Romano hasn't said a word since that night. I am so worried about him. He refuses to speak to me or any other country, and I hardly ever see him. He locks himself in his room when he's in the house, and won't accept any food. He doesn't tell me where he's going when he goes out and when he comes back covered in blood and bruises he doesn't tell me where he's been. He doesn't wash either, he just leaved the blood caked on his skin. I don't know whose blood it is.
I tried washing some off myself the other night. He broke my nose. He's like an empty shell of a man. No, that's not true. He's not empty. He's filled with rage.
"If you come and visit him, maybe it will snap him out of it," I'd said to Ita-chan over the phone yesterday. So here he was.
"Spain nii-chan!" he cries, greeting me with a hug.
"Ita-chan!" I hug him briefly, then step away. "Romano is in his room at the moment." I lead him upstairs and knock on Romano's door.
"Romano," I call, "your brother Ita-chan is here to see you." My heart sinks as nothing is heard from the room. But now the door is opening. But Romano doesn't look at Ita-chan. He stares hard into my eyes.
"My brother is dead." he says hollowly. My eyes widen. "And don't call me Romano. My name is South Italy."
"Romano? Romano, I'm not dead, I'm right here! Romano?" Ita-chan whines, upset and flustered, as Romano closes the door again. "What is wrong with Romano?" he asks me, his large brown eyes filling with tears.
"I... Don't know..." I breathe.
As I walk to the kitchen with Ita-chan, I spot something. The door to a room is ajar. This is not normally unusual in my house, but recently Romano has claimed this room too, and keeps it locked. Curious, I peek into the room.
Guns. Guns, knives, grenades, saws, baseball bats, crowbars, thumscrews, guns. The room is full of weapons. There is something in a bag in the corner and I know it's wrong to think this but it does look fairly human-sized... I suddenly feel sick, and I run to the bathroom and heave my breakfast into the sink. Then last night's dinner.
I shudder and wash my mouth out. I'm sure that can't have been what I think it is... But in my heart I know it is.
"Ita-chan," I sigh, after telling him what I found, "what do you think this means?"
"The mafia..." Ita-chan murmurs.
"What?"
"Nii-chan has always had a problem with the mafia! I think he has been taken over completely!" I blinked. But then again, that could actually be the explanation... I think for a moment.
"He must have been in so much shock after he killed you that night, so vulnerable, that the mafia just took advantage and... Took over... I think he was pushed so far over the edge he can't even take in that you were brought back to life..."
Ita-chan leaps up and runs upstairs. I'm right behind him. He starts banging on the door, crying, yelling.
"Romano, I'm not dead! I'm not dead, I'm right here, I'm alive! I'm right here, Romano, I as brought back to life! Romano! Romano, I'm right here, I'm Veneziano, I'm here! Open the door, Romano! Romano! Romano!"
I catch him in the corridor later on.
"Romano," I say gently, extending my hand, "your brother Ita-chan is still alive." He looks at me with angry, teary eyes.
"Why would you say something like that?" he hisses, "Why would you say that when I saw him die?" He grabs one of the fingers of my outstretched hand and forces it back until the bone breaks.
"Romano!" I cry in pain.
"Call me South Italy!" he shouts furiously, and runs out the door. The slam echoes throughout the house. I stagger against the wall behind me, my hand burning, stabbing with pain.