A Walk in the Rain
The gray and anguished skies seemed heavy with sorrow as a thick shower of tears soaked the miserable, muddy land. The dark countryside was only occasionally illuminated by angry flashes of lightning, quickly followed booms of thunder. The wind ripped through the tall grass, its terrible wrath threatening to uproot the tree near the Elric farm. It was such a night that only cursed souls would dare to roam.
Suddenly a flash of lightning revealed the figure of a very tall, slow moving creature, completely encased in armor. He seemed to blend in perfectly with wretchedly gloomy, his armor a dull lifeless gray. He kept his eyes down, concentrating on the form of a small boy in his arms, no more than ten. He held the boy close as if afraid he would lose him to the raging storm. Watered down blood ran down the legs of the armor, mixing with the drowning earth.
"Y-you have to hold on, brother," came the voice of a young boy from the armor. "We're almost there."
His brother moaned in pain, clutching the bloody remains of his right arm. The armor's pace quickened as blood stained the wounded boy's clothes. They were only seconds away from the Rockbell's house.
"I'm sorry, Al," the boy whispered, his eyes squeezed shut from the pain. "I never… I never thought this would… happen. I can't hold on. I'm sorry…"
"Just stay with me, Ed. I'm not going to let you die." Al's disembodied soul contracted with pain. He had already lost too much to the wrath of alchemy. He could not lose his brother.
He stood before the Rockbell's steps. He cradled Ed closer, knowing that one way or another, his walk in the rain with Ed was about to end.
"Al… I love…" Ed's voice trailed off and his body relaxed.
Al's soul clenched in fear as he rushed up the Rockbell's. He threw open the door. He had done all he could.
"Please help him."
