I'm back with another chapter! This one's slightly gory too, but never mind. I'm sure you can deal with it. I've changed the rating, too, so if anyone missed a chapter, I'm sorry. I just thought that someone getting their head split in too was a bit too gory to be rated T.
This chapter's a bit short, but it was all I could manage at the moment. Enjoy! :D
P.S: Thanks for all the lovely reviews, peepoids. I love you (Not in that way. Just in a friendship way). You can all have virtual scones! :3
It was exactly one minute and forty-three seconds later that he heard the scream.
It ripped through the silence of the house, thick with horror; fear; panic, like their very soul was being torn from their body.
Norway leapt from the bed, staring, wild-eyed, at the door. The person was still screaming, their voice wracked with pain and desperation.
Norway threw himself across the room, just pausing to seize the rifle from the back of the door and flick off the safety before he burst into the corridor. His feet thudded on the ground as he tore around a corner and flew down a flight of stairs, fear pumping through his veins like acid.
He had just reached the main staircase when he saw it.
Prussia was lying halfway down the stairs, one leg twisted beneath him, his chest and torso sliced so badly that it was unrecognisable as human flesh. His eyes were wide open and glassy, reflecting the dim glow of the lamp. A maid was standing at the bottom of the steps, the contents of a tea tray strew across the floor at her feet, her mouth open in a horrified scream.
Norway took a step forwards - and his foot slipped slightly in the blood that coated the floor.
He couldn't breathe.
Not Prussia.
Please, not Prussia.
'What is going on?'
Norway turned quickly. Germany was coming down the stairs, carrying a book under his arm.
Norway moved forwards, trying to hide the scene, to make sure Germany didn't see the corpse of his brother, but -
Germany's eyes fixed on the trail of blood on the stairs, and then on Prussia's mutilated body. Horror swelled in his eyes.
'Preußen?' he gasped out. 'Bruder?'
He pushed past Norway without looking at him, his eyes still locked on the corpse, and staggered to where his brother lay. Dropping to his knees beside him, he seized his shoulder and shook him, staring frantically into Prussia's eyes as though hoping they would blink and turn to him; that he would grin and sit up, laughing his characteristic laugh.
But Prussia stayed as cold and silent as the stone walls around them.
'Preußen!' Germany screamed. 'Wach auf! Sie müssen aufwachen! Bitte! Bitte!'
Norway watched helplessly as Germany pressed his face into Prussia's bloodstained shirt, tears pouring down his face, a howl of grief ripping from his mouth.
But in his head, he was screaming too.
It wasn't just the Nordics that the creature killed: it was anyone he had a relationship with.
Germany was clutching at Prussia's limp hand, choking out disconnected sentences in German and seemingly unaware of the fact that his uniform was quickly becoming soaked with blood. 'Du dummkopf... auf wachen ... Sie kann nicht tot sein, Sie k-kann tot sein, wach auf, wach auf, wach auf!'
'Germany,' Norway croaked. 'Come on. You have to get away, or it'll kill you too.'
'Nein! Ich lasse ihn nicht!' Germany roared, cradling his brother's body close to his chest with shaking hands.
'Komm, Deutschland,' Norway said slowly, wracking his brain for the few words he knew in German. 'Kommen Sie mit.' ('Come, Germany. Come with me.')
Germany's huge shoulders heaved. His breath was coming in ragged gasps, sounding like sandpaper on rock as he choked for breath. Norway moved closer, reaching out a hand to the larger nation as Germany held his brother close to his chest.
'Komm,' he repeated.
For a moment, Germany didn't move. Then, very slowly, he rose and took a step back from Prussia's body, his teeth gritted to stifle his sobs, his fists clenched at his sides.
'Gut. Gut. Komm, Deutschland,' Norway said encouragingly. His knowledge of German failing, he switched quickly back to English and said, 'Listen, Germany. You have to get away from here. Hide somewhere, as far away from me as you can. If you don't, you are going to die. Please, Germany.'
Germany clenched his teeth even tighter, the tears still pouring freely down his cheeks, and nodded.
Norway felt a wave of relief wash over him. At least Germany would survive, even if Prussia and the Nordics couldn't.
He knew now what he was going to have to do.
He had to protect the others. He couldn't let anyone else die.
And he was going to have to run.
