Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia or Wolf Creek, but I do own my OCs.
Warning: This chapter has details of gore and death, I tried to not go into too much detail with the whole gore thing. But if it upsets you then I would suggest skipping over this chapter. I promise the next chapter is much more lighthearted.
Australia wearily opened is heavy eyelids. Every fibre of his body hurt, both of his arms and legs felt stiff and weighted down, almost like he had fallen asleep on a metal bench. He raised his arm so he could rub his eyes, blinking the sleep away his vision started to return to normal. His head pounded, it was like his whole head was trying to split in two. The first thing he did was check to make sure that his band-aid was still in place, he let out a small sigh of relief when it was. He was so used to wearing it that it didn't take long for the band-aid to feel part of him, the very rare times that he didn't wear it left both himself and his scar feeling exposed and vulnerable.
He hated the resurrection process! He knew what to expect as he had grown accustomed to the process, but the whole thing was still a pain in the neck. His head had hurt too much that his memory was still a bit fuzzy. What had he exactly been doing that caused him to resurrect?
He stared up at the ceiling, he squinted his eyes in confusion. Since when was his room made from dirt and wooden support beams? Australia sat up, his brows furrowing in confusion about where he was. He seemed to be in area that was dug underground, shelves were pressed up against the walls with rusted tools of all shapes and sized lay discarded on them.
He winced as he felt a twinge of pain from the skin around his stomach. He fingers grasped the still slightly tender area trying to figure out what he did to it. He groaned. It all came back to him now.
He was hoping that it was just a bad dream from a long night of drinking at the pub. But it was all real. All of it. Getting run off the road, running into those three idiots from the bar and then getting stabbed by a human. And worst of all; he just exposed the personification secret, the one thing that he and the other nations worked so hard to keep.
"I'm so dead," Australia muttered, "I'm so fucking dead. They're all going to kill me."
He really didn't think he'd be able to talk his way out of this one. He wasn't even sure what the protocol for something like this is! The only time their immortality was at risk of exposure was during war times, however that was easy to cover up. But this? Australia was sure that he was the first one to expose their secret in this way.
Australia stepped down from the metal table that he had been discarded on. He shuddered to think about what would have happened to him if he were still "dead" for a few minutes longer. He stretched his back and felt all his joints pop and crack back into place.
"Not my best place to wake up," Australia commented, "Yet, also not my worst."
Australia looked around the room for some sort of inspiration of the plan he had yet to even think of. Mick full-heartedly believed that he was successful in killing him, yet he was awake and as good as new. The stab wound healed up nicely, it was like it was never there. And that was the thing that was giving Australia so much grief.
No human would have been able to survive a stabbing like that, yet Mick would find him alive and not a single scratch on him. This was going to be interesting, it definitely threw a spanner in the works. He rubbed a hand over his face in thought, he really wasn't left with many options of taking Mick down without him being noticed.
New Zealand's plan wasn't sounding so bad now. Maybe he could find a white sheet and run around as a ghost to try to haunt Mick, hoping that he would eventually die from a heart attack.
Australia walked over to the shelves of tools, he had to try and find something that he could use to defend himself if needed. Mick was strong. Almost too strong for a human, and that worried Australia. That punch that Mick landed on him before had a lot of force behind it, it was almost superhuman. It was no way close to America's level, but it could definitely give Germany a run for his money. And that meant that Australia was in trouble, because he wasn't as strong as Germany.
Really at this point, the only thing Australia had going for him was his immortality and his years of experience, other than that it was a pretty even field.
His hands stopped their search when he grazed something cold and metallic. He inspected the object he found, it was a crowbar that was in pretty fair condition, albeit a bit rusty.
Australia hummed, "This will do."
He went to exit the room he was in, he was careful to keep his movements slow and quiet, he had no idea where he was or what to expect. Cautiously, he peered outside of the makeshift room he was in. He could see that he must have been under in the abandoned mining systems, as he noted all the tunnels and rooms dug out of the dirt with wooden beams above to use as a support structure. He kept his eyes trained on the ground in case of hidden traps, he strained his ears for even the slightest breath of sound as he moved quietly through the hallway.
He immediately froze when he heard a familiar voice singing echo in the distance. Australia panicked as he realised that the voice was getting louder and louder as Mick Taylor approached the area that Australia was in. Without hesitating Australia rushed into the nearest room and pressed himself as flat as possible to the wall. A horrible smell seemed to bleed from the room, but at that moment all he cared about was not being seen.
