Romano tossed and turned in his sleep. He had a painful thirst. He tried to ignore it, but it got worse. He finally got out of bed and walked to the kitchen. He took a cup out of the pantry and filled it to the brim with ice cold water from the pitcher in the fridge. He gulped it down. However, the thirst was still there. Romano frowned and wondered why it wasn't satisfying him. He turned just in time to see a fly get caught in a web and the spider wrap it in spider silk. He watched as the spider then proceeded to drink the blood of the fly. Romano was mesmerized and caught himself drooling. He clinched his throat and breathed heavily. He swallowed and started to sweat. His attention was turned to the open door of his brother's room...something...was calling him inside...

Romano tip-toed to Italy's room, but stopped outside. He heard sobbing. He glanced inside. Italy was kneeling down with his back facing Romano and he was surrounded by candles that were lit. From the way it was set up, seemed someone had died.

Romano smirked. Maybe that potato-sucking bastard had kicked the bucket. But as Romano stepped into the room, Italy suddenly stopped crying and turned to see who it was.

Italy's eyes grew wide and he stood, Rosary in hand. "R-Romano?" he stuttered, through his tear-stained eyes, in disbelief.

"Si, who else would it be, eh?" Romano shrugged.

"You're...alive?" Italy stood with his mouth agape.

"What-sa your problemo, Fratello?" asked Romano. "You-a look like you've seen a ghost."

"Maybe...I am?" asked Italy, rubbing his eyes. "Is it-a really you, Fratello?" he held out his hand.

"...What-sa going on, eh?" Romano had enough of Italy's stupid stares of disbelief.

"But..." Italy started, "...you were dead..."

When Italy said, 'dead', Romano's heart skipped a beat. Or at least, he thought it did, he hadn't felt it. Romano started to hyperventilate, and he clutched his chest, falling to the ground on his knees.

Italy rushed to his side, "Romano, what-sa wrong?" he asked, still clutching his Rosary.

Romano, suddenly unconsciously hissed, shielded his eyes with his arm, and turned away from the crucifix. He closed his eyes.

Italy didn't know what was wrong with Romano. He wasn't sure what to do, or how to do it.

Romano's breathing grew heavier, and his eyes grew wide. He slapped the Rosary out of Italy's hand, and held his brother by the throat. He bared his teeth like an animal and snarled.

Italy's eyes grew wide and tears ran down his cheeks. He tried to loosen Romano's grip, and try to breathe; but Romano held him tight and lifted him off the ground, still holding Italy by the throat.

"Please, Fratello," Italy gasped. "Put me down..." He shut his eyes tight.

Romano's anger left his face and he started to just stare at Italy. Italy didn't notice, and was just concentrating on being set free. "Fratello," Romano spoke softly. "Please...help me..."

"I-ma try..." Italy gasped.

Romano snapped out of it, and gasped. He dropped Italy and Italy landed on all fours, gasping for air. Romano stumbled back into a table that had holy cards, candles, and Holy Water. The Holy Water sprinkled over him, putting out the small fire caused by the candles and cards; Romano hissed and cried out, as the Holy Water sizzled on his skin.

Italy stared at his brother's behavior. He glanced over at his Rosary on the ground, and picked it up, crossing himself and kissing the crucifix.

Romano fled the room and out the house, unsure of what to do.

Romano ran until his feet were heavy, and he stopped to rest. He sat down on a rock to think. What was happening to him? He put his face in his hands, and sighed deeply. "Oh, God... What have I-a done?" he sobbed quietly.

Romano thought about the day's events, trying to retrace his steps. How did this happen?

It was that strange creature! It had blood-shot eyes and a dark aura about it. It was cloaked in black, so Romano hadn't seen it completely, until...it was too late.

Romano was coming home late from the market with his groceries in hand. He decided to take a short-cut home. But that meant going through the forest. Romano walked along the gravel path, minding his own, when suddenly he heard a shrill cry. Romano dropped his groceries, and looked around, in panic. He started to run. He heard some kind of fabric behind him and turned his head. But nothing was there. Romano slowed to a stop and turned around completely. He looked in the trees and down the path, but nothing. Romano's eyes glanced around him and he only turned his head to look further in his eye's direction. Then Romano took off running, again.

This time, Romano knew he was being chased, as he saw a large black cloak draped around something that was very fast. Romano dodged into the trees and broke off a low, weak branch. He stood, waiting for the creature, holding the branch like a sword, and breathing heavily. "Okay, you bastard. Show yourself, eh?!"

The creature came in for the kill, but Romano had hit it with a stick, and it only seemed to anger it. Romano dropped the stick and ran in the opposite direction. But the creature gave chase and jumped on Romano's back! The creature wrestled with Romano, but it had won. Romano was pinned to the rocky ground, and the creature sank its teeth into Romano's neck.

Romano cried out in pain, and heard a gunshot, but his vision got blurry and he felt light-headed. He had fainted and the next moment, he was in his room, feeling thirsty. He hadn't noticed that his room had been decorated similar to how Italy's was now.

Candles and Holy Pictures of the Madonna and Saints surrounded him in his room, but he hadn't noticed.

He came back to the present, and he looked down at his clothes, that he had just noticed he was wearing. His favorite black, button-down, long-sleeved shirt with a white tie. "Oh my God! I'm-a the one who's-a dead!"