(America's POV)
The waves crashed, and the water frothed. Everything was silent. I could smell the salt in the air, as well as taste the salt of my tears.
I wiped my eyes before sitting down on the sand. The ocean looked like a black void after the sunset. The moonlight cast ghostly shadows in the water, a white sheen on the top where the waves began.
Indignation rolled over me about not catching Aussie in time. He was my little brother, the least I could do was send him off. Even if I didn't approve of him going out to Korea. I didn't want him to come home the way I was after I went out to war.
It wasn't fair. He shouldn't have to go through that. Anger crept inside my chest. Maybe I was angry that he didn't know better, and that he thought it was an adventure.
Maybe I was just angry at myself for not going with him. God knows I can't protect him from here.
Sitting in the sand, I could tell the tide was rising. The water reached up at my legs, retreating before it could touch me.
I've always loved the ocean, but I hated this town. It had too many memories. I could understand why Australia wanted to get away. I guess he got sick and tired of waiting for me. Recalling his words stung. He was right. He was waiting on a maybe, and I guess I was getting tired of that too.
The wind bit at my skin, water spraying me and dampening my shirt.
I should get going.
Remembering that Aus left his car, I assumed his keys were with the recruitment office. I'd have to go get them, otherwise, it'll be a long walk back home.
Slowly I stood up, my fingers sinking into the damp sand as I pushed myself up. The moonlight was weak, and the sky was darkening with clouds. Even so, I saw something glistening in the sand.
I whipped my head around to stare back at the dark water, looking for the shine I saw in my peripheral.
I saw nothing.
Before turning to leave, a small golden glint in the sand shimmered again.
I fell back onto the sand, searching for whatever I saw. I dug my hands into the sand, gliding them over to feel any irregularities. Suddenly I felt a small, round shape fall into the palm of my hand. Upon closer inspection, it looked like a small golden nugget. Only, it was polished and had a small screw on panel on the side.
Curiosity filled me before a big raindrop landed on my hand.
The clouds quickly filled the night sky, more and more raindrops landing on me. I quickly stuffed the gold oddity into my overalls and hurried up the beach.
Running on the pavement, I could see Aus' car parked in the lot far in the back. Racing to get under cover from the rain, I ran down to the other side of Hal's shipping yards. Boats lined the waters, and huge storage buildings were up ahead. When I finally reached the recruitment office, I was drenched.
A small yellow light was on the outside, casting a horrible tint on the green warehouse paint. I knocked on the door, and someone opened up.
Warm air hit me in the face as I stepped inside, breathing harshly. A man in a blue military uniform closed the door and turned to face me.
"What brings you in? It's getting quite late, the ship already left, you know." The man was tall and had slicked black hair. His uniform was decorated with medals and ribbons.
Nervously I straightened my posture, sticking my hand out for him to shake.
"My name is America, sir. My brother left for Hawaii, I'm here to pick up his car." We shook hands firmly, and he stepped around me to go behind the counter.
The space was small but well-lit. A row of chairs lined the back wall, and a counter with forms and pens was to the right of the door. The lights above me hummed, and I could hear the rain pounding on the metal roof.
"Ah ok. My name is Mr. Hammond. Only your brother joined up?" I watched as he ducked below the counter and opened a metal safe.
"Yes, only him." I answered curtly, not interested in talking about Australia.
"Why didn't you join up? You look young enough. I would go if I could, but I have an injury. They assigned me here, instead." He chuckled softly before pulling up a big steel box from out of the safe.
"I've had my fair share of battle." A fake smile was plastered on my face as I looked up at him. Before he could say anything else I continued.
"My brother's name is Australia, he has a 1932 Ford Cabriolet." The man acknowledged me, before opening up the box and sorting through papers and keys.
"If you don't mind me asking, where did you serve before? I've served in Europe and North Africa." He almost said it with pride, although all I could feel was shame and guilt while thinking about the war.
"Asia, mostly." I had to look down. The memories were swimming back into my mind. My skin was crawling just thinking about the war. It's been 5 years, yet everything felt like it was just yesterday.
I remembered a little girl crying as her mother was shot in the head. Her dress was covered in shards of skull and brain tissue. Blood turned her doll crimson.
The gentleman set Australia's keys on the counter, along with a form for me to sign. He handed me a black pen.
Touching the paper, I could strangely feel the fibers. He waited for me to sign, but I hesitated. It felt like I was still out on the field, like my soul was still out there, still fighting. But my body was here, with a pen and paper in front of me.
"Ehem, you just sign at the bottom." He looked at me concerned, and I quickly wrote my signature and swiped up the keys.
"Thank you. Have a good night." I turned and opened the door, ready to step back out into the rain. I could hear him call after me, but I didn't look back.
"No problem sir! Hope to see you soon!" I scoffed at his remark. Like hell, I would never willingly go back to that.
Although, part of me got excited at the thought. Things were simple out there. You had an objective, an enemy. There were no rules. Only kill or be killed.
I pushed all of the graphic images out of my mind and hurried to the car, the rain lashing the pavement.
The yellow lights above the buildings strobed and lit up the pathway to the lot. As I walked to the car, I faintly heard footsteps behind me. Stopping for a moment, I heard nothing else but the pattering of the rain.
Great. Now I'm imagining things too.
When I reached the car, I was soaking wet once again. The black vehicle looked like a part of the landscape because of how dark it was outside. I stopped for a moment before opening up the door, taking in the scenery of the ocean roaring and wind gushing over the sand. It was chaotic and peaceful at the same time. It was simply beautiful.