He let out a low breath, trying to even out his heart beat back to normal. If Mick caught him, then his element of surprise would be over. He kept his eyes trained on the doorway that led back out to the hall.
Mick casually walked down the hall, his clothes and knife seemed to be splattered with fresh blood, Australia couldn't tell if it belonged to him or some other poor soul. Mick seemed to be heading straight towards the room that Australia woke up in. Australia squeezed his eyes shut and let out a string of curses in his head. Mick had stopped his humming once he entered the room that he had left the most annoying human being on the planet. Well, where he thought he had left him.
He walked closer to the metal table which he had left him, sure enough the dried blood still stained the surface. He narrowed his eyes and carefully looked around the room. This wasn't possible, he was sure that he had killed him, so he doesn't understand how he could just disappear. He took his knife and wiped the blood from his other victim on the sleeve of his flannel, he stalked out of the room with a death grip on his knife. Maybe someone had come down and took the body that he left lying on table? And he didn't like the idea of another person digging around in his territory.
Australia watched Mick walk back the way he came; he closed his eyes in relief as he felt his body slump back against the wall. He turned his gaze away to finally see what room he had entered, he just wished that he hadn't. His stomach lurched at the sight that greeted him, he finally found out what the horrible scent belonged to.
His eyes went wide and his skin grew paler than Russia's snow. Hanging from the ceiling was a human, his stomach was open and it looked like is insides had been removed completely. The blood had long dried up and now stained the ground. It was a sight that Australia was sure would haunt him for many nights when he closed his eyes to sleep. The glazed over look in the human's eyes was a clear sign that he had been alive when Mick had inflicted his torture, the indescribable pain that had remained in his eyes still lingered.
Australia felt the familiar sensation of burning bile rapidly rise up in his throat. He leaned over to the corner of room as he emptied his stomach, the grotesque smell and image finally caught up with him. He groaned as he finally stopped his upheaval. He leaned against the wall once more to support his trembling form, he let go of the crowbar that he was holding, the weight of it just suddenly seemed to increase in the situation. He closed his eyes as he wiped his mouth, he couldn't see that gory scene again, it was too painful. He didn't even know if this person was Australian or not, but regardless, that person's death just like all the others only fuelled that determination to put a stop to Mick's tyranny.
But what could he do? He was supposed to be dead.
"What the fuck are you doin' alive?"
Australia froze, it appeared that Mick must've heard him getting sick.
Mick stared at the bloke that he had stabbed a knife though his stomach. He watched with his very own eyes as the tip of the blade pierced through the Australian's back on the other side. He knew that he wasn't one of the ghosts that he would see linger in the mine with every fleeting glance, because of the life that swam in the man's green eyes. The same eyes that he had watched dull before closing.
Mick's lip turned up in a sneer, nothing but confusion and anger filtered through every fibre of his body. The place where the wound should have been, was now completely healed; it was like he had never been stabbed.
Australia just opened and closed his mouth as he tried to find the words. He had never been in this situation before. He tried to save what he could of the personification secret, as it was, he was trying to grasp at nothing but air.
"Uh…Well…" He stuttered, "Would you believe me if I said I was a ghost?"
But Mick wasn't buying it, "What are you?"
The simple question was enough for Australia to stop being funny. It wasn't what he said that made Australia fall silent, it was how he said it. Mick was confused and angry, Australia could already tell that, but it was the underlining of interest that made Australia worry. Whenever serial killers or psychos showed an interest in anything, it always meant less than pleasant things for the person that sparked that interest.
Australia kept his focus, he angled himself to be in front of the crowbar that he had dropped earlier, trying to hide it out of Mick's view. "I'm someone that's not letting you leave here."
Mick laughed at Australia's bold statement, he started to step forwards, "You know, I've always noticed that you were different. The way that you crawled out of that crash barely scratched, and that air of confidence and fearlessness that hung about you. Almost like you believed yourself to be invisible. So don't tell me that you're human, because you and I both know that you're kidding yourself."
Australia remained silent, he bloody knew that car crash off the side of the hill would be his give away. But whilst he knew that he had revealed the biggest secret the nations had to Mick, even if it wasn't all of his fault, he'd be damned if he reveal anything else.
"Not gonna tell me?" Mick asked as he took another step forward, "Guess then I'll just have to make you scream it. Because let me tell you something boy, you don't want to test my patience."
"Damn, and here I was hoping for a challenge," Australia remarked.
