boy in the bubble

chapter 12

England and Sealand sat giggling like little schoolgirls and licking there icecream cones on a bench in the graveyard. It seemed pretty grim, laughing in a graveyard just five feet away from a line of seven tombstones all marked Kirkland. But the two were having there fun together.

"Thank you for the icecream! I love turtle" sealand swung his legs about and thanked England. England ruffled his hair "I still think mint chocolate chip is far superior but to each his own, atleast it's not pistachio, your brother Australia likes that and I just don't get it" he explained.

"I know Redsands used to like strawberry, he loved everything red huh?" Sealand said fondly looking over at a gravestone.  England nodded "he did didnt he?...hey, remember the time Shivering sands got her dress snagged on ths fence on that rescue mission in France?" England asked.

"Yeah, remember what Charlie Banks said when we found her body?" Sealand asked "She slept like a french shoulder who didnt get there mask on in time". It was a grim way to bond, but what people often forgot was sealand, or fort roughs rather was made for war, seeing his siblings drop like flies around him was normal, they'd come back since at the time they were forts, sworn to protect the mainland. It was like England had his own little squad of children with guns, ones that couldn't read, but they could shoot.

Sealand wasnt expecting for the day to come when England said goodbye to all of them for the very last time. After Roughs became sealand and after eleven years went back to England because he finnaly was able to get off the fort England was surprised he was alive. He should have died after being out of commission for so long. He had the remains of the forts whom had actually died brought to London and given them a proper burial. He never forgot the words sealand told him that day at the funeral "You let them die, why couldnt you left me die to? I blame you jerk England, I hate you dad I hate you!".

He was snapped back to reality when Sealand tugged on his shirt sleeve "Im going to play on the jungle gym, hold my icscream" Peter chimed and handed his treat to England before running up the thing like a spider monkey. England watched him go, he hoped he was forgiven.

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Denmark hung the groceries on his handlebars and crossed his arms staring down at Ladonia and ths new bike he bought him. "Get on it" he demanded. "I'm not getting in the bike! Its frightening!" Ladonia stomped his feet. "Your being a selfish brat. I bought you the bike and your going to ride it or your walking the bike the seven miles home, it doesn't even have gears its not that hard!" Denmark explained.

Ladonia glared at him and got on the bike, his toes keeping him in balance  as he tried to balance "there Im on it can we go now?' Ladonia said crossly. Denmark rolled his eyes and grabbed the seat behind him "I've got you, now pedel".

Ladonia hesitantly puf his feef on the pedals and bit his lip as hs went one stride, then another, than another. "IM DOING IT IM DOING IT IM AWESOME HAHA!" He screamed as Denmark held onto the seat, soon deciding to let go he kept going "I'm going really fast right Denmark?" He looked behind him abit and dread hit him as Denmark wasn't there. He swevered and hit the curb as Denmark was getting on his bike.

Denmark rode over to where ladonia was screaming about the cut on his knee like a lion just jumped him. "ERLAND ITS OKAY I'll tell you viking stories of you get back on the bike".

"I'm not getting back on the bike" he said sternly. "Okay then" denmark said and started peddling out if the parking lot and onto the sidewalk. Ladonia stared at him "Hey...I'll be good dont leave me!" He yelled and grabbed the bike, quickly speeding on it to catch up to Denmark whom of which smiled fondly at him.
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The neighbors sat in there livingroom with a neighbor whom they barely knew who had showed up to there house asking to hide from his husband. The silence was deafening, no one knew what to say.

Except the wife

"What do you mean hide from your husband? Your like twice his size" she said. Sweden shook his head "Tino is a very strong person, I'm hiding here while my brother in law calls the police, I found out he, he wasnt just hurting me he was hurting my kids to" his voice was saddened.

The family looked appalled, abuse was going on in there neighborhood and they didn't even realize it. "So, Tino hit you?" An older looking gentleman asked. "He didn't just hit me, I'd say no to something and...hed do it anyways" he explained and a chill sent up his spine remembering the events of that morning.
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Sirens sounded down the street as people watched from the windows, a short man yelling in finnish could be seen being taken from the house in chains, a strange looking man with a curl could be seem holding an icepack to his forehead as he limped.

"I didn't do it! I didn't I would never hurt my family!" Tino screamed as he was shoved into the back of the cop car.