4 Obey Or Die

The orphanage, aptly named 'Dom Nadezhdy' or 'House of Hope' stood before them like an ominous fortress.

It was a vast, intimidating building of grey stone and weathered wood, towering above the children with an oppressive air of desolation. The crumbling walls and faded paintwork suggested years of neglect. Yet, the austere sign at the entrance seemed to mock them with its promise of hope.

As the truck rolled to a halt, Andrei was ushered out along with the others. On the way, the man distributed some stale food and water to them all, though he wasn't too hungry and thirsty like earlier.

As he got out, he stared at the barren grounds of the orphanage. He saw groups of children, all around his age, scattered across the vicinity.

They were engaged in various tasks - some hauling heavy-looking sacks, some scrubbing the already spotless floors, and others tending to a small, dilapidated garden. Their faces, hardened and pale, were devoid of the vitality typical of their age.

Andrei could feel a chilling shiver run down his spine. Something about the place felt inherently wrong. The atmosphere was thick with despair, the silent cries of lost childhoods seeming to echo from the worn-out stone walls.

Before he could gather more thoughts, the man who drove them barked out a stern command, "Follow me. Now!" His voice reverberated ominously across the silent courtyard, sending chills down Andrei's spine.

The harsh command of the man in charge was still echoing in their ears when suddenly, a boy of about eight years old, with ragged hair and a defiant look in his eyes, darted away from the group.

His small, bare feet kicked up clouds of dust as he ran towards the rundown wooden gate of the orphanage.

But the man was quick. Like a predator pouncing on its prey, he lunged forward and caught the boy by the collar of his worn-out shirt, lifting him off the ground with a startling ease.

The boy's escape attempt was cut short, and his squeal of surprise echoed around the barren grounds.

"AAH!"

The man then flung him onto the ground as if he were no heavier than a rag doll. The boy hit the dusty earth with a dull thud, a painful grunt escaping his lips.

But the man wasn't done and lifted his leg high before kicking the boy in his stomach.

"AAARGH!"

The boy let out a loud cry, writhing on the ground, clutching his stomach and whimpering in pain, while the other children could only watch in terrified silence.

The man stood over the boy, his face twisted in a cold, cruel sneer, "That's what you get for defying orders," he said, his voice as icy as the winter winds. He then turned his gaze towards the rest of the children, "Heed this warning, rats. Step out of line, and you won't be shown mercy. This is your new home. You obey or suffer the consequences. Forget whatever life you all had before. This is your new future."

The chilling threat hung in the air as a solemn reminder of the grim reality of their new "home".

Andrei's teeth chattered as he wished his mother was here, but the reality before him reminded him that he would have to deal with this alone.

They were led to a large, drafty room within one of the numerous buildings.

The room was sparse, void of any warmth or comfort and with all sorts of insects and bugs crawling around.

The walls were a dull grey, the paint peeling off in several places. Rows of metallic bunk beds lined the walls, their cold, steel frames looking as unwelcoming as their surroundings.

The faint light from the grimy windows only served to highlight the room's stark austerity.

The room, much like the rest of the orphanage, held a profound sense of loneliness, almost like a tangible blanket of desolation.

As Andrei entered, he felt a knot of unease tighten in his stomach. He saw bulging sacks kept in front of all the bunk beds in pairs.

The red haired girl also walked and stood near the same bunk bed he was standing at.

Andrei's small fingers curled tightly around the cool, unforgiving metal of the bunk bed, his wide eyes taking in the sight of the ominous figure entering the room, the man who brought them here.

The man was accompanied by a stern-looking older woman. Her attire was plain – a simple green shirt tucked into a pair of matching pants, and a pair of spectacles perched on her nose. Her gaze was piercing, void of warmth or sympathy, and it swept over each child in the room like a gust of icy wind.

She clapped her hands once, and the deafening chime of a bell echoed throughout the orphanage, sending a shudder down Andrei's spine, "Remember this sound," she began in a tone as cold as the barren winter outside, "From now on, whenever you hear it, you have five minutes to assemble on the ground. Even a second late, and you'll answer to Ivan."

Her words hung heavy in the room, settling in the pit of every child's stomach.

"I am Marfa," she continued, her voice retaining the icy chill, "I am in charge here. Every day, you will be assigned tasks. You will complete them on time, without mistakes. What we do here, contributes to a cause much bigger than any of you can comprehend. I will not tolerate any incompetence."

She then turned to Ivan, who stood at her side like a terrifying guard dog, "This is Ivan," she introduced, "He will be monitoring you. Try not to give him a reason to correct you."

Andrei's heart pounded against his ribcage, echoing the terror and uncertainty he felt. He didn't understand why they had to do all this work, or what 'cause' they were contributing to.

