Chapter Two
************* Russia-1957 ***************
When Tatiana awakes from her drug induced slumber, her body is being dragged down a dark corridor. Her eyes flutter from side to side trying to take in her surroundings as her mind rushes to try and piece together what is happening. Her semiconscious body is then dropped on the hard cement floor of a small bare cell.
ÒWhat do you think they will do to her?Ó asks one of the guards casually as he locks the door of her cell behind him.
ÒDonÕt know and donÕt care, all I know is her father is a traitor.Ó says the second guard as they walked off, leaving Tatiana alone.
The hardness of the cold floor becomes more and more apparent to Tatiana as she begins to fully regain her consciousness. She tries to sit up but a blinding headache tells her it would be best to stay still for the moment. It is dark except for the dim light that falls in patches from the small barred window towards the ceiling of her cell. The air tastes stale and itÕs lack of warmth chills Tatiana to the bone.
ÒMommy?Ó she calls out softly in some blind hope that none of this is real and that any second her mother will come in and take her in her arms and tell her everything will be ok, that it is just a bad dream.
But no comfort comes and the harshness of the reality starts to sink in. Lost and confused, Tatiana begins to cry. Tears well up in steady succession and fall unceremoniously to the ground until her eyes are burned and red and she can not cry anymore.
****************************************
TatianaÕs eyes open timidly to the light of the new day, not that much light could filter in through the small windows. A few weeks have passed since she had first been taken to her cell and yet still she awakes every morning expecting to be at home in bed, still thinking she will awake from this nightmare.
Her stomach begins to growl loudly, they have fed her very little since bringing her here. Her legs are weak and she feels dizzy from lack of food. What little food she does get is most often rotten and it causes her stomach to turn and more then not she ends up throwing everything up.
Using what little energy she has, Tatiana stands and walks slowly till she is under her window. It is too high for her to reach but none the less she tries to balance herself against the wall as she stands on the tips of her toes, trying to breathe in some fresh air and maybe even catch some warmth from the sunlight filtering through.
She tries to imagine that she is outside, enjoying a picnic with her family. Birds sing sweet songs, the sky is a brilliant light blue, fluffy white clouds linger overhead forming into many different shapes from bunny rabbits to elephants. Her mother hums a lullaby and her baby brother giggles with delight. Everything is perfect, except for the fact that none of it is real.
Tatiana hears a loud clanking noise behind her and she turns to see a guard opening the door to her cell, he is accompanied by a tall man with harsh features dressed in a dark suit, both men carry guns.
Tatiana feels her insides burning with anger, she doesnÕt know who this man is or why he is here, but she does know he probably has something to do with her imprisonment. She forces herself to stand up straight and stare coldly back at him.
ÒTell me little girl, do you understand why you are here?Ó He says, his face now inches away from hers.
ÒNo.Ó
ÒThen perhaps I should explain, you are here because your father is a very very bad man and you will stay here until......Ó
ÒNo, heÕs not!Ó She interrupts
ÒIÕm sorry, what did you say?Ó He asks in a threatening tone.
ÒI said No, heÕs not! My father is a good man.Ó She replies, her voice clear and unafraid.
ÒAre you calling me a liar?!Ó
ÒYes, I am.Ó
The man boils with rage, his fists clinch tightly and he stares at her. She stares back defiantly.
ÒYour very sure of yourself for someone so young, I think it is time that someone taught you a lesson. I want her sent to Kashmir immediately!Ó he orders, turning to the guard.
ÒBut Sir, sheÕs only six.Ó
ÒAre you questioning my orders!Ó
ÒNo, IÕll have her taken as soon as possible.Ó
ÒGood!Ó
With that, the two men leave. Tatiana continues to stand for a while , replaying what just happened in her head. She feels a strange sense of contentment having angered the man so much and yet she is also filled with a sense of dread as wherever they are going to send her next sounds a whole lot worse then where she already is.
