As soon as the noise dissipates, America clutches onto Russia tight enough for Russia to release his hands. America shakes, and his foot twitches, soaking Russia's stomach with blood. Russia ignores the sinking feeling it causes.
Russia ignores the smell. Instead, he turns and snarls at reptilian eyes watching them. Puffs of steam rise from their maws. Russia's eyebrows furrow. One of them opens its mouth and it bellows with steam. Russia's ears twitch and he jumps to the side.
A blast of water rockets past his ankles, leaving behind flattened, brewing foliage. Another puff of steam sends him to the right, where he scrambles onto the steaming leaves. The ground leaves his feet pulsing with pain. He scrambles off.
He could almost imagine the sizzling of his feet.
"God fucking damn it!" Russia exclaims.
His feet throb at the cold air. A shout brings his attention back to the teens, and he watches in horror at Florida flipping around a blast of water.
"Don't let it hit you!" Russia demands.
"It's a blast of water," Texas argues, confused, "it don't look like it's got much force to it."
"It will burn you!" Russia shouts, narrowly jumping away from another stream. America squeaks.
Texas shouts in alarm and ducks, hand on his hat. Brazil yanks Alberta away from another rocket of water.
New Mexico pulls Ukraine to the side and Florida leaps over the stream, landing on the creature behind it. South Carolina shrieks.
A huge, swinging talon nearly catches Russia's head. Russia dives to the ground. America stiffens, burying his face into Russia's shoulder.
Russia scrambles on his hands and feet, leaping around and narrowly dodging the boiling lasers. He runs forward, sinking his claws into the soft ground like cleats.
He yowls in anger and lands on the back of one of the creatures. It looks like the one from before, though now Russia could actually get a better look at it.
It looks like an oversized lizard. Its scales are sharp and dig deep into Russia's hands and feet. Its feet are adorned with sharp talons that try to slash Russia's legs.
It thrashes under him, rubbing its sandpaper skin against Russia's skin. The dark greenish-brown plates soon turn red with Russia's blood.
Its mouth opens. Its gasping catches Russia's attention.
Gurgling sends Russia into a panic, and he clamps the thing's mouth shut with his hands. Its beady eyes stare at him and it begins to roll, trying to get him under it.
"Jump off!" Florida shouts, "Now!"
Russia scrambles back. Alabama shouts and jumps on top of the thing, straddling it.
"Sippy!" he shouts, pinning the creature.
Russia spins back to the action and his breathing stops.
A large, hooved thing towers over him from 5 meters off the ground. Its mouth has too many teeth. Its face is long and emaciated. Its front hooves seemed to work as crab claws. It grabs North Dakota and South Dakota screams in terror. Its back hunches and it shrieks.
The sound is a poor mockery of America's whistle.
Russia claws at the trees, jumping between them before racing past the thing's feet.
'I have to take it down!'
America groans, his hands shaking.
"DAK!" Ohio screams, his arm extended.
"All of you! Fucking MOVE!" North Carolina demands.
Russia dives to the ground. Ohio and South Carolina scramble away.
Russia's head whips up as a blast of water hits the thing in the chest. It screeches and its hand relaxes. Russia jumps, catching North Dakota with his chest. He lands, struggling to keep his balance. He hugs North Dakota to his chest.
Russia hears more things approaching and approaching fast, but he can't see it through the trees. His mouth goes dry.
Finland's prosthetic is ripped from her and Brazil is thrown off her feet. Kansas barely manages to dodge the gnashing teeth of the vapor-covered reptiles.
BOOM
The ground shakes and Russia's ears flatten completely.
"Tuck!" Alabama cheers, jumping up.
'Kentucky?'
Russia's head swivels to see West Virginia hurting in behind Kentucky's dust shrowded silhouette. West Virginia jumps down from the cloud, swinging an industrial pick-ax into the heads of the slithering things. Kentucky tosses another bundle at the creatures. It explodes as soon as it hit the ground.
Blood and rusty scales fly past, scratching Russia's face.
Tennessee and Virginia run into the fray. Tennessee slings a shotgun onto her back, brandishing a bowie knife at the charging reptiles. Virginia reloads a pistol. Blood and dust kick up from the shots.
"We have to go!" Tennessee shouts, face paint stripping her face.
Russia lets North Dakota to her feet, and South Dakota catches her.
