Out of the Picture
They must have stayed like that forever. At least, it felt like forever, with their three hands grasping each other firmly. They had always been a team of three. That was their family. By now, Ed considered his father to be way out of the picture.
Ed knew what to expect. He knew that as his mother was lying there limply, she was slowly dying. He knew it was coming. He was completely aware. But he couldn't just let her go.
He squeezed tighter. He glanced at his brother, Al, who seemed to be breathing heavier than usual. Alphonse never took his eyes off his mother, whose faint smile, which had once been sweet, was now nothing but mortifying.
Ed tried to focus his attention, his all, back onto his mother. He couldn't. His mind was scoping out the future. What would happen when she was gone? Where would he and Al go? Who would take care of them? Would she be watching over them?
He blinked. She was speaking. He had caught on mid-sentence; she was saying something about trasmutation, about transmuting something for her. He wanted to make her proud. And then, just as quickly as they had waved at the two brothers to come in for lunch, Trisha's fingers lifelessly let go.
His eyes remained glued to her features, as if hoping she would wake again. He knew it was over. Al's head was hung, and he had removed his hand from Ed's grip and Trisha's dead fingers. Ed let his hand remain for a minute longer, and then let go. He let go of her hand, along with all the memory of happiness he'd ever known.
…..
Ed stood staring into oblivion at the top of that hill. Al was kneeling in front of the grave, practically drowning in his own misery. Occasionally, he would speak up. Ed remained quiet, just thinking. About what was to come. About his brother. About everything.
Ed let out a grunt of pain. His head sank lower. So did his heart. Al was full-out sobbing now. Ed didn't look up, but he tried to decipher his brother's words.
"I didn't want her to go," he managed. "I never… I never got to tell her… there were so many things I wish I could have said, before… before she…"
"I know," he replied. "I know."
…..
Alrighty, so there's my first fanfic for you. Not very good, now is it? That's okay. I tried, right? And I reached 398 words. That's progress, progress! Please review. You can tell I seriously need help.