Slip Away
Natalia woke to the clanking of the cuffs around her bed’s frame. The metal gave way, and she found relief in the way her raw wrists were free. Big brown eyes filled her world as Tonya loomed over her body.
“Talia!” Tonya whispered with a rushed wonder and excitement, “Talia, I found the key! Let’s look at the stars, Talia!”
She felt something warm bubble in her gut, but Natalia paid it no mind. Either way, worry suffocated the feeling as soon as she noticed it.
“We can’t!” she hissed harshly.
She needed to be rough, no matter how guilty she felt when Tonya flinched away from her.
“Why not?” Tonya asked ever so brashly.
“We’ll get caught and if we get caught--”
“I don’t care, Talia, I want to see the stars!”
Natalia did too, she did, but staying in bed was better than the facing the potential consequences.
“Tonya you get right back into bed, right now. I don’t know why they baby you, but they certainly don’t do so with me!”
“It's cause I'm irreplaceable. I'm the best at making weapons, new weapons,” Tonya mumbled.
“Everyone here is replaceable,” she couldn’t help but snap back.
Natalia had seen it first hand what that type of thinking led to -- screaming and crying, blood everywhere, matted in her hair, between her teeth --
“Talia?” she sounded heartbroken and cowed with the way she pulled her hair in front of her face.
Natalia couldn’t, shouldn’t but --
“Just a few seconds.”
Tonya immediately dropped the facade, what a little faker.
“You mean it?”
“Yes, but then right back to bed. You cuff me and don’t you dare--”
“‘Sneak out again’ I know. Let’s go, Talia!”
She let the younger drag her by her raw wrists. Despite Tonya’s haste, there was no pitter of feet across the floor.
The window was high, Natalia could barely see over the ledge.
“Up! Talia!”
Natalia huffed a sigh.
“You only use me for my height,” she complained.
“And your red hair, love,” Tonya corrected, patting Natalia on the top of her head.
Tonya was light on Natalia’s shoulders. Lighter than usual, was she skipping out on food again?
“Talia, look! The...Ah, nemnogo glubzhe?”
“The little dipper?”
“Yes! Isn’t it beautiful?”
Not as beautiful as her. Tonya settled, more still than usual.
“I have to tell you something,” Tonya confessed, “you gotta promise not to tell anyone else.”
Natalia’s heart thud in her chest.
“What is it?”
“We’re going to get out of here. I promise, I’m going to find a way out and you won’t have to hurt anymore, Talia. We’ll find a way to the stars!”
Her stomach dropped, fear swarmed like a mob, picked and prodded at her brain.
“It’s time to go.”
“Talia?”
“Tonya we have to…”
Tonya dropped it.
“Will you at least carry me to bed?”
“I can’t, I need you to cuff me, Tonya.”
“Will you carry me to your bed?”
“Ah…” Natalia could feel her face heat up.
Suddenly, Tonya’s hands touched her cheeks.
“You’re blushing!”
“I am not!”
Tonya squished her face.
“Yes, you are!” Tonya nearly cried.
Natalia could only make undistinguishable noises.
“Onwards, Talia!”
She couldn’t help but roll her eyes.
It was only fair that Tonya was dumped unceremonially as possible, the younger nearly squeaked. The others stirred in their cots and Natalia froze. Then scrambled onto the mattress, it sunk into the ground under both of their weights.
“Get into your own bed, you have to go!” she urged, pushing half-heartedly at Tonya’s back.
“But I need to -”
“Forget about the cuffing! I need you safe! Go! Go!”
“Talia!”
“Tonya.”
Finally, Tonya let herself be shoved off the mattress. She didn't say another word as she left.
Natalia fell into a fitful sleep.