literature

GermanyxReader: Radioactive

Deviation Actions

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The air was filled with the stench of death and fire. Shadows danced along the walls of crumbling buildings and broken roads. Bodies littered the alleyways and sidewalks, some of them deformed and falling apart. She clutched at her throat as bile rose into her mouth, her eyes watered from the thick, polluted air. Though her vision was blurred, she could still make out the shapes and outlines of the street before her. Her body ached and convulsed, feeling as if she was being ripped apart from the inside out. Her head hung down watching her mud stained boots track through the bloody debris strewn across the asphalt. She was terrified and panicking, her mind in overdrive. Still she continued forward, down the lonesome alley, an inner fire pushing her forward. Somewhere inside her she acknowledged that she had someone to save. She heard the sound of footsteps and looked up. Standing at the end of the alleyway was a figure, an all too familiar figure, shrouded in the shadow of a nearby building. Broad shoulders, a tall build, dressed in a tattered military uniform. She could just barely make out the icy blue glint in the figure's eyes when gunfire ripped through the eerie silence of the back alley. The figure stumbled forward into the light of the burning building beside them, the cracking and popping of gunpowder exploding behind him. The light had already left his eyes by the time he hit the cold pavement. A blood curdling scream erupted from within her chest as she too stumbled forward, lurching towards the cooling corpse. "Noooooooooo!" 

"Ghuuuah!"

     (f/n) gasped as she shot up out of bed. Her hands clutched tightly to her sheets as her chest heaved, her lungs forcefully providing her body with oxygen. Her body was covered in a think layer of sweat and the taste of blood was on her tongue. Slowly she moved her legs to the edge of the bed and carefully pushed herself up off of the mattress. Her legs wobbled as she stood beside her bed, her body still trembling from the livid nightmare. She moved towards the sink in her room, hoping a splash of cold water would calm her nerves. (f/n) had been dealing with these hellish dreams for quite some time now, but they stilled disturbed her, always sending her screaming into the waking world, terrified they were more than just sick images from her mind. 

     After washing her face and downing two aspirin for the splitting ache in her head, (f/n) looked over at the clock that sat on her bedside table. 'Damn, it's only 1:30 AM. Why couldn't it have let me sleep a little longer?'  (f/n) returned to her bed, but instead of huddling back under the covers she plopped down amongst her pillows and pulled her knees up to her chest. She looked at the only source of ouside light in her room, a small plexiglass window that sat just below the ceiling. She could just barely make out the Northern star in the inky night sky, the bright moon drowning out most of the other stars' light. 

     Limbs already starting to shake from restlessness (f/n) got up and walked towards the wall that held the window, hoping to get a glimpse of anything else that might be within her range of vision. This is what always happened after one of her nightmares; her mind was too wired now to seek any peaceful sleep. Instead she let herself drift back into the bitter memories that caused those frightful scenes. 

     It all started nearly ten years ago. The global economy was failing, more and more governments were getting caught up in scandal after scandal, and new tensions were rising over nuclear sanctions. The world was in turmoil and the countries were doing their best to hold it together. World Conferences were being held nearly every day in an effort to solve international problems, but it seemed just as the countries solved one problem another one popped up. Restlessness had started to settle in the hearts of the countries, turning many of the UN's meetings into shouting matches. It had been just another day at the office, another day of conferences, another day of endless hours bickering and compromising. That's when it happened. No one knew what happened at first. Another World Conference was just about to start, Ludwig was busy at the head of the table gathering his papers that outlined the topics for today's discussions, Alfred and Arthur were quietly arguing by the water cooler, and Francis was already seated at the table reading over his countries news on his phone. Suddenly a strangled scream echoed through the meeting room. Everybody stopped, looking for the source of the outburst. There, standing by one of the large windows, stood (f/n), a look of pure horror etched on her face. From there, the events of the day happened so fast that they often blurred together in (f/n)'s mind. 

