I Can Manage

Chapter Four

      With Mexico's help, I was able to walk somewhat normally. I hate to admit it, but Mex is right. I'm not okay. It felt like someone was stabbing me every time I took a step. Any normal person would be writhing around on the floor, but I happened to be a country and have an unnatural tolerance for pain. I strained myself keeping my face in a neutral, even pleasant position. I really don't need anyone else wrapped up in this. Shit! Something just hit me. Mex is taking me to my house. I can't let her find out! I have to protect them!

     We eventually make it to her car which wasn't too far away. "Hey Mex, do you mind if lay across the back seat?" I ask her. "Sure. Probably more comfortable with that wound you have." I shrug her hands of me and rolled my weight onto my good leg. "It's not a wound. It's a scratch that just happens to bleed a little." I said as I shrugged my shoulders in a very nonchalant way.

     "Just get in the car you idiota." She said nudging the side of my head a little.

     I climbed into the car and laid across the back seat. Unfortunately the seat wasn't long enough to accomodate my full height. I balled my jacket up behind my head to avoid straining it. Then Mex started driving. She wasn't an awful driver, but the ride was far from smooth.

     While we bumped along I fished my cell phone out of my pocket clicked on the group chat connected to all 50 of my kids' phones'. They had all changed their names to crazy things.

For example:

New York is I'mWalkinHere

Ohio is SKYLINE!!!

Florida is FloridaMan

And so on...

     The chat was full of messages, countless memes and anything else the states could think of to send. One time Indiana sent a selfie and in the background Ohio and Michigan had turned the living room into a battlefield... good times. They also had codes to use in case something serious happened.

"Firehose" for when California has a big forest fire

"Katrina" for any category five hurricane

"Valley" for any overly damaging tornadoes in Oklahoma

And there are many more, but a lot of them don't get used. The one he was about to use has never been used before.

"Smokescreen"

America hit send and hoped his kids got it. His worry was soon put to ease when he got a reply.

"Roger"

3rd Person but with the states

Earlier that day

     Texas was prowling around the kitchen. His stomach growled. It was around lunchtime but he wanted something sweet. Then a light bulb went off. Ice Cream! That's what he wanted! It was another hot summer day in the good-ol dixieland, an he needed ice cream. He dashed over to the fridge and pulled out the freezer drawer. Rummaging around, he threw a package of chicken breast, microwave burritos and breakfast sandwiches out. Suddenly he stopped, at the bottom of the fridge lay a package of frozen crumpets. Now these were not english muffins, those are different. These are crumpets, they even had the UK flag slapped on the side of the package. Texas picked up the package by two fingers and flung it across the room while yelling. "WHERE IS THE ICE CREAM!!!!"

     New York sauntered into the room and slammed an empty pint of ice cream on the table. "Fight me bitch!" he yelled in his strange accent before hurrying to his room to avoid a good slapping from Tex. "That Jackass." Tex mumbled before plotting what he was going to do to get his precious ice cream.

     Then Mississippi appeared in the doorway. "Y'know you could jus' go get ya' self some ice cream. There's a store near bah." (Translation: You know you could just go get yourself some. There's a store nearby.) Tex's face lit up. "Missy! You're a genius!" He start to run past Missy. She stuck her arm out to stop him. "I'm goin with you. An' yur' buyin." (Translation: I'm going with you. And you're buying.) "Awww. But Missy." Tex whined. "Ya' buy or i'll tell dad yur' leavin' without em'." (I'm not translating anymore) Missy smirked, knowing she had him cornered. "Fahn." (Ok I'll translate this. "Fine") And they both walked out the door together.

     Despite all the chaotic things the states and territories got into, America managed to keep the front courtyard in a quite lovely state. There were roses shaped into tall pillars and thick vines strung between them. In the center of the garden there was a tall oak tree and from one of its branches there was a white porch swing. On the swing swung Alaska, back and forth.

     Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Texas and Mississippi walk down the long driveway. He sat up straight in the seat to see where they were going. They could just be taking a walk, he thought. Then he saw them pull open the metal gate that closed America's estate off from the main road. He jumped up from his seat and looked around trying to find one of his other siblings. What the heck. There's 56 of them! The one time I actually need them they're not here! Alaska panicked not knowing what to do. The only thing he could think to do what to chase after the. He ran down the path and out the gate. It opened up to a curvy, mountain road. Alaska looked to the right and saw Tex and Missi running down a hill, laughing. He started to chase after them, his long legs moving fast. He saw them reach the top of a big hill and cross over the top. Al was very tired by the time he reach the top of the hill, he had run the entire way. Looking around, he saw that Tex and Missi were still about a full football field away and groaned. Forget catching up he thought. "Texas! Mississippi! Wait up!" Al yelled. They both looked back and saw Alaska had followed them. "Crap." Missi said. "Let's go Tex." she said before sprinting off down the road. Alaska growled and sprinted after the. "Stop now huff huff and huff huff I won't tell dad." Alaska panted. Texas and Mississippi are good size landmasses, but Alaska was bigger and had longer legs. By the time they reached the outskirts of the town Alaska had caught up and grabbed Tex by the back of his collar. "Let me go!" Texas shouted. "Shut up! People are staring! If you were going to leave, the least you could do is put you hologram on." Alaska said. Tex looked up and saw the dark blue skin of Alaska was replaced by what looked like flesh. He had brown hair sticking out of the weird winter hat he always wore. Shoot. Texas thought. He reached up and double tapped the sheriff star pinned to the center of his cowboy hat. Tex's hologram looked like a kid version of America's hologram. It had blue eyes and golden blonde hair. Missi tapped the gemstone pendant at her chest and changed into the pale skinned girl with brown eyes and chestnut hair. "What in the world are you two doing. We're not supposed to leave the house without dad's permission." Al ranted. "Relax Al, we're jus' gonna get sum' ice cream." Tex sighed. "Really,... can I tag along?" Alaska asked. Texas and Mississippi were stunned. "Umm... sure... but that means you can't tell dad!" Missi screeched. "Deal! But, I don't have any money with me." A crestfallen Alaska whimpered. "I'll pay." Tex said. "I already have to pay for Missi." Alaska beamed and gave his smaller (but older) brother a warm hug. Texas smiled and gave Al a brotherly pat on the head.