I can still remember that day like it was yesterday. The day the military came. The day they took everything. It all happened in the blink of an eye, yet now it feels so long. As if all their tortured souls are dangling above my head.

The ringing of children's voices. The gentle laugh of proud parents. The soft hum of the church bells ringing. They still echo in my ears.

I still see the sun beating down brightly, the small sweat drops trickling down our smiling faces. I never expected anything to go wrong.

Ashley had been playing with us that day. We were playing tag. She had never liked it when she was it, so when I tagged her she started to pout and whine. Ashley ran out to the road to complain to the grown-ups, but before she could get to the other side she plowed into a very tall woman wearing a uniform. We never expected more than Ashley saying she was sorry and leaving.

The woman was lovely to Ashley. She smiled and patted her head. I had looked at my friend, Louis. We grinned at Ashley's flustered expression.

Then, a short, echoing bang, and in that instant, I had no idea my life was changing. In that moment, I received from life a moment to come to know something vital. The world is not a peaceful place. Death. Despair. Sorrow. I could not go on without knowing these things. Murder. Blood. War. These things can never be escaped. There is no ideal world.

I looked quickly as the sound rang in my ears. That was when I was given an image to remember. An image I would never erase. An image as a constant reminder.

Red. Dark, scarlet red. As our smiles slowly faded away, it crept towards our feet, spreading through the depths of the light sand. And we just kept staring. That color could be traced to a source. There was no use trying to look away.

My heart pounded furiously. My head was cluttered with a thousand things. Pupils dilating, desperately groping for Louis' hand, I watched it. The cruel smile that crept along the officers cheekbones without hesitance. Ashley's wide eyes and gaping mouth. Her shirt, stained with blood, impaired with a hole in its breast.

Even as children who knew nothing of the despairs and sorrows of the world, we understood at that moment.

Ashley was going to die.

But, that day, in that minute, she was not yet gone. That is perhaps the cruelest moment my life has given me.

Ashley would not die until she had sputtered out a pool of blood, desperately digging her short fingernails into the soft sand. Omitting somewhat of a screeching yet weak, quiet, whimpering sound of absolute terror. Clawing at the earth, clinging to it as if it were her lifeline.

"Please… don't…"

And then, Ashley's hand slowly bent downwards, succumbing to the bullet deeply embedded in her heart. I watched every second that her hand slowly fell and her eyes began to close.

Ashley was dead.

And the officer?

She held a silver pistol, gleaming in the Ishvallan sun, grasped firmly and with ease. A proud smile danced along her cheeks.

That was only the beginning of my life in hell.

Hey everyone! I'm pretty new to fanfiction. I've been off and on writing for about a year now, and I wanted to get back on track by writing a fanfiction from one of my favourite anime, Fullmetal Alchemist. I hope you enjoy it, and I'm hoping to go pretty far with it. Please leave a review if you have the time as I am always happy to hear feedback to help my writing improve. Thank you all for reading!

~DandereOtaku