How America Became America

36

Trigger Warning towards the end. It is very graphic, at least to me. So heed this warning.

The nations were at a meeting when Alfred walked in. He held a pile of papers in his arms so tall it covered his face. The conversations that were taken place ceased as soon as he opened the door. He couldn't see where he was going, so he ran into a rather small nation. One or more nations chuckled at that. Alfred profusely apologized and started to pick up his papers. He looked up to see this small nation helping.

"Sorry," Alfred apologized again.

"Don't worry about it," the nation told Alfred, "I'm Israel."

"Alfred, or the United States of America. Do you have a human name?"

"Human name? I get to choose?"

"Wow, you really are new, aren't you?"

"Sorry."

Before long a different nation, Yahya Khaled Al-Shafei, the personification of Palestine, walked up to the duo. He just dragged Israel away, by the ear. Alfred waved warily, ending the scene.

The next scene started with Alfred confronting Arthur, a little pissed off.

"You abstained?" he questioned his vote.

"Of course I did," he answered smoothly. "The Arabs will eat them alive."

The scene ended there, leaving room for an angry Alfred confronting his boss, Harry S. Truman.

"Come on," he was agitated, "let me join!"

"No," came the response, "how many times do I have to tell you that?"

Alfred groaned and quickly left office. He didn't head home, however. He headed to a hanger in the middle of nowhere and taxied his plane, a Bell P-39 Airacobra. He hoped he could make the full journey, but he quickly filled extra cans of fuel.

The scene ended with his leaving his car in the hanger and with him walking towards his plane.

The next scene had him flying freely in the air, but instead of free look on Alfred's face, there was determination.

The scene quickly shifted to show him landing in a hot climate. He was immediately greeted by Yahya, who had a fake grin.

"Al," he started, "my buddy, my pal, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to help-" Alfred was cut off.

"Oh, thank goodness, Israel is going too far-"

"Not you."

"Uh, what?"

"I'm here to help Israel. I'm all for freedom and the Jews need a place to go where they feel safe."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"I landed in the wrong airfield, where do I go for Israel?"

"I thought you weren't entering this fight?"

"I'm here as me, not my nation."

The scene ended there. A new one started with Alfred landing once more, this time being greeted by Israel. They had a great big grin on their face.

"Did you figure out your human name yet?" Alfred asked.

Israel nodded before speaking, "Tritza Atir Zion."

"I like it."

"Thank you for coming, I know that your people can't really help."

"Yeah, Truman is threatening to take away people's passports."

The scene ended with Tritza leading Alfred to their ragtag of a military. It quickly changed to Amelia back in her home. She was wearing a basic blue, 50's style dress. She was singing along to a song that was playing. The song was Love me Tender by Elvis Presley. She was swaying slightly as she sung softly. Tears were streaming down her face as she held herself lightly.

When the song ended, she broke down crying, ignoring the next song on the record and collapsing on the ground in a heap. Her house was empty, everyone apparently gone for the day, leaving her all alone.

Several nations stared at Amelia. Toris, who was closest took her hand, comfortingly.

"Why are you crying," Feliciano asked.

"The song reminded me of how I couldn't help Toris," she said quiet enough that some nations strained to hear what was said, "and how he wasn't with me."

Before more could be said, everyone was brought back to the memory by a sinister voice.

"You know," Atticus said, appearing, "You try to be the hero, but all you do is fail."

"What does that have to do with Toris?" Amelia asked him, her head lifted slightly.

"Well, you didn't protect him. Now, he's trapped inside that commie's house, with no escape. You also decided to stay out of the fight for Korea. Whilst your people are fought, you're here wallowing."

"I didn't have a choice," Amelia sobbed, "Eisenhower told me to stay here."

"Yet you disobeyed Truman to fight for Tritza. Why was that? Because you wanted to be the 'hero?' You'll never be a hero."

"I'll never be a hero..." She trailed off as she stood, moving robotically, walking up the stairs and into a bathroom.

"Strip down," Atticus' voice was an echo, not solid, "you don't want to ruin your dress, but leave on your undergarments. Maybe this'll work, you don't want to be found naked."

Amelia did as told and stiped down to her underwear. The nations watching, especially the men, were blushing, but stopped when they saw all the scars come to the surface. They were stunned by the mere amount. Amelia started filling up the bathtub with water. Whilst that was happening, she left the bathroom to grab one of her guns and a pocketknife. She quickly went back into the bathroom and shut the faucet off.

She lowered herself into the rather large tub and submerged herself for a minute. When she reemerged she grabbed her blade and started carving, roughly, into her leg.

The nations couldn't even see what it said with all the blood pooling into once clear water. Amelia hugged herself, not wanting to watch her own destructive behavior. Matthew saw this and approached his sister slowly, before pulling her into a hug. He had her face in his chest so she wouldn't have to witness what was about to come next, which they both knew what it was.

Amelia dropped her pocketknife into the water, not caring if she stabbed herself with it. She was about to reach for the gun when she heard Matthew coming home with her kids. She quickly grabbed the gun, but it accidentally went off as she pulled on the trigger too hard.

"Shit," she cursed as she saw a bullet hole in her bathroom door.

She heard running, outside the door, before the door was forced open. Matthew was on the other side of the doorway, staring at a half-naked Amelia; blood in the bath water she was sitting in, gun in hand. Before he could say anything, she put the gun against her temple, hand shaking.

"I'm sorry, Mattie," she whispered as she pulled the trigger.