Hey everyone, this was a project I had to do for my ELA class, and I wanted to share it with you guys. I didn't actually use the characters' names when I passed this in; Germany was Volker, and Italy was Elio.

As you could probably tell, this story takes place during WWII, a controversial time period. If Nazis, Hitler, and ideals of the Third Reich make you uncomfortable, don't read this. You've been warned.

Enjoy, and stay tuned for the Christmas special of my main story, Consequence, being released sometime next week ;)

A boy of just 16 stood over his friend's coffin, looking at his placid, cold face. He felt his stomach drop and overwhelming guilt took ahold of him. Silver streaks fell from his eyes and landed on the ground as a simple question plagued his mind.

How did this happen?

Just a month ago, everything was fine...

I ran up to my friend carrying my heavy backpack.

"Hey, wait up, Ludwig!" I cried out.

He stopped and turned around. He was wearing his military trainee uniform. As soon as he saw me, he made an irritated face.

He sighed. "Your shoes are untied and you were running. You could have hurt yourself, Feli."

I caught my breath finally. "Well, I'm okay. Besides, you're so quick, you probably would have caught me anyway."

He shook his head. "You're hopeless."

I grinned at him and we started walking.

We were about to split off the fork in the road towards our separate homes when he stopped me.

"Wait. What is your homework?"

"Oh, Um... Math... Pages 108 questions 1-5."

Ludwig reminds me of what homework I have before I leave.

"And?"

"History, notes on page 33."

"What else?"

"Uhh..."

"Feli..." He warned.

"Oh! I have French worksheets!"

He nodded and I caught a bit of a smile from him.

"Good. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye Ludwig! Oh, wait!"

He turned around.

"What is it?"

"I need you to help me with math soon, can I come over?"

His eyes shifted nervously. "Don't bother yourself, I'll come over. What day do you need me over for?"

I didn't know what he was anxious about, but I pushed it out of my mind, thinking maybe I had imagined it.

"Tomorrow, I'm confused about the new quadratics we got yesterday."

"That's fine. See you tomorrow, Feli."

"Bye!"

We walked our separate ways.

I wonder what that was about...

3 Weeks Later (Ludwig's POV)

I walked to the grand doorway of my home, but didn't enter. My father has been especially displeased lately. When he gets home, it's endless angry phone calls with his subordinates and chats with the new chancellor. Due to the fact that my father is one of the top politicians in the nation's government he has very close ties with him.

I don't like the chancellor... He seems to make my father's nature even more dangerous than usual. I haven't been able to visit Feli very much, and military classes have become more and more strict. They recently assigned a uniform change with all of us being required to wear the jet-black uniforms instead of the green ones. Even walking through the streets I feel a little nervous now.

I took a deep breath before walking in. I walked through the hall, my black boots echoing though the empty house.

It was quiet... I didn't like it.

I walked a few more steps before-

"Sir Ludwig-"

My military cap fell off as I flinched and turned to see one of the workers around the house- Mara.

"Goodness gracious... Are you alright? I'm sorry I startled you-"

"Don't worry about it." I said running a hand through my hair, quickly covering it again with the cap. "But can you tell me where my father is?"

"Oh, Master Lothar is in his study. He said he wished to see you actually."

He wishes what?!

"Of course, thank you Mara."

I cautiously climbed each step, each time an anxious thought invading my mind.

What if he sends you off to a school far away again? What if he's setting me up with some kind of meeting with that damned Chancellor? What if...

I shut off the thoughts as I climbed the last step.

I walked up to my father's door. I brought up my gloved hand to knock.

I took a deep breath and let it out as I knocked on the door twice.

"Come in," I heard the deep voice of my father call.

I opened the door and walked into the room with my hands behind my back to see my father signing papers at his desk.

"Hello Father, I was told that you wanted to see me?"

He put his pen down. "Hello Ludwig. I did." He stood up and took something out of his drawer and quickly put it in his pocket.

"I wanted to tell you about something very important."

He walked over to me and put his hands on my shoulders.

I tried to seem calm but I had no idea what was coming at all.

"What is it?"

"You've been given a very important task from the generals, your military teachers."

"What do they want?"

"They say that they may be willing to promote certain members of the council if they may prove their... initiative."

"So... They want to promote you?"

"Yes. But for that to happen, they say they are especially looking for members who have a family that is willing to assist the cause of the nation."

I kept myself still, But unimaginable panic rose inside of me.

"So what do they need me to do?"

"As you know, the Chancellor's goal is to create better opportunity for those who are deserving of it, and to keep those who aren't out of the way."

He pulled a piece of fabric out of his pocket. It was...

A blood red armband...

He lifted my arm and slipped on the armband up to its place.

I looked up at my father with a suspicious look.

His eyes became cold when he answered. "They need you to show your devotion to the cause." He picked up a manila folder from his desk and held it out to me. "In this envelope is an assassination target for you. I expect nothing less then success from someone as trained as you."

I felt an icy hand grip my heart as I took the envelope from him. He turned around again and faced the windows when I held it.

My hands shook as I opened the envelope. I pulled out the piece of paper.

No... Please...

Inside was a detailed profile with a picture. A picture of a giggly, auburn haired 16 year old with the name under the picture marked Feliciano Vargas.

I gasped quietly and quickly stuffed the paper back inside of the folder.

He was an undesirable to the government...

"F-Father." I said, my calm demeanor finally failing.

"Yes, Ludwig." He still faced the windows.

Fear bubbled up in my mind at the thought of the words I was about to say to my father.

"I... I don't think I can do this-"

I was interrupted with a sharp strike on my cheek, and my father was facing me again, his eyes burning with hatred.

