I had a hole in the wall now. I'd found some pickaxes around my country and I've been at work for a few months. My shoulders were aching but I didn't stop, not even now. I was still hacking at the wall, no one has the power to keep me from my brother. No one! I had, however, had a crowd gathered, watching me try to free us from this unjustified confinement. They would bring me food and drink every few hours.
Gilbird had returned with the knowledge that there was indeed no holes in the wall so I had gotten the idea that I would build my own hole. I had remembered that miners in the mines use pickaxes to get things out of the wall, so why not use one to break a wall?
With the next hack I looked down and wiped my forehead. I noticed my legs were beginning to tremble. I frowned before hacking at the wall twice as fast. "No! NO! I won't give up! I don't care how long it takes me! I'm not tired!" I felt tears drop from my strong feeling of hopelessness, exhaustion, and fatigue.
Another hour and I found myself leaning against the wall, forehead pressed against it. The good thing was that I think I'm half way through the wall. I had actual shade and room to sit in it. I faintly hit my fist on the wall. "Don't worry West. I'll fix this, I have to. … I have to." I looked around when I heard people coming.
They held out a plate of steak and water. They also held two blankets and a pillow. I started to shake my head. "Please Mister Prussia. You need rest or you could really hurt yourself." She said, desperation in her own voice.
"I had a five minute rest yesterday. I cannot stop! I'm halfway through. I couldn't live with myself if I stopped when I could have done the work and free us from this hellish prison., hellish quarantine." I said. I didn't have the energy to actually feel emotions, not really. Just a dim feeling.
"But sir, when you wake I will remind you, if indeed you need reminding." She gave me a gentle smile. I felt myself yawn. I grabbed the steak and the water and had my fill before grudgingly accepting the sleep that she was offering.
"West." I said before falling into a deep sleep.
I was sitting in West's room, he refused to go to sleep. "Come on kleiner bruder. It's time for bed."
"I don't want to Gilby." He was seven, if I had to give an age to his size. "I don't want to miss the fun things you do while I'm sleeping. My friend told me that you have tons of fun at night, enough to make anyone jealous."
"Well I don't always do that. I intend to get some of my work done really. I have a bunch of papers to do for my boss. And I kind of already have too many. I envy you for being able to sleep. By the time I'm done with my paperwork I'm going to have to get up and start my morning."
"You should never let your paperwork get that high."
"I didn't 'let' it do anything Ludy."
"What if I stay up and help?"
"Why are you so interested in staying up past your bed time?" He just crossed his arms, stared at me, and didn't answer. I scratched my cheek, sighing. "What if… I gave you a cookie and shot of beer or whiskey? Will you go to sleep then?"
"I can't be bribed with something you already give me." I smirked.
"You knew that?"
"I've probably been drinking beer since I was born."
"Well not as much as you drink now, no. At least eight ounces I would give you when I was drinking or to soothe you to sleep when milk wouldn't cut it. And on Saturdays. Not every day, for every meal. I wouldn't have allowed that. And I don't make you drink it you know?"
"No you don't make me drink it but you do make sure it does sit in front of me."
"Yes, to make sure you know the option is there. What if we went to go see Spain?"
"No. Stop making compromises for me to go to bed so I can make compromises to stay up. What if… I stay up and I keep you up to do your work?"
"… What if I read you a bed time story, will you go to sleep then?"
"I'm too old for bed time stories." He said confidently. I chuckled.
"You're still young brohas. What if I read you the bible before bed?" He sighed this time.
"You went too far. I can't refuse the bible. That would be unholy. And I still don't want to go to sleep. But you can read it to me." I groaned.
"You're stubborn West!"
"And you are easily distracted!"
"Well you are annoying!"
"Well you go into battle too easily!"
"Well you-" I heard the door open to see the lady I assigned to West' welfare when I wasn't here come in.
"Are you fighting with that boy? He should be sleeping."
"I know, but he keeps refusing!" I said pointing at him.
"And he hasn't done his paperwork." I coughed.
"I would do it if-"
"May I try?"
"I can get West to sleep on my own but thank you for offering. Now please go get him a tray, pumpkin biscuit and two shots of beer." She nodded and left. I turned to Germany. "What if you go to sleep and the next time I have to go somewhere I either stay if you say so or you come if I want you to or not?" His eyes opened wide at that. He thought about it so long that she came back, put the tray down and when she closed the door he nodded.
"Fine. I'll go to sleep, you have a deal." He smiled. Then he did something that had me confused. He held out his hand. But I took his hand anyway, smiling at him. Then he shook our hands.
"What is that for?"
"To say a deal is official. That's what Jarvis told me."
"A deal is official by itself, or at least when dealing with politics and the army."
"This is isn't about either of those."
"Our brotherhood is strong enough to keep our word, I believe." I kissed his forehead before handing over the tray. "Here, a bedtime snack." I smirked at him. He smiled back before digging in.
I woke up at dark. I don't know how long it's been but I did know that I had to get back to West. He can't be left all alone. As far as I can remember, the stupid Allies separated Italy, Japan, Germany, and I from each other.
I stood back up and grabbed my pickax and began hacking at the wall all over again. Germany's counting on me, Italy's counting on me, Japan is counting on me, I am counting on me, and so are my people. With that thought in mind I chipped off a piece of the wall with the pickax.