Chapter warnings: foul language, character death

After about an hour of fiddling with the key he'd stolen out of Canada's pocket, Russia finally ripped the handcuffs from his wrists and threw them across the room, sitting up and rubbing the spots on his arms they had bruised. His body was covered in marks and scratches. He felt sore to his bones. Swinging his legs off the bed hurt enough, he didn't want to think about standing up. Taking a deep breath, he pushed himself to his feet and instantly regretted the decision. Pain shot through his lower back, and his legs didn't last a second before they gave out. His head felt like it was spinning and after a few deep breaths he was retching.

When he finally got himself under control again, he leaned against the bedpost and used it to pull himself up, much slower this time. With shaky legs he took a step forward and let go of the bed post. His hands trembled so he balled them into fists and took another step. And another. And another, one by one until he'd made his way to the door and wrapped his pale fingers around the doorknob. It was cold as ice. He tried to turn it, but it wouldn't budge. It was locked.

For a few moments he didn't breathe, and then instead he let out a sob. He pressed his back against the door and slid down it, burying his face in his hands. His whole body shook with effort as he breathed in and out, trying to get himself under control.

No, this had been his only hope. To escape, to get help, lock Canada away for good and never have to see his face again. But he couldn't get out. He wouldn't be able to fit through the bars on the windows if he could even reach them, and he was too weak now to break down the door. There was no way out for him.

But maybe he could keep Canada from getting in.

He looked around for the heaviest thing in the room and his eyes rested upon the chest of drawers up against the opposite wall. It was old and made of oak wood and it sapped his strength to shove it slowly across the room and up against the door. He grabbed the couch next, as well as one of the chairs in front of the fireplace. He sat down in the other, feeling dizzy, and stared at the barricade he'd built. Now all he could do was wait and see.

"Get out of here," Ukraine snapped as Matthew appeared below her. She wrapped her hands around the bars of the cage she was suspended in and glared down at him.

"Aw, I was hoping you'd be glad to see me," Matthew frowned. "Do you remember my name, Ukraine?"

She stared at him for a second before scowling. "Fuck you."

"How vile." He frowned, before turning to Spain who hung beside her. "Spaniard, what's my name?"

Spain didn't say anything, didn't even look at him. Meanwhile, England was barely conscious in the cage beside him, green eyes blinked slowly but not really taking in anything that was going on around him. It pained everyone to look at his face, just to see it so vacant and empty.

"Canada," China spoke up quietly. He broke into a coughing fit for a second, before adding, "Your name is Canada."

"Good! See, China knows." Matthew nodded in approval. He looked back at Spain and Ukraine. "You two, however… well, its a bit sad."

"Oh, shut up," Ukraine mumbled, crossing her arms.

"How rude," He noted. "However, Ukraine you never really knew me that well, anyway. But Spain, I was raised by one of your best friends and your worst enemies. How do you not know my name?"

No response.

"You know, Spain…" Canada said slowly. "This room was designed as an execution room."

Spain finally looked over at Canada out of the corner of his eye, watching darkly as the Canadian drifted over to the corner of the room, hatred burning in the green orbs. They were blood-shot and tired looking, but full of anger. His clothes had become ragged and dirty, torn in some places from catching on splintered metal. His skin was growing paler with every passing day and he had begun to look deathly.

"Its a very old building, so its rather crude, but it works none-the-less." Canada shrugged, pulling open the door to a control panel on the wall. "And honestly you are beyond saving."

And with the push of a button, the chain holding Spain aloft so high in the air released his cage and he fell, plummeting down to the stone cold floor below. Ukraine screamed. There was a huge crash and a sound like the snapping of bones. And Spain's broken body lay still in the remains.

Canada closed the control panel and waved to the other three remaining hung in the cages as he turned to go, leaving the spaniard's corpse to rot on the ground. "Have a nice day, you three! And remember, I'm Canada."

"Please, this really isn't necessary, I'm just a weak little Italy, I never caused you any problems, I never meant to upset you or anything, I'm sorry, please don't kill me or hurt me please, I'm just a virgin!"

"I highly doubt you're a virgin." Canada sighed as he strapped Italy down to the chair, positioning him carefully in front of a huge machine.

