Happy Birthday
Sokovia, Hydra Facility
2000
You’ve become accustomed to waking up on the cold concrete floor you and your siblings share. As the alarm blares and bathes your small cell with red light, you jump from between your brother and sister immediately standing as tall as you can, attempting to make yourself bigger as your siblings follow suit standing bravely next to you. You desperately look up at them, hoping for some explanation for the rude awakening, only for Wanda to look down at you and shake her head fearfully, warning you not to ask questions. So, there you stand waiting, holding your breath as if one slight movement would end in disaster, and knowing where you live, you wouldn’t be surprised if it did.
A group of voices suddenly jolts you from your anxieties about what today would hold. As the voices got closer you could pinpoint one. Strucker. According to Wanda and Pietro, he was our protector, but every time you woke up with another bruised rib or bloodied lip, you began to wonder what protection really meant. You somehow knew that your siblings would always protect you, but Strucker was not like Wanda and Pietro. He is not warm and safe like your siblings. He is pain and fear.
You felt your heartbeat quicken as the cell door opened revealing five guards, Strucker, and a man holding a clipboard not meeting anyone's eyes. Strucker walked forward with his loud menacing footsteps. You saw from the corner of your eye Wanda and Pietro stiffened as your body did the same automatically. Strucker walked down the line inspecting you all until he finally saw you. As he crouches down you instinctively lower your head, hoping if you can’t see him maybe he can’t see you.
“None of that little one.” He grabbed your face harshly forcing you to make eye contact. You hear Pietro begin towards you at the same time the guards raise their guns to aim directly at his heart. He falls back into line, but you can feel his and Wanda’s eyes on you, or more their eyes are on his hand leaving bruises on your cheeks.
Strucker begins again, “Today is an exciting day. Do you know what today is?”
You stare at him, eyes wide with fear. Taking too long to answer his question, you anticipate to slap a moment before it lands on the side of your face. Wanda and Pietro flinch at the impact, eyes begging for him to allow them to take the blows for you. Tears well in your eyes but you know better than to let them fall. Picking yourself up after the impact you face his expecting expression, using all of your strength to find your voice.
“No, sir. Please tell me what today is,” you answer in a shaky voice. A wicked smile took over his face.
“Today, little one, is your birthday.” You fight your expression from morphing into confusion.
Birthday? What is so important about my birthday? You think, not daring to ask out loud in fear of another blow hitting your swollen face.
He reaches to grab your hand in a too harsh fashion to be comforting. “That means,” he spoke viciously, “I believe it’s time for you, baby bird, to fly the nest.” He stands walking toward the door he entered from.
The words aren’t fully processed until Wanda speaks, panic washing over her face. “No. Please, sir, she's only five. She’s too young, please don’t-”
“Take her.” His voice cuts through the room like ice.
Guard flock you as you grab Wanda’s hand while Pietro uses himself to shield the both of you. The guards beat through him quickly and pick you up while you hold onto Wanda’s hand with everything in you.
“No, please! Wanda won't let them take me. Wanda, please!” The tears you were once fighting back spill down your face violently. Your voice is drowned by hers, pleading with the guards,
“Don’t do this! She’s just a child, you can’t take her! Please!”
Your hands are torn apart by the force of the guards. You scream and kick with all of your might as Wanda and Pietro get farther away. You hear Strucker speak to them,
“She is six today. Only a year older than you were when you came here. She is ready.”
The cell door closes as he departs your siblings with a few final words, “Don’t worry, we have plans for you two as well.”
You and your sibling's screams echo through the long hallway until you feel a pinch on your shoulder making the whole world fade to darkness.