But one thing was crystal clear in his mind – he had to avoid making any mistakes, or he would face the wrath of Ivan, a thought which terrified him more than anything.

Andrei watched in trepidation as Marfa gestured towards the large, bulging sacks sitting ominously in the room, "All of these sacks need to be on the ground within five minutes," she stated matter-of-factly.

Ivan, his cold, unforgiving eyes scanning over the room, stomped his foot, an eerie echo resonating around them. "What are you waiting for, you little rats? Move your asses or I'll start the punishment now!" he barked.

The room erupted into chaos as the children scrambled towards the sacks, their tiny hands desperately gripping at the rough fabric.

The sacks were heavy, filled to the brim with something Andrei could not identify.

He watched as a boy struggled to drag his sack, only to collapse under its weight. Yet, Andrei, although he found the task strenuous and feared his back might break under the strain, persevered, the memory of his mother's weary face fueling him.

Out of the corner of his eye, Andrei noticed a flash of red. The red-haired girl was ahead of everyone else. She had somehow managed to drag the sack quicker than the others and was already halfway to the door, leaving a trail of awed and terrified children in her wake.

He blinked in disbelief, wondering how she was able to do that.

Andrei had managed to make it to the corridor, the ground only a few agonizing feet away.

There, the red-haired girl stood as she wiped the sweat off her forehead, a beacon of unyielding determination amidst the frightened, struggling children.

A couple of older kids had also managed to reach the courtyard, their faces streaked with sweat, their chests heaving with exertion.

Despite being so close, those final few feet seemed like an impossible chasm.

Andrei's legs quaked underneath him, his hands trembled, his face flushed with the exertion and heat. His breath hitched, his grip on the sack slipping. In an instant, he was on his knees, the sack sliding out of his weakening grasp.

The ominous clang of metal on concrete echoed down the corridor, making Andrei's blood run cold. Ivan was making his way towards him, a thick steel rod in his hand, a cold, wrathful glint in his eyes, "One minute left, brat! Get up now!" Ivan barked, his words reverberating off the cold, concrete walls.

Gasping for breath, tears streaming down his face, Andrei could only manage a desperate whimper, "I-I can't..."

A snarl twisted Ivan's face as he lifted his foot, aiming to kick Andrei.

He closed his eyes, bracing himself for the blow. But instead of the expected strike, he heard Ivan's foot crash against the floor, "Alexei!" Ivan called out, "Get this sack to the ground. Now!"

A boy, nine years old with an exhausted look, was talking to his friend while sitting on the ground.

Upon hearing Ivan's order, he was startled, and his expression turned into one of indignation.

His chest still heaved from the exertion of his own task, but he didn't dare to object.

Instead, he shot Andrei a glare filled with venom, silently blaming him for this additional burden. Without a word, he dragged the heavy sack towards the ground, his every muscle straining.

Ivan crouched down to Andrei's level, his hulking form casting a long, ominous shadow over the boy.

His cold, steel-blue eyes bore into Andrei's frightened ones as a sinister smirk formed on his weathered face.

"Listen well, you rat," Ivan said, his voice low and threatening, each word ringing with a lethal promise. "If you can't learn to do such a simple task within ten days, I will throw you into the gutter. You understand?"

Andrei swallowed hard, his throat dry and constricting under the weight of Ivan's threat. He could barely muster the strength to give a feeble nod.

He didn't want to die. No matter how hard things were, he wanted to find out what really happened to his mother.

And so he desperately prayed he would be able to do this task within ten days.

—

After the intimidating encounter with Ivan, Andrei dragged himself back to the dormitory after they were all told to return to their room.

The weariness weighed heavily on his tiny shoulders, his movements sluggish and drained. He barely made it halfway when he was suddenly cornered by Alexei and another older boy named Boris.

Alexei, with his buzzed brown hair, wiry frame, and caustic expression, was the more domineering of the two. Boris, on the other hand, was stockier and taller with short, messy black hair and a permanent scowl that was equally terrifying.

Before Andrei could react, Alexei lashed out, his foot connecting sharply with Andrei's chest.

The force knocked the breath out of him, and he let out a cry of pain as he stumbled backward, collapsing onto the floor.

"Damn you, stupid shit!" Alexei spat, his face contorting into a malicious sneer, "My back almost broke carrying that extra sack because of you."

Boris chimed in, his voice just as harsh, "Yeah, you better pray Ivan doesn't call on any of us to carry your sack next time."

With that, the two boys walked away with a cold scoff.

Andrei clutched his aching chest, tears welling in his eyes from both the pain and humiliation.

His fists clenched tightly, his nails digging into his palms. He was angry, sad, and scared, wishing that all this was just a nightmare.