Ebb and Flow
I do not own Hetalia Axis Powers. All Copyright belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.
Alfred glanced around hardly believing his own eyes. He tried to take deep breathes to steady himself, but it didn't help. He was too close. The scent of river water surrounded him and the sorrow of hundreds of families mourning their losses cut right through his uniform. Louisiana had warned him when he left her at the superdome, but he never expected it to hurt so much. His breathing stayed shallow. A coast guard member offered him a bag. Alfred took it and began to breathe in and out, hyperventilating.
"Maybe you should head back. It doesn't look like you're holding up well," A volunteer offered
Alfred simply shook his head.
"No, this is where I should be," Alfred answered
He still couldn't believe it. Everywhere was muddy brown water covering many tree trunks. Clothes and even furniture had lodged in the branches. Alfred stared, taking in the devastation. The floating debris and wooden skeletons of houses were the only sign that this had once been a neighborhood. The boat lurched and they floated down another cul de sac.
" Is anyone there?" One of the coast guard volunteers called into a megaphone
No reply. Alfred squinted in the noon sun. Hoping somehow he could catch a small movement or sound. Some sign of life in the desolation. Nothing. They continued on. Many of the houses in this area had fallen apart and others had their roofs blown off but were mostly still in tact. Alfred noticed a toy plane floating in the water and swallowed a lump in his throat. The search continued, and at this point Alfred began to get groggy. He and the coast guard team had waited through the night for the all clear to begin rescue operations. He slammed his hand onto the side of the boat. Frustrated tears built up in his eyes. But he had to keep searching. He knew there were others out there.
"Let's try down this way," Alfred suggested
They didn't even need to call out. A group of five people were gathered on a roof three houses down the river. One of them was frantically waving an American flag. Again Alfred felt tears threatening to spill behind his eyelids.
"Easy now, we'll get you" The captain declared.
The crew steered the boat as close as they could and three adults and two kids carefully slipped into the boat. Immediately the medic of the crew moved to check their vitals. After a quick check it was determined that they were dehydrated, but sustained no major injuries. Alfred quickly pulled bottled water from the cooler the crew had been keeping and passed it around. One of the women, evidently a mother, hugged her crying son to her waist.
"Shhhh baby. It's gonna be alright now," She cooed
"But, Mama," The child began to argue
"Shhh. We're all together now see? Papa and Uncle Max and Megan. We'll make it through," She stated
Eventually he quieted, as his mother comfortingly rubbed his back. Alfred watched and noticed the look in her eyes. It was not a look of loss or fear. Her dark brown eyes glistened with determination. She believed her words. She believed they would come through and that her family would be alright. Alfred turned away and glanced forward. In the water he could see his own reflection. Yes, her family would pull through; they would all pull through, as long as they kept fighting. The storm had not defeated them. Alfred would not let the aftermath defeat him. Over head a squadron of military planes flew toward the superdome. The boat continued the search.
The End
I have not found any Hurricane Katrina stories for Hetalia; so I decided to write one. Katrina was one of the costliest and deadliest Hurricanes ever to hit America. It's something I doubt Alfred would ignore. I dedicate this story to all the Katrina survivors and also to the people affected by the recent Georgia flooding. May your spirit be far stronger than any storm or Hurricane. There are various organizations accepting donations to help flood victims, most notably the Red Cross and Target. Thanks for reading