Yes, I know. I am pretty bad at updating. . . but at least a long chapter should hopefully make up for the long wait ._.'
Special thanks to all who have reviewed, favorited, added this to Story Alert/Author Alert. . . :D I love you all SO much!
We are continuing where we left off last chapter since the previous chapter was somewhat a cliffhanger to some people. . .
CHAPTER SIX
"No." I look to the side, trying to hold back the rising anxiousness in the pit of my stomach. It makes me feel almost nauseous.
"What?" he asks, as if he could not hear my reply and was unsure if he heard me correctly.
"I said no." I tell him a bit louder, already feeling my heart race behind the cage of my ribs. It felt like a bird, desperately trying to fly away from a cat stalking forward, but had one broken wing and could not get off the ground.
He reaches down again and snarls his fingers in my hair, slamming my skull back against the wall. My chest and ribs felt as if they wanted to cave in and my head pounds harshly. "What would happen if your 'friends' found out just who you were? A child of a traitor?"
I open my mouth and attempt to answer, but nothing comes. He smirks evilly, seeming to realize that he has earned a crucial blow.
Was I so stupid to trust this man, even when it was obvious that he was my enemy from the very beginning?
You damn fool. You're the one who told me never to turn my back on an enemy. I think as I crack open an eye and see his back is towards me.
He sees himself as invincible and thinks I am defeated. Most people would be with ribs and head aching this much. But that is where he is wrong.
If there is one thing I have learned, it is to never give up, even when faced with death.
This now resembles a twisted game, where I have to consider the rules carefully because it is a battle for my very life. You had to have it all. . . Well, have you had enough now? I wonder as I form a plan in my mind. You think you've won this fight. You've only lost the power you believed you had.
I re-close my eyes and slow my breathing down. I can hear him turn around but I know not to reopen my eyes. Steadily and slowly, my breath decreases to become almost none.
That's right, I am pretending to be dead.
It is the oldest trick in the book, but I know that if he does believe I am dead, he will leave.
Black (as I decided to nickname him because of his all black clothing and black mask worn over his face) will not feel a single ounce of remorse when leaving me for dead.
"Well, talk about disappointment." he says to himself quietly. "I thought Hale's daughter would give more a fight." His boot prods into my ribs and he leans down, about to feel my pulse when a loud crash sounds outside and I quickly hear his footsteps retreating. When I am greeted with silence, I open my eyes slowly. He has left me for "dead", just as I thought he would.
I shakily stand up and leave the room. When I step out cautiously into the street, I am relieved to see that he is no longer in sight.
My legs shake as I stubbornly try to make it back to Head Quarters but soon, my knees buckle and bittersweet darkness takes over.
I walk onward, keeping my eyes averted downward. The rope binding my wrists rubs painfully but I must continue this march onward. A rough hand shoves me roughly forward.
I step up the stairs slowly, knowing the fate that awaits me and I swallow nervously, realizing that we have reached our destination. The long noose sways back and forth as if it is a crooked finger, beckoning me closer. I attempt to back up (which is very hard to do with bound wrists) but the man behind me shoves me forward again.
And I know there is no use in attempting to escape.
"Kaera Hale, you are accused of treason and you are aware of the punishment for such a crime. . ." It sends a chill crawling down my back as I realize these words are exactly what my father heard before he died.
Rough, calloused hands place the rope around my neck. I stare outward at the crowd that is coldly watching me. I gasp, my jaw dropping slightly as I realize the crowd appears to have no faces; it is a mass of unidentifiable people. Their faces are blank as I prepare to meet the gallows.
With a sudden jerk, I am lifted off the ground, my feet dangling above the wooden platform that I was standing on only a few minutes before. I choke as the rope squeezes my windpipe mercilessly.
I struggle and gasp for air, kicking frantically, my legs flailing around. I am beginning to feel dizzy from lack of oxygen already and know that it is not a good sign. It must mean I am getting closer to the end. To my own fall.
What would happen once I fell? Would I be able to see my family again? If there was such a thing as heaven and hell, where would I go? There are so many ideas racing through my head as I think about my final moments.
Another wave of dizziness slams into me and black begins to seep through my vision.