Australia dodged the thrust of Micks blade and managed to grab the wrist that held the knife and disarmed the man. He kicked the weapon away to eliminate a second death by stab wound to the stomach routine, he didn't think that he'd be lucky enough for Mick to wait around until he resurrected again. But Australia soon remembered that Mick was just as deadly without a weapon as he was with one. Whilst Australia was fast at evading the punches and hits that were thrown at him, he wouldn't be able to dodge forever. It seemed that Mick hasn't noticed Australia's hidden weapon just yet, he was hoping that it would stay that way.
Whilst he was able to outmanoeuvre most attacks, he wasn't quick enough to avoid some. He had taken a pretty bad upper cut to his stomach, right where the stab wound had been.
Mick had then shifted to the side and managed to land a punch in Australia's side, making the nation stumble a little. While Australia was distracted Mick saw the opportunity make a break for his knife. Australia clutched his side and tried to catch his breath from that freakishly strong hit, he felt the area that was hit beginning to bruise. He didn't have time to stop Mick from retrieving his weapon Mick's hits were still just as powerful and strong as before.
Most of Australia's friends and family had special nation abilities that benefit them greatly in battle, and they would have come in handy in this situation. America, Russia and Germany all had their super strength, England had his freaky magic thing and Canada was invisible to most people half the time. And all he got landed with was immunity to venom. Like how was that supposed to help him?! Unless there was a snake pit that he could throw Mick into and then climb down to retrieve him after, but he highly doubted that.
But there was another plan that he could do. It would be painful, but it was the best option that he could go with. There was no other way he would be able to reach for his weapon without Mick noticing and getting the upper hand once again.
Australia grinned and straightened his stance, the ache in his side already starting to dull. He liked to think that his ability to annoy people came in handy with situations like this.
"Is that all you got?" He taunted, "I mean I knew you were old, but I didn't think you'd be ready to bite the dust just yet."
Mick just scowled with a look that hungered to see Australia bleed once again. Australia purposely shifted his footing, so it wasn't stable. He waited until the last second to react to Mick's attack and just like Australia had planned it, he was just a fraction too slow to dodge the attack in time. Mick had sent a hit to his jaw and kicked his feet out from underneath him.
Normally, Australia's stance was firm, and he would have been able to avoid making such a rookie mistake. But he wanted Mick to think that he was winning so he was able to get the human overconfident enough so that he could slowly inch towards his weapon without Mick taking any notice.
Australia landed on his back but before he could do anything else a kick was aimed at his side. He groaned in pain and instinctively curled in on himself a little. He never said his plan would be completely pain free. Whilst he was on the ground he pushed himself back a few inches, to Mick it looked like he was trying a feeble attempt to crawl away from him, but in reality, Australia was still trying to get into arms reach of the crowbar he had left leaning against the wall.
Australia rolled over onto his back and Mick had placed his foot heavily on top of Australia's chest, restricting his movements.
"You really thought you could get away that easily?" Mick grinned as he pressed down harder, making Australia gasp in pain and struggle to get the weight off of him, "Not that bad for an old man eh? Cause let me tell ya something kid, there's people like you, that try to play the hero and all that jazz. Then there's people like me, bloke's that will crush you softies to the ground like the insects that you are. The only thing worse than bloody tourists, is the bastards like you that fucking defend them."
Mick was so wrapped up in his little monologue, that he didn't notice Australia very slowly inch his hand over to the crowbar that was now easily in his grasp.
"Look I don't care what the hell you are, but take it from me," Mick continues, "If you wanna survive out here, you gotta be able to handle anything, too bad you won't live long enough to take the advice."
Before Australia could react any further, Mick had withdrawn his foot from Australia's chest, only to slam it down again. Australia's fingers froze just mere centimetres from the crowbar, a cry in pain ripped itself from his throat as a sickening snap echoed throughout the mine. Every breath was pure agony as he felt his broken ribs restrict his lungs.
"Y-You have no idea," Australia managed to weakly smile through the pain, his words were jarred from a cough that racked his body, making small drops of blood stain his white teeth. He wasn't particularly worried, broken bones were extremely painful, but he would recover soon enough.
Mick turned over the knife in his hand, running the tip of his thumb over the edge of the blade, checking to see if the weapon was sharp enough. This time he'd make sure that the bloke under his boot would never be able to come back alive.
Australia's shaking fingers rested on top of the cold steeled crowbar.
