One monster was lanky and lean. Their hair was chopped roughly–the kind of cut that would make Sister Anya harrumph–and the monster had pictures all over their skin, dark drawings that I couldn't really see.
The second one was broader and bigger. Iron rings decorated their ears and fingers, sparkling like stars in the room.
I craned my neck for a better look.
The monsters knew where they were going. They quietly left the room, tip-toeing like they were going to sneak into the kitchen for a midnight snack.
I crawled out of bed and onto the cold floor. Vasilisa and Kseniya remained asleep, Vasilisa's snores loud like a car's engine. None of the other girls woke up as I followed the two monsters, staying on my hands and knees.
The monsters were much faster than me but I knew where they were going because I knew all the hallways in the orphanage. Sister Marya called me curious, Sister Anya said I was a wanderer.
They didn't close the church doors behind them, making it easy for me to crawl inside. It was much warmer here than it was in my room.
None of the nuns were there–they would be asleep or watching television–just the two monsters. I hid behind a row of seats as they stood beneath the Big Bird. (Sister Anya said his name was something else but the statue had huge feathery wings, like a bird.)
The monsters grew louder.
"Stop complaining, Morok!" said the monster with iron jewellery.
"I never complain," Morok retorted.
The other monster snorted. "You're such a liar."
"They call me Morok for a reason."
"So they do." The monster looked around the front of the church. "Where did Serafima say they hid the keys?"
Morok went for the priest's table. It was what he used to hold his Bible during teachings. I liked the table; it had pretty carvings and pictures on it.
He pushed it over, breaking it into a million pieces. All the pretty carvings were ruined. Morok didn't care. He just leaned down and pushed away the rubble. After a second, he pulled a chain of keys out.
"Sera was right–"
Something grabbed my neck, hauling me backwards. I screamed, struggling to run–
"Well, well." A foot pressed down on my hand, pinning me to the ground. "You're not meant to be here, little girl."
"Oh, fuck! Jasha caught something." Morok yelled across the church, "Hey, Jash, what do you got there?"
"She was spying," my captor said. I struggled beneath the monster's foot, squirming and shrieking. "We kill spies."
My screaming grew louder.
"Leave her alone," said the other monster. "I'll put her back to bed. Maybe she'll think it's a dream."
"She saw the keys," Jasha argued. "She needs to die." His weight grew heavier, my bones groaning in pain.
"Let her go."
A new monster. A new voice.
All three monsters fell silent. Jasha moved his foot.
I sprung up, scrambling back. The monsters were going to eat me. They were going to put me in an oven and cook me–
A woman crouched down in front of me. She was older than the big girls but not older than the nuns. Inky pictures covered her arms and neck, and her hair was the color of crow feathers. When she smiled, I saw a silver earring on her tongue.
The new monster reminded me of the wicked witches in the stories Sister Marya told us. The creatures who lured men into the forest and children away from their mamas.
I was terrified of her.
"What's your name?" She asked, voice hard but soft.
I shivered.
The woman arched an eyebrow. "You don't have one?"
"I don't like it."
"Then tell me a name you do like."
I shrugged.
"My name is Crow and it's a name I like very much."
"Like the bird?"
She smiled. I didn't like her smile. It was the same smile Sister Anya gave before she made me write my name on the board. "Yes, just like the bird." She showed me her arm. There was a picture of a crow in black and white, it's beak and claws were sharp and scary.
"Let me put her back to bed," the monster with iron jewellery said.
I scowled at him. "I don't want to go to bed."
Morok and Crow both laughed. "That's right, Vul."
"Why would she?" Crow asked. "Everything worth seeing happens in the dark." She looked down at my bruised hand. "Jasha's a bit rough. If I knew your name, I could make him apologize to you."
I didn't say anything.
"Fine. I'll name you then." Crow rose to her feet. "What name do you think, boys, for our little spy?"
"Sneak." Morok winked at me.
"Little Girl," Jasha hissed.
"Trouble," Vul finished.
Crow's eyes were the color of shadows. They looked like the coal by the train-tracks. "Sneak, little girl, and trouble. You boys are useless," she scowled. "I think I'll name you...Kitti. Because you're sneaky like a cat, but small like a kitten."
"I'm the taller than Vasilisa. She's seven."
"Okay, Kitti." Crow jerked her chin to the front of the church. "Come on. We've got a crypt to rob."
Shouts of alarm rose from the other monsters. None of them wanted me to come with them. They were worse than the other girls on the playground.
"She can't–"
"She'll tell–"
"No, she won't." Crow looked at me. "Do you want to come with us, Kitti, or do you want to go back inside? I'll let Vul tuck you back into bed and you'll never have to think about us again." She crouched down, meeting my eyes. "Or you can come with us. We'll feed you, and keep you warm. I'll teach you how to be powerful, how to be the tallest and smartest. Do you want to be Kitti...or nobody?"
I knew. "Kitti."
She smiled and stood back up. "Problem solved."
I followed them down the aisle. Morok gave me his jacket because I looked cold. I was cold and said thank you. Jasha kept kicking my shins, but Vul made him stop.
Crow took the keys from Morok and took us down lots of stairs. I thought I would get tired but we reached the bottom quickly. The other monsters spread out but Crow told me to stay close to her. She knew where she was going.
We came to a room locked behind a big gate. Crow used the key to unlock it.
"It's dusty," I said as I sneezed.
Crow snorted in agreement. "It's old. All old things are dusty."
"Sister Marya is dusty."
She didn't laugh this time. "No more talking about Sister Marya, Kitti. You're one of us now. They're in your past."
I nodded because I was happy not to talk about Sister Marya. She was a bit strange. Nothing like Crow.
Crow found a big box and unlocked it. I sneezed more as it opened, but watched with watery eyes as she pulled a gun out. It was colored like the church, with whites and golds decorating it.
"What’s that?”
Crow smiled, aiming the gun at an imaginary target. “It’s a weapon made a very long time ago. It tried to assassinate Alexander the Second and Trotsky before he fled to Mexico.”
“It’s useless.” Jasha came into the crypt. I wished he had stayed with the other boys. He frightened me–and I wanted to have Crow to myself. “It’s the most useless weapon ever made. I can’t believe we went to all this effort for it.”