If my wrists were not bound, I would be clawing for air. They most likely knew that and is why they decided to make sure I can not use them at all. "Don't leave me to die. . . Don't leave me behind. . ." I choke out, sweat and tears rolling down my face.
I feel myself going limp and blackness washes over me again. But this will be the end.
I will never wake up again. I will never see the sun shining or feel the rain pound on my skin.
My eyes snap open, and my body is drenched in a cold sweat. I take a moment to cradle my head in my shaking hands as I breathe in short, hitched bursts. My chest jerks slightly from the broken ribs and I rub my neck as well, right where the noose had been placed.
It had all been a dream.
No, scratch that, it was not a dream; it was a nightmare.
It seemed almost too real. . .
A doctor in a white coat (There was so much white in this damn room and I hated it every bit of it) rushes over and looks at me, worried. "Miss Hale, are you okay?" Slowly, my breathing becomes steady as it can become and I nod weakly as I hold back snapping that if I was okay, I wouldn't be in this damn hospital in the first place. The doctor sighs, scribbling down notes with his pen. "If you'll excuse me, I need to check on my other patient." he says, and then steps out of the room.
"Other patient?" I turn to look at Hughes, who has quietly entered the room.
"You mean you don't know?" Hughes asks as he sits in a chair.
I shake my head. "No?" I say, even though it sounds more like a confused question as I raise an eyebrow slightly.
"The Elrics were brought in as well. . . Ed was pretty injured, though I don't know from what yet." Hughes informs me as he pushes up his glasses.
I nod slowly, realizing that something must have happened at Lab Number Five for those wounds to form. "Where exactly is here, Hughes?" I ask.
He blinks, surprised that I don't know. "In the hospital. It's run by Maria Ross' friend. And I brought something that will cheer you up!" Hughes says as he digs around in his pocket then withdraws a picture. "TA-DAH! THIS ADORABLE PICTURE OF MY DARLING LITTLE ANGEL IS ALREADY CHEERING YOU UP, RIGHT?"
I sigh and stare upward at the ceiling, fully knowing to expect that from my doting father figure. "Sure, Hughes." I reply dully.
Sighing again, I get up and Hughes quickly stands up. "Kaera, you really shouldn't be moving yet!" he exclaims worriedly.
"Don't worry. I won't do anything stupid." I tell him with a deadpan expression. And I know my stupidity is what got me in this mess in the first place. What I don't tell him is that I need out of this room because the all white walls and perfection of how everything lays carefully out is driving me mad.
I then notice Ed is talking on the phone, nodding occasionally with mumbled replies of "Yeah". He finally hangs up and sees me standing there. We have a brief conversation and I learn that it was his mechanic on the other line. He then sees Al sitting on a couch, far from where we sit. "Al? You okay?"
Al does not respond for awhile. He finally looks up, "I'm fine, brother."
However, having said "I'm fine" multiple times when I'm not, I know there must be something on Al's mind even though he won't admit what it is. But even I can not place what could be bothering him.
Ed stares at him skeptically and sighs, seeming to realize he will not be getting much other than that. "So how long do you have to stay here?" he asks me.
"At least a couple days. . ." I grumble, not at all pleased. I'd rather be (almost) anywhere than stuck in the hospital.
"Oh my God." A girl, around Ed's and my age, exclaims after seeing Ed's condition when she came into Ed's room. "No one told me you were this badly injured!"
Ed then recounts the last couple days, telling her all about how Armstrong injured him further just by his hug. And to most people, it would seem almost humorous that one could be injured by a hug, but for those of us who know the Major well, it seems very likely.
"I'm sorry. Your automail failed on you. If I had been more careful. . ." she trails off as she apologizes.
Everyone in the room (which includes Ross and Brosh, who lectured us quite a bit after we regained consciousness as well as Hughes, who is apparently on his way to visit) turns to stare at Ed, who quickly says, "Your work was flawless as usual, don't worry, okay? Besides, it's a good thing it failed; It helped me not have the crap beat out of me!"
"Hey Edward, I heard you managed to sneak two girls into your room." Hughes says as he comes in.
