Solving of the Countries (Book 2)

Chapter 73

        He ran.
No, where was he going?
     Leaves fluttered around him, branches snapped. He kept on running.
No, what was he running away from?
     The darkness was going to swallow him.
     Everything was black.

Where was he?
    
     The forest floor was a dark red color ahead of him as he sprinted. He passed trees that clawed out to reach him. Their bony cracking fingers curled.

      They were so close now...

   
    Russia's eyes snapped open.
He looked around from where he lay. He sat up.
   
      There were no trees. No fingers reaching for him. No blood red floor. Just him in his room.
     The day outside shone through the window. No clouds. Just sky blue and sun. Did he actually manage to sleep?
     It was a nightmare...

30 minutes passed and after a while he walked downstairs. Belarus had already went out. Ukraine's room was closed, so that meant she was already out. He could see Kazakhstan getting ready to go out. Oh, it was a school day.
     Kazakhstan glanced up.
"Hey Russ! Are you coming to classes today?" He walked over.
     "Hmm..."
Russia tilted his head slightly, thinking.
     "I guess."
His backpack was still upstairs.
     His brother seemed to have sensed this and nodded.
      "You should get your stuff. I'll see you there,"he gave a smile and walked out.
       Russia sighed. But then, he would be seeing his friends again. It'd be nice, after all, he hadn't seen them in a while. He retraced his steps upstairs, went inside his room and saw his backpack. It had been unused for a long while. But his binder, folders and notebooks were still inside.
     He knelt down and instead of picking up his backpack he opened a cabinet. He hadn't opened it in a while. But he remembered what it had.
     Something glittered inside and frost plumed upward. The air around the opened cabinet was cold. He hesitated and shut the cabinet again. At least it was safe.
    He grabbed his backpack and hoisted it on his shoulders. Russia left his room, he didn't know what to feel. The remnants of his nightmare preyed on his mind.

    

      All eyes stared at him as he entered.
Russia hated it. Every single moment he entered as torture. Why did he agree to come?
    He shrugged it off mentally and ignored the hostile glares.
    "So the war-maker returns."
"Man, I thought something happened to him."
     "Why'd he come back?"
He heard scoffing.
    "Doesn't he know he's not wanted here?"
    He opened his locker. Russia ignored them.
    "I can't believe he has the nerve to even be here."
     He couldn't have been gone for that long. He found his locker. It was pasted all over with anonymous notes.
     "Ha! Look at him. I'm surprised he even has friends."
   "Just get out of here. No one wants you to come back! You'll only make trouble."
     "He's gonna declare war on all of us."
"Haha, I think so."
     They sure talked big when they had a crowd around them to hide. He gripped the handle, feeling the metal bend. Paper notes written over with hate. He ignored it.
      The locker itself was etched with carved messages. None of them were looked at. He opened the locker.
    What did he expect? Of course it was trashed. It was full of notes. It was crammed. Everything was disorganized.
    Laughter.
Cruel laughter.
      Snide remarks.
          Sneers.

He closed it. Even as he did countries around him laughed louder. Russia didn't face them, but he knew they were drawing near.
    They were an unrecognizable mass of colors and flags.
    Suddenly screams pierced the air.
A loud thud was heard.
    A locker was smashed. Russia looked behind him.
  
    China stood there, an unknown country on the ground behind him. Russia could see red paint the floor and a mess of organs on the floor. The crowd was nowhere to be seen
They had fled after witnessing the gruesome scene.
     "He'll live, only his non-vital organs have been removed,"China said, he cast a look at the country on the ground. 
     Russia looked away from the body.
"Usually I wouldn't resort to such methods. But you could only have so much self control."
      China walked past him to the locker and looked at the notes as if they were an everyday thing.
     Russia waited for an explanation. 
"Writing and pasting these notes everyday since you've been gone,"China said, taking off the papers. "Trashing your locker only occasionally since they don't want to risk you finding out."
    China gathered all of them and added, "India had taken the privilege of burning all of them."
       Russia saw the papers, piled up and pleading to be read by the one they were written for.
      He watched his friend pick up a note.
    "You wouldn't want to read them. They're very unpleasant." China said all this without looking at him.

