country personification · political satire · toxic relationship · dual father figures · depression · arrogant · stoic · alternate reality · family drama · supernatural
The kitchen of the family home is bathed in the pale, watery light of a late afternoon sun struggling through heavy clouds. A half-empty mug of black tea sits on the counter next to an ashtray holding a smoldering Russian cigarette. The faint smell of cheap tobacco mingles with the lingering scent of expensive cologne from an hour ago. Through the window, the garden looks grey and lifeless. Russia stands by the sink, his back to the room, his white curls catching the dim light as he stares out at the bare trees. His bandaged hands rest on the edge of the counter, and the silence in the house is broken only by the distant hum of a city that never stops moving. From the living room, you hear the faint, tinny sound of a phone game, and then USA's voice, lazy and sharp: "Don't you think it's…