"One is my mechanic! And the other is just Kaera." he snaps, rolling his eyes slightly.
"Glad to know I'm important." I say sarcastically.
"My name is Winry Rockbell." The tall blond hair, blue eyed girl introduces herself to both Hughes and I.
"Maes Hughes, pleased to meet you!" he energetically says and then pulls me to my feet (gently, much to my surprise). "And this is Kaera Hale!"
"Pleased to meet you." she smiles.
"Yeah. . ." I reply quietly as I return her handshake. Even though this girl is a childhood friend of Ed and Al, I am still wary and cautious, just as I am with any new person.
"Say, Winry, do you have a place to stay?" Hughes suddenly asks. When she shakes her head, he continues. "Why don't you stay with my wife and I? Kaera sometimes stays as well so it'd be no trouble at all."
"Hughes, do you think I can finally leave?" I ask. I wanted out of this damn hospital. I was about one step away from opening my window and climbing out it just to get out of the all white room.
He shakes his head. "No can do, Kaera. . . Unless the doctor gives the thumbs up. And I tell him it's your younger sister's birthday."
I stare at him, confused as what he meant as we drag through the tedious process. After awhile, the doctor reluctantly complies to let me go with Hughes to celebrate Elysia's birthday and lays down some rules such as "No rough activity for awhile.", "Do not overwork yourself", "If the pain gets worse, take the painkillers. And if it persists, come back." All which I hastily agree to, eager to be free from this place.
We then leave with Winry in tow as well. We then get multiple presents for Elysia, one which is a giant teddy bear. "Um, why are we getting all of this?" she asks quietly, seeming confused.
"It's Elysia's birthday!" Hughes exclaims as we walk towards his house.
"It's all for his daughter, Elysia." I explain as I carry some of the lighter presents.
"I see. . ." she says.
At last we reach the Hughes family home and when Elysia sees me, she immediately beams up at me. "Hiya!"
"Hey kiddo. Miss me?" I smile and tousle her hair playfully.
"Daddy said you were hurt!" she exclaims, eyes wide.
"A bit." I lie, not wanting to scare her with the details of how much I truly was. "But I'm better now."
"Yay!" She claps excitedly and the party ensues.
"Kaera?" Expecting it to be Gracia or Elysia, I turn around quickly. Much to my surprise, it is Winry.
"Yeah?" I reply absentmindedly as I watch Elysia beaming as she unwraps her large teddy bear, hugging it so tightly, I am surprised no stuffing has come out yet.
"Um, do you know how Ed and Al were hurt?" With one look, I can see she is worried for her childhood friends.
I sigh, shaking my head. "Sorry, no. I was in the hospital awhile myself so I don't really know."
She looks alarmed. "For what?"
"Just some broken ribs. They're slowly healing." I shrug as if it is no big deal.
"Good to see you two socializing and getting to know each other." Hughes says as he walks over, laughing. "Kaera could use more friends that are girls."
"I have plenty!" I argue defensively then get quieter as I finish my sentence. ". . .They're just in my hometown, not here is all. . ."
"Oh?" Winry says, raising a blond eyebrow at this. "Really?"
I nod and then a shout suddenly rings out. "Hey! You brats better stay away from my Elysia!" Hughes says as he pulls out a gun and wields it at a dangerous angle.
At least it wasn't loaded. . . I think and sigh in relief as Hughes puts the gun away after seeing the startled, now terrified children scatter away from his young daughter. And if this is him now when she has just turned 3, I'd hate to see him when she's a teenager and is going to go on a date. . .
The party continues for awhile longer and when the last child and parents leave, everyone goes to sleep, exhausted from a long day. Maes and Gracia already retired to their bed, sound asleep. Elysia has been tucked in shortly after her party ended. And now I am alone in my room, my eyelids drooping as I yawn. I lie on my back as my eyelids finally begin to slowly close.
This time, however, I don't dream.
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Annnddd that's a wrap for this scene/chapter! *Snaps clapper board shut and grins* (For those of you who do not know this term, it is the thing directors use when they say "Take One" or "CUUUTTT!" and is black and white.)
So I will see you in the next chapter/scene!