Italy, tears streaming down his face, continued to ramble in his panic. "But I am, but please, please don't hurt me! I'm a pansy, you must understand, I can't take things like that! You know I have a friend in Canada, please have mercy!"

Matthew sighed. "Will you please stop talking so much? I already have a headache."

Italy whimpered as he watched Matthew messing around with the huge machine sitting in front of him. He tried to stop crying but he couldn't help it, sniffling. This wasn't how he'd wanted it to go… he didn't want to die crying. "Canada… Canada, please."

Matthew shook his head, smiling slightly. "It's good you're remembering my name! But I know its not going to stick in your head… not quite yet."

Italy sobbed, his chest heaving and his body shaking. "Please… please have mercy… please…"

"This machine," Canada said, ignoring him and patting the huge metal contraption. "Was an experimental treatment for psychosis some long time ago… It didn't quite work out, seeing as it just turned the patients blind. Its just a really bright, painful light. I'm not really sure what the scientific basis was, now that I think about it…"

"B-blind?" Italy stuttered, eyes widened in horror.

"Yep." Canada nodded. He pressed a button and the machine buzzed to life, a shutter on the front of it opening to reveal a monumental circular light. "Look at it this way, Feliciano: this will be your only treatment. I'm still not sure what to do with your brother but… I doubt I'll be able to find anything this efficient."

"Don't do this, please don't do this, we can be friends, you don't have to blind me, please!" He was practically wailing now, looking around the room in a panic. "Germany! Germany save me!"

"Germany can't save you." He said simply, pressing a few more buttons on the machine. He tapped the light. "focus on this please."

"No, no, I don't want to, I don't want to focus on that! Please!" Italy shook his head, tears streaming down his face.

"Sorry, I think it'll be hard to ignore." Canada said. He stood up, heading to the door of the room and stepping outside.

"Please! Please!" Italy sobbed as the machine buzzed louder. His body shook and he whispered, "please…" The bulbs flickered for a moment, before sending a piercing white flaring through the room, searing Italy's eyes. He screamed, all he could see was the light… and then nothing.

Prussia woke from his sleep with a start as the shrill ringing of his home phone pierced his ears. He'd been having the strangest dream about drag queens and lederhosen. Dragging himself from the couch where he'd fallen asleep and over to the wall the phone was mounted on, he answered with a yawn. "Guten tag."

"Is this Gilbert?" A young voice on the other end of the line asked.

"Ja. Who's calling?"

"It's sealand!"

"Oh, hey, little man," Gilbert said, folding his arms and leaning against the wall. "What's up?"

"Um, I was wondering if you've seen any of the other countries since the last world meeting let out?"

Gilbert shook his head even though Peter couldn't see him. "No. Why?"

"Well, because I haven't." He said. "Not even England or Sweden or Finland. No one's talking to me all of a sudden…"

"Yeah, West-Germany, that is-didn't come back from the meeting… the only one I've seen is mein birdie, Matthew."

"Well, maybe you should ask him where they all went."

"I did but he doesn't know."

"Maybe he was lying?"

Gilbert gasped. "How dare you say such a thing? Mein birdie would never lie to me."

"Are you sure? Because thats what I thought about some people, too, but it turns out they were hiding chocolate from me the whole time!"

"Um, I don't think its exactly the same situation, little bro." Gilbert shook his head, rubbing his temple. He knew Matthew wouldn't lie to him, but Peter did have a point. The Canadian would've been the last person to see them, and it was strange that they'd just all disappeared without Matthew. It was, when one thought about it, very suspicious. And with every hour Gilbert didn't hear from anyone, not even his brother, the more worried he was growing. "I'll ask him again, just in case."

"Good!" He could practically feel Peter beaming on the other side of the phone.

"So anything else you need, mini munch?"

"No, just…" He paused. "If you hear from Sweden or Finland could you tell me? I miss them."

Gilbert winced at the kids words and took a deep breath. "Are you over there alone kid?"

"Yeah."

"Alright, why don't I come get you and we can figure out this mystery together?"

"Sounds great!" Peter said, immediately sounding happier.

"Alright then, shorty, I'll be over there in a few hours. See ya!" Gilbert said, hanging up the phone. As soon as he did so, he dropped the cheerful facade and bit his lip. He was starting to fear that something a little more serious than he'd originally thought was playing out before him. Well, he'd decided, he'd just have to figure out what it was.