A/N: Hey there! Glad you took time to read this lovely little monster of mine! :) This is my first attempt at a story that's little longer than I'm usually used to writing, and scarier than usual so enjoy reading :D
"Ok class 5 minutes till class ends, lets pack it up," the teacher announced turning around to erase the work from the board ending another grueling week of school. America stretched back in his chair, feeling the muscles in his shoulders and back contract and expand relieving the stiffness of sitting in a chair for the last two hours.
"Hey! Watch where you put those things," an angry British-accented voice said, pushing his hands away. "Oh hey! England that reminds me. Hey dudes, I have this awesome idea for tonight!" America proclaimed as he turned in his seat to face his friends. "Ok! So you know that old asylum that's on the outskirts of town? The one no one will go in because they're too scared? Well we're gonna stay in it tonight!"
"What? Why!" England asked with an annoyed look on his face. "Because! If we go then and stay there through the night then even more people will know how awesome I- I mean we are," the American said with excitement written all over his face. "Wait! Who said anything about us going?" France pointed out. "Well I can't go by myself that would be too scary and no fun at all." America answered laughing loudly.
"Well I'm not going." England huffed as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Aww pllleeassee England." America pleaded. "I can't go without you." Pushing his lips out in a pout America looked at England hoping to sway him with the look -which has worked before.
"Do-don't look at me like that."
"Ppwweassee"
England made the mistake of finally looking at the pleading nation.
"Ugh! Fine I'll go." England surrendered. "Yay!" America yelled as he suddenly grabbed England in a hug "I knew you would!" "I will go to ~aru" China announced after things had settled down. "I agree with China," Russia said from his seat positioned behind China's. "It can prove 'ow manly and beautiful we are… but mostly me." France added flipping his hair over his shoulder.
"You guys are dummkopfs." Somebody scoffed from the desk in front of America. "Germany you only say that because you know you would be too scared to go." America sneered as the German country turned to face him from his seat. "Say that again." Germany dared, a look of anger slowly breaking through his usually composed expression.
"I ssaidd that you're too scared to go." America repeated. "Whatever" Germany said, finally getting some control over his emotions turned back around in his seat. "Aw that's ok we all know you're not awesome or manly enough to go anyway." America scoffed, followed by snickers from the other nations.
Germany turned around to face America again "Is that a challenge?"
"Maybe it is. Or are you going to wuss out?"
"Hey what's everybody talking about?" Italy followed by Japan, came to stand beside Germany. "I'll do it!" Germany declared. "Do what?" Italy's question went unanswered since nobody had noticed him or Japan yet. "Awesome! Let's make it even more interesting by making it Axis vs. Allies!" America decided, the smile on his face expanding even wider if that's even possible.
"Fine." Germany agreed, there's no way he was going to back down now. "Ok we'll all meet up in the woods by the entrance to the asylum at 6 sharp. The deal is whoever stays all in the asylum is dubbed as the most awesome group ever and will be served by the losers for the rest of the year. Deal?" America held out his hand "Deal" Germany answered shaking hands with America, sealing the deal.
The bell rang, telling all the students to go home. Everyone got out of their seats "Oh hey! Don't forget to bring flashlights and whatever else you want to bring!" America shouted behind his shoulder as the boys went their separate ways.
Germany walked down the sidewalk toward his house "Hey Germany! Wait up!" Italy's voice called out behind him. Italy and Japan finally caught up to the German. "What happened back there?" Japan asked as they waited for the signal to walk across the street. "I don't know what came over me back there. Germany said shaking his head.
"All I know is that we somehow ended up in a dare with the Allies." "I don't want to go to a scary asylum." Italy whined. "If we didn't go they would call us cowards." Japan pointed out. "That's fine with me." The boys finally reached the intersection that split them up to go their separate ways. "See you guys in an hour!" Italy called to the two other boys waving to them, seeming to forget the deal he had been signed into.
An hour later America stood at the spot where everyone was supposed to meet. The sun crept behind the trees that made up the perimeter of the hospital covering everything in a blood red tint. The hospital was cased in bricks with white framed windows on each side.
America rifled through his backpack he had brought finally finding the Twix bar he had been looking for. He munched on the candy bar as he took out his cell phone to check the time; the clock read 5:58. "Where is everybody?" America wondered to himself. The sound of approaching footsteps made America turn around.
England walked out from under the cover of the trees "You stupid git. I can't believe I came here."
"It's cuz you love me!" America explained running over and planting a quick peck on the Britain's cheek. "A-America -" England stammered "I see the party has already started." France walked up to the two boys followed by China and Russia.
"Now we're just waiting for the other three." America said "Then this adventure can begin!" Shortly after he said that Germany, Italy, and Japan finally made it to the clearing. "Everybody hide!" America whispered as they positioned themselves behind the bushes and trees. The caretaker came out through the asylum's entrance doors. He picked up a chain from the right corner of the porch lining the front of the asylum, sealing the doors shut with a heavy-duty lock. Yanking the chains to make sure the lock was firmly shut. The caretaker left lighting a cigarette as he got into his car.