"You put up a good fight, I'll give ya that, but in the end I always win," Mick said "So, any last words mate?"
"Yeah," Australia said, his words came out a bit more clearer now that he felt his body already starting to heal itself, "You wouldn't happen to have a snake pit anywhere down here do you?"
The randomness of the question threw Mick off, "A what?"
"Fine, then plan B it is," Australia grinned. Before Mick could even compared what was going on a thick metal crowbar was swung at his face. It had hit his head with so much force that it sent him out cold, splayed out half on top of Australia and half on the ground.
He did it. It was over.
At that moment, he just wanted to collapse and not move an inch until he had fully recovered. The adrenaline seemed to seep out of his body and exhaustion flooded into every inch of his body and settled deep in his bones. The whole experience had been not only physically draining but also taxing mentally. But he knew it wouldn't take Mick to regain consciousness, so he'd have to work fast.
Australia winced as he sat up, his broken ribs still giving him grief, he spat the blood out from his mouth as he kicked Mick off of him. He slowly stood up, holding a hand to his chest he limped over to the shelf where he had seen some zip ties. He bound Mick's wrists tightly, not caring about the man's comfort.
Australia stood up back up and let out a breath, glancing around at his surroundings as he leant heavily against the makeshift wall. His chest burnt with every movement, he knew he'd have to put up with the pain for another hour or so until his bones fully healed. However, it really only started to dawn on him that he really had no idea how to get out.
He cursed under his breath as he bent down to try and lift Mick's bound hands up. The weight of the man and his injury were making it even more of a struggle than usual. He stumbled with the first few steps, having to adjust to the extra carry weight.
"Next time, ask him where the exit is before knocking him out," Australia muttered to himself as he proceeded to drag the man out of the room, as fast as he could with his injuries.
XxxxXxxx
Australia pulled up to the nearest police station in one of the cars left abandoned at Mick's place. Once he filled it up with some fuel and hotwired it up, he had loaded the unconscious Mick into the back seat, making sure that he wouldn't try a last minute attempt to break free.
The ride to the police station had been…interesting to say the least. Australia half expected Mick to start screaming and shouting at him, but the whole ride he was silent. But whenever Australia looked back through the rear-view mirror, he locked eyes with Mick's unnerving and never faltering glare. He refused to speak, he never spoke a single word, choosing to just glare murderously at Australia the whole way. It was like it a silent promise, a promise of revenge; that the next time he saw Australia he was a dead man.
Australia of course, just shrugged the silent threat off, it wasn't like he's never pissed anyone off before. Australia hoped out of the driver's seat and wandered over to the back seat and opened the door.
"Well, this is where your ride ends," Australia said in a cheerful voice.
He waited for Mick to step out of the car, but he supposed that was a bit too much to ask for.
"Look mate you've got two choices; we can do this the easy way or the hard way."
Mick still refused to talk and favoured to glare straight ahead, not even looking at Australia.
Australia sighed, "Fine, the hard way it is."
Australia reached inside the car and pulled Mick out forcibly by the back on his shirt. He practically had to drag him up to the police station. Australia halted when Mick opened his mouth for the first time since the fight down in the mines.
"You better sleep with one eye open, because I will make you regret every laying eyes on me," Mick's rough voice drawled out, "Mark my words you fucking bastard, I will make you wish you could die."
Australia remained silent, he wasn't going to lie, the cold and raw tone in his voice sent a small chill down his spine. It wasn't like he was new to receiving threats from others, but from a cold blooded murderer that knew the nation secret? Well that threat was a little unnerving.
"Yeah yeah," Australia tried to play off his nonchalance, "Good luck finding someone that will care enough to listen, most people will think you belong in a mental hospital than a jail."
Australia proceeded to drag Mick into the police station. The only thing giving him salvation was the thought that Mick would be serving his life sentence with no chance for bail at all, meaning no chance to get out and spill the major secret that Australia had blown.
Okay so fight scenes aren't my strongest point, but I am trying to work on it! So if you have any tips or constructive criticisms then please feel free to send them my way XD. So this is the second last chapter, the next one will wrap things up and their might be a little surprise at the end of the next chapter, so you will just have to wait and see! But don't worry, I'm already half way writing the next chapter so you won't have to wait long.
Who else is really keen for season 7 of Hetalia coming out next year? Not to mention that a third Wolf Creek movie and TV season has also been confirmed? So all the exciting news has inspired me to continue writing! I hope everyone had a great Christmas and are staying safe!