It was long after Alphonse's leg had healed. I was still a bit uneasy, he had said that someone pushed him off the tree, and now I was worried about him. If the evil spirits killed Daddy like Mommy said, I didn't want to risk anything with Alphonse.

I would get so worried and paranoid, I would wake Alphonse in the middle of the night just to check on him. He would mumble a groan, telling me to quit doing this.

I would tell Alphonse, "this is all for you, Al," he would grunt and turn away.

Even though I was paranoid, my family was the happiest since Daddy died. When Al got his cast taken off, his leg was so skinny and white looking. I was worried, and Mommy was too after seeing his limp. I don't think that Alphonse really noticed it.

I watched Al carefully. He hated that I did so, but he never did bring it up to Mommy. I guess he figured it was Mommy's doing that I was watching him carefully. Of course, I would think the same if I were him.

Sometimes I still wondered what would have happened if Daddy didn't die. Maybe Al would have never broken his leg. Of course he wouldn't have. If he didn't get the electric trains put away, he would have climbed it. If Daddy didn't die, he wouldn't have the electric trains.

Mommy always knew how Al liked to use things with some sort of engine. Mr. Cotes got me a doll, so whenever Al would play with the trains, I would play with my doll. My doll was eventually taken away, though I didn't fight it. I didn't want to be like Al and get my leg broken.

I would follow Al around to help him when he limped, and it gradually got better and better. I was glad that he was getting better, and soon it was pretty much gone. No one even noticed it after a while.

While Alphonse and I were outside once, for some reason, I looked to the forest. It was interesting what I saw, and I thought it might be some sort of a sign.

Mommy must have seen us and saw my facial expression. I could never hide anything very well. Mommy knew this. She ran out to me and placed her hands on either shoulder.

"Ella, what did you see?" she asked. She had told me I had the 'eyes'. The 'eyes' to see evil, stop pain, do miraculous things. I still think on this sometimes. Maybe it was the only nice thing she had said about me.

"I...I saw a light. It was moving down the forest, though it was probably just the sunset." I said. I wanted to ease her mind, that seemed to be just as wild as Al's imagination.

"Moving that fast? I doubt it," Mommy said. "Listen up, Alphonse. I don't want you or Ella to go into the forest for a bit."

"What? Why not?" Al whined.

"Ella has seen something terrible tonight. I've been having some bad vibes today as well." Mommy told me.

"She's lying! She just doesn't want to go fishing anymore! She's boring and stupid!" Al continued to shout bad things about me. I looked down at my feet. I didn't want to force Al to stay out of the forest, they weren't my orders. They were Mommy's, though he blames me.

"Alphonse!" Mommy shouted. "No more further arguments from you or you will be locked in your room again."

It was true, sometimes when Al was bad, Mommy would lock him in his room. She didn't want him to eat or even go to the bathroom. He was sentenced to his room until he was ready to apologize for whatever wrong he had committed.

I didn't want that to happen to Al. I still remembered the last time, which was right after he had broken his leg. Mommy sent him to his room, and he almost went two days without eating or drinking, without even using the bathroom. I was shocked.

Of course, before he apologized, I tried to bring him something to eat. Mommy had made a nice little lasagna for the two of us. I got a second helping, though took it up to Al instead. I wanted him to eat something at least. Of course, when Mommy caught me, she wasn't very happy.

"What are you doing, young lady?" Mommy asked.

"I was bringing Alphonse something to eat.." I admitted. I didn't want Al to starve. I know it must have looked bad, I was sitting at the door, knocking lightly. I had a plate of lasagna in my hands and was caught red handed.

Mommy snatched the plate from me. "You know we do not eat in the bedrooms," she told me, taking the plate away. Of course that was the family rule. No matter what, no food in the bedrooms. Ever. I knew this rule all to well, and had almost broken it by trying to give food to Alphonse.

"Do I need to lock you up as well?" Mommy asked.

I shook my head hastily. "Of course not, Mommy." I told her. She smiled softly.

"Good."

I didn't want that to happen again.

Before anything could happen, Alphonse bound himself for the forest.

"Alphonse Nicholas Elric!" Mommy shouted. "Go after him, Ella. But don't you dare go into the forest. They're swarming like ants out there."

I did as told and ran for Al. Of course, he had gone into the forest. I decided that if I could get him out of the forest, it wouldn't matter if we were in there or not. Besides, I was sure nothing bad could happen.

Well, Al was fishing.

"I'm gonna bring home a big fish and make Mommy happy." he told me as he knew I was behind him now.

"Alphonse, please, come home." I pleaded.

"No!" He growled at me in frustration. I understood his rage, but he needed to come home. I took a hold of his fishing pole.

"Come home!" I shouted at him. He pulled back and before I knew it, we were in a tug-a-war match. I continued to pull, wanting him to come back. Of course, he always pulled back, wanting to fish.

My hands were starting to burn from pulling, and I had to let go. Unfortunately, Al kept the same momentum, and slipped off a bolder. He fell into the water, and I screamed.

I looked down to see him floating in the water, his leg had gotten caught on a branch that was sticking out. He looked like he was kicking his legs for a moment, and I saw crimson coming from his head.

I was quick to run toward the house. Mommy was inside, laying down on the couch. She was napping, but I shook her awake. I didn't care anymore.

