Disclaimer; none warning: graphic torture scenes and situations
The Family
Chapter two
She was pulled out of the cell chamber by a boy a year or so older. He had a pleasing physique but didn't talk, always quiet and obeying everything his 'family' had ordered. She struggled against him, kicking here and there but it would be no use, he could easily overpower her and keep her subdued.
He dragged her into another dark, bleak, and damp room. A gluttonous man sat at a desk, wearing circular- rimmed glasses as he read papers. One could almost smell the rotting of death upon him, and the dried blood upon his clothes--confirmed what he had been doing. The boy held her in the center of the room, awaiting for the older man to notice them, it didn't take long.
He turned, showing rolls underneath his chin. Winry nearly threw up at the sight of the blood on his face.
"I hear you've been giving Mum quite a tough time, I'm going to have to punish you." He said this like he was telling a nine year old 'I told you so'. He got up from his chair with a grunt and hobbled over toward where she sat. The boy let go of her bound hands but 'dad' simply grabbed her by the hair in exchange.
"I told you to mind your mum, Now look!" he pulled her face toward his, "You're pulling your brother Trevor from his chores." He gave her a long look, which she returned with a hateful glare.
"Still aren't talking eh? Taking after your brother I see." He released her hair. And stood up straight again. "-Dad will show you the importance of obedience in this house." He motioned for Trevor to grab her again, and the next thing she knew she was being pulled back into the hallway into a different room, "Dad" following behind them.
Flashback
The girl named Lottie skipped a couple steps in front of Winry. She seemed very perky, rather too perky. "What's your favorite color." Lottie asked. "--yellow." Winry answered but could barely get it out before Lottie jumped on with the conversation, "Mine's green. Everybody gives green a bad name, but I say that green is a wonderful color, grass is green, money is green, people even turn green…" Winry could only smile at the girl's over eagerness.
They were close to the train station, just a ways away from the platform when the girl turned around to face Winry. "Will you let me check to see if he's here? He can be forget full and I don't want to be stuck here by meself." Winry could barely get her head nodded before the girl shot out and sprinted towards the station. Winry followed slowly behind, but Lottie was now out of sight. The locusts buzzed around her and a dog could be heard from far away. The only light was the lamppost and the dim light of the station 20 yards away. She paused in her steps…had she heard something? But when she turned around it was too late…
Elsewhere
The neighbors have been helping Pinaco around the house a lot lately. Sure she knew it was sympathy, but it was something. Sympathy was better then apathy. Again she took her station out on the porch with Den dutifully at her side. She let out another puff from her pipe as she sat in the family's old whicker chair. The sun began to drop lower on the horizon as she could make out two faint figures coming down the road. Her eyes adjusted their heights, one was taller by several inches then the other, wait- they looked familiar.
As they approached closer and closer, it finally registered. "ED! AL!" She croaked out as best she could- her age getting the best of her.
The two young men waved in delight as the short old woman hopped out of her chair and walked toward the fence to meet them.
She noticed that Al had surpassed his brother in height, by several inches or so. But Edward contained a more mature physique that his brother had yet to acquire.
"Granny Pinaco!" Al exclaimed and hugged the old woman tightly. "It's good to see you too Al, and in such good health. I see you've been drinking more milk then your brother." This caused Ed to drop his smile for half a second and glare. Pinaco just chuckled at the familiar response.
"What brings you boys back here?" She asked taking another puff of her pipe. Edward put his arms behind his head in relaxation before replying, "Just thought it was time to come home." Al gave his brother a look that read, 'that was my line.' And nudged his older brother in the gut, making Ed cough a bit.
"Actually we were in Central and we happened upon a man picking up dropped brochures of Resembool. We got all nostalgic and walked around a bit--only to find dropped brochures everywhere we went. We took that as a sign to come home." Al laughed at their superstitious notions.
"I see, well come on in we have much to talk about." Pinaco said.
The boys picked up their previously dropped luggage and followed Pinaco into the house. Den was pleasantly surprised to see them and gave a forced yip, but was still brought back to his sullen mood. Ed caught the dog's odd behavior, "Is Den sick or something? I mean he isn't the youngest dog on the block."
Pinaco's mood also dropped. She gave a long sigh and sat down at the kitchen table- and motioned for the boys to join her.
Al looked around the old house, feeling rather short now. His armor was merely inches below the ceiling. He scanned the downstairs; seeing machines and tools that lay untouched, "Where is Winry? We really want to see her." He said it innocently, ignorantly. But the question still pulled at the old woman's heart, and tears began to form in her eyes. Ed didn't miss the transformation, and repeated with a serious tone, "Where is Winry, Granny?"
She wiped her eyes, and looked at the boys now staring at her. "Perhaps you should sit down, this isn't happy circumstances you've come back to.."
Elsewhere
Trevor had pulled her into the storage basement, 'Dad' following behind him. 'Dad' had ordered Trevor to throw her into an empty cylinder bin, which he did with a bit of a struggle. Winry bit and kicked, screamed and yelled. Trevor forced her head down but did it more gently then his manhandling before. 'Dad' closed the top with a lid, latching it in place. Her muffled cries of terror, pain, and lack of oxygen echoed toward the two men.
Trevor stood by and watched, with a mixed look in his eyes. In the corner of the storage room was a cage of pet mice that they had found around the house, Dad took three of them out, holding them by the tail.
"Open the smaller lid." Dad ordered, Trevor opened the smaller lid atop the larger one, allowing a small opening into the container- enough for Winry to breath, and enough to slide three mice into. Her shriek was unbearable, the mice climbed over her huddled body, taking nips of flesh here and there. She was terrified of mice, always had been, and was on the verge of convulsion when she felt them on her.
Dad looked at the container with a sick sense of satisfaction, Trevor looked on with much more reserve. "You be a good girl like Lottie, and we wouldn't have to go through this Angel." He said to her. His voice slightly off through the container. "Your brother and sister had to learn too, don't feel as if you're special."
Another ten minutes past, Winry's throat was sore from the screaming and crying--her demeanor slowly turning into apathy. It was then that the larger lid was opened and Trevor was fishing her out.
She lie upon the concrete floor, her legs, arms, and neck covered in tiny bites from the mice. Her breathing was rapid, her state catatonic--bring a more self-satisfied smile to Dad's face. He bent down toward her with his had reached out, she flinched back immediately, only to have him come closer and stroke her cheek tenderly.
"It's about dinnertime, Trevor will get you cleaned up." he stood up and motioned for Trevor to grab her again. "Perhaps now you will think before defying your mother."
She slowly walked with Trevor to her cell chamber down the hall. She didn't care anymore, if all it took was to please these people then so be it. She would be the best daughter they had. When she got to thinking much more into the idea, a plan had formed, one that could help her survive with these people.
End of Chapter two
Preview: "Make us proud, Angel." Mum had said as she handed the scalpal toward her. The paper boy looked at her horror stricken, and saw as she came forward--her turn in skinning him alive."