Book 1 - Puppets

American Companions

'I wish I still had my bag...'

It smells damp, and the humidity is sticky against his skin.

'I've been trekking around these stupid tunnels and sleeping against wet floors for far too long.'

He assumes he's been here for a few days, but telling time surrounded by complete darkness is impossible.

'At least I can create light.'

Things quietly scuddle away from it.

'I hate sleeping here. I can feel the shadow things touching me.'

America shivers.

Something he has noticed is the familiar little red lights in corners scattered around the cave system. At first, he'd assumed that they were speakers, but observing them and their unyielding light, he assumes that it is more likely a camera of some sort

'There's no reason for a speaker to have a light when it's not in use.'

'I want some fries.'

'I hope New York is taking this okay.'

'Oh, New York... I'm sorry.'

He turns down a corridor and sees familiar scratch marks. Scrutinizing them, he realizes that, somehow, they were the same marks he had passed an hour ago.

"But I only turned once. What the f***?" America mutters into the darkness, dumbfounded.

Something shuffles behind him, and America spins around to face it. His light illuminated a familiar-looking flag. 

America's heart drops.

"Philippines?" America calls cautiously.

Phillippines shakes a little, his eyes wide under the light. A sun in his eye reflects against the light blue light that pains the white of his face. His multicolored chin-length hair matched the colors of his face, and he stands around 5'2. He appears thin, but he hid his strength, knowingly or not.

"America?" Philippines replies shakily, shielding his face with his bloodied arms.

"Phili, what are you doing down here? I thought you were okay," America asks softly, slowly approaching the small country, "I thought you were home with Indo and Malaysia."

"I thought I heard Indo calling me outside, so I went to go find him. Then a huge monster grabbed me, and I ended up here," Philippines explains, his voice drenched in anxiety.

America approaches him.

" I didn't know that there were other monsters," he mumbles, sniffling.

"How did you find me?" America asks in a soothing voice.

"Well, the light you're making is the first light I've seen since getting here, so I followed it," Philippines answers, huddling against America.

America wraps his free arm around him.

'Oh, my baby..'

"How long have you been down here? Are you okay?" America asks.

He had helped Philippines and took him in as one of his own states, after all.

"I don't know. Not too long. I know that you were captured before I ended up down here," Philippines replies, his voice steadying.

"But are you hurt?" America asks.

"I'm scratched up, but I'm okay. I'm just happy those things stopped touching me. I think the light keeps them away," Philippines responds with a shiver, hovering close to the ball of light.

America takes a moment and examines Philippines. He notes that the injures, though large in number, weren't very deep, and none of them appeared infected.

"Do you want to stay with me?" America offers.

"Of course! Are you crazy?! You can make light. Honestly, I thought only Massachusetts could do that," Philippines replies enthusiastically.

"I have some tricks of my own," America replies with a wink.

Although he doesn't want any of his children down in this hell, America is thrilled that he's not alone anymore.

'Now to make it out of here alive.'

With newfound determination, he trudges along with his newfound companion into the dank unknown.