Disclaimer: I don't own FMAB blah blah blah blah blahhhh... SO ANNOYING TO HAVE TO DO DIS!

Chapter 29

Dust. Dust was everywhere. It filled Winry and Al's noses, making them sneeze, and covered every avaible inch of their skin. There was a faint smell of metal and oil in the air, painfully reminding Winry of Ed's automail.

They had just entered the basement that had, truthfully, surprised Winry; she had no idea there was anything like that beneath the house she had lived in all her life. Al was surprised too; he just did a better job of hiding it.

"This is so creepy!" Winry shuddered as she brushed some dust away from her eyes. "Where is Ed? Shouldn't he have been right near the hole?" There was panic and worry in her tone.

"He must have moved." Al told her confidently, even though he too was really worried about his older brother.

"How far could he have gone? And why would he have moved? Shouldn't he know that he should have stayed by the entrance? Where is he?!" Winry's voice was steadily rising in volume until Al put a warm hand on her shoulder.

"Calm down! Ed's just fine!"

"How can you be sure? What if... what if there's something down here? Or some hole or-"

"There isn't." Al said firmly, his jaw set tightly. "Stop thinking that way, okay?"

Winry nodded slowly, willing herself not to cry. "Okay..."

They continued on their way. Wooden pillars loomed above them, holding up the rest of the house but, to Winry and Al, only made them feel extremely uneasy. Their footsteps echoed on the cement beneath them, breaking the deadly silence surrounding them. All Winry wanted to do was run ahead to look for Ed, but Al's hand on her shoulder held her back.

"Ed?" Winry called out, slightly timidly. "Ed, where are you?"

"Edward!" Al's voice boomed out, sounding surprisingly deeper than usual, startling Winry and echoing throughout the basement. "Ed, answer me!" (A/N: oh, gosh. Imagine Al with a deep voice...)

There wasn't any reply.

"Maybe he's not down here, Al..." Winry suggested, somewhat hopeful that he wasn't, yet, somewhat hopeful that he was; she was certain that he wasn't anywhere else in the house, so where could he be?

"He has to be down here. He has to be..." He sounded desperate, pleading with himself.

"Al..." Winry felt her eyes warming up once again. But she balled her hands into fists and screamed into the darkness, "EDWARD ELRIC, YOU ANSWER ME RIGHT NOW!"

Winry and Al waited, not daring to even breathe. Minues passed and finally, Winry let out her breath.

"I don't think-" She began.

"Shhh!" Al held up his hand to silence her, which she did. He looked almost thoughtful for a moment, then... "Did you hear that?" His voice was teeming with hope and joy.

Winry blinked. "Hear what?"

"I thought I heard... I dunno... shuffling or whatever! It came from over there!" Al turned to his right and began walking with a new vigor. Winry quickly followed him, her eyes shining with hope.


Main reason it stops here: I want to give u guys something before I leave the library(no interent at my house... sucks) Other reason: SUSPENSEEEEE! YESSS! SUFFER THE SUSPENSE! BWAHAHAHAHA!

I recently read a romance series and discovered... fanfiction is a lot like romance novels. seriously. i could imagine someone in a fanfic saying/doing what they were saying/doing in the books. little fun fact for you guys.

okay... so next update... maybeeeeee... tomorrow... hopefully in next week! debateable.

oh yeah! here's a funny story related to FMA/FMAB... I drew Ed and Al when they were kids(i just basically copied off the tv in front of me on paper from episode (some number i can't remember), 'Family Portrait'. and... well... I made Ed shorter than Al... the ONE time he was supposed to be taller than someone... I made him shorter. ...oopsie.

MERRY THANKSGIVING! HE HE HE! R&R!