The Sound of Silence (RusCan)

Chapter 1: The Sound of Silence

Chapter 1: 'The Sound of Silence'

Matthew sat in the meeting, he gave up on taking notes a short while before, knowing that trying to make sense of this madness was pointless. He looked around at all the other nations. England and France arguing, America shouting random things, Germany looking like he was about to explode.

What caught the young Canadian's attention however was none of these things, it was the absence of another country. Russia never missed a meeting, even if something in his country was really wrong. Matthew didn't really care, but it was more interesting than whatever this mess of a meeting was. Eventually the meeting was released and everyone could leave.

This meeting was held in Washington D.C. so Matthew would start making his trip home that night. He got into his Mustang and started on his way home. He turned on the radio.

'Hello darkness my old friend, I've come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence'

He hummed along to the familiar song as the sun started to disappear. It would be a long 9 hour drive to Ottawa so he simply listened to the radio while focusing on the road. He checked his phone at every stop light to see if anyone had texted him. Much to his disappointment, nobody did. Each time he became more disappointed than the last. He knew very well nobody cared about him, but he tried to convince himself otherwise. He prided himself on the fact that his people loved their home, that was enough right? Even though none of those people knew of him, they still loved him and had pride in him, right?

They had pride in Canada, not Matthew. That was the conclusion he kept coming to. 'They don't love you, they love Canada' the voice in the back of his head kept repeating. He pushed the voice away, focusing on the road.

A couple lonely hours later, he made it to the border. They checked his passport and let him through. From there the drive to his home was uneventful. The voice was still there, it was always there, eating away at him.
The Mustang pulled into the driveway. Matthew stepped out of the car, it was morning now. He yawned, he needed some sleep. The voice in his head and the stress that came with it gave him a relentless headache. He got out of the car, walking up to his door and unlocking it.
Kumajiro, his pet polar bear, immediately ran up to him. "Hungry!" the bear complained.
Matthew chuckled softly. "Alright Kumichoo, let's get you some food."
He walked towards the kitchen. "Who?" Kuma asked.

'Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence'

"Canada, Matthew, your owner." Canada shook his head. He fed the bear his dinner then crawled upstairs into his bed. The room was already dark, silent. So silent. Nothing could be heard except for the sound of Matthew's own breathing. He pulled the covers overtop of himself, trying to push any negative thoughts out of his mind. 'Tomorrow will be a better day. Tomorrow, someone will remember me.'
When was tomorrow? To Matthew, it was the day someone would notice him. Everyday, tomorrow was the day someone would notice him. But never did tomorrow come...
'Tomorrow, it has to be, tomorrow...' Matthew drifted off in the silent room.
In his dreams, more silence, more loneliness, and never tomorrow.

'Fools, said I, you do not know
Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you
But my words, like silent raindrops fell
And echoed in the wells of silence
And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
And the sign said, the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls
And whispered in the sounds of silence'

Song credit: Sound of Silence: Paul Simon