True Adventure, a fullmetal alchemist fanfic

Title: True Adventure – A Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction
Written by: KrisKenshin
'verse (anime/manga): anime
Rating: pg-13
Warnings: adventure, horror, blood. This fan fiction includes blood. I warned you. XD

Spoilers: none
Pairing: none

Word Count: 1275 words

Note: This was written for the "1000 Word Picture Challenge" contest by FMAexchange on LiveJournal.

Summary: As children, Ed (7 years) talks Al (6 years) into investigating an abandoned haunted house that turns out to be more than they bargained for.

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA, Edo or Aru. So do not say I do, because it will just hurt my feelings when I learn the truth from my lawyers. I do however own the rights to the abandoned haunted house. Wahoo!!

"Come on Al, this is gonna be great!" Ed shouted cheerfully over his shoulder as he trudged up the unkempt lawn toward the house towering above them.

Watching the retreating form of his brother, Al frowned, "This is not what I had in mind when I said that we should go on an adventure."

Stopping and turning back to smirk at him, Ed said, "You're not chickening out are you?"

Creasing his brows and frowning, Al raised his voice defensively, "I'm not a CHICKEN! Just shut up!" Then he stomped his way up past Ed, clenching his fists and muttering to himself about rude, bossy brothers. Ed grinned and scurried to catch up with the shorter boy.

Crickets and a hot breeze played with the grass, making it sway around their knees as they made their way higher. Their bare feet were dirty from walking along the riverbed where they had played most of the day, mud and stray bits of grass clinging between their toes. Their swim trunks had dried hours ago by the hot evening sun that had given them both a bright red sunburn on their noses and shoulders.

As the night sky completed its blanket over the day, Ed turned his light golden head to his younger brother and gave an excited chuckle "You know it's the thirteenth."

"What?" croaked the small six year old, his hazel eyes going wide with shock as he swung his head upward to look at the abandoned house.

The dirty grey structure seemed to loom over him with it's many dark windows, glass broken by neighboring children, and sharp spiky cines clinging to the stained siding. Shutters that had been painted green were worn and discolored by the rain and sun. Looking to the side, there was a large oak that had lost its battle with gravity and fallen into the sunroom that was part of the house's right wing. Glass that had long ago been shattered lay on the lawn, now covered with dirt and grime.

Looking back to his brother, desperately trying to hide the fear in his eyes, he spoke with his voice shaking slightly. "Isn't that when the old lady…?" he trailed off, not able to finish his question.

Ed clasped his shoulder. "That's right, in the bathroom, too," he said gravely, frowning and creasing his brow.

Al swallowed nervously as his shoulder quivered under his brothers touch; a tiny squeak escaped his mouth that had suddenly become very dry and scratchy.

Ed broke the tension by laughing loudly, slapping his palm up and down on his shoulder. "You should see your face. I bet you almost wet your pants!" he said breathlessly between chuckles.

Al frowned and swatted his brother's hand away. "I did not!" he said angrily, "You're such a JERK!"

He'd intended to storm his way up the stairs and show his brother just how brave he really was, but the display was ruined when he reached the second step and fell right through.

Ed howled with laughter, pointing and falling to his knees, leaving him there to struggle helplessly as he attempted to free his torso from the splintered boards. Wiggling left and right, he only managed to snag his swim trunks on a sharp bit that stabbed him painfully in the side, making a small red stain on one of the decorative flowers printed on the fabric. Looking down he watched as the red mixed with the blue, turning it into an ugly shade of muddy purple.

Feeling a swat on his arm he looked up sharply to see Ed standing on the step above him leaning down and presenting a dirty hand to help him out. Ed was still snickering making the hand waver slightly as Al reached up to grasp it begrudgingly. "Thanks," he muttered.

"No problem," Ed grunted as he heaved him up and out to stand next to him. Hearing the step they now shared screech with protest, they hastily made there way to the top, with Al carefully placing his feet on the edges of the steps so he wouldn't fall through again.

Standing shoulder to shoulder on the slanting porch, they both stared at the dark gaping entrance before them. The door hung open from its last hinge, partially swallowed by the darkness beyond and seeming to beckon them to enter.

"Come on." This time, Ed's voice was the one that quivered.

Swallowing hard, Al followed close on his heals. The only sound that could be heard as they crossed into the shadows was the soft pad of their own feet on the dusty, worn floor.

As their eyes began to adjust to the darkness, shapes made their appearance. At first they were just dark blotches in the dimness, but as they made their slow progression forward they turned into lurking monsters.

Careful not to make any sudden movements, they crept along the shadows, cobwebs clinging to their faces and arms as they snuck down an empty hallway to the right. The darkness intensified as they moved further from the only known escape rout. Barely able to see now, they trailed their fingertips along the rough crumbling paint covering the long, skinny hallway. The sound of their footsteps changed as Al felt wetness under his bare feet. The cool chill of it felt good in comparison to the stifling heat of the house.

Al jumped when Ed suddenly snatched his hand from the wall, slowly turning his pale face towards him. "What's wrong? What is it?" he hastily asked in a barely audible whisper. Ed didn't say anything, his mouth a tight thin line, eyes wide as he raised a violently shaking hand in front of Al's face.

Al gasped, taking a quick step back away from his brother, not able to rip his eyes from the dark liquid substance dripping from his fingers. "Is that…" he shook his head in denial "It can't be…" He felt bile rise in his throat as his eyes slowly slid in there sockets, forcing him to look at the wall. "Blood!" he gasped.

A few paces forward next to where Ed stood shaking uncontrollably was a skinny white door with a small metal handle. The thick dark red liquid oozed around the edge and dribbled down to the floor in pools. Realizing instantly what they had been stepping in, Al's stomach wretched violently and making him gag.

In a strained voice, like nothing Al had ever heard come from his brother, "She really did it. She K-" he choked on the word. Sucking in a large amount of air, horrorstruck he managed "Killed them!"

With that, the door burst open forcing them violently against the far wall. They screamed at the top of their lungs, covering their faces as the blood gushed over them, drenching them from head to toe.

"What are you two making such a fuss about in here?"

Afraid to open their eyes and see what awaited them with that voice, they slowly peaked around there fingers.

There mom stood in the open doorway wearing a cheerful pink apron with bright yellow ruffles along the bottom edge, smiling cheerfully at them.

Neither one of them moved or spoke.

Laughing merrily at her silly children she said, "Well whatever it is you two are playing, it's time to clean up. Dinner is ready so wash your face and hands before you come down." After kissing them each on the head, she left.

Removing there hands from there faces and smiling at each other, Al said merrily "Next time lets pretend we're in the circus brother." With that, they ran down stairs laughing all the way.

END

Ha! I bet you weren't expecting that! XD and as always cookies for reviewers!! :)