Everyone watched as the car pulled out from its position on the curb. "Does everyone know of this place?" America asked as they gathered in a circle, Japan and China both shook their heads. "Ok so the story goes that this lady had gone craz-" "No that's not the right story." England interjected as everyone scooted closer to hear him over the wind, which had begun to pick up.
The moon now peeped out of the clouds in the sky, casting everything in a distorting light. Italy turned on his flashlight lighting everyone's faces.
"The story goes" England started, "that a patient had gone made in there. The confines of the walls where too much to bear. Finally the patient succumbed to madness. The patient broke loose wreaking havoc in the hospital. Blood bathed the walls, screams filling the air, after the patient was finished with the occupiers and staff of the asylum he did something the no will ever be able to erase from their minds.
"He dragged all the bodies into the hallway making a trail with them. At the end of the trail the patient hanged from the ceiling with hooks hooked into his neck thus killing him. A message was written on the wall behind the hanged the man. It read "Demons run through the veins of me, through you, through the veins of this hospital." They say this message was written with the blood of the mad patients victims. And the room that this all happened in is right up there." England said pointing to a room up on the 3rd floor.
Silence hung in the air as the boys mulled over the story they just heard. Italy was shaking, his arms now wrapped around his legs which had been pulled to his chest. A few of the others looked like maybe this had been a bad idea coming here.
"Dude that story was awesome!" America said as he got up to dust the dirt off his jeans. "Come on let's go!" America called as he made his way to the window on the ground level of the hospital.
The sound of dead leaves crunching was the only sound that filled the night air as the group of boys followed behind America to the window. "Where did you get that?" England asked America who had somehow gotten his hands on a steel, crowbar.
"I'm always prepared! I'm the hero and the hero's always prepared! Duh" America explained loudly as he put the end of the crowbar underneath the window. With a push of his weight on the crowbar America successfully popped the window open. He put his fingers under the window pushing it up until it could go no wider.
America climbed through the window and was dropped into darkness. The drop of the others coming through the window echoed throughout the hallway. Windows ran all the way down the hallway to the left and to the right sat an open room probably a lobby back in the day.
As Italy who had to be sort of helped/dragged through the window by Germany and Japan made it through the window and into the hallway the group made their way into the hallway. Flashlights snapped on, lighting the room. Cobwebs littered the ceiling, and paint was chipping off the walls. A staircase lay directly in line with the entrance. Graffiti was written on the walls and trash was scattered throughout the room.
"It doesn't look like the caretaker does a very good job." Japan commented as they all took in the state of the lobby. America set down his backpack pulling out yet another snack. Everyone looked at America who was loudly enjoying his snack.
"What? I'm hungry."
"You're always hungry." England argued as they all set their stuff on the floor.
"Wow this place is creepy ~aru." China shivered rubbing his arms to warm them. Everyone sat down on the floor with their backs to the wall trying to get comfortable on the hard, tiled floor. A thump sounded from upstairs followed by a crash. "What the hell?" France said as he got up along with the other.
"Somebody go check it out." America suggested "Why don't you go check it out France?" England asked. "What! Why me?" the French man questioned. "Are you scared of a little ghost?" Germany narrowing his eyes, asked. "No I just- ugh fine." France sighed as he started his way to the stairs.
"Yo wait France! Here take this flashlight." America suggested as he threw the flashlight to him. "Thanks"
France disappeared around the corner of the top right of the stairs. Everyone settled back into their original places on the floor. Italy fell asleep against Germany, his head resting against the German's shoulder.
The silence was broken as England wondered aloud if France had been gone too long. To answer his question a scream ripped through the air followed by a thud as if something heavy had been thrown into a wall. "That sounded like France!" England said as everyone got up in a rush. Germany's abrupt movement woke up Italy "Ve~ what's going on?" His question went unanswered as everyone rushed up the stairs toward the sound.
"Shouldn't we be running away from the scary noise?" Italy questioned as Germany dragged him behind him, Japan followed right behind him.
"No! France!" England's voice called from up ahead. "Aw man." America said weakly as he took in the damage the French man had taken. He laid at the base of the stairs that led up to the 3rd floor, his neck at an inhuman angle, his hair matted from the blood that was pooling underneath him. His face was the color of a sheet and his face was locked in an expression of sheer terror.
"We have to get out of here" China freaked out. "I agree" Russia agreed from behind China. Italy started to sob and Japan patted him gently on the back. He had not known the French country very well but it was still horrible to see something like this happen to a fellow nation. Shrill laughter filled the hallway and screams mixed into it as the boys started running back down the stairs toward the window which they had entered the hospital by.
America reached the window first, a shocked gasp escaped him. "How did these bars get here?" America said appalled. He grabbed the prison-style bars and pulled. "Wait where's England?" Japan asked noticing the Britain's absence.
"No England! We have to go back and look for him." America said as panic grew on his face. The group's calls for England were the only sounds that filled the asylum. Their flashlights were the only light, now as they went deeper into the asylum's labyrinth of hallways. "Weren't we just in this hallway?" Germany asked, Italy clinging to the back of his jacket. The hallway had windows lining the left of the wall.
