Book 1 - Puppets

XL - Brittle Bones

Russia continues pacing around.

'At least my leg is getting more usable. It still hurts though, but I should expect that.'

The blue light flickers.

Russia spins to America, who clutches his stomach.

"America?"

"I'm fine! I'm fine."

Russia walks over and sits quietly beside America. America lets out a shaky sigh.

"What's going on?"

"...It's getting worse."

Russia turns to look at America, who is staring hard at the ground.

"I don't wanna tell Canada. Or the kids. And I know Phil isn't a kid anymore, but..."

America shifts and curls up around his legs.

"I won't involve them."

"I know."

"You're the only one who knows."

"I know, Meri."

America looks up, and their eyes meet.

"Thank you."

Russia's brain short circuits. His whole body feels fuzzy. Eyes locked.

Thump. Scratch. Thump. Growl.

Russia jerks away and glares into the shadows.

"You hear that?" America mutters, moving to stand.

Russia nods and stands up. He notices how America struggles to his feet. He glances at him before returning his gaze to the darkness. America stokes the magic brighter.

"Should we wake them up?" America whispers.

Russia nods and creeps over to the sleeping pile of people. He shakes Canada and Finland awake.

"What?" Finland groans.

"Get up. We heard something near us," Russia hisses.

Finland glares at him but sits up and begins shaking some of the nearby states awake.

Russia stands and sees Canada standing with America. He looks around and spots a sharp, gleaming stalagmite. He reaches over and snaps it from its base.

Texas grumbles from behind him.

"What's goin' on?" Louisiana says with a yawn.

"Something's here," America replies.

"For f*ck sake," Massachusetts mutters.

"Shh," Canada says.

"Are we gonna fight it?" Texas asks.

"We'll have to get a look at it first," America says, brightening his light to cut deeper into the abyss surrounding them.

Russia catches sight of a knarled, retreating hand. He focuses on it, and he snarls. He brandishes his newfound weapon.

Deep, rolling growls echo from the dark.

Texas launches one of the larger rocks he had collected at the unseen enemy. Thunk.

It roars in outrage. Heavy thuds shake the floor, and it rears its ugly head into the light.

Its face is a hollow mimicry of human features. Its cheeks impossibly hollow, and its eyes pits of despair and wrath. Its nose is only two large slits in the middle of its face. Something dark red coats its face and mouth. Its limbs are like that of a monkey, but crooked and emaciated. It opens its maw of chipped and jagged teeth and releases a deafening boom, lunging at America.

America flys back in its grip and slams into the rock wall. Russia sprints behind it, raising his shank.

"HEY! MEATHEAD! OVER HERE!" Texas shouts, pelting the thing's back with stones.

It drops America and turns on Texas. Russia rushes in and grabs America before he collapses. America holds a faint light in his shaking hand and slumps on top of Russia with a quiet groan. Russia spins back to the action.

Philippines jumps in its path, grabbing fist fulls of debris and shoving into the monster's eyes and nose. It shrieks and flails, and Philippines can barely dodge the thrashing limbs, almost falling backward in his get away.

Massachusetts dives between Texas and the creature and summons a blinding green orb. The monster retreats with a bark. Finland surges up from behind it and grabs it by its neck. She yanks it back. It grabs at her arms, scratching furiously at them, and tries to shake her off.

Finland scowls and shoves the monster to the ground.

Canada rushes over to Russia and tries to check on America's condition.

He tells Russia, "America's head is bleeding."

Russia's eyes fly back to the flurry of motion in front of him.

The monster screeches as Louisiana stabs her blade into its right eye. Its thrashes, and Finland kneels on its neck. Texas leans over one of its arms in an attempt to keep it restrained. Canada runs over and helps Massachusetts secure the other. Philippines struggles to hold the monster's head still.

The monster escapes Massachusetts grasp and knocks Louisiana back into Texas, and Texas stays standing. He pushes her back to her feet, and she scours the ground for her blade.

She spots what Russia is holding. She gestures for it, and Russia tosses it to her without hesitation. She catches it gracefully and turns back to the monster, and in one smooth motion thrusts it into the remaining eye. The thing screams. It blindly jerks around, nearly sending Finland and Louisiana flying.

Russia's ears ring.

America pulls away from Russia and looks around, a dazed expression on his face. Russia can see his mouth moving but can't make out his words. He spins back the others and sees the thing back on its feet. In the place of its left eye is a shard of stone stabbed deep into its skull.

It stumbles. It falls face down, sending the rod the rest of the way through its head.

The ringing fades.

Russia finds himself staring at the body, his breathing fast and loud, even to his own ears. He forces the air through his nose to quiet himself.

"Is it dead?" Philippines asks.

"I say we take off the head," Massachusetts suggests.

"Why?" Louisiana questions.

"To make sure it's actually dead. Why else?" Massachusetts bites.

"Do we have anything to cut it with?" Louisiana asks.

"No, I don't think so," Canada chimes in.

Russia grows anxious about it standing again. And looking at what it had done to America made him furious.

First, he makes sure America can stand by himself. Then, he walks over and stomps onto its neck with as much force as he could muster. A crack rings out from its spine. Then, its body begins to deflate. Russia steps back, alarmed.

'What the f*ck?'

He looks around and sees the others are as well. They fan out around the body, stepping back.

Dull brackish light illuminates the corpse as it tears itself apart.

'It's like watching it decompose on fast forward.'

Russia watches out of morbid curiosity. The muscle tears away and disintegrates until nothing but the skeleton remains. Philippines reaches out to touch the bones, and the bones crumble into nothing just before he makes contact. They stand in silence. Russia stares at the spot where it had been. Now, only a cracked stalagmite lay in its place.