I'm in a chapter writing mood! Booyaka! Right, here ya go! Oh…boy…I'm just not getting Carmons' name right…OK, it's C.A.R.M.O.N. got it…right…(drills into brain).
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Chapter Seven: Into the Darkness Again
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"Wait, you've seen her?" I couldn't place it, the young man crouching there in front of me almost reminded me of Edward. Though, there were distinct characteristics that clearly said he wasn't. For instance, he couldn't be more then nineteen or twenty years old, his hair was closer to a light brown then gold and his eyes were a dark bluish color border line brown, they also had more life in them. Though they did look on the down side at the moment.
"No…" he answered sadly, "but…I haven't seen her in a long time."
"Who are you? For some reason, it feels as if I know you." I asked, curiosity getting the better of me. He looked up at me for a moment, the look he had on his face was sad, he then answered,
"I could say the same about you," he scratched the back of his head, allowing his fingers to work through his long hair, "My name is…Alphonse…what's…your name?"
"Carmon," I answered, "Where are you from Alphonse?"
"My brother and I were… 'liberated'…from Nazi Germany during World War II." Alphonse said, he was now doodling strange looking circles on the sandy floor. I on the other hand was trying to digest the sudden possibility of who this young man was, why did he remind me so much of Edward? Apart from his seemingly kind disposition, there's just this presence around him that…my eyes narrowed in a sympathetic manner.
"Why don't you tell me about your brother." I said, this was a slightly double-sided question, one side being I wanted to try and get to know him and the second side being I wanted to confirm my suspicion.
"Well…" Al scribbled out the doodle, "I haven't seen him in a long time, he was assigned by the U.S. government to work on a project, he wasn't allowed to tell me what it was though."
"Really…why did they ask him?"
"Because, he was studying rockets." Al said simply.
"Rockets! How old is your brother?"
"Well, from his last letter he was nineteen…now…he should be at least twenty-three," Al tilted his head to the side, "If he's still alive…that is."
"And how old are you!"
"Twenty-two."
I tried to pat him on the back but he moved away, using his arms to push mine aside, he muttered,
"Please…don't touch me. It's nothing personal, I just…don't like being touched."
"Sorry," I drew my hand away, "So, um…what was your brother like? I mean, his personality."
Alphonse sighed and smiled slightly, it was a look that complimented him well, I thought it made him look like a child, and then another thing hit me…his smile…
"His indomitable spirit is unmatched, he hated to see other people suffer, what he hated even more was seeing people suffer because of him." Alphonse flopped down in the dust and inclined back on his hands, "But he also had his quirks, like, he didn't like people calling him short or small. You see, he was never really that tall and he was quite sensitive about it, he also had a short temper and a short attention span. Yes…he'd have his moments all right." He started talking about how his brother loved eating and sparring. I sat listening intently, there was just no possible way he was talking about Edward, the person he was talking about was kind and sweet and gentle. Edward was distant, untrusting and bitter.
"Alphonse…"
"Yes?"
"I know these are two different questions but…they've been nagging at the back of my mind for some time now."
"All right…"
"How do you know Ally and…what was your brothers' name?" As much as evidence proved it couldn't possibly be Edward, there was something deep down that wanted it to be. I don't know why, but, I want there to be a way to bring the possibly old Edward back…I wanted him to smile.
Alphonse eyed me for a moment, I was deep in thought and half waiting for him to answer, he then sighed and fiddled with the hem of his shirt saying,
"My brothers' name was…is…Edward," he looked at me funny, "Why do you ask that?"
"What about Ally?" I asked trying to quickly change the subject. Al gave me a suspicious glance before continuing.
"I'll be honest…I never expected something like that to happen, I was only seventeen after all and I felt it happened much too fast." he started.
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Edwards' POV"What?"
"You heard me…in exchange for their freedom, you have to stay here." The mans' smirk had become unnaturally wide.
"Why?"
"I don't think that should matter," he answered simply, "You came here to get the them back, and the only way to do that is to take their place…it shouldn't really matter why if it means they can go free."
He was cleaver; he seems to know how I think and how I feel about things like this, where the hell have I seen that smirk before?
"Well?"
"Fine…"
"Then it's done!" the man waved his hand and two men left the room, we were left alone which gave me some time to try and place who it was I was talking too. He on the other hand had a different plan to pass the time. He sent his foot right into my stomach, I gasped as the wind was knocked out of me, he crouched down in front of me and grabbed my throat forcing me to look at him, still smirking he said,
"You don't like the dark…do you? Being locked up in the darkness…it does things to the mind…"
"Like I'd know…" I scoffed.
"Oh…I think you do…and I'm going to enjoy watching what happens to you as your already feeble mind as you slowly deteriorate in the shadows."
"What!" the next thing I know the man had kicked me in the stomach again, knocking what little air I'd managed to regain out again, then kicking me in the head, again, knocking me out cold.
When I came too, I'd been moved to a different cell, in this one my hands were literally chained to the wall so that they hung just above my head. I was sitting against the far wall, but, I couldn't tell how close I was too the door, it was pitch black. My heart started to race and my breathing picked up, I shook my head and shut my eyes, this wasn't happening. I tried pulling my arms down but they were bound real tight and weren't coming down, a sick churning feeling had started welling up in my gut as I felt the corners of my eyes start burning from encroaching tears.
"No…. nononono…this isn't possible…how…how does he know?"
"How do I know about your greatest fear you ask?" the mans voice came from nowhere, "Because! I've wanted to see you suffer…and finally break at the mercy of your worst fear…hahahahaha!"
"No…let me out! Let me out! Let me out! Let me out, damnit!"
"Awh…what's the matter? Afraid of the dark? Here, let me shed some light on the situation for you," the man laughed scornfully, though they still burned, my eyes went wide as the mans voice became an almost crackle. It was a very distinct voice, smug, sinister, slightly but not by a lot feminine and completely and totally full of loathing for all things, "Your little girl friends are not the only ones I have that you care about, I believe you know him as…little brother…"
"What?"
"Heh, heh, heh…I'll be seeing you in a few days…Elric…" his voice disappeared leaving me feeling much, much, MUCH worse then before. The dark was invading and I hated it.
"Let me out…now!"
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Carmons' POV"Aaargh!"
"What the heck was that?" Al looked around startled, he'd never heard a sound quite like that before, I also looked around, I'd never heard a sound like that either. I never wanted to hear that sound again either, it was horrible and it made my insides churn.
"I don't know, I've never heard that sound before."
"Hmm…" Alphonse slowly stood up, this was the first time he's done this so I was able to see how tall he was. Well, he couldn't be more then 5'8 maybe 5'9", about average height for someone his age; he was though at least an inch taller then Edward that was very, VERY clear now.
"So, you knew Ally when she was a baby?"
"Of course…why wouldn't I?" he said moving towards the door.
"Well…you haven't actually specified HOW you know her."
He sighed and answered,
"I know her because…she's my daughter."
-To Be Continued-
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Agent000, if you're reading this then you are allowed to call it short! Cause yes…it is…I'm workin' up to the big end thingy! It's gonna be fun! Yeah! So, has anyone figured out who the mystery man is yet? No? That's ok, cause if you haven't he's identity will be reveled in the next chapter (evil laughter). Till then, leave offerings of reviews and sour straws (no, I do not accept child sacrifices…though I am flattered)…oh yeah…it's one o' dem mornings (sighs).
