It's mid-summer when thunderstorms never seem to cease. They are at their highest chance of striking the surface of the land. Lightening sparks through the clouds and the roaring sound of thunder is strong enough to rumble the earth. Any small defenseless critter would quiver under the might of god's wrath.
A small shed was connected just by the side of the house. It was decorated with blossoming rose bushes that would make the air smell sweet if it weren't for the rain. Though through the old cobwebs and unattended weeds what hid under that small shed was a jack rabbit.
A hand extended out to that small lump of fur curled up in the far back corner of the shed with its small trembling white tail. He whispered calmly to it "Hey, it's alright. I'll take you someplace safe. Just reach my hand and we'll go together".
The small frightened creature raised its floppy ears and sniffed out for the outstretched hand for it was too scared to open its eyes. Trying to discover the owner of the scent and it had actually never distinguished who the scent had belonged to; it just knew that it was warm.
It slowly slinked into the palm of the hand, curled up, and fell asleep. The hand then slowly pulled out and brought the small wet lump of fur closely to his chest and stroked it gently with his fingers. He felt relieved, smiled, and whispered to the sleeping jack rabbit "It's okay ...England".
"America!? Did you find him"!?
America looked to his left past his leather jacket he had draped over his head and saw France running through the mud to catch up.
"France, he's fine I found him under the shed", America reassured France with a smile.
"Thank goodness", France replied as he gazed down at the fuzzy creature America caressed in his hands.
"They both quickly hurried and laid the jack rabbit on England's bed with a pair of pants and a shirt laid out. France pulled the covers half way over England's small body while America sat patiently at the table.
France came in from the hall way and groaned as he sat across from America. He seemed pretty pooped with the dark circles under his eyes being the evidence. He rested his head on his chin and said "Thank you America for coming so suddenly, but I honestly thought that I would not be able to find him this time. Sigh~ he can really be such a handful".
"It's alright I'm just glad to know that he's safe", America replied with a small smile.
America seemed be alright, but France could tell by his strange silence and the aversion of his gaze that he still seemed to be struggling. France Hesitated at first, but eventually asked "So, how have you been? You have acted up in a while"?
"Uh, yeah I guess not. Me keeping my distance seems to be working, but I still worry about him".
"America...? I do not think that this will solve the task at hand...-"
"France... just please take care of him".
America grabbed his jacket hanging on the back of his chair and left without another word. France didn't make any effort to stop him. He scratched his head and mumbled irritably "Geez brothers can be so stubborn".
He leaned back in his chair and stared blankly up at the ceiling, "America by doing all this... It just shows how cowardly you are..."
~To Be Continued...