Book 1 - Puppets

XLVI - Cages

Russia hears faint talking around him, and his consciousness slowly returns. The noises sound muffled.

His head pounds. He sits up, and groans, holding his head. He slowly opens an eye. The world is a kaleidoscope of darkened colors. He closes it and begins to lie back down.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHH!" someone screams.

Russia shoots up, and his head spins. He holds his head in his hands on instinct before willing himself to his feet. His leg throbs. He squints, trying to figure out what's going on.

A blast of frigid water slams into his chest and knocks him onto his back. His arms swing up to cover his face. Numbness nips at his fingertips in seconds. He grunts, and his head throbs, his leg in agony. He screams.

Once the water stops hitting him, he clenches his teeth to stop his shivering.

He hears more shrieking, and he sits up and tries to look around only to be knocked over by a blast to the back. The water hits a bruise on the back of his head and he cries out again. He gets onto his hands and knees, gasping.

"Move it," he hears someone bark.

After a moment, he's sent tumbling by a harsh kick to the side.

"Stop! Please. He's hurt," someone shouts. 

'America.'

"Shut it," the voice snaps. 

Russia struggles to his feet for fear of another kick. He stumbles.

A sharp point prods him in the back.

"Let's go," the voice grumbles.

'A guard.'

He limps forward, trying to keep his balance. Shivers wrack his body, and his sopping wet clothes suck away any heat he'd had. His leg pulses and shakes. 

The world begins to focus. He sees the others, also soaking wet and shivering, standing together in shackles. His arms are yanked behind him, and the force nearly sends him to the floor. He clenches his jaw as the cold metal snaps around his wrists. A chain hits the backs of his knees, and he's shoved forward. He stumbles, and someone catches him. He looks up and meets America's eyes.

He looks around and sees several groups of guards lines up around the room. Most of them are armed with electric batons or guns. Russia winces. The guards walk closer and he's grabbed and pulls away.  

He looks to America, and America looks completely panicked. Then he's spun around and a prick to the small of his back guilds him down a maze of halls, all colored a dull grey. The fluorescent lights buzz above. 

He enters an offshoot of the hallway and sees a block of four cells. He is lead to the one on the far left. The shackles are removed and he's thrown to the ground, and he hears the gate slam behind him. He shuffles to sit up and flexes his fingers. His hands shake like leaves.

'Cold.'

He hears another guard approaching and looks up to see Texas thrown into the adjacent cage. Then four men throw a thrashing Finland in the cell next to his own. She screams in rage. Massachusetts is thrown into Texas, and they both tumble to the ground. Loud cursing can be heard from Massachusetts. Philippines and Louisiana are thrown in together in the cell next to their siblings. Canada is thrown in with Finland. 

Russia looks around, searching for America, but doesn't hear any other guards for a few minutes.

"Fuck," Texas bites out between chattering teeth. Massachusetts spins around and stares.