In Soviet Ponyssia...

She isn't crying, but she's on the virge and her lip is quivering. She slowly nods in response and walks over to you. You take off your knuckle duster and put it in your pocket before she gets to you and open your arms to hold her. She wraps her forelegs around your neck and rests her head on your shoulder while you hold her around the waist as she sits in your lap.

"I'm sorry you had to see that Shy, but I'm just glad I got here in time."

"I was so scared." she wimpers.

"He didn't do anything to you, did he?"

"He... he just kicked open the door and... came after me.."

She buries her face into the side of your neck and lets it all out. The tears begin to soak the collar on your jacket, but you don't mind because you always want to be there for her and today you feel as though you've completely let her down. If only you had ignored the drunk being beaten. If only you had shown some initiative and ran faster. All of these thoughts that stew in your head leave a sour taste in your mouth like molding bread.

The rhythm in her sob begins to slow as the tears stop coming to the surface and it's clear that she's almost all cried out. A real meal, that will actually fill her stomach, would probably ease the pain of the day she's been through.

"Hey." you whisper in her ear. "I have a surprise for you."

"You do?" she whispers while looking at you with teary eyes.

"Yea, I brought it home and I'll cook it for dinner."

"What is it?"

"I don't know, I haven't opened it." you say looking at the square, white paper, package you threw.

"How about you lie down for a little bit while I get dinner ready." you say while cradling her and carrying her to the bed.

She giggles as you lay her down and pull the covers up to her. After she looks comfy you walk over to the fish, pick it up, and begin rifling through the cupboard to add what little you have for flavor; Sunflower oil, salt, half an old onion, vodka.....Guess it'll probably work. "Now, where are the pan and matches?" you think to yourself while amidst your rumaging.

After locating everything and laying it all out on the counter, you turn the burner on the stove on and begin humming Varshavianka in an attempt to lighten the mood. You add everything you found into the pan, slice the sturgeon into two strips and add it to the random mix of flavors on the stove.

"I love it when you sing." you hear faintly from the other room.

"Heh, I'm just humming Shy."

"I know, but... it's just nice to hear your voice when you aren't worried about me or wondering if we'll eat or not." she says calmly and sitting right next to you.

You turn and see her looking up at you with a light hearted smile.

"I didn't even hear you walk in here. Must be getting awful light without regular dinners." you say jokingly.

You two continue your small talk until dinner is ready. You turn the burner off, grab the two plates you normally use, and walk into the main room to serve her dinner in bed (which was normal because you burnt the table and chairs to keep warm). You don't have any untensils so you just use some spare slaughter knives from one of the farms she works on. All in all, it's a nice way to end everything that had happend today.

She finishes her dinner just a little before you do and pulls the blankets up to settle in for the night, but just before you lie down to sleep she wraps her forelegs around you, squeezes you tight, and kisses you on the cheek. As you lay down she curls up next to you and holds you like a teddy bear she'd had as a child. You end up cuddling the whole night and it was the most peaceful sleep you could've ever dreamed of.

It's 3:30 when you wake the only thought in your head is work. You slowly get up, trying not to disturb your cuddler, and make your way to the stairs at the end of the hall. As you walk you feel the metal rustling around in your pocket and it's welcome knowing that you have a little power now. You're almost to the stairs when you hear two sets of footsteps coming up it's light metal frame. You stop and wait to find out that the steps were coming from two police officers, both armed with a PPSh 41, and they walked past you and towards your room. They slowed once they got to your room they leaned up against the wall with their weapons pointed to the ground and prepared charge the room.

"No." you say to yourself as your pulse begins to race.

You sprint towards them and tackle the one closest to you causing him to drop his weapon. Before the other officer could react you were already sitting back on the ground with the weapon pointed up at his chest. Just as he attempts to draw his weapon, you squeeze the trigger and let loose a hail of lead that rips through his whole body.

The extreme rate of fire on the submachine was much more than you had expected, but you still managed not to miss your target. You stand up, look down at the man you tackled, and put the barrel on the back of his head, and fire off one round. The end of the barrel has blood on it now.

"Shy, are you there?" you call out while opening the door.

You find her, still safe, in bed. She's shaking in fear while she looks up at you and also sees the men dead in the hall.

"Did... did you?..." she nervously asks.

"Yea.... they stopped at the door. I had to."

You reach down to pick up the other gun and walk over to Shy and lay it down right next to her.

"Shy, we can't keep doing this. We can't keep living in fear and they can't have all of the power."

"What are... going to do?" you hear in a faint whisper.

"I am going to work. Shoot anyone you don't know and please... stay here." you say just concerned for her.

And with that you walk out, pilfer an extra magazine off the dead bodies, and take your usual route to the mill.