"Follow me!" Kentucky yells, tossing one last bundle before turning around to run.
"Go! Go! Go!" Texas shouts, waving his siblings forward.
Dixie stumbles up to Texas' side. Brazil follows New Mexico and Mexico stomps down on a reptile. Russia hurries the children forward.
The large thing shrieks again and grabs Texas and Dixie by their forearms. Texas screams. America shakes.
It throws them back. Texas hits the tree hard, his hat flattens to his head. Dixie rolls.
Texas struggles back to his feet and hunches over. He clutches his arm. His chest shakes.
Russia runs forward when Virginia runs back and grabs Texas by the arm. She yanks him forward and Mexico runs at the tail end of the group. Russia turns back and Dixie waves him on, leaning heavily against a tree.
"I'll be right behind you!" Dixie shouts, his voice is hoarse and full of pain.
Russia gives a sharp nod, falling to his hands. He takes a breath, taking a running start. But after a few steps, a sinking feeling in his gut stops him. He spins back to see Dixie on the ground, staring up at the largest creature. His face is one of resignation and acceptance.
Russia's heart stops and magic rushes through his chest.
His arms burn.
The ground shrinks away.
Russia yowls.
His body shifts under his skin and he bounds forward. His hands hit the rocks. He barely registers the harsh tugging on his fur. He grabs Dixie by the back of his coat. He swerves around, digging his claws into the tree in front of the creature.
He launches at its face and shoves his paws into its eyes. It shrieks. Russia springs off. He whips his tail behind him. Tennessee pokes her head around the trees, pumping her shotgun and sending lead into the mammalian monstrosity. Tennesse catches Russia's eye and then jerks her head to the left.
Russia bounds forward. The world passes in a blur. Russia gasps. Dixie shakes, and Russia thinks he can hear Dixie's whining. Tennessee starts to fall behind.
'No. I can't leave anyone here.'
He ducks his head and his nose catches Tennessee's knees. Tennessee shrieks and Russia feels her land on the back of his head. He jumps, springing toward the direction she'd given.
"Dad!" Tennessee shouts over the wind.
Russia ignores the panic in his chest. His nose is full of the scent of old and new blood.
Bright yellow catches his eye. Russia swerves. The monsters chasing him crash into the trees behind him. Russia's head swivels back and he narrowly dodges a tree.
His feet pound against the ground. Pebbles kick up behind his tail. His spine bends, throwing his front paws forward.
Yellow.
Gunshots ring out from a large open door on the back of a large, yellow bus. Virginia shoves ammo into her handgun and is quick on the trigger. Alligators fall limp into lumps of rotten swamp around the door. Russia glances back up as Virginia aims at him. His heart drops.
'Uh oh.'
Suddenly, Texas yanks her hand down, shouting.
Russia scrambles to a stop and hands Dixie off to Virginia and Texas, who pull him inside. Tennessee steps down on his face and pulls America along.
"Come on, Dad!"
Tennessee struggles to force America into the bus when something burns the back of Russia's back legs. Russia yowls. He shoves his head forward. Tennessee tumbles over America. America clings to the ledge of the door.
Russia spins around and hisses, his ears pinned to his head. He grabs a lizard by its head and thrashes it. He throws it and grabs another, digging his fangs into its throat.
"Go! Go! Go!" Finland demands.
The wheels spin, squealing against the pavement. The back jerks forward. Russia watches them speed onto the empty road. He bounds after them.
'I can't fit like this.'
He runs forward, yanking his tail from a sharp claw.
'Human. I need to be human.'
He lets the bus advance before taking a running jump.
Russia leaps, heaving the value open. He shuts his eyes and his limps retract. He flies through, and the wind quiets. He leans into it, landing on his shoulder and rolling on a stop. He hops to his feet and hears howling behind him.
"Where's Dixie?!" Kentucky shouts in a panic from the front.
"Russia got 'im!" Virginia shouts, slamming the door shut.
The floor jerks forward, and Russia digs his fingers into the seat to his right, trying desperately to stay upright.
Everything smells like blood. Russia gasps.
'I'm human.'
He watches his free hand and sees the blue and white. Relief sends him to his knees. He numbly notices someone grabbing his arm. He stumbles up and he's tossed into a seat. Russia stares at his bloody palms. The cuts shine under the moonlight.
The red oozes through the creases in his hands.
'I forgot how different the world looks.'