I sat there by the fire, and poked the burning timber with a stick I had found in the snow outside. It was still cold to the touch where I held it, and the end that prodded the flaming wood was charred black and slightly gave off smoke. Dropping it into the flames, I watched the light consume it into more ashes. It was like war, everything bathed in red, and everything consumed. Everything being taken and reduced into one solitary feeling, a blank expressionlessness. I threw another log into the fire and stood up from my spot by the Pechka. The snow was so thick earlier in the day, that I had decided to let some of the others stay for the night. There were my sisters, Ukraine and Belarus, and there were my subordinates: Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Then I had to let all the allies stay over, because for some reason our meeting today was at my house. Not that I really minded, it was just weird. So now, Bella was harassing me about marrying her, while Ukraine was helping China cook, and America, France, and England were all arguing as always. Oh, and Canada was here, but he doesn't really count.
"The fire is started now, so it will be getting a bit warmer. I am feeling sorry about how we are being stuck inside." I gave them all a smile, and somehow all I was given back, was a mean look from Mister France, and then England was saying "I suppose you can't really control it… can you?" He was looking as though he was trying to say I caused the blizzard outside but, really, it was all an act of the nature.
"Hey England, man, we should totally tell spooky stories and stuff, I mean that would be so pimpin' man! Like the weather is so amazingly, like, perfect for it and stuff!" America was always the first to come up with ideas about things, and honestly the whole story telling thing was sounding to be fun. "Scary stories you are saying? I have some stories that I have been telling for years. Would you all be liking to hear one?" I had to have a serious face now, and even Belarus stopped talking and sat down near the fire to listen to me. England gulped before nodding, obviously he was wanting to show he wasn't afraid, and France was obviously anticipating the worst as he gave a simple "Oui, what could be the harm, non?" And of course America was saying "HELL YEAH! LET HAVE IT RUSSIA! LAY IT ON US!" I looked at Belarus and said, "Should I tell the one about the Two Corpses?" She recognized what I was talking about immediately and gave me a grin, of course she would encourage me to tell that one, it always scared her and Ukraine.
"Okay then, I will tell you then. But if you get scared, it is not being my problem." America shouted, "Just get on with it!" and so I started the story.
"A time long ago there was a soldier who had been given leave to go home on furlough. He was going to be giving prayer, and bowing to his parents. As he was going along on his way after the sun had been set and the sky was dark like mud, he was passing a grave yard filled with the graves of the dead." I paused here to look at their faces, and America was already looking uneasy. "Then he heard something behind him running and shouting 'Stop! You cannot escape!' The man was looking back and then he saw…" I stopped here and the room was silent, all except the crackling of the fire in the Pechka, and the sounds of china and Ukraine cooking in the kitchen. "WHAT DID HE SEE MAN? YOU CAN'T STOP THERE DUDE!" America was shouting wanting to know what happened next, so I answered him with a few short words. "He saw a corpse running after him and grinding its teeth, fresh from the grave and half rotten from decay." And as soon as I finished that sentence I noticed France was hiding behind the sofa. He was frightened obviously but he wanted to know the rest of the story, it was quite funny actually. At that moment, china walked in and put a hand on England's shoulder, and would you believe me if I said he jumped up and screamed like a little girl? He was all being like, "No! Take Alfred instead!" and I started laughing as china jumped back form him, startled by England's reaction. "You- you- I was just going to say the food was ready! But you have to go about jumping and yelling- aru!" China walked fumed back into the kitchen and came back with enough food for all of us, and Ukraine was helping him carry it.
They all sat down, and as we started eating, of course America started talking with his mouth full. "Buh seewiousleh, wuh huppund nesht? I neeh to noh!" England sort of kicked him and after he cleared his mouth he said, "You shouldn't speak with food in your mouth America." I smiled at how friendly they all were being, but there was still the haunted air about the whole thing. "Don't worry," I said "I will be finishing my story after we have all been finished eating." My words made America give a moan of disapproval, and throughout the entire meal I could see his squirming in his seat waiting to know what happened next in the story.