My Neighbor I Know So Well (AmeCan)

Time Does Fly By Fast (Canada)

3 September, 1939

I didn't realize how much time had passed until I checked the calendar, how much time I've been asleep. I woke up to the sound of a muffled sob and the feeling of my fingers intertwined with another. At first I didn't know where I was nor who's hand was holding mine. I blinked to adjust my vision and soon found myself lying in a hospital bed. It took me a long while to muster the strength to speak since my body felt weak. Yet when something did come out, it sounded low and coarse. The hand that held mine stopped moving and I heard their head lift up to face me.

"M-Matthew?"

Turning my head I discovered that the hand belonged to no one other than Alfred. I replied with a smile and a nod, whispering a little "Hi". His eyes were wide with disbelief, but I saw him slowly soften and tears begin to stream down. It's been an awful long while since I last saw him cry, I forgot how it felt to see him breakdown in front of me. I tried cheering him up by saying that I was awake, that I was fine, but this only made the tears fall faster. When he tried saying something, he kept hiccuping so it was a little hard to listen carefully.

"Th-they were r-ready to t-take you away. T-they thought that you w-were in an eternal c-coma, and there wasn't a p-possibility y-you'd ever w-wake up. They kept telling m-me 'we've done all we can', but I begged f-for more t-time. Y-you were to be p-put down b-by evening t-today!"

He vigorously rubbed his eyes with the sleeves of his coat. I looked at his face and found dark lines embedded under his puffy eyelids and I couldn't help but begin to frown and tear up myself. How long was he awake? How much sleep did he get, if any? I was so used to seeing him always vibrant and energetic, a smile almost never leaving his face.

What he showed to me, I thought that was what Al looked like on the inside. Outside he was bubbly and happy, but on the inside, he was a broken mess. This hurt me immensely.

I tried sitting up but he urged me to lay back down. I wrapped my arms around Al and pulled him close, feeling guilty that I had terrified him. Eventually the doctor came in and looked shocked at my awakening. He didn't believe that I could've woken up if I had been asleep for more than a couple of months. I was to be released several weeks later.

That was about seven years ago, time does fly by fast. From my release up until now, I've done nothing but rest at home. Alfred flew back and forth from Canada to the United States, then back. Every time he came back he always brought me the latest issue on what his country was doing to lift them out of the depression. There was this time where he insisted on submitting my research papers for me, but I refused and insisted that I do it myself. So, he drove me to where I needed to go and we worked out matters there. Alfred had to stay in the car the whole time, requested by me.

All I could do from there on was to sit and wait. My hands were shaking the whole car ride home, anxious to see the end.

Now that I'm here and writing, I might as well spit it out. I have grave news: Europe, it's been thrown into complete chaos again. Remember how Germany has spent all of this time reconstructing themselves after the Treaty of Versailles? Well, a certain politician came into power and eventually took control of the whole country. They've been spreading fast, and I heard that nearby countries are being invaded already. Mr. Kirkland told me all of this months before they declared war on Germany, alongside France, Australia, and New Zealand. I could go more in detail, but for the sake of time and space, I won't.

I asked if Alfred was going to join too. He said that he wouldn't because he has to focus on manufacturing the U.S. back up and running. I looked down, not wanting to take the conversation any further. Though I did read in our most recent issue that we were suggesting to take part in this war. All I have to say is that there's a chance we will, but we'll have to wait and see.

I can already feel myself sailing back to European shores again. Yet, this time, it'll be much worse, much more terrifying, much more dangerous.

I don't know the amount of time I have left of resting, but I do know that it's going to end soon.

Your friend, Matthew