     It was reported that a nuclear bomb had been dropped on (your country name) followed by a rapid succession air raid. The bomb was released on the capital city, the initial impact killing over three million people and injuring hundreds of thousands more. The devastation was instanteous, causing (f/n) to collapse immediately after screaming during the World Conference. War ensued shortly there after. It only took a matter of minutes for nearly 37 countries to simultaneously declare war on the crazed nation that attacked (c/n). The attacking nation was already sick and dying making the war rather easy. It was quick and swift, the country fell shortly after the first attacks. The country's embodiment was disposed of after he fell and his people were taken under the miltary care of several countries. During the span of the war, other countrties had started efforts to begin the healing process for (f/n) and her people. However, the damage was far worse than any country had experienced before; nearly the entire country was demolished. Entire cities were reduced to piles of rubble and ash. The people who didn't perish in the initial explosion shortly died after of radiation poisoning. Those still alive, injured or not were also subjected to the vicious chemical fallout that remained after the bomb's explosion. As the days passed the death toll started to climb as well. Unfortunately for (f/n) her mind would be permantenly scarred with the events of that day. 

     While government officials were being briefed and battle plans being established, (f/n) had woken up. Writhing in pain and screaming for her people, she launched herself off of the infirmary bed towards the door. Because of her weakened state and fractured state of mind the countries couldn't allow her to injure herself anymore then she already was. They needed her to start her own healing before her people could heal. That was when she was forcefully dragged out of the conference building in a frenzy of flailing arms and desperate cries. It had been a couple of days after the war had ended and (f/n) found herself waking up in a cold grey room similar to that of a hospital. Instead of sterile white tile and the smell of antiseptic, this room was like a bright prison cell. The walls were made of foot think slabs of concrete, there was only one window that was sealed with a steel plated frame and bolts and the only exit out of the room was an air locked kevlar door. This was the very room (f/n) now sat in. 

     After the nuclear attack, the whole country became a radioactive wasteland. Everything was quarintined, including (f/n). The countries had never seen any attack like this before. This was why they couldn't take any risks. This cell was designed to counteract the radioactive fallout that now infected (f/n)'s very being.  They had told her that this bunker would keep her and the rest of the world safe. Though it would take time, they said it would fade, that eventually (f/n) would get to see her people again, that she would finally get to be normal again. It had been 10 years since she had entered this bunker. These past ten years had given (f/n) plenty of time to think and reflect on her actions as a nation. These past ten years had been Hell. (f/n) was tortured daily by the scars of the incident. She didn't have the support of the other nations to fall on when the memories reared their ugly heads. She was left to stew in her own thoughts of regret and remorse. She had grown bitter and cynical. Not against her fellow nations for putting her there in that prison or even for the nation that had maliciously bombed her, but instead against herself because of her weakness. She had grown to hate herself. She was stuck here in this cement tomb unable to help her people heal. She had let her people down, she had failed them in their time of need. That was the worst pain a country could feel. 

     (f/n) pulled herself from her memories and looked back out the window. The moon taunted her with it's freedom. Suddenly (f/n) slammed her fist into the concrete wall. The pain in her now throbbing hand accompanying the hot, angry tears that trailed down her face. 

"Dammit, why? Why am I so useless? I've never been able to do anything!" she screamed at the wall. 

"As a territory I always had to depend on those around me for help. And even as an established nation I couldn't pull myself together!" She pounded her fist against the cold wall, again and again. 

"My economy was rocky, my government was faulty, my people weren't happy. If it hadn't been for all of Germany's help I wouldn't have...." Her words trailed off as a knot welled up in her throat. 

