Book 3 - Retrievers

V - Bloodbath

Russia finds himself counting water bottles, trying to distract himself from his churning emotions. He mutters the strange English numbers under his breath, and though he couldn't hear how loud he is, he gets no complaints.

Thuds against the door to the hideout pull him violently from his daydreams of kisses and heroism.

Russia stands and walks briskly up to the door. He listens and hears the gurgling from earlier. He stiffens.

'Shit.'

Russia readies himself to fend off whatever it is and he steps back. He holds out his hand and herds the states and provinces back.

"Shhh!" Russia demands.

The group falls quiet.

America pushes his way to the front and takes a place next to Russia. America wipes his face on last time with the back of his hand before his expression stiffens into a harsh glare directed at the door.

America summons his scythe, and Massachusetts, Connecticut, Arizona, and a few others summon their respective weapons, ready for a fight.

Russia snarls.

'I am not letting whatever that thing is to get near any of them.'

Russia bares his teeth and listens to whatever it is wrestling with the door. It gurgles and gasps from behind the metal plate.

Then it begins to sound like human hands scratching at the door. Russia's heart sinks into his stomach.

Even with Dixie fighting against it, the thing yanks the door out of the wall.

It screams victoriously.

America charges at it before Russia fully registers what had happened, with Dixie and Texas on his tail. Russia fights to push its tentacles away from the entrance.

The monster is several meters tall and looks like it came from a sailor's tale of misfortune.

It crawls on its tentacles and thrashes about, gnashing its beak at them.

Around it are dozens of huge insects that skitter around, each one as big as Russia's face. The bugs look like armed, slimy beetles. Their shells shine with distorted reflections of the lights above.

Russia's attention rockets to the kids screaming in fear from what used to be the safe room. Countries race out and begin trying to kick and throw the bugs aside. Canada sends them flying with a hockey stick, though where he got it, Russia will never know.

The thing screeches as America swings at it, cutting open its face. America back peddles and hacks at the larger groups of the swarm.

Russia tries to keep an eye on the squid while Finland and Egypt fight it back, but he loses track of it while beating back the beetles from the entrance, trying to block any of them from getting to the states and providences.

Russia turns around for a split second to dispose of a larger group when it strikes.

A hiss. And a woosh of quick movement.

Russia knows he can't turn around fast enough to block it, but he also knows he has to try.

Russia spins around and gets ready to take a hit to the chest, only to see America being snatched up right in front of him.

Russia feels his heart stop.

"AMERICA!" Russia screams, reaching out fruitlessly into thin air.

The monster screeches and dangles a screaming America up by its beak. Then, it slams America into the ground hard enough to leave a crater.

America goes silent.