Tessa’s POV
As the jet touched down on Russian soil, a sense of apprehension settled over me as I nudged Erin to wake up who had managed to doze off during the flight.
The landscape that greeted us was stark and foreboding, with military–style buildings looming in the distance and a palpable air of tension hanging heavy in the air as we remained seated and waited for instruction.
“You two! Come!” One of the males ordered, standing to his full height before staggering to the side slightly evidently drunk.
Glancing down at our overly tight and secure belts, I glance to Erin who opens and closes her mouth to find the right words.
“We… can’t get out. She speaks, gaining their attention – tugging at the thick strap as they both groan and grumble loudly at her
statement.
They aren’t impressed,
With that, they march towards us, forcefully pulling the belts until the straps completely snap apart – causing us both to flinch at the suddenness of the motion.
–
They roughly tug us both to stand, as my legs instantly go numb and I almost fall over using the chair to catch me.
They eye me oddly, eyes narrowing although I was trying to deliberately test them as I shake my head and quickly apologise.
As the feeling slowly flooded back to my muscles, we followed the pair and disembarked from the jet. I couldn’t help but notice the absence of females among the throng of people who greeted us at the bottom of the steps – masses of lined up military style men.
The atmosphere was tense and oppressive, every movement measured and deliberate as if we were under constant surveillance by everyone here. The Russian males who surrounded us exuded an aura of intimidation, their presence looming large and imposing as they watched us with cold, calculating eyes step closer and closer towards them.
I exchanged a worried glance with Erin, both of us sensing that we were entering a world vastly different from our own – before a whipping wind shot through the air and caused us both to shiver.
The skies above were grey and cloudy making it hard to tell what time in the day it was… with the long as hell journ
either.
helping
The rules and customs here were alien to us, and the thought of being at the mercy of these imposing figures filled me with a sense
of unease.
As we were escorted into a car, it was a short drive again before we approached a heavily armed and guarded compound.
What the hell…
“It looks like a prison!” Erin whispers over to me, as the males chuckle and drive us in the front of the vehicle – both distracted.
“I…know…” I whisper back, feeling as though I was slowly losing breath.
We can’t live here forever…
As we approached the armed gates, I couldn’t shake the feeling of being heavily watched already, every move we made echoing with the weight of the unknown that lay ahead for us both.
The Russian males who passed us by cast us wary glances, their expressions unreadable as they whispered among themselves in their native tongue and looke inside of the car – their faces giving barely anything away.
With every passing moment, the sense of isolation grew, as though we were adrift in a sea of uncertainty with no land in sight. Erin and I clung to each other for support, seeking solace in the familiarity of each other’s presence as we navigated this unfamiliar territory.
But try as we might, there was no escaping the oppressive atmosphere that surrounded us, the weight of it pressing down on us like a heavy burden.
As we were led deeper into the heart of the compound, I couldn’t help but wonder why we were both brought here… we still hadn’t seen a female this whole drive, even having passed a little row of shops with again only males in sight.
Is there a female shortage in this country? That would explain travelling elsewhere I guess?
As the car stopped and we stepped onto the unfamiliar terrain of the grey Russian compound, a sense of unease settled over us like a heavy shroud.
Erin and I walked in silence, our eyes darting nervously around us as we took in our new surroundings – the men walking ahead clearly comfortable here as they greeted each officer in which they passed.
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