She stood there in her favourite green nightgown, against the cold cement wall. Her feet felt like they were burning as she shivered, blue toes in the snow. But she daren't cry. Not with the two strange men that were seemingly getting into a heated argument over her, if their side glances at her scrawny three feet figure was anything to go by. There was also the issue of the boy holding a large gun to her head, one that seemed to equal her height and more than half of his.
The argument between her rescuer and the mean looking man seemed to be reaching it boiling point as was the building pressure in her head. Pretty little sparkles floated in front of her eyes like little dancers, the boy inched backwards and whimpered, she squinted at him before the world slipped onto its side. Through the darkness she could hear the shuffling of heavy boots through the snow and a gruff exchange of words before she felt the dull lash of a glob of warm liquid hitting her cheek.
'Ona slaba, bespolezno.' 'She is weak, useless'.
'Ona budet uchit'sya ne byt'.' 'She will learn not to be'.
Yes, she would no longer be weak, she would be a brave girl. Just like Papa wanted.
Her body was cold and numb. Something that she would have to get used to.
A foot nudged her limp body as she felt her head loll to the side. And for the second time tonight she felt the slight rush of wind that came with her light body being hoisted into somebody's arms. Three sets of footsteps began to trudge through the thick snow. She was not stupid, she was destined for a new life, a better one. But it would be one in which she could not make mistakes. She would have to live up to her purpose now. They stopped for a second and she wondered if they had already reached their destination.
A gunshot rang out into the silence of snow followed by a muffled thump as something hit the soft ground.
Two sets of footsteps continued on as she felt the icy wind flutter through her hair. Opening one eye, she glanced back at and noted the three bloody footprints that varied in their red hue.
No, they would not be so forgiving of weakness where she was headed.