The ocean view from Okinawa was beautiful, too.
I sighed and climbed into the car, waiting out my memories.
The wind picked up its pace, howling outside the car. I sighed, exasperated. My white and blue hair fell in front of my eyes, annoyingly dripping onto my face.
The leather seats weren't doing any favors in warming me up, and I decided to just sit back for a while, listening to the rain patter on the metal rooftop. Water raced down the windshield, and I could see puddles swelling outside.
Taking out the golden thing again, I inspected it closer. Although dark, it almost glowed. It had a strange yellow hue and made my skin translucent. I yelped embarrassingly and dropped it when I realized I could see my finger bone. It laid on my overalls, the screwed panel facing upward.
What the hell was this thing?
I picked it back up again, the golden glow showing the veins and muscles inside my fingers. It was gross but fascinating. I wondered if it was gold, getting excited at the thought. It wasn't much, but it would get me some money. A thought crept into my mind that I wasn't ready to consider. What if it was some sort of new element?
Although, if that were the case, why would it have a screwed opening? It had to be manmade. Whatever it was, I was sure I could get some cash for it at a pawn shop.
That would have to wait till tomorrow.
(A/N: I know the USA sent troops to more than just Asia during WW2 but I'm too lazy to list it all ok whatever bye :] )
(Germany's POV)
The wind gushed and blew my hair in my face, the rain pelting my body harshly. I ran across the beach, ducking behind some gorse before continuing up the hill and over to the buildings.
Maybe I could shelter here.
I switched on the heater to my suit again, the orange glow flicking on. The heat pulsed into my body but had no effect in drying me off.
Anxiety swelled in me and made running hard. The water was knee-high under the pier before America finally left. My legs were frozen. It took all of my remaining energy to run like this.
A dull grey warehouse building had a sliding door that was left slightly ajar. I pulled it open enough for me to slip inside.
Panting, I had to squint to see the inside. A ship was inside, hoisted on a stand in the dark. Closing the door, I could smell fish and mold. The fish smell almost made me puke again.
I hated how many awful smells were here.
Pulling out a hair tie from my satchel, I put my hair up. I was definitely due for a trim. With my hair back, I got out my flashlight to see where I was going inside the warehouse.
Behind the boat were long wooden boards, I assumed wood used for construction of some sort. The huge planks took up most of the building behind the boat, and in front of the boat just had a wall of tools, cleaning products, and the gates opening to the docks. Red lettering lined the side of the boat, I assumed it was the boat's name. It read Carpe Diem.
I headed over to the planks, feeling exhaustion begging me to lie down.
My heater finally started to dry me off, the steam rolling off of my body as I warmed up. I found a tarp on the opposite side of the wood. Grabbing it I laid it out and sat down.
I expected to feel some form of excitement after my rebellion, but all I could feel was fear. Here I was, alone, with barely any idea of how to get home. My only card to play was finding an astronomy lab. If they even had those in this day and age.
I recalled that humankind started space exploration in 1957. Conveniently I was stuck in 1950.
I was definitely going to be thrown in prison for this escapade. There was nothing left for me. I was done. Regret flooded me, filling my lungs. I wanted to cry. I threw everything away, and for what?
My own selfish curiosity. I should have listened, knowing that this was never a good idea.
I should have gone home as soon as I could, as soon as I realized I wasn't where I was supposed to be.
Now when, or if, I return, I'll be guilty of treason and unimaginable felonies. I could only imagine the look on the board's face, as they decided my fate. I had undoubtedly endangered the entirety of our future. And my future.
Nothing promised me life when I returned. Execution waited for me back home, I knew it. Tears welled in my eyes.
Reaching for my satchel, I dug around looking for my way home, my last chance.
Confusion crept into my mind when I couldn't find it.
Rifling through my bag, a multitude of items fell out, lots of little personal items, and other essential gear. But not the capsule.
I started to hyperventilate.
"No, no no... No please, oh my god..." I shook my bag, searching through the stuff laid out in front of me. No sign of the small golden capsule anywhere. My heater cast an orange hue on everything. The blue tarp turned an ugly brownish-green in the lighting.
I could feel my heart rate increase, and my vitals beeped on my waist.
Sitting back, I couldn't feel anything. I knew I was in shock. My hands started shaking. The cold realization fell upon me. I really was stuck here.
Forever.
For a minute I thought I might go into cardiac arrest because my heart skipped a beat. My vital monitor was beeping incessantly. Pain filled my chest, before subsiding just as fast.
Finally, the tears came. I was stuck here. Truly stuck here, with nothing, no idea what was going to happen to me, and no plan of any sort.
How could I have been so stupid? How did I even lose it?
I instantly recalled my ungraceful fall into the sand by the pier, and how my satchel had flung out of my hands.
That could only mean two things, that my way home was gone forever in the ocean, or that it dropped into the sand and would be there in the morning.
Variables filled my mind. Percentages and chance could only be calculated sometimes. Either way, I still allowed myself to think of all the ways the capsule might still be waiting for me in the sand. The overthinking gave me some control over the situation, although I knew I was only telling myself that to keep from screaming.
Slowly, I laid back onto the tarp, tears rolling down the sides of my face. I shut my eyes, thinking how I fucked up my entire life over one random guy.
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2426 words.
Thank you for reading!