"Are you trying to say that you are too weak to respond to this task? If so, I'd be glad to teach you proper strength." He barked.

"No sir." I said quietly.

"Ludwig, you are a member of the Beilschmidt family. Never forget the expectation that name carries."

I nodded.

"Do not fail me, Ludwig." He said, rubbing my head. I cringed and shut my eyes tight.

He sat back down at his desk.

"You're dismissed. I'll see you at dinner."

"Thank you father."

I walked out of his study and ran through the halls to my room. I was met by a couple confused workers, but I didn't care.

It was times like these that I wished so many things were different.

I wished that we had a bigger family, so that maybe someone around me might understand.

I wished that my dad wouldn't hold such high expectations over me.

I wished that the army was what I thought it was, soldiers that helped their people instead of killing them.

I wished that I wasn't scared to go home anymore.

And now, most of all, I wish I could just rip out my "perfect blonde hair" and gouge out my "perfect blue eyes" that are both apparently so goddamned important for some reason.

But none of that is going to happen. Because I'm sitting in my room right now with my hands covering my face and this folder in front of me that commands me to do the unspeakable.

"Bye Mom, bye Dad!" Feli said, waving outside his door. They were going for a night out by themselves, probably the movies considering that it was raining. he walked back into his house and went upstairs so he could sit in his room and finish his homework.

"Speaking of homework," Feli thought, "I haven't seen Ludwig in weeks... I wonder if he's alright? I know his father can be pretty strict sometimes, so maybe that's got something to do with it."

He reached the top of the stairs and jumped when he saw Ludwig himself standing in front of his opened window, facing him. The light in the room was off.

Feli laughed nervously to lighten the mood.

"Ludwig! I didn't know you were here."

He didn't speak.

Feli laughed again. "Y'know, if you wanted to come over, you didn't have to come in through the window."

Ludwig quietly raised his arm and held something pointed towards Feli. He couldn't tell because the room was dark, but the he realized...

Is that... A gun?

No, it couldn't be...

But as lightning flashed through the house, his question was answered.

"Ludwig... What are you doing?"

He still said nothing.

"Please, you're really scaring me right now..."

He heard the hammer click into place.

Tears gathered in Feli's eyes as his knees buckled, sending him to the floor.

"Please Ludwig... Why are you doing this?"

His arm, still pointing the gun, began to shake.

He looked away and covered his face with his other hand.

"I have to do this... I have to..." He thought. "Can't back off from this now..."

"I thought we were friends..." Feli cried, tears running down his face.

Ludwig froze at the words. The arm that held the gun dropped down to his side.

"No... I won't..."

He backed up towards the window.

"What was I just about to do?" Ludwig thought, his mind spinning.

Feli was on all fours, sobbing towards the ground.

"Look at what you caused..." The voice in his head continued.

Ludwig turned his head to look at the cracked window he was leaning on, as an cruel idea made its way into his mind.

"If I'm gone, my father won't suffer... Feli and his parents won't suffer..."

"Won't suffer..." The more he repeated it in his head, the better it sounded.

"Don't worry, Feli..." He finally spoke, feeling his vision get blurry as tears ran down his cheeks.

"Huh?" Feli said, sniffing.

"I won't be able to hurt you anymore."

"What are you saying-" Feli started, before seeing Ludwig's outstretched arms silhouetted against the window's light.

"Ludwig?!"

Ludwig fell backwards against the window, breaking the glass, as he plummeted towards the ground.

"Goodbye, Feli..." He thought, smiling peacefully.

"NO, STOP!" Feli cried as he sped towards the window, reaching his arm out to his friend, but it was too late.

"LUDWIG!"

Moments Later (Feli's POV)

I ran out the door to see a pool of blood gathering around his head, only for the rain to wash it away.

Ludwig why did you do this...

I kneeled by him, my tears still falling. His military cap had fallen not far away from his body and a smile could be seen on his face.

Someone walked by and screamed at the sight, running then to a phonebooth and calling the police.

Then I noticed something sticking out of his coat pocket. I took it and unfolded it, shielding it from the rain.

As I read the page, anger welled up inside me.

They ordered him to kill me. His own father authorized this.

I folded the piece of paper and stuffed it inside my pocket as the police pulled up to the curb.

An officer stormed out and ran up to me.

"What happened here?" He asked, shocked at the sight.

"He jumped." I said bluntly. "Don't worry, I'll go with you if you want me to."

I walked quietly towards the car, as the police stared at me, confused.

Nothing can be done about it now though. I walked away from the casket and up to the podium. It was my turn to speak.

"Hello everyone." I said lifelessly. "Ludwig Beilschmidt was the best friend anyone could wish for. He looked out for you in the best ways. No one except him was ever so kind to me in school. He would make sure I understood things in class, make sure I was feeling alright in general. He knew me, and he protected me when it was important. Personally, I thought I knew him too."

I paused and looked at the crowd of almost completely military officials along with Ludwig's father.

None of them are here for Ludwig... Not a single one.

"But I was wrong. I don't think anyone knew him. Not really." I looked straight at Mr. Beilschmidt.

"Ludwig was the type of person who had so much talent and opportunity. He was smart, capable, and he was kind in his own way. But he was also pressured with the expectation of those around him. He always thought that you should deal with things on your own. He seemed to think that if something was burdening you, you shouldn't burden others with it.

It brings me great sadness to say that this seems to have brought his demise."

Mr. Beilschmidt turned away remorsefully.

"I only wish more of you could have seen the same things in him that I have."

"I wish even more that maybe I could have been there for him, since no one else was. "

I sighed deeply.

"Goodbye, Ludwig.

I'm sorry that no one ever knew you."