They made their way down the hallway still not having found England. Behind America, China made a guttural noise. America turned in shock to see the Asian country being lifted into thin air. His feet kicked out frantically and his hands clawed furiously at his invisible captors hold on his neck.
"China!" Russia yelled as he tried to pull the boy down to the ground, a strong wind like gust blew from out of nowhere. The sound of shattering glass and the screech of broken metal rang through the hall. "Russia! No!" America called to him as he tried grabbing a hold of the Russian's hand before he could fall 3 stories to the hard earth waiting below.
America just missed by the fraction of a second. A look of shock etched its way onto Russia's face as he plummeted to the ground that waited below the window. A sickening crunch was heard as impact with the neck, head, and everything else made contact with the unforgiving soil. The sounds of China's continuing struggle brought America out of his dazed shock.
He whipped around, China's face had already lost most of its color and his struggles were becoming weaker by the second. Germany ran towards the invisible monster but was slammed into the facing wall. "Germany!" Italy and Japan yelled simultaneously as the rushed over to the fallen blond nation.
Air escaped China as all his air was finally pushed out of him. Neck bones broke like twigs snapping in protest of the brutal force that had crushed them. China fell to the floor in a heap, his porcelain like face now taking on an unnatural, white color. His now crushed neck looked like a soda can that had been squashed in the hands of an angry trucker.
Stunned silence filled their air as everyone stared at the fallen Asian and tried to figure out what just happened. Sobs erupted from Italy filling the long hallway with his sounds. "Shut up!" America yelled turning towards him "I said SHUT UP!" America advanced toward with hot anger in his blue eyes. "Hey back off." Germany said with the hint of a growl as he stood between America and Italy.
"No you back off!"
America shoved Germany, Germany cocked back a fist ready to punch America in the face. "Guys cut it out! We should focus on getting out of here and finding England." Japan reasoned pulling the fighting boy's attention back to their impending situation.
"Japan's right" America said as he finally got control over himself.
"I'm sorry Italy." America kneeled down to be at eye level with the Italian country so he could see that he meant his apology. "Come on let's go." America lead the way as they made their way back down the hallway to the staircase, that they had come up.
America came to a sudden stop, causing Japan to bump into him. What was wrong with this picture? He thought to himself. Then he figured it out, the window that Russia had been pushed out of had been completely repaired, looking exactly as if nothing had happened to it.
"Th-this is crazy" America said as he put his hands to the window glass to make sure it was really there and not just his imagination.
"It's this damn asylum. It's playing games with us." Germany commented as he looked behind him, China's body had disappeared as if nothing had ever happened. "The sooner we got out of here the better." Japan whispered more to himself than the others, the group started down the stair case.
Halfway down they were met by a white, brick wall. "What the hell? No! No way, this can't be happening!" America yelled as he ran up to the wall smacking the wall with his hands. Japan came up to the wall as America took a step back taking short, shallow breaths.
"Maybe's it's a fake wall" Japan wondered out loud as he started running his hands along the surface of the wall. "Looks' pretty fucking real to me." America scoffed, glaring at the wall with his arms crossed over his chest.
Black smoke crept out from behind the wall, taking form as arms. Suffocating coils of black wrapped around Japan suddenly. Japan turned around to try and escape their grasp. A black hole darker than midnight opened up behind him and started to slowly pull him in.
Germany ran forward and grabbed a hold of Japan's arm trying to pull him out of the sucking blackness. America ran up and grabbed Japan's other arm and both boys pulled with all their might. Japan cried out in pain as his arms were stretched to their limits. A black arm snaked out from the darkness and smacked Germany and America back, making both boys fall to the floor.
Italy watched in horror as one of his closest friends was sucked into the portal in the wall. Japan's hand reached out trying to reach for something, anything to grab onto but all it found was air. "Help me!" Japan yelled as the hole finally consumed him. Japan's cry for help hung in the air. Sobs shook Italy's whole body as he finally realized what had just happened.
Tears poured down his face, his mouth tasting their salty bitterness. The other two boys looked at him unsure of what to do. Italy brought his knees up to his chest and buried his head in them his cries growing louder and rawer.
The sobs were suddenly interrupted by a harsh coughing fit. Fire filled Italy's throat as he started hacking. He covered his mouth with his hand drawing it back when the coughing finally subsided to wheezing. "Blood?" Italy wondered as he looked at his now crimson covered hand.
"Italy are you ok?" Germany asked concern and worry filling his voice. He had to make it through this for Italy; he had to get the Italian nation through this. Wheezing and a nod was the only reply Italy could muster. America had already made his way back to the top of the stairs trying to think of how they were going to get back downstairs.
He knows they had gone up one flight of stairs then up this one, the one with the wall blocking the way.
Germany helped Italy up whose face had become visibly paler, even by the light of their flashlights. Germany put Italy's arm over his shoulders so that he was supporting most of Italy's weight. At a slow, stumbling pace they finally made it to the top of the stairs.
They came to a stop so that Italy could catch his breath. A door to the left of them all the way at the end of the hallway was open. "America must've gone through there." Germany stated as they started making their way down the long hallway to the door that led into darkness.