The day was April,26,1986 and Russia woke up to a explosion. At first he wasn't sure what he had heard so he laid still for a moment, that was until he heard his sisters scream. He shot up and reached for a coat. Then he noticed something his vision was askew and his insides were on fire! He doubled over and coughed into the sleeve of his nightshirt. When the fit was over he stood up and reached for his coat. When he did that he noticed that the sleeve he had coughed on had flecks of blood on it. He stood there mesmerized by the sight of his own blood "What is happening?!". Another scream shook him from his thoughts, he shook his head, grabbed his coat and sprinted out the door to his sister's houses.
The snow under Russia's feet was heavy. He was running as fast as he could through it but it was slowing him down. As he ran on to Belarus's house he saw that the lights in Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania's houses were on. But he didn't stop to see what they were doing or ask what was going on he just ran on. He had to see his sisters. As he got closer to Belarus's house he started to notice something. The animals were all running away and the snow was different. Yes the snow was different it had a glowing greenish tint to it but that wasn't all that was wrong with it. It was red…IT WAS RED! The site stopped Russia in his tracks. He had seen snow that color many times, so many times. But this was outside his sister's house, Belarus' house. Russia wrenched his gaze away from the sight and ran up to Belarus's house and swung the door open. " BEL! Belarus…Belarus!". Russia stopped, the house looked like it was years old. The wood was cracked metal was rusted glass was shattered, and there was blood on the floor. Russia panicked and ran through the house with tears in his eyes. " Belarus! Bela-Natalia! Natalia!". He looked for what seemed like an eternity. He eventually when back outside and sat on the porch and cried. He cried and cried and cried. Through the veil of tears though he saw something. The red snow… it didn't end here it started here! He saw it was true: the red snow lead a trail away from the house and started towards Ukraine's house. Russia jumped up in relief he could still fined his sisters…he still had time. He then took off to follow the trail of red snow.
Russia followed the trail to for what seemed like an eternity. But his hope was renewed. For once the red snow did not speak of death, it promised hope. He followed it all the way to the top of a hill that overlooked Ukraine's, the sight he saw as he looked over her house almost washed that new found hope away. Ukraine's house looked horrible! The windows were broken, the wood was burned black, one portion of the house looked like a bomb had gone off in it, and…her garden. The dutiful sunflower garden she had so much love for, it was wilted, dead, the rotting plants had a reddish color to them. Red…red…RED! How Russia had come to hate that color. All it ever many was pain, suffering, death,…and false hope. He was hysterical at this point. He ran his hands through his hair trying to calm down, as he brought his hand down he noticed something on his gloves. It was hair. His hair! He ran his hand through his hair more and his hair was falling out! "W-what is happening!?". At that moment Russia doubled over in a coughing fit that left just a little more red snow at his feet. He was just about to break down again, he could hear the others coming from back aways, let them deal with this harsh reality. Just then he heard another cry from the house and that was enough to jar him from his despair and have him running for the house before he even knew what was happening.
He came up to the house at full speed and burst through the half open doorway. He took quick survey of the first room. There was no one there. He then began to search the whole house. "Ukraine, Natalia, Ukraine ,Nata-!". As he opened the door to the bed room, the one next to the destroyed room he found both his sisters, Ukraine was sitting against the head board of her bed looking weak and pale. Belarus was sitting on a chair next to her sisters bed. Russia rushed over to see his sisters, that's when he noticed that Belarus looked just as bad as their sister. Only when Russia was almost upon her did she seem to notice him, when she did she looked right up into his eyes. "Brother" was all she had time to say before she collapsed. Luckily Russia was close enough to catch her. He knelt down to cradle her in his arms looking for what hurt her but all he could see was the blood coming from her mouth, that her long blond hair was starting to fall out, and as few burns on her body. As he desperately tried to wake her, he heard Ukraine stir next to him. Ever so gently picked Belarus off the floor and cared her over to the bed were Ukraine was waiting for them.
" Ah Ivan you came ,cough, I knew you would".
Russia gently laid Belarus next to Ukraine on the bed then turned to his older sister.
" What happened?" he finally managed to ask after the lump in his thought had gone down
" I was messing with the power, it was for a new amusement park my boss wanted me to build. I suppose I over taxed it and it, cough, it exploded."
Russia tried to comfort his sister but she just brushed him away so she could continue.
" The generator that blew was one of my nuclear ones. That is why I am like this."
She tried a weak laugh but started into a coughing fit. Russia tried to help his sister, but all he could do was comfort her until it stopped and she could continue. But Russia noticed a bit of red on her hand that was not there before.
" As soon as the generator exploded I was knocked out I woke up and Natalia was standing over me in bed, I think she heard the explosion and came to help. I am afraid she was exposed to a lot of radiation though, that is why I think she is so bad."
Russia looked at his younger sister and thought that made sense. But wait.
" How was she exposed to the radiation?" Russia asked.
Ukraine just frowned and looked and looked at the door to the power room. It was then that Russia noted the heat and eerie green glow that came from there. Now focusing on that door, as if it was the thing that had hurt his sisters, as if it was the center of all of this Russia wanted it gone. With all his strength and rage he lifter a slab of concrete that had been broken from the floor in the explosion and slammed it against the door so hard that it actually indented and stuck in the doorway. A lot of his energy spent her trudged back over to his sisters and kneeled on the floor next to the bed and looked at Ukraine.
She examined the slab he had just put in the wall and nodded.
"That will do for now."
Just then Belarus woke up and looked at her brother and smiled weakly.
"Ivan-" was all she got to say before Russia, fast as a wolf, had both of his sisters in a huge hug. He cried. He cried like he had never cried before, and he swore. He swore a hundred times and more that he would help his sisters, he would help them get better and strong again. All of that was said through a curtain of blood in his mouth and tears.