"And therefore think him as a serpent's egg,
Which, hatch'd, would as his kind grow mischievous,
And kill him in the shell"
Julius Caesar Act 2, scene 1, 33-34
"Are we there yet?"
"Non."
"How about now?"
"Non."
"Now?"
"Non."
"Now?"
"I swear, if you ask one more time, Amérique, je va te tuer!" Francis shouted as he stopped dead in his tracks, swirling around to look the American behind in the eyes. Francis' blue glare irritably stared Alfred down. His scratched up fists were clenched and ready to start a fight he would most likely regret later on.
Luckily, Kiku was prepared to step in. He quickly took up a position between the two. "Let's not fight you too. We still have no idea where we are going? Save it until we need it. We're bond to meet up with something like earlier."
"Yeah, calm down dude. I just was asking we've been walking forever!" Alfred complained as they continued their stroll through the old-fashioned city. Despite the fact that it was a very industrial city and not a green surface in sight, not a single person was out on the streets in the dusk of the day. The sun was licking the tops of the stone buildings as it passed behind cloud after cloud. The houses were dark around them and only now and then, little beading eyes peeked out behind locked windows or they saw movement out of the corner of their eyes. The town was cloaked in a sense of forewarning. It was the only reason Alfred wasn't marching in the front like usual.
"It's possible we could be. Time is nonexistent here," Kiku stated to no one in particular.
"How long are we going to be walking? I'm tired and hungry and I doubt he's got any hamburgers or edible food up here," Alfred whined.
"I told you last time, we don't know. It's mostly likely to be awhile, America. Where is that fée anyway? I thought it was suppose to guide us," Francis sighed as he slowed his pace to look up at one of the English churches. There hadn't been much this size on their walk. What had caught his sight was the young woman on the top of the steps, pleading with the priest's head that was poked out of the church door. Her face was covered in freshly wept tears as she pleaded with the man.
"We were just lucky it came to aid us earlier, France. I don't know if we succeeded our welcome from what we've down so far," Kiku said before catching where Francis was looking. He stepped forward and covered his eyes from the sunlight to get a better look. "So do you think it is from then?"
"From when? Come on guys, fill me in? What's the beef?" Alfred asked as he was completely missed when they were in the Briton's mind.
"Just listen, America. If you know anything, you'll figure it out," Francis said and pointed up at the woman.
"Please Father, you must know some way to help him! I'll do anything! Just look at him at least!" she begged.
"I'm sorry my child but I cannot. Pray to the Lord for help."
"But Father!"
"I am sorry. It is out of my hands. If I could help all of the God's children that have been taken by the devil's disease, then I would but it is out of my hands. Peace be with you child."
The trio watched as the priest stepped back inside. They spotted the straw colored hair and the green eyes for just an instance. Those bushy eyebrows made the man even more obvious, especially after the gentle, pleading eyes were placed on the onlookers before the doors were shut.
"I still don't know what's going on but was that him?" Alfred blurted out. The two other nations looked at him and then at each other. It was indeed the Briton they were searching for. Alfred took his place in front as they quickly hurried up the stairs. By the time they reached it, the doors where shut and they were alone on the steps. Alfred tried to pull the doors open while shouting loudly to be let in.
"Japan, why don't we check for another entrance while America tries to get in from here?" Francis suggested.
"Hai that might be smart, France. I'll take the south side and you'll take the north side then?"
"Oui that is fine with me. Give me a shout if you find anything. Hopefully Mr. Oblivious will realize what is going on."
"There has to be a way in. Let me know if you find something as well France," Kiku said with a nod before he turned to face the alleyway he was assigned too. He left without a word to the American who was hopelessly banging on the door and shouting at the residence inside. When he walked down the steps and stood at the entrance of the dim path, he regretted choosing this one. Rats scurried along the any flat surface, even the vertical ones, which in no way made sense. Little red, beading eyes poked out of the darkness threatening, ready for some kind of food to enter to its death. Kiku inhaled and exhaled deeply before walking to it, reminding himself that this was only a figment of Arthur's mind and merely his version of a firewall to what he was protecting inside the church.
Meanwhile, Francis faced a scene just as distasteful and nauseating as the Japanese man's view. Forgotten, forsaken, and downright miserable: bodies lined the edge of his path. Some were not even dead yet. The French man could hear their pleads and begs as they attempted to snatch at his clothes. He barely could walk five steps down his path without the dying and sickly clinging to him. "Why is he so afraid to let us in?" he mumbled as he kicked an aged hand off of his pant leg.
"France, Japan, come here!" Alfred's cried broke the rat and dying infested alleyways. "Dude, I can see someone! There are two people here!"
It was not long before the two who had gone to investigate, glad to get out of their piece of hell, and were back on the holy steps of the church next to the American. Alfred had left his spot at the door, having decided that if England wanted them in, he would have let them in already, and moved to the window. The window was nearly impossible to see through. A few gaps here and there allowed for the trio to see the two figures Alfred had wanted them to see. They could only see them knelt down at the front of the church, muttering a pray. The figures appeared as twins. Both resembled the British man they had been seeking for so long.
"Please, let us in! I know you can hear me!" Alfred shouted once more. Neither heads turned or flinched at the man's shouts. They didn't even register that they had guests. "Dude, this isn't funny! We came for a reason Ar-"
"They're not going to let you in. I am sorry. Is there anything I can help you with?" another voice asked them. The trio swiftly spun around upon hearing the spokesperson. They all knew that voice. A calm tone made the three confused at first. No, it was rare to hear such fragileness to this voice. Usually it was loud and firm, prepared to step up to a battle but now… It sounded like it was ready to break if touched. Yet, it was the British man's voice, a few years younger, but his voice nonetheless. The advocator too took on the appearance of a much younger version of Arthur. He wad decked out in a long, dark colored gown. He held a basket of ashes and dirt in his hands as he looked up at the men.
"Are you…"
"We're looking for someone that we believe is in there," Francis quickly said, not wanting to end up in the pain from before or running from his life.
"Who may that be if I may ask?" the projection of England inquired.
"We can't… um… say exactly you see but him really well but he won't answer the door or let us in."
"You know him well? I doubt that but they're not likely to let you in. The plague has gotten worse and even Father has gotten sick. They fear if people find out they may go into an even worse panic."
"Is that so? Why are you telling us this, cher?"
"Who are you looking for again?"
"Please excuse him but is there anyway in there?" Kiku interrupted. There were holes within the man's mind but even his projections didn't want to admit it. Facing a weakness like that was hard for anyone and knowing you weren't sane, you weren't whole made it even worse.
"There is a way in. Please follow me," the projection responded before stepping toward the steps and walking straight through them as if he was a ghost.
Sorry for not keeping up to-date on my stories.
Several snow/ice days and school don't make for an easy schedule to keep, plus I've never been good at keepinga writing schedule.
Maybe I should though...
Regardless, I hope you like it and leave your reviews. Please do! You can cure the plague with it! (Not really but wouldn't that be great)
