The Fall of Power

Message to a dead man

(Denmark's point of view)

After America's first introduction to our small group, our meetings became fairly regular. Every weekend, he would come over after Japan's two roommates left, then leave a few hours later.

Every time we met up, Japan would bring up the whole 'where is my brother' thing, and America would answer the same way every time.

"He won't say."

"I know he has! I mean, look at you. You're clearly lying!" Japan poked America in the chest.

This response to his excuse, however, was new.

"I'm telling the truth. I ask him every time I go home, and his answer is always the same." He throws his hands up in the air, his following words coming out in a mocking tone, "I met him once, don't know what happened to him."

"I'm going to call you out right there, man," Peru speaks up.

Both Japan and America turn to where he sits at the table next to me. I can get a good look at their faces now. Japan looks extremely angry, while America's expression looks somewhere between him about to cry or start screaming.

"Last time you said that, you said he never met the kid. Now he has?"

"Changing your story now? What do you have to hide but the truth?"

All eyes return to America. He stays quiet, something I wouldn't normally associate with him in this context.

When he went through the accident, he changed a lot. As a kid, he was this little ball of energy that couldn't be contained. And combined with his brothers and sister's antics, they were a loud bunch. But when I had first seen him after he was fully healed, he rarely spoke and clung to Britain and Canada, and when he could, New Zealand. I thought it had just been grief, and it was easy to think that. He had just lost his second sibling and closest friend. When he told me the truth all those meetings ago, I realized just how wrong that was.

While some of it was grief, most of it was guilt. He was quiet not because he didn't know what to say, he was quiet because he thought he was the one meant to be dead. He didn't cling to his father and remaining siblings to make sure they were still there, he clung to them because he believed they would leave him.

So when I saw him open up to Peru and Japan, I was happy. He had people he knew didn't blame him and wouldn't leave him.

So to see him so hidden and quiet again was concerning. Was he guilty of a secret he could not share? Or is he just upset at Japan's constant nagging?

"You really want to know what he said?" America finally responded.

"Of course! That's what I've been asking for this whole time!" Japan waved his arms in a big circle for emphasis.

"He said that your brother died," America stated, his voice wavered.

Japan stopped all his movements. His arms fell to his sides, and his mouth gaped open in shock.

"Please," Japan's voice came out small, "please tell me that's a stupid joke of yours." He pleaded.

But we all knew it wasn't. The chances of someone being killed for having a power were high. Especially one that could be considered dangerous. Japan's brother was just that.

"I- I'm so sorry." America stuttered out.

I hung my head down in silence. I had never met Japan's brother, as Japan joined after his disappearance. Japan never tells anyone his name; he's too paranoid about a spy finding out or something. But from what he has said, the boy was everything this island needed. A kind, young soul, who believed everything would be alright. After a few meetings with America, Japan told me that he reminded him of his brother sometimes.