United States of America—The Wendigo [Expansion, 19th century]
Big Brother England was a man who loved to tell children stories, and since America was the apple of his eye, he saved for him the most exciting ones for him, the ones he told making the best voices, doing the most gestures, those which had the best morals. Many of them were not the fruit of his imagination, but his experience. He had traveled the world and America loved to sit by the fire and hear of what he had encountered. England told a wide-eyed America about the powerful Ottoman Empire, whose name was enough to make all of Europe shiver, the feats of the Ancient Roman Empire, as terrible as his achievements, the horrible human sacrifices, followed by cannibalism, committed by empires living not too far away from his home.
"How can people be so mean to others?" Little America would exclaim.
England would smile indulgently.
"It's in our nature."
He grew up to realize all the people he had ever met were no different. France, who had proclaimed himself the nation of love, didn't miss the chance to spill his friends' blood. Italy, who seemed all smiles and no brain cells, actually had many, many of them and was very good at pretending he didn't. Finland and Sweden, who had always been parent figures to him, could teach him a lot about bloodbaths, if the profit was good or the enemy was hated enough. He was lucky that Holland, who taught him how to trade and defend his interests, didn't treat him the way he treated others. Spain, another goofball one shouldn't mess with...Even England. America lost quite a lot of respect for him once he grew up and saw where all his riches came from, what he did to obtain them.
Perhaps it was true what he said? No...Of course not. Not him.
"New World, new way of doing things! I am doing things right!"
So easy to say when you're young and have always had it easy...But when you're independent and got to make a living on your own...When you've got all these growing pains and your territories get too small and suffocating...When you see others have more land than they need...When all these tribes attack and try to make your space even smaller...
It started with a chunk. I am desperate, I am going to die if I don't do that, he said to himself. God forgive me. Then, a little bite here and there. The ache started easing; just a little more and he would be all right. The Lord said: 'Increase you and multiply', didn't he? He was technically following his command. A little more, why not? Texas, Alaska, Hawaii, Florida, Louisiana, Cuba, Philippines, Puerto Rico...I need them more. I will give them a better use. They're mine! They were mean to me and deserve a compensation! It makes me feel good! Why stopping now? I deserve those!
And there came a day when he ripped their flesh, licked the blood around his mouth—and felt nothing about it except hunger for more.