So I'm debating on whether I want to do a different ending, which would mean just one more chapter, or just leave it at this. I've tried writing the last chapter but it's not working out and I feel like this could be a good end too. Please tell me your opinion below if you have one, I'm really torn! Sorry for posting this so late.
Anne: Thanks so much! I'm so glad you like these! I actually made the aesthetics myself and they've got quotes from the stories on them, too. Just a random thing I like to do. Anyway thanks for reading!
Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.
Her father had returned from his year long trip away at sea. Her mother had been excited but Peter was too young to understand really. Too young to really understand the man who called himself their father. Alice didn't care really. That was until he offered to take her into town.
"It'll be some quality time together, you know, the father daughter stuff I've missed." He had said.
"I'd rather not." Alice had answered, curled up in an armchair and waiting for a chance to sneak off to the little beach. She had played with the corner of her old book with yellowing pages. She didn't read much anymore. Other things were more important.
"What else are you doing, darling? You can't rather going down to the ocean than going into town. I know I never take you." Her mother had argued.
Alice could go into town whenever she wanted, but the real thing is that she didn't want to. Why go there when she could just stay here? "I don't really want to go."
"Nonsense, we can go and I'll get you one of those silly books you love." She knew he had no idea where the bookstore was.
That was how she found herself in the middle of a crowed street, already beginning to smell like alcohol. There was nearby docks, where all the sailors got off and came here to party and drink. The lights were obnoxious and it was chilling in the early autumn night.
She had told Alfred she wouldn't be able to see him as much for the next few days. Her father might wander down to the beach while her mother stayed away. She couldn't risk anyone finding out about him, them. Her seashell tiara sat on a shelf where the jar used to be.
"Oh look, there's a buddy of mine!" Her father exclaimed, tugging on her arm. Alice and him walked up to a few men outside one of the bars. They quickly started talking and Alice sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. At sea with these men for a year and he still wanted to chat for hours in the streets with them.
The bright neon lights were giving her a headache, along with the every so often car that sped past on the cobblestone street. The signs of every color flashed and blinked and wouldn't stop. There were people at every direction. Some men were already drunkenly stumbling about. There were the rare few women, probably waiting around to be taken home or to get lucky. There were people rushing home as the night took its place in the town.
Alice glanced back to her father, now telling some story she didn't care to hear. She looked back the street and noticed a store window on the other side of the street. The blond made sure her father was still occupied and walked over to the glass. There were reflections of the lights, little shiny dots of every color and a few mannequins were on display with the latest fashion. They were smiling fake, painted smiles at her through the glass.
She had never cared much for certain clothes. Fashion didn't mean a great deal to her. A tipsy man tripped past her, mumbling to himself. Attractive. Alice wrinkled her nose at the stench of beer lingering on his clothes.
"You." Alice jumped at the voice and looked away from the man. Next to the shop window there was a darkened wall, where the other building jutted out from the line. A woman stood in the dark.
The woman had long tangled grey hair, with random silver strands. She wore a layer outfit of many colors and fabrics. Alice couldn't tell if it was a dress or something else. She smelled like salt and seawater. The woman looked at her and smiled a knowing look. Her face crinkled.
"Yes, you for sure." She croaked. Alice hugged herself a little tighter.
"Pardon? I don't know what you mean." The blond said.
The woman waved her over closer into the shade. "Come here."
Alice glanced across the street where her father hadn't noticed she was gone. The teen stepped forward and the woman held out her hand. She was silent until Alice realized she was asking for hers. Alice set her hand in the woman's wrinkled one. She ran fingers over the lines in her hand.
"Oh yes, you. You have been touched by the ocean, haven't you?" She asked.
Alice frowned. "I don't know-"
"Oh, of course you don't." The woman interrupted, still touching her hand. "You have been picked by a creature of the sea, hm?"
The blond looked at the woman in confusion. She thought of Alfred immediately, but how could this random woman know about him. "It is a great gift, to be chosen by one of the water. Strange things will happen whenever that is case. The ocean likes to pick favorites, you know."
"I still don't understand."
"They never do. But you will. Soon, I can see it."
Alice pulled her hand from the woman. "I have to go." She stepped backwards from the woman, still watching her creased smile.
"Watch it!" Someone barked behind her as Alice stumbled into an angry man.
"Sorry!" She called to him as he stormed off. The teenager looked back to the shade of the wall and found it empty, simply dirty with sand, blown up from the beach.
Alice looked back to the other side of the street and saw it empty of her father. The blond sighed and hurried across the street to find him. He must have slipped into one of the bars without her noticing. Apparently he didn't notice her either. She knew he didn't want to come for her.
An hour later Alice was still alone. She had searched every bar, block, and street and her father was no where to be found. She walked down to the docks where the large ships were docked. The wooden deck creaked as she walked.
Her reasoning had been that maybe he had gone back to his ship with some friends, but she had no idea which one was his. Alice just hoped that maybe being close to the water would bring him. Alfred had said there were mermaids who watched the humans on the docks. Maybe he would be here, maybe she wouldn't feel so lonely. Although she knew it was the middle of the night and the only living things out here were her and the rats. She just wanted to find her father and go home.
"Hey pretty girl!" A voice shouted behind her. Alice sighed and looked behind her. There was a man who was tripping over his own old leather shoes and obviously had had too many drinks tonight. "You look pretty lonely out here alone."
"No, actually, I'm looking for my father. His name is Christopher Kirkland, have you seen him?" She called as he got closer. She could smell the alcohol from there, but he didn't stop getting closer to her. Alice was already close to the edge, with no fence or rail to catch her.
"Nope! All I've see is you. You look like you need a friend." He smiled and she saw holes where teeth should be.
"No, I'm just looking for my father."
"I got a ship out here, I got some real good booze, how 'bout you join me?" His sticky hand grabbed her forearm.
"No, I just want to go home."
"Come on, pretty girl."
"Let me go!"
"Come on! How 'bout you come with me?"
He tugged on her again and Alice tried to free herself, but he wouldn't let go. She could feel his hot breath on her skin. She hit him in the face with her elbow in her thrashing and he cursed loudly. His grip on her slackened, but in her haste to pull away she didn't realize how close to the edge she was. Her shoe slipped on the wet wood planks and she was falling. She was weightless in the air, before crashing into the hard water.
It was like that time when she had fallen into the water at her little beach. But the water was shallower there, and Alfred had saved her that time. She didn't feel a sharp pain when her head smashed against a rock and shocked a last breath of air out of her that time.
She didn't watch the bubbles float the surface and the moonlight shine above that time. Refracting through the water. Shining from a place she couldn't reach anymore.