Dreams don't betray us. When we lose ourselves, that's when we lose our dreams. It's not that our dreams don't come true, we just give up on them. North taught me that. Perhaps that's why I lost. I lost hope and gave up on my dream to become an independent nation. Now look at me. I'm nothing more than a ruined bunch of Southern States, never to become the great Confederate States Of America. I began to cry softly, knowing I was stuck in a dream like world for the rest of my life. It was only darkness, and cold covered me and blew through me like a thousand knives. I tried to keep myself from sobbing, my tears catching in the wind within the dream, the wounds were gone, but the pain stayed. Was this hell?
I then heard a voice. It was probably the most comforting voice I've ever heard, filled with sadness, yet bursting with hope. Within the darkness of this hell, I heard my brother's voice.
"South... I know you are still there... hiding... Come back please... This stupid war has hurt you more than it'll ever hurt me... Please South... Come back..."
I began to bawl, the wind stopping suddenly, and a sudden warmth wrapped around me, and I began to smile for the first time in four years. I wanted to live. I wanted to leave this place, and come back to reality, and live with North, and above all, be alive. I didn't care if I was to never become a country, I just wanted to be a breathing person, and be with my brother.
I then saw a speck of light. It was small at first, but I saw it slowly began to envelope around my vision, the gray background around me slowly turning to color. I blinked, my vision nothing but fuzzed up dots, until everything became crystal clear. I was in my room, in my own bed, and North was staring at me, tears in his baby blue eyes, filled with worry. His concerned expression turned to relief upon seeing me, and he grinned.
I frowned, feeling the sudden guilt of hurting my brother, an innocent man who always seemed cheerful in my presence, and nurtured me and raised me like his own. My lower lip quivered, as I began to sob, fat tears beginning to go down my bruised and patched up cheeks. I felt North's warm palm gently press against my cheek, and wipe my tears away. I look up at him through my clouded vision, my soggy tears blocking it. He was frowning slightly.
"South... It's okay."
He smiles gently, continuing to wipe my tears away. I only managed to emit a whimper before breaking out into more salty tears.
"Shh... I still love you South..."
He coos, knowing he was trying to reassure me. I whimpered, closing my eyes, trying not to make eye contact with him. I felt a weight of guilt and sorrow upon my head, and I chose not to see him, feeling ashamed to be even considered the brother of the United States Of America. I felt arms wrap around me, warmth emitting from them. I opened my eyes, and saw my brother's chest, his clothes in front of my face. I pushed my face into it, heat pulling on me and wrapping around my body. I inhaled, taking in the scent I haven't smelled for years, the mix of fresh hamburgers and freedom.
"I missed you so much South... I hated every day of this war, and every day I hoped that next day would be the day you would come home..."
He said softly into my ear, feeling him ruffle my hair. I nodded slightly, before I felt my stomach growl, imitating the sound of an earthquake. Blushing horribly, I quickly backed away from North and hid my face under my blankets weakly, while I heard North give a gentle laugh.
"I'm guessing you're hungry, South?"
I nod, embarrassed. I heard North standing up, his footsteps creaking the floor and thumping down the stairs, before fading into the kitchen. I gently pulled back the blanket, and looked around my room. I could barely lift my weak and wounded body up, but I still could get a clear view of what my room looked like. It had barely changed since I left, other than the fact it was covered in a thin layer of dust.
My stomach once again interrupted my thoughts, sounding like a volcano ready to erupt. I glared at my fragile body, before placing my head gently back onto my pillow. It gently sunk into it, and I closed my eyes, wanting to go back to sleep, and think of the future. Will North and I have our relationship repaired? Will I try to secede again in the future? Will I die?
I heard North's footsteps heading back up the stairs, and within seconds felt his warm hand gently shaking my shoulder.
"South? I have some gumbo for you."
My eyes snapped open, the familiar smell wafting up my nose. I grinned, trying to sit up, my taste buds already watering and begging for it. North chuckled, and helped me, placing the pillow against the bed and myself in a sitting position. He sits on the bed next to me, the bowl of gumbo in his lap. He chuckles, his goofy grin on his face as he got a spoonful of gumbo and moved It around towards me.
"Here comes the choo choo train! Woot Woot!"
He laughs, making train noises. I rolled my eyes, opening my mouth as he stuck the gumbo in my mouth. The taste exploded on my tongue, forgetting how good food used to taste, my meals during the war consisted nothing more than hardtack and lettuce soup, which was just murky heated water with bits of lettuce in it. I swallowed the gumbo down, the warmth of it spreading across my body. I began to cry tears of joy.
My salty tears were quickly wiped away by North, his smile showing nothing but kindness and sympathy. He got another spoonful of gumbo and slowly stuck it in my mouth.
"Hey South. It's okay. I had a similar experience to recovery after the war against Iggy and I for my freedom. It'll take time, but I know you'll recover."
He takes the spoon back out, and keeps baby feeding me, while I kept my thoughts on what he said. About recovery. I wanted to recover. Stand up, walk and take in the smell of fresh grass and dew in the morning of summer and the humidity. Not be stuck in a dusty room with little breathing air for the rest of my life. After a few moments, I noticed North had stopped feeding me, and the bowl was empty. He sighs gently, putting the empty bowl with the spoon in it on the dresser near my bed. He gives his usual goofy grin at me. I weakly smiled.
"You do not know how much I've missed that grin..."
I whispered, my voice raspy and weak. I barely recognized it myself. North chuckled, and put his hand on my shoulder. I looked at his hand. Strong, full of color, and no wounds shown on it, compared to my pale, thin, and cut up hand. I whimpered softly, before looking back up at North. Frowning, he trapped me into a gentle hug, his chin placed on my head.
"I love you so much South. I missed everything about you. You're the most amazing person I know..."
Hearing those words, tears bit at my eyes, as I nuzzled into him, before my mind hid within me again and I fell asleep.