Essence of Demise | ThirdUnion

17: A Desperate Reach

Reich refused to leave the house. He refused and he persisted that Germany did the same.

For days this went on. When any sort of noise made the Reich panicked, and would leave Germany simply confused. What had happened that made his father so jumpy and nervous?

The younger German went on to spend these days taking care of his strange father.

It wasn't too difficult, but it was more tedious as his father would have these random stressful outbursts. But he would never say what had happened, why he was so scared.

Germany could only assume that the other was threatened or perhaps almost robbed. But his father had come home with everything he usually had. Though now- with his father's strange state- the goods he had gotten would have to last them for a while. A long while.

Germany didn't even have the chance to ask his father if he could do the shopping now. Reich was strict in making sure no one would leave the house, or even move the curtains.

Thank goodness they had their garden in the back, as Germany was sure that they would have starved to death by now.

Though this change in circumstances wasn't exactly welcomed, Germany would just have to deal with it. No matter how much he missed exploring and his friends.

Reich was really crumbling at the moment, and Germany just didn't know why.

He was stuck in this panicking, fragile state almost like he had seen a ghost. Like his worst nightmares and fears were coming true.

For goodness sake he was even waking Germany up in the middle of the night, countless times asking him if he had heard anything, or even to just make sure that Germany was still there.

It was truly concerning, but it was going to take a couple of days, maybe even weeks, before the older German would calm down.

But- there seemed to be one momentary solution.

Reading really brought the Reich out of his deranged state. Whether he had read the book once or a hundred times, all Germany needed to do was to hand him one and some tea and his father's mind would suddenly be at peace. Simply because he was distracted.

Germany would have to spend this short amount of time outside, collecting whatever he could from their garden for meals.

Only when he would finally return back to the house, Reich would either be distracted by something else, or he would be crying his eyes out thinking Germany may have been kidnapped or killed or something.

This behavior was just so strange to Germany, and he was really hoping this pattern would break at some point. That at some moment his father would snap back into his normal self and would offer to go get some better food for them.

Reich barely spent any time in his room, surprisingly, usually he was in the kitchen or near the living room. Biting his nails as he started nervously at doors and windows, mumbling to himself continuously.

That's where Germany found him today, standing in the kitchen this time, fidgeting with some of the appliances. He appeared to be warming some water, probably to make more tea.

"Vater?" Germany started worriedly at the other, as Reich looked up at him from the fire.

"Ja, Deutschland?" Reich barely paid mind to him, as his voice shivered along with his body, despite being so close to open flames. His eyes glanced constantly towards the windows, staring at the little cracks of light that the wood and fabric would accidentally let in.

The room was dark, almost all the rooms were. Besides light peeking underneath doors and from the small candles they had, or of course from the cracks on the window covers.