The frigid Russian winter weather nipped at my nose as I ran from Yuri through the snow covered yard. My long brunette ponytail swished behind me as we ran around to the side of the Udinov Mansion. We were having a snowball fight. I backed Yuri into a corner next to the basement cellar door. With a glint in my crystal colored blue eyes he knew the game was over. I threw the snowball in my hand, not realizing that it was an ice ball. It hit Yuri square in the chest, knocking the air out of his lungs. Before I could apologize he sent one whizzing my way. I reacted, but not quickly enough. The compacted ice smashed into my left shoulder, almost knocking me over.
As I regained my balance I remembered what Papa had told me about showing weakness, so I took a deep breath and worked through the pain. But when my eyes fell on Yuri's freckled, pale face he had tears tugging at the corner of his dark coffee colored eyes. I brushed the blondish- brown hair out of his eyes and recited in English what my Papa had taught me.
"Yuri, do not cry it is a sign of weakness." Papa had made me promise to practice my English.
"I'm not crying Alexandra" he shouted back in choppy English as he swatted away my hand.
Just then Papa and Ivan, Yuri's Papa and my Papa's body guard, rounded the corner. Ivan looked so much shorter next to my Papa's tall and lean figure. They were deep in discussion, no doubt talking about my Papa's oil company, Zetrov.
"Papa! You are here!" I cried, flinging myself into him for a big hug, he had been in meetings all day.
"Alexandra what happened?" Papa asked I saw worry in his deep blue eyes. "We heard shouting."
"Is everything alright?" Ivan asked in his heavy Russian accent.
"Yes everything is fine Papa, me and Yuri were just having some fun." I replied.
"Not uh, Alexandra hit me with an ice ball" Yuri whined.
Fear shot through me not wanting to disappoint my Papa, but instead of scolding me Papa said:
"Play nice Alexandra" and with a wink and a chuckle he brushed off the incident.
"Let's go Yuri it's time for dinner" Ivan said. "I will be back later for my night shift" and with a handshake from my Papa they were off.
Papa led me inside the house. We walked through the decorative hallways plastered with paintings of Russian leaders and scenery. We made our way to the dining room. The room was grand, so there would always be room for Papa's guest. The walls were painted a deep red and a dark chestnut colored table with matching chairs sat upon the hardwood floor .The warm house and smells of the delicious food comfort me. I never want to leave my home.
After dinner I try to sneak upstairs to listen to my American music, but Papa catches me and takes my mp3 player away.
"Alexandra, you know what I told you about listening to the American music, yes? "He inquired.
"Yes Papa" I said handing over the device.
I pretend to pout before getting ready for bed. With the smells of the upcoming Christmas holiday, the warm blankets and the glistening white yard outside my window, I fell asleep happier than I had been in a while.
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My eyes flash open and the clock next to my bed reads 2:15am. I hear loud noises and see smoke rising into my room from underneath the door. Panic flashes through me. I get up quickly and run out into the hallway. Smoke and fire swirls around me. I run towards my parents' room but I feel a hand grab my wrist and yank me in the opposite direction. I scream.
"Shhhh Alexandra it is me" Papa says. "This way, run hurry!"
"What about Mama?" I cry out. Just then I hear her scream and two gun shots fired. I twist my wrist from Papas hold.
"Mama!" I shriek, running towards her scream. But Papa regains his tight grip on me.
"It is too late Alexandra," he says and I see tears threatening to fall from his eyes.
"It is too late" he murmurs again.
He pulls me kicking and screaming to another room. Tears well up in my eyes and pain hits me like I have never felt before. Mama was really gone. What was happening? Who were these people? Why did they kill Mama? What was going to happen to me and Papa? My beloved house was burning all around us. I feared we would never make it out alive. Papa pulls me into a spare room blazing with fire and pushes me under the bed.
"Stay here and hide Alexandra! Please be quiet" he shouts over the roaring fire and gun shots.
Just then I hear a crack and the wooden door falls before me. I wince but following Papa's orders I stay silent. I look under the bed to see a pair of tall black laced boots stomp through the door and into the room. Before I can react I hear two very loud shots next to me and I see Papa fall in front of me.
"Papa, NO!" I cry out. Tears that had been threatening to fall after Mamas death spill out of my eyes now. I feel like I can't move. The fear and sadness is paralyzing me.
"Alexandra" he says life rushing out of him.
That is the last thing I ever hear him say. Just than the person with the tall boots that murdered my Papa, came closer to the bed. I try to scream but nothing comes out. I am on the brink of full on hysteria. I am losing control of myself, trying hard to focus and see through the smoke that is clogging my brain and eyes. Refocusing my eyes I see the sparkle of my Papas wristwatch. I take it from his lifeless body. Clutching it close to my body. The mysterious person that killed my Papa reaches under the bed and drags me out. I scream and kick, my limbs thrashing out in every direction. I look at Papa's motionless face one last time before I black out from smoke inhalation and panic.
Hey guys this is my first fiction so please tell me how I did! Reviews are greatly appreciated! New chapters to come if you guys like it!