Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist.

A/N: Originally completed on the fly at Anime Detour's Iron Pen contest, 4/3/11. The contest: write a drabble of EXACTLY one hundred words, using only material that's Japanese in origin (manga/anime), which has to do with a surprise prompt item. In 2011, the prompt item was a little clock, kind of like a handheld grandfather clock. The time limit was one hour. My entry didn't win, but I had fun writing it just the same, scratching out a story by hand with about twenty other hopefuls. Review, won't you? :D

Rated T for blood/graphic imagery.

The Moment at Hand

Was not the little clock sitting on the army truck's dashboard beautiful? The polished wood encased the inching gears . . . and the gears drove the hands . . . and the hands moved inexorably forward.

Their time was running out. Yes.

Solf J. Kimblee raised his hands up. The moon on his left. The sun on his right. Darkness on his left. Light on his right. And death locked within both of them. He inhaled deeply—the air over Ishbal was heavy with the perfume of freshly-spilled blood. He waited. Now, let the screams arise. Let the carnage commence.

Let the song . . . begin.