"Al went into the forest to go fishing and fell down the creek and now he's bleeding!" I shouted.

"Ella, you're speaking too fast. Slow down." Mommy told me.

"Alphonse went fishing." I said slower. Her eyes widened and she ran toward the creek. I was right behind her, though she was faster than me since she was older.

When she reached the creek, she got in the water, wading through the current. I began to follow her, but when I did, I couldn't get as far as her. I was too small, and the current was really pressing against me. Mommy was stronger, and probably driven by her maternal instinct.

She lifted him up, examining him. "Get the wheelbarrow!" she shouted at me. I was quick to run to the shed. I gasped for breath for a moment, getting the wheelbarrow out of the shed and running back to Mommy.

She had Al on the ground, spread out. He looked like he was sleeping, except for the fact that his lips were blue and his skin was pale. Mommy went to lift him, and I reached to help by lifting his legs.

"Don't touch him!" Mommy screamed, scaring me off. I didn't move until she had him in the wheelbarrow. She began to push it, and I know it must have been hard for her.

"This must be uncomfortable for him. Go get the wheelchair." Mommy ordered. I nodded, going into the house. I got Al's wheelchair that he used when his leg was broken. I hurried back, trying not to make Mommy wait.

She got Al into the wheelchair, fitting his legs and arms in. "Go put the wheelbarrow back." She said. I nodded and put it back. When I reached Mommy and Al, they were still well on their way to the house.

When I looked at Alphonse, I felt terrible. His face looked like he was smiling at me. As if he was going to tell Mommy all about our tug-a-war fight with the fishing pole to get me into trouble. When we got into the house, she lifted Al out of the wheelchair.

"Go to my room. Take a hot shower and make yourself a bed on the couch. Alphonse needs to be alone right now." Mommy told me. I did as told, and when I got out of the shower, there were clothes on Mommy's bed waiting for me.

Mommy must have put them there. I didn't make any further movement against putting my clothing on. When I walked down to the couch, I began to place sheets on the couch to sleep on, and there was a blanket ready for me, it felt like it had just been ironed.

I overheard Mommy on my way down to the couch. She was talking to Alphonse.

"You were very bad. I should lock you in your room all summer for what you did. I might just do that. Your Daddy would be very disappointed in you, and very very disappointed in Ella. He may never appear for her again." Mommy said.

Not..appear for me again..? I was in shock. Why would Daddy be disappointed in me? Did Al tell Mommy and Daddy about the tug-a-war? Or worse, did Daddy actually see it?

Mommy walked downstairs when I was about to lay down for bed. "Is Alphonse going to be alright?" I asked Mommy.

"We'll see." she told me.

I was rejoiced. This meant he was alive. This meant I didn't kill him in any way.


The next morning, I awoke with a jerk. I wasn't on the couch, I wasn't in my bed, I was in Al's bed. This made me wonder what was going on. Did Mommy accidentally put me in the wrong bed? I know she was very tired before.

"Alphonse, you're awake, I thought you would never be up." Mommy smiled. I was confused. I wasn't Alphonse, I was Ella. I was a girl, he was a boy. It also confused me the way she said Alphonse so lovingly.

"Mommy? What's going on? I'm not Al, I'm Ella." I reminded my Mommy.

"Nonsense, Alphonse. Now, come, let's go say goodbye to your sister." Mommy told me. I walked with her quietly. This was like some nightmare I wouldn't wake up from.

I only then noticed that Mommy was wearing the same black dress that she wore at Daddy's funeral, and the day after Mr. Cotes died.

"Come outside." Mommy said. She took me by the hand while we were walking, then she opened the door and walked to the garden with her hand linked to mine.

Mommy had the bible in her hands as we stood. There was a hole that was next to the garden. I was curious, but didn't know if I should look in the hole.

"We've come to say our final goodbye, Alphonse." Mommy said. Why was she calling me Alphonse? I was Ella!

I looked into the hole and a silent scream erupted my body. Inside of the grave was my brother, Alphonse. Wearing my amulet and my dress. I will never forget that moment. That moment of utter terror.

When I ran a hand over myself, I noticed I was not in my own clothes. I was in Alphonse's clothes that he was wearing before. Mommy must have undressed me during the night. I was wearing Alphonse's amulet instead of my own, and as the wind blew by, I noticed all my hair was cut.

The golden hair I thought that no one could ever take from me, was now gone. When I took a second look in the grave, I noticed Al was wearing a bonnet on his head that I hadn't worn in years. He did look like me, though, which is what terrified me more than anything.

"Goodbye, Ella," Mommy said. "Now you may walk beside our ancestors. You must have been so worthy for them to chose you at this time. Now, you may keep Daddy company as well. How lonely he must have been to let this happen to you."

"Your brother wants to say goodbye as well," Mommy urged me on. "Go on, Alphonse, say goodbye too. Don't be afraid. She'll be able to hear you for a little while longer."

What was I to say?

"Mommy-"

"Say goodbye to your sister." It sounded more like an order now.

"Goodbye, Ella." I said goodbye to myself. Though, in my head, I was saying goodbye and sorry to Alphonse. I never meant for this to happen to him, and I felt terrible to have let it go like this.

Mommy opened her bible and began to read.

"The lord is my shepherd..."


Hope you guys like the revised version. A lot longer and more detailed, huh? Review!