Swapped Around

Two~ A Family Again?

I bend over and catch my breath. I can hear the older countries crashing through the trees behind me. I don't know why I ran away. I do not like to trust other people, that is all.

I have not always known I was a country. Once I was born, I was raised in a nice little village, where my parents worked on a farm. There were lots of other children to play with, there was tasty food and Father owned a pretty white horse which lived in the stables. I was happy there, in that small, friendly community. But as years passed and my friends grew up to become big, strong men like my Father, I was still left as a tiny baby.

The villagers thought I was a demon, and threw me away.

The memory of being shunned by my own family makes me want to cry. Why did they do that? It is not my fault that I am different. I curl up in a ball, with my hands over my ears, underneath the roots of the oak tree that stands sturdily next to me. Sometimes I wish that I had a family again. I have my big brothers, and my younger sister, but they shout a lot so I don't live with them any more.

The crashing of heavy boots approaches, along with the sound of a thick accent that I think belongs to America, the country from before. I think there was another one too, but I can't remember. I shrink back into the wooden alcove, scared of him like I am scared of most people nowadays. France says I should be braver, but I know that he is cowardly sometimes too.

The country- no, countries that were following me come into view. They look quite similar, now that I think about it. They speak, but I cannot make out what they are talking about; America is the only one loud enough to hear and he uses a lot of words which I don't understand.

Suddenly, I get a prickling on the back of my neck, and I reach back to itch it. As I do so, I realise with a jolt that a gloved hand and two pairs of spectacled eyes are pointed in my direction.

A jolt of fear runs through me. America edges closer, a smile plastered on his goofy-looking face, and I back away slowly. They seemed nice enough before, but after what happened earlier in my life, anyone who is kind is a possible enemy. I make contact with the solid trunk of the tree behind me. Cornered.

"Hey..... Hey....." America whispers, reaching out a hand to me. The look in his blue eyes is one of general kindness, not the false smirks that were given to me before.

Don't trust him. Don't trust anyone. I think to myself, glancing up at him. I feel my shoulders shaking.

"It's okay, little guy.... I'm not gonna hurt ya'....."

I can't think of an answer, and I'm too busy thinking of what to do in this situation. What did big brother Ali' tell me....? Protection spells, volume...... 3? Page right, charm of self defence.......

"See...? Don't be scared, we're gonna look after ya', right?"

I begin frantically trying to rememberer the incantation for the spell, trying to throw America backwards. I know that I'm still little, and using a lot of magic will weaken me, but I don't know what to do, and I can't run because they're faster than me.

Until I hear America say something that makes me freeze.

"We'll be like a family, Britain! You can trust us!"

My mind blanks. America would be my family? Like..... Family family? He would look after me? I am too shocked to do more than sit on the floor and stare.

I process it. If I go with them, my life could change! I wouldn't be shunned for being a country, in fact, there would be lots of people just like me! America would be like my Father, big and strong and always there to protect me. Maybe he would read me stories, like Ali' sometimes did before bed! I wouldn't have to put up with the horrible weather too!