I watched Ed recover from the sidelines. I didn't talk to him; I didn't really even look at him. He got his automail and he did the physical therapy. Al did what he could to get used to his new metal body. Everything seemed to go smoothly on their part, but I was still a wreck inside. Al tried to get me to talk to him, but I would turn away. How could they have been so foolish?
One day, when Winry had finally forced me to talk to her, I told her about the nightmares I had. I would be standing in a sea of blood and Ed and Al's lifeless bodies would grab me and pull me under. Then I'd wake up and start crying and wouldn't be able to get back to sleep. Winry just laughed and told me that soon I'd accept it and everything would be okay again. I refuse to talk to her now, too.
I thought things couldn't get any worse. My eldest brother had two automail limbs, Alphonse didn't have a real body…But then things did get worse.
I was sitting around the table with Winry and Pinako, arguing with them while they tried to get me to eat something. I had my arms crossed and my face turned away from delicious-smelling home-cooked food Granny Pinako had made.
"Quit being so stubborn," Pinako snapped. "Eat your food!" I scowled and squeezed my eyes shut.
"No. I'm not hungry." I heard an irritated sigh.
"So you mean to tell me you haven't been hungry ever since Ed got his automail? What, did you lose your stomach just like Ed lost his leg? Do I need to make you an automail stomach?" Winry growled. I opened my eyes and shot her an angry glare.
"Just be glad I even sat down. I'd rather be at home in my room." I looked out the window, towards my home, when I saw the terrifying sight.
I stood up abruptly, my chair clattering to the floor. I stared in disbelief out the window.
"What? What is it, Allison?" Pinako looked out the window, too, and she gasped. Winry looked, too, and she put a hand to her mouth.
"My house!" I shrieked. "No!" I ran to the door and yanked it open. I raced down the path, tears stinging my eyes, towards the billowing flames that were engulfing my home. What I was planning to do when I reached my house was beyond me, but I had to do something.
But once I reached the house, it was too late. My house was no more, just a pile of ashes and smoldering bits of wood. I collapsed to the ground and sobbed. I punched the ground and cursed loudly. Why? Why was this happening?
"I'm sorry, Allison." My head shot up to see Edward standing next to what used to be a tree, but was now just a towering black crisp.
"You did this?" I cried. I shot to my feet and glared at him through my tears. "Why? Why would you-" I choked on a sob and put my face in my hands. My body shook as I fell to my knees again.
"Alphonse and I are going away. I'm going to become a State Alchemist and get our bodies back. I had to burn down the house, so that I'd have no reason to return here." Ed was staring blankly off into the distance. I punched the ground again.
"But what about me, Edward? Did you ever think that maybe I want a home?" I sobbed. "Do you ever think about anyone but yourself?"
"Yes, I think about you and Alphonse. You can live with Winry and Pinako, there's nothing wrong with that. I had to burn down the house, Allison; it's for our own good." Edward walked towards me and held out a hand. His automail hand. I didn't look up at him; I just looked at the burnt grass and watched my tears fall. I heard the sound of metal and looked up to see Al walking towards us. He knelt down next to me and wrapped his metallic arms around me, closing me in a hug. More tears stung my eyes. He wasn't warm anymore; his hug wasn't the same as when he'd hug me to keep me from crying when I was younger. I suddenly felt two more arms around me. One was warm and one was cold. Edward. I leaned against them and sobbed into Edward's metal shoulder.
"Please don't leave," I choked out, my words muffled by oldest brother's red jacket.
"We have to, if we want to get our bodies back to normal," Alphonse insisted.
"I don't want to be alone," I whispered.
"You won't be. You have Winry and Pinako and Den, not to mention all of the other people here in Resembool," Al said.
"I know, Al, but I want my family- my blood family." I was now hugging them, too, trying my best to get my arm around Alphonse while still keeping my other around Ed.
We sat in silence like that for awhile; the only sound was the crackling of the smoldering ashes that used to be our home. When my hysteric sobs had reduced to tiny hiccups, Edward and Alphonse stood and helped me to my feet. I hugged them one last time, and then they walked off.
"Wait! Where are you guys going?" I called.
"The Central Command Center!" Edward called back. Then he was just a tiny speck in the distance and I was alone. I sat on the ground and watched the flames, and once the flames were gone, I lie on my back and fell asleep.
I jolted awake, my hand at my throat, gasping with tears making wet trails down my cheeks. Stupid nightmares. I stretched and yawned, and then turn on my side to try and go back to sleep. When I felt grass beneath my cheek, I bolted upright and looked around, taking in my surroundings- the charred tree, the singed grass, the still-steaming rubble that used to be a house. It took a moment, but I finally registered where I was and what was happening and how I got outside. I sat up and yawned again. I fixed my eyes on the burned tree and I swore I could see Mom leaning against it, smiling, but then I blinked, and she was gone. It just reminded me of how I was alone now. I rubbed my eyes to keep from crying.
"Allison Marie Elric!" I yelped and scrambled to my feet.
"G-Granny Pinako," I looked down at her and she scowled.
"Why didn't you come back last night? You had us worried." She gripped her pipe with one hand and her other was on her hip.
"I-I don't know. I was tired and…" I trailed off and looked away.
"Where are your brothers? Do they know the house burned down?"
"They were the ones who burned it down...and then they left," I whispered.
"What do you mean 'they left'?"
"They went to the Central Command Center. Edward said he's going to become a State Alchemist."
"That foolish…" Pinako grumbled. I looked at her and apparently there was some look of sadness on my face, for her face softened and she gave me a small smile. "Looks like you're going to be staying with us for a while." I nodded and felt a tear run down my cheek. She turned and started walking back to her home and I followed her, occasionally glancing back at the charred tree, hoping to see Mom. But I didn't.
And so at the age of 9, I had no mother, I had no home, and my brothers were gone. I truly was alone.
(A/N) It's kind of short, but reviews encourage me to write longer chapters ^^