     Ludwig had been her closest friend from the day of her birth as a nation. He had guided her in the right direction, caring for her when she needed help the most and sternly correcting her when she made mistakes. He had shaped her into the nation she was now. However she had hurt Ludwig with her weakness too. It had been 10 years since she had seen his calm, confident face. It had been 10 years since she had been held in his strong, faithful arms. It had been 10 years since she'd heard his voice tell her everything would be alright. She was sure she was dead to him now. Living in this lifeless room had deprived her of the last 10 years of her life. How had the world changed? Was it better? Was it worse? Did anyone even remeber she exsited? 

"Why.....why d-did I have to b-be so weak?" (f/n) whispered, still sobbing, as she rested her head against the cool concrete wall. 

"Why did I-I have to let L-Ludwig down?”

"You didn't let me down, leibe."

(f/n) paused a moment, holding her breathe before she exhaled violently. 

"Go away! I don't need this right now!" (f/n) she huffed. Often times in the hours of exhaustion after her nightmares, hallucinations of her old friend would haunt her, taunting her and breaking her down. The only connections to the outside world were a visitor here and there, mainly doctors checking her vitals, making sure she was still alive and progressing. And even then her isolation had turned her into a cold speechless shell. If it wasn't for her country, sometimes she wished she didn't have to go on. 

"You're just a figment of my imagination! A sick and twisted conjuring of my subconscious. No more then an image designed by my brain to torture me."

"I'm no illusion, (f/n). I'm real." 

"No you aren't!"

In a wild rush of fury and frustration (f/n) turned away from the wall to look at the owner of the disembodied voice, the owner who wouldn't be there. (f/n) sharply took in a breath as her eyes grew wide. She felt light headed, as if she would faint. Instead of the empty space she had encountered so many times before there stood a man in front of her. A figure that was all too familiar, broad shoulders and a tall build, dressed in a crisp, clean military uniform, his icy blue eyes glinting in the fluorescent light. His heavy boots thudded against the concrete floor, their noise echoing in the silent room as the man approached (f/n).

"Do you still think I'm an illusion, meine liebe?" 

"L-Ludwig?"

The stoic country approached (f/n) and delicately took her face in his hand. His calloused thumb gently glided across her cheek, wiping away the stray tears that silently began to fall. (f/n) simply stood there, shocked, looking up into Ludwig's eyes, the whole scene feeling surreal. 

"B-but why?" she choked. "It's been 10 years. W-why did you come back?"

Ludwig's eyes stared directly into (f/n)’s (e/c) ones, sadness and pity churning the icy blue color. It had been 10 long years since he had seen (f/n) and through it all she still couldn't forgive herself. It broke his heart to see her like this, so broken and cynical, so disbelieving of the hope for the future. She had no reason to hate herself, she wasn't the weak nation she had come to believe she was. He had been in a place similar to this, it was a very dark place indeed, and if it hadn't been for (f/n) he may have never pulled himself from the ashes and been whole again. He had to be there for his (f/n) and help her do the same. 

Ludwig took a breath and sighed, giving (f/n) a sad smile, a gesture she thought she'd never see again. 

"Ich liebe dich. It's as simple as zat."

At long last the walls fell. The years of built up agony and guilt came tumbling down. (f/n) pushed herself forward, tightly wrapping her arms around Ludwig's neck as she cried into his shoulder. Ludwig held her securely against his chest as the years of sorrow wracked her body with sobs. 

"Come on (f/n), it's time to get you home. It's time."

Ludwig wrapped his arm around her waist, gently guiding her towards the door. The door that held her freedom, the door that would lead her home, the door that would give her a new life. 

"I-I love you too..." It was a faint whisper, just barely audible, but Ludwig heard it. Ludwig smiled to himself as he placed a kiss on (f/n) forehead as they walked out the door, leaving the dead, decaying past behind.

"Velcome to ze new age, (f/n).”
I've had this idea in my head for a while now and I've finally got to write it. Enjoy.

Inspired by Radioactive by Imagine Dragons.

I do not own anything but the plot.
© 2013 - 2024 crystallized-skies
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IcywolfPines's avatar
So beautiful :') 

*wipes away tear*