January 12, 1903
Location: Elric Household, Risembool
Age: 10
Sarah… That's my name… such a weak name…
"A weak name for a weak girl…." It's what my father, Hohenheim, said the day he left… taking his anger and psychotic abuse with day, I'd hoped things might get better…. Mom would stop crying, I would no longer be someone's personal sex toy, Al and Ed wouldn't have to grow up knowing their father as a monster. I should have known, hope is useless.
October 15, 1905
Location: Elric Household, Risembool
Age: 13
"Alphonse? Edward?" I call out to the sleeping five and six year old. I slip through the entrance, leaving the door cracked open. Alphonse grunts and Edward continues to snore as I gently shake them.
"Al… Ed," Nothing was working, so I retrieve two cups of ice water. Then proceed to pour it onto the beds. Al's golden brown head jolts up and rubs his eyes . Edward, on the other hand, sputters and flails. They both look up, sleepiness scrunching their tiny faces.
"Why can't we have five more minutes, please?" Al pleads, but I laugh and shake my head.
"Sorry," placing a gentle hand on Al's soaked hair," last time I did, your mother wouldn't stop lecturing me." Alphonse didn't push it. He and Edward knew good and well what Mrs. Elric's lectures were like.
"Alphonse, Edward, are you up yet?" Mrs. Elric calls as she pushes the bedroom door completely open. She walks further in before noticing my presence. "Oh, Sarah I didn't know you had come to wake them already."
"Yes mam, shall I stay and make sure they stay up?" I ask, slightly bowing. Not even smiling.
"No, you may go." I bow again and take my leave of the room to make breakfast. After saying goodbye to my brothers before they walked to school, I put on a white apron over my dress and I started doing morning dishes. Halfway through Mrs. Elric joined and started rinsing and drying.
It was such a normal day, one which could have easily been forgotten. I went through the usual routine of cleaning with Mrs. Elric. Which meant sweeping, dusting, doing laundry and starting dinner. However, on this particular day, I had to fix Hohenheim's study. Edward and AL had finally discovered alchemy and frequently made messes of the room. Books were never in their proper order nor were any other supplies they used. So, it had been up to me to return them into place. As I correctly arranged the books, a particular one caught my eye. There was no title on the red binding and it looked brand new. It was quite unusual for a library filled with years of research. What's more, upon further studying I notice several others around the office and on the top shelf. Out of reach and sight of most children, but not for an adult or someone with a keen eye. I slowly remove the book from the shelf and open ii. A date was written on the inner corner of the front binding. It was only a year before Hohenheim left. I check for a title, flipping a couple pages inward and almost dropping the book.
'Alchemic Mental Alterations Research'
Why had the bastard figured he could change a person's memories? How far had this research gone. Did he experiment on anyone? Didhe... I felt the pressure of panic rise… did he experiment on Trisha or Ed and Al? Or even me? Had he removed memories of something worse than years of sexual torment?
I had to dig through the other books before realizing the experiments never went pass animal trials. There was some relief in knowing our memories weren't altered. However,with the relief came understanding. I did not want Ed and Al to find this. Knowledge like this? I may have been only thirteen, but I knew it couldn't bring anything good. However, I also realized the bastard had actually given me, unintentionally I'm sure, a chance to leave. If I could just figure out why he never made it past the animal trials….
I took my time cleaning the study and made sure every last of the memory research books were placed into a bag. I took the books to my room in the attic. Studying would have to wait.
Even though I was only 13, I knew I did not want this life. To stay there as a servant to my own family. It was a life without a happy ending. Mrs. Elric said I was free to leave and never return. But, despite given the freedom I yearned for; my soul was still bound to the Elric house and the town of Risembool. As months went by, I bide my time, waiting until the opportunity presented itself. As my plan slowly came together, I once again had hope,of another chance. A new life, a new freedom.
However when the day of leaving my hometown arrived; my world fell apart, and Hell's jaw opened and swallowed me whole….