Russia's End

Ivan stared down at the girl who was significantly shorter than he. He turned back and started walking again. The crunching of snow resumed behind him. He stopped and turned in time to see the small girl stop as well. He ignored the young girl stocking him even when he entered his house. The girl followed him inside, leaving her coat on as he did. Toris stared at the girl.

"Russia…who's this?" He asked kneeling down to smile at the small eleven-year-old. The girl smiled back hugged Toris.

"I'm Jenna!" She said happily. "Who are you?"

"I'm Lithuania," He said. "But you can call me Toris." He looked up at Ivan, who was staring at the pair with slight confusion. "That's Russia, but you can call him Ivan." Jenna followed Ivan no matter where he went. She showed up at World Meetings and stood in a corner, waiting until it was time to return home.

Late at night she would sit on her knees beside Ivan in his bed when he slept. She watched his chest rise and fall for years, but something always bothered her. She couldn't find his heart beat. She would always puzzle over this for hours in the night and come morning Ivan would wake up to find Jenna curled up at his side. She was sixteen when it happened.

She'd tried everything to find his heart, but nothing worked. Nothing from kindness that is. And so, as a last resort she used violence. First she burned his house. He hardly seemed fazed.

"Where's your heart, Ivan?" She asked putting her head on his chest. "I can't hear it." He turned and walked away. Jenna's actions became more violent and more frequent. Finally, Ivan answered them. The fight between them was harsh. The rod of Jenna's scythe pressed against Ivan's throat. His pipe came back to connect with her jaw, knocking it out of place.

She jumped back and quickly snapped her jaw back into place. Ivan held his pipe in both hands. Jenna lunged at him, knocking the pipe from his hands. There was a sickening squish followed by a dull thump. Ivan lay in the snow with Jenna's scythe lodged in his chest. She yanked it out and dropped to her knees beside him.

"Ivan…all I wanted was to hear your heart," She said softly. The Russian glanced up at her before his eyes slipped shut. Her hand fell over his chest where his heart should've been.

Thump-thump

Jenna smiled softly. "I found it at last."

Thump-thump…thump…thump…thu…