************* Russia-1957 ***************
When Tatiana awakes from her drug induced slumber, her body is being dragged down a dark corridor. Her eyes flutter from side to side trying to take in her surroundings as her mind rushes to try and piece together what is happening. Her semiconscious body is then dropped on the hard cement floor of a small bare cell.
ÒWhat do you think they will do to her?Ó asks one of the guards casually as he locks the door of her cell behind him.
ÒDonÕt know and donÕt care, all I know is her father is a traitor.Ó says the second guard as they walked off, leaving Tatiana alone.
The hardness of the cold floor becomes more and more apparent to Tatiana as she begins to fully regain her consciousness. She tries to sit up but a blinding headache tells her it would be best to stay still for the moment. It is dark except for the dim light that falls in patches from the small barred window towards the ceiling of her cell. The air tastes stale and itÕs lack of warmth chills Tatiana to the bone.
ÒMommy?Ó she calls out softly in some blind hope that none of this is real and that any second her mother will come in and take her in her arms and tell her everything will be ok, that it is just a bad dream.
But no comfort comes and the harshness of the reality starts to sink in. Lost and confused, Tatiana begins to cry. Tears well up in steady succession and fall unceremoniously to the ground until her eyes are burned and red and she can not cry anymore.
****************************************
TatianaÕs eyes open timidly to the light of the new day, not that much light could filter in through the small windows. A few weeks have passed since she had first been taken to her cell and yet still she awakes every morning expecting to be at home in bed, still thinking she will awake from this nightmare.
Her stomach begins to growl loudly, they have fed her very little since bringing her here. Her legs are weak and she feels dizzy from lack of food. What little food she does get is most often rotten and it causes her stomach to turn and more then not she ends up throwing everything up.
Using what little energy she has, Tatiana stands and walks slowly till she is under her window. It is too high for her to reach but none the less she tries to balance herself against the wall as she stands on the tips of her toes, trying to breathe in some fresh air and maybe even catch some warmth from the sunlight filtering through.
She tries to imagine that she is outside, enjoying a picnic with her family. Birds sing sweet songs, the sky is a brilliant light blue, fluffy white clouds linger overhead forming into many different shapes from bunny rabbits to elephants. Her mother hums a lullaby and her baby brother giggles with delight. Everything is perfect, except for the fact that none of it is real.
Tatiana hears a loud clanking noise behind her and she turns to see a guard opening the door to her cell, he is accompanied by a tall man with harsh features dressed in a dark suit, both men carry guns.
Tatiana feels her insides burning with anger, she doesnÕt know who this man is or why he is here, but she does know he probably has something to do with her imprisonment. She forces herself to stand up straight and stare coldly back at him.
ÒTell me little girl, do you understand why you are here?Ó He says, his face now inches away from hers.
ÒNo.Ó
ÒThen perhaps I should explain, you are here because your father is a very very bad man and you will stay here until......Ó
ÒNo, heÕs not!Ó She interrupts
ÒIÕm sorry, what did you say?Ó He asks in a threatening tone.
ÒI said No, heÕs not! My father is a good man.Ó She replies, her voice clear and unafraid.
ÒAre you calling me a liar?!Ó
ÒYes, I am.Ó
The man boils with rage, his fists clinch tightly and he stares at her. She stares back defiantly.
ÒYour very sure of yourself for someone so young, I think it is time that someone taught you a lesson. I want her sent to Kashmir immediately!Ó he orders, turning to the guard.
ÒBut Sir, sheÕs only six.Ó
ÒAre you questioning my orders!Ó
ÒNo, IÕll have her taken as soon as possible.Ó
ÒGood!Ó
With that, the two men leave. Tatiana continues to stand for a while , replaying what just happened in her head. She feels a strange sense of contentment having angered the man so much and yet she is also filled with a sense of dread as wherever they are going to send her next sounds a whole lot worse then where she already is.
