The Runaway - CountryHumans - AU

Chapter 20 - The Mirroring Dream

January 25, 1781
Location: London, England

Time: 8:00pm

America ran through the halls. His stress was becoming unbearable; He felt if he talked to anyone, he would burst into tears. He wanted his life to pause so that he could breathe and recover, but everything would keep pilling up. He wanted to escape.

Ahead were Scotland and Wales. They were talking until they saw America.

"Hey, America, we to talk to you about-" Scotland called, but America walked past them.

"I can't talk right now." America kept his head low.

"But we really need to ask about..." Scotland faded out as America was out of sight because he turned a corner.

Wales and Scotland exchange glances, "What was that about?" Wales asked. Scotland shrugged.

"He might know what we were going to say..."

America opened the doors that lead to the garden. The bitter cold of winter came in, making America shiver for a second, but he hurried on. America followed the pebbled stone path, even though all the plants were dead, snow on the trees make icicles look like frozen rain. Stone statues and quartz pillars are shown cleaned from the snow to stand out. Stone seats were by small quartz tables.

America slowed his pace to a walk. He hugged himself to stay warm. He enjoyed the scenery.

America then abruptly heard running footsteps behind him. He turned his head as he was called.

"America! Wait!" It was Canada. He stopped a few feet away. "Why did you want to leave the frozen lake so bad? You met your old friend after, what I can guess a long time," He paused. America turned his head away from him. "Why would you leave him?"

"It's nothing... leave me alone." America's voice was dull and in an almost whisper.

"Did you two fight?" Canada took a step closer.

"Please stop," America said, but Canada didn't listen.

"If you want to tell me... I won't judge."

"Drop it, Canada." America felt anger getting the better of him.

"I'm sure Russia's didn't mean to hurt you." America felt uncontrollable anger.

"I said, DROP IT CANADA!" America fully faced Canada and yelled at him. America realized that he didn't know where the anger came from. Canada was shooked; He couldn't talk as he saw America's eyes flicker black but then back to normal. America softly gasped to himself. He didn't mean to yell, but he didn't say sorry. "Just leave me alone..." America walked away from his brother.

When America was out of view, he started running. He didn't have any place he was aiming for, but only to getaway.

America decided to slow down to a stop. He sees that he is in a circular opening in the garden, pillars were on the sides of the different entrances that were all around. A beautiful pattern was on the stone pathway(s). Only one small table was in the area.

America sighs, then a pain in his head made him temporarily dizzy. America puts a hand on his head. He felt a jolt in him that pushed him. He took a couple of steps forward to balance out. The weird pain was gone.

America still had a hand on his head he looks at it and for some reason it's different. It had the same pattern that followed his flag, but something was off about it.

Then he heard laughter behind him.

America abruptly turned around and saw himself? No. It was Confederate in his body, and he was the ghost. That's why his hand was off, it was transparent.