I watch with tear-clouded eyes as they are pushed those final few steps toward a great wall of concrete. Unfamiliar arms clasp tightly around my waist restraining me from running up to my mother's defiant figure. I call out to her. I need her to look at me. She needs to know I am here, that I am going to help her. But those arms are so strong. They will not break as I thrash my body against them trying to reach out to her.

She does not look at me, her attention solely on my father's back as he is taken from her side and lead to the center of the wall. I can no longer speak as I watch my father stand proudly in front of his executioners. His head turns slightly to my mother and only those paying attention noticed the cheeky wink he sends to her.

Seven soldiers stand before him, their cowardly eyes looking everywhere but at the great man's face. Even in a soiled uniform and chains he stands out among the common people with a clear, aristocratic bearing. His gaze is almost bored as he patiently waits for them to finish chaining him to the post. He searches the crowd for a moment his obsidian eyes piercing into the mob, until suddenly they pause. Neither of us moves as our matching eyes meet in the turbulence of the shouting people. For a moment he looks almost relieved but that is soon replaced by a flicker of anger. I feel like I should speak. But what do you say to your dying father? Before the right words could form from my lips it is too late. He can no longer hear them. Fuhrer Mustang is deaf to the cheering crowd and the tears of his only daughter.

It is then my mother's turn. Her usual grace and poise evaporated as she watched my father taken from her and now there is nothing but a shell being led to its death. I try again to call out to her but my mouth is too dry to form words. Through my tears I watch mutely as she is escorted to the post where only moments before my father had stood. My mother stands still, as if the soldier's bullets had already taken her, and waits.

I turn the moment the commanding executioner nods his head, burying my head into the strong arms of the stranger who holds me tightly back. But of course nothing could block the horrendous cracks of the bullets as they flew towards my mother.

A man I did not recognize leaps to the stage in triumph, his shadow falling over their bodies. "Do you see what happens to traitors?" He cackles. "Do you see what happens to those who seek to destroy our great nation? Those who put their interests above the masses are nothing better than dogs and must be put down like dogs! With their fall we shall raise a new pure empire!"

The crowd around me roars in agreement and I fall to my knees in tears.