Greenland was dead. We saw that in the front pages of the newspapers in the gas station where we stopped to rest. We sat at a table of the cafeteria and stayed there for a good while, not talking, not eating what we had just bought, covering our faces with our hands. The movement got two casualties and this one meant a serious threat to us, because it meant those ideas had left a mark on all continents and spread enough. It was one of the most unpleasant times of my life.
"The smallest nations are falling first...Fuck..." Switzerland muttered, and pushed the sandwich he had just bought away from him, as if the mere sight of food disgusted him. "Liechtenstein...I hope she is still alive but..."
"I'm sure she is."
"You only say so to cheer me up, or to shut me up, but thanks."
I sipped my bottle of water before leaning a bit towards him.
"That man has been following us for a while."
There was a man with a long ponytail and a beard in the magazine section. He pretended to be reading some copies, but I had caught him glancing at us.
"I am sure I have seen his car near ours on the road."
Switzerland discreetly watched the man. I saw him grabbing his gun under the table.
"It is not convenient to make a scene" I told him.
"He could be a member of the movement" he whispered.
"There is no doubt about it. I wonder if Greenwood has been in contact with his friends outside of jail."
"In that case, we have to get the hell out of here."
"Even without him we should. My boss has called me to threaten me. I go home now or he drags me by the hair. I know him and I know he will do it."
"Yeah, mine too, but I'll ignore him and I suppose you will too. Right?"
"Of course. But there's too many people watching us."
"I agree. Do you have any idea?"
"Actually, I do. I have been meditating about it. It is a bit risky, but..."
"It doesn't matter. It's all we have now."
I leaned towards him to whisper my plan into his ear. When I finished he looked at me as if I had gone mad, but after thinking about it carefully he seemed to realize it could work.
"Let's do it."
We needed a few things, so we visited a small mall in the outskirts of the town. As I suspected, that black Toyota followed us and stopped near our parking lot. Its owner, the man with the ponytail, seemed to need something from the second story too. We divided. Switzerland went to get some things and I went to a fashion shop. The man followed me, I saw him near me. In case he got the idea of coming up to me, I approached all staff member I found to make them the silliest questions I could come up with and after paying I got out and pretended I talked through the phone. I met Switzerland in the main floor and prepared to leave.
We went down the escalators to the parking.
"Do you have everything?"
"Yes" Switzerland replied.
And he immediately started coughing. He attracted the attention of the man of the ponytail, who stared at us.
"You'll see Liechtenstein is alright" I muttered to Switzerland, only so he could see us talk with worry.
"Thank you, Austria" he replied, pretending he couldn't breath.
We went up again, heading to the toilets. The man followed up.
I acted as if my legs couldn't hold me.
"I hope you bought me something decent" Switzerland told me in low voice, faking enormous worry.
"More decent than what you are wearing now, that's for sure" I replied.
Fortune wanted a woman who was promoting a telephone company to approach our chaser and distract him. We took that chance to quickly slip away to the restroom.
I can't say what happened when the man finally got rid of that annoying saleswoman and caught up with us. We were leaving the mall by foot by then, leaving my car in the parking. Some hours later, after spending a while hitchhiking, a truck driver offered himself to take us to Rostock.
"Thank you for driving us, sir" I said. I had left my glasses behind (which was not really a loss, because I didn't need them to see clearly, but so my face didn't look so plain). I had combed my hair to one side and changed my decent attire for something more modern: simple jeans, sneakers and a white shirt with a fine dark gray coat.
"No problem, fellas" the driver replied, a very nice German with a thick mustache and a pronounced belly.
The driver had the radio on with the news, and during the trip they talked about a grim finding.
'We just got the news that the mortal remains of the Swiss Confederation and the Republic of Austria have been found in a mall in Germany. Apparently, both nations were in the country after paying an inopportune visit to the only person arrested for the kidnapping of the Principality of Liechtenstein, in a maximum-security prison in France. The cameras of the mall and some witnesses saw the nations feeling a sudden indisposition when they were heading to the parking and ran to the restroom. A father and his son came in later and found the clothes and belongings of both nations on the floor, covered in dust. This event has fallen like cold water on the whole world, specially Europe.'
The driver, who mentioned he was called Mickey, shook his head with sadness.
"I can't believe it...Switzerland and Austria...And I thought things couldn't get worse..."
I glanced at Switzerland. He had shaved the sides of his head with a knife he carried with him to adopt one of those horrible hairstyle which young men those days showed around very often, with a bun. He had gotten rid of his beret and wore jeans, a checkered red shirt and an anorak.
"This is going to hell" the driver lamented.
"They say this is for the best" I commented in an attempt to act naturally.
"Yeah, nbullshit. Do you really believe killing the nations the world will be a better place, boy?"
"Not really. But that's what they say."
"Yes...Listen, boy, I was born in the sixties, but my parents lived Nazism and told me things that would make your hair stand on end. The things people did in the name of a better world. What they are doing has no name. Well, it does have one: nasty. Murder. Two names. Austria and Switzerland...They were good people. I've read about them. Austria was the patron of arts in his land. He missed no premiere. And made sure beginners had their chance. And Switzerland, after all, is the country where the Red Cross was created, and the other day I heard he donated a good part of his estate to that organization and others. Actually, for what I know, almost all nations do things like that. And in times like these, when there are so many corrupted politicians and money is spent in stupid things, people who really care about others is what we need. I believe in nations. I really believe they love their citizens and are nice. And those Wanwol Mufment or whatever it's called are killing them. I don't want my nation to disappear. He made mistakes, yes, but just like everyone else. We make mistakes all the time, ourselves. I kicked my dog the other day because me bit my slippers and I wasn't in the mood. But that's what forgiveness is for. I forgive my nation and I want to see him happy. He represents everything which makes this piece of land unique, our history, our customs. I don't want a globalized world, where everyone is the same. It would be very boring and, frankly, it doesn't sound good to me...There's so many who have used the idea of us being all equal...I guess you think I am an old man...
"No, sir, absolutely" Switzerland said softly.
"So, Rostock..."
"Yes."
"You're going to like it. If you have the time, get a ferry to Denmark. The price is good and it will take you to a good place. We have some hours ahead of us, so if you want to sleep tell me and I'll turn the radio off. I have some soda around, in case you're thirsty."
