The Egyptian Enigma Reader x Countryhuman book

um, run?

CN was the first to react. she bolted out the room and her friends followed her. her mother gripped the dagger she had dropped just then, and walked calmly after them. the blood on her face, the weird lighting, and the dagger made her look insane, which she is. but now, she looked even more insane, like a lion who hadn't eaten in days, that just discovered an injured antelope. 

they charged out the cave, all stumbling one after another, while mother scanned her prey for the weakest ones. CN spotted an alcove, high on the mountain that mother's cave was set in, above eye level. She scrambled up, tugging Capital along with her. they squatted down, and held their breaths.

CN and capital watched, as her friends all found nooks and canyons to hide in, and she watched mother climb up a low hill, and stood there.

"3, 2, 1! ? Ready or not, here I come!" Her singsongy voice echoed in the vast space, sending shivers down CN's spine.

Mother stepped down from the hill, spinning the dagger in her hand. She whistled, a high pitch song that sounded like souls crying. 

from CN's perspective, she could see canada huddled in a dark corner of a ravine, shuddering, trying very hard not to make a sound. mother had clearly noticed him, but he was making it even more tense on purpose.

"Man, I wonder where'd they all scattered? Such a big mysteryyyy..." She crouched down and spun her dagger over the ravine. Casually, but CN knew it was to terrify canada even more.

mother peered over the ravine, oscillating her head, like a malicious lizard. her eyes met canada's and she flung her dagger out like a ninja star.

Canada screamed and Capital screamed as well, but CN muffled her mouth. It wouldn't help for mother to know where they were. France charged from a boulder and leaped in front of canada, but canada reacted first. He picked up a rock as the dagger flew across the ravine and threw it. The rock knocked the dagger away, and CN sighed in relief.

mother growled and jumped down herself, landing with a thud on the dark ravine floor. France and canada tackled her at once but mother threw them of easily. they both hit the side of the ravine with a loud oof.

america charged down from the mountain as well, his gun in his hand. CN could tell that it would be dangerous to use it now, when france or canada would tackle mother at any time and the bullet would hit them instead. 

CN found herself running out despite Capital's yells. she couldn't let mother kill france or canada. she leapt down the ravine and picked up a branch from one of the dead trees. 

hooking the branch around mother's neck from behind, stangling her with one smooth move. Russia came as well, and he helped to hold down mother as Capital and America tended to the injured. 

CN looked over and found in horror that there was a huge gash on france's side, scraped raw by the rough rocks. CN screamed in anger, who DARED hurt her friends! Friends, I do call them that. Despite the fact I never thought any of these people would ever care about me, despite the fact that I never bothered to try being friends with them. They do care, and, well, I wonder why. Maybe because they're the kind of people who would listen, open up to strangers, and not judge people by first impressions. Maybe I need to be more like them, more open minded, more kind, and more inclusive.

CN snapped back into the world, feeling more and more confident by the minute since the dream shaper was shattered. mother was currently pinned to the ground, with the branch and CN's arms still pressing down on her throat. 

She looked up again, to find her friends ready, standing up and dusting themselves off. CN turned to russia, he nodded slightly. She took the signal, and with a clear and fresh crack, she snapped mother's neck. 

They yowl of fury and pain that came from her sounded like it could shatter steel. CN knew she couldn't kill mother, not when she was already dead, but she could make her painful and maybe paralyze her, like how she had made CN's life painful, since birth to now. This time, CN finally felt happy for defeating mother. Not guilt, not sadness, not regret, simply the feelings she was feeling, not what others wanted her to feel. CN had never felt so relieved since, well, years ago.

They walked back to the cave, with CN supporting france on her side. They didn't know really what to do now, but perhaps they'd find a clue in the room. They came back to the inner room, and to their surprise, there was a glowing mess in there.

No dead bodies of underworld monsters. Somehow there was a bright portal, lighting up the entire room.