The House Of Special Purpose

Anastasia was excited as they reached the house in Ekaterinburg. She knew it meant yet another prison (the third since the revolution) but it signalled the end of the journey. Soon she would be reunited with her parents and sister, Marie, for the first time in almost two months.

            When they arrived a Red guard led them into the house they were to be kept in. It was surrounded by guards. It was not as grand as the previous house, which had been the home of a Governor-General. The building in front of her was little more than a merchant house. She missed the Alexander Palace, her home. As she was led in she saw that the house was dark because of the white washed windows. After being boarded up in the steamship she wished that she could see the sun, but she had learnt not to ask for anything. Even the guards sympathetic to them would not risk the family being seen.

            Olga, who was supporting Alexei, reached the doorway first. Their mother rushed over to them, with Marie close behind her, and then turned to Tatiana and Anastasia, kissing them each in turn.

‘Where’s Papa?’ Anastasia asked.

‘They take him for questioning almost everyday. Did you remove the medicine?’ her mother replied.

Anastasia nodded. The ‘medicine’ in her clothes had weighed her down ever since she had put them in. The soldiers on the steamship had done everything they could to find the jewels but she, Olga and Tatiana had sewn every last one into their dresses. The soldiers harassed the sisters but eventually believed that they did not know where they were.

*

Anastasia quickly grew sick of the house. For a month the family had been allowed out once a day into the garden to walk or play but this had stopped once the war had come closer to the town. They were now all kept in the same room constantly. Even her father was no longer taken away for questioning.

            For the first two weeks Anastasia put on shows for her family with Marie but these ceased as their guards became more agitated. Her father told them that this was because the White Army was getting close and that when they found them they would be rescued, but Anastasia heard the guards talking of the ‘special purpose’ and it sounded like it had little to do with being rescued. She had to be more careful around the guards as well. In the beginning they had ignored her when she teased them; some had even laughed. Now though most glared at her and others even went to hit her, but always stopped short. For the first time since her father had abdicated she began worry that everything would not turn out okay.

            On a day after the ground privileges had been removed guards brought two priests into the family’s room. They preached to the family and ended in a prayer for the dead. At the beginning of the prayer her mother and siblings fell to their knees. Anastasia stayed standing with her father until its end when they too fell.

*

Anastasia was shook awake on a night soon after the service. A guard was standing in front of her and was telling her to get dressed. She heard her father ask why they were to be moved. The guard answered that the violence of the war had come close to the house and that the family must be moved for their own safety. She dressed and moved quickly with her family down into the basement. The same guard told them to stand near the wall next to the door and wait. Only her mother and Alexei were allowed to sit. Anastasia glanced around and saw that this room was much like the one they just left, although with no furniture. The guard left and others filed in. Anastasia did not recognise any of them. They formed a line and the guard in the middle, who she assumed was in charge, spoke. She heard the words but scarcely believed them. They were to be executed. Her father glanced at his family and stepped forward. She heard him say ‘what?’ before the first shot was fired. She was forced backwards as bullets ricocheted off the jewels in her corset. Smoke filled the room.