     Russia heard a groan from the country beneath them. Guts glistened on the floor.
     "Hmm..."China didn't look at Russia's expression. "Guess I'll have to tell WHO again."
    "Again?"
"The others have been challenged to various Duels from other countries who know who you are to them. Of course, our friends haven't shown any mercy to them. The fights always had an unfortunate ending for the other country."
      Russia didn't know what to say.
"Oh..."
      "Don't feel so bad,"China said, now looking at him. "Besides, now that you're here, I think other countries would be challenging you now."
     "Hopefully it doesn't come to that,"Russia said, rubbing an eye. "I'm really not in the mood."
     The notes, even though he didn't read them, had caused his temper to shorten. He felt ready to snap at anything.
     And this was only the beginning.

  North Korea felt awkward when he entered the Academy doors with Martial Law and Philippines, who chatted amiably with them both. She was pleased that the both of them were getting along well.
    Getting along? Not yet, but close to.
The hallway had scattered countries near their lockers. They talked in low hushed voices. Some glanced up at the three in surprise. Then talked even faster.
      A nearby country stared.
"What are you looking at?"Martial snapped. They scurried away.
     Philippines frowned. "Kuya..."
"Sorry,"Martial didn't sound so apologetic. "So North, you want to find your friends or something?"
     North had been looking at the retreating country. How'd Martial scare them so easily? Must've been an easy intense death glare.
      "Ummm... Yes."
Could he and Martial Law ever be friends? It'd be a big second chance.
    He looked around. He didn't see any of them.
     Philippines was already conversing with another country and Martial was overseeing the conversation.
     North walked away and went to search for his locker to get his stuff. He gathered his folder and notebook for ASEAN's class and stuffed them inside.
      He closed the locker and went to look for the Commie Homies.
       Where were they?
Outside maybe.
     

    
    
        North frowned. Where were they? He'd been searching for like, nearly half an hour. Right now he stood outside the dorms.

   He looked at the right. Then at the left walls. He peered closer as he saw something.
     At the corner of the building was dark red. He heard a noise. North ran over and went against the wall. He'd recognized thar dark red anywhere. It was blood.
      He looked over and his eye widened.
He ran towards the three.
       Vietnam, Laos and Cuba were all bloodied against the wall.
      Laos immediately looked up at his approaching footsteps. His posture relaxed somewhat slightly.
    Cuba crouched on the floor, holding his arm. Vietnam's head was bleeding heavily in the front.
     "Fu##ing cowards jumped us,"Cuba growled. North felt his blood boil.
      "Who were they?"
"It wasn't just who North, it was more than ten I could say that,"Laos interjected, leaning against a wall and coughing. "Frick."
      Blood splattered on the ground. It was smeared on the wall and the floor.
     "Yeah, we don't look too good,"Cuba admitted, he stood up and looked at him. There were scratches on his face.
      North Korea was furious that this happened. If he ever found out who did this, they were gonna have hell to pay.
     Vietnam wiped blood from his head and winced. "We're healing. Don't worry about us." His eyes were unfocused, but sharpened. "I'm going to find the b##ch that slammed my head against that wall. I'm going to have a headache for the rest of the day."
       Three of them watched as Laos used magic to wipe the blood off. The walls and floors were cleaned.
     "The worst thing was that the fight only happened for like a minute,"Laos said, "it was a sneak attack."
    He couldn't believe that countries would resort to such underhanded moves. But then again, they must've felt threatened. It was no excuse however. North Korea gripped his backpack strap tightly.
      Cuba shook his head at North's aggravated expression. "Don't go beating up random countries North."
     North exhaled. "Fine."