love and missed him." she put her tags back under her shirt "My dad doesn't realise that he screwed up his life. My mother still rings and says she made the wrong decision letting us leave, well letting my father let us go I don't think he had a choice."
"No one around here has a choice Leena. I didn't there is one thing I know what to do and that's kill my enemy, show no mercy; I'm only nine."
"George I didn't know you…" Leena was cut off by a small girl with ginger hair. This girl had eyes as bright as diamonds, she seemed lost.
"Excuse me can I sit here if this seat isn't taken?" she looked hopeful "sorry I am Kat Peacock, I should've introduced myself first. May I sit here please?"
"Yes sure Kat Peacock" George pointed to the seat "come and join us we don't mind"
"Hey, how are you enjoying your stay?" Leena started her sarcasm remarks
"It's okay. What are your names?"
"I'm Leena this is George." It was made clear to Kat that Leena wasn't happy with her interrupting her chat with George.
"Tell me a bit about you Kat" George said politely, Leena however kicked him in the shin under the table and gave him a sour look
"Well I'm from Boston and I have a sister, older of course she doesn't come to this place she went to school in America. I wish I didn't come here."
"We all wish we weren't here, how come your sister isn't here is she still in America?" Lee was now interested in the girls sister completely ignoring her misery
"My sister is 10 years older than me, apparently this didn't start till 1982 when I was born I was chosen."
"Why were you chosen? George we're you chosen was I chosen and why were you chosen?"
"Leena stop asking her awkward questions"
"George I am only trying to get to know her. I think we are going to be great friends Miss Peacock."
"Yeah you're one of us now girly we'll take care of you in here."
George and Leena might have made a mistake but didn't care. This poor girl was on her own and somehow Leena felt sorry for her. Maybe it was the feeling of her sister Bianca all on her own somewhere in the world.
Current day 1992
Leena's distant voice
"I knew it would end up like this I just knew it. How could he be gone how could this have happened. My first love. Is this my life is this real? I hope not I miss him I want him here"
Leena's scream came from her head
"DADDY"
As she stood there at Kevin's grave her dad's coffin stood there staring back at her
Her voice came back
"I need you dad. I need you here to protect me. I can't do it on my own please come back to me."
"Leena sweetheart" a voice from the grave came to her ears
"Mother?" Leena turned around, Karen was standing there.
"Lee come home come on take my hand. Come home with me Bianca, Titch and Tiggy are there, at home." Lee walked over to her mother and hugged her dearly. As she did this Karen said "Your new brother or sister in here is going to need you to protect them Lee"
"You're pregnant?" pure shock on her face made a small tear fall down Lee's cheek and onto the ground
Lee and her mother both walked on out of the cemetery. Leena turned around quickly and ran back to the grave.
On the coffin she put a letter her distant voice came back in her head as she walked away with Karen.
"Dad I hoped to one day tell you just how much I loved you. I want to tell you that I missed you I want to let you know how much pain I was in when you were shot and in that moment I wanted to hug you and die alongside you. How I am going to get over this I don't know. But as you have told me 'Leena I love you and if you are ever down look to the sky and smile into the sunlight.' I love you dad and I can't believe you, my dad my hero, are dead. LOVE YOU from Leena Lou"