We all stood in front of the house staring up at it, the windows were dark and the house was still. "C'mon! Maybe they're just out right now, we can surprise them when they come home!" Sakura said walking up to the front door.
She had quite a positive output and input about the situation, and maybe she was right, how could something bad possibly happen. She came closer to the door, all of us closely following behind. She suddenly stopped staring at the door, then I realized the reason why. The door was cracked open, not by much but regardless someone obviously didn't lock the door let alone close it. "Huh, strange.." Sakura said slightly under her breath. "Yeah that is.." Ed began to ponder the possibilities. "Ed..." Al said, then he looked at his very short older brother and silently communicated something to him, I perceived it as 'I've got a bad feeling about this'. Ed nodded then looked back at the door, seeming like 'Stay sharp' was what he would have spoken, but I don't think they wanted to worry anyone especially Sakura.
We cautiously entered and squinted around the dark room for a moment. There was absolutely no sound, the silence was eerie and deafening building up a knot in my stomach. "No ones home.." Al said, Ed began to walk further in saying "I suppose you're right...What's that smell?" he began to sniff the air Oh shit... I thought to myself "What smell?" I asked, I walked up behind him and before he could answer I already found it. The smell of blood, tons of it, some old some new so you couldn't really tell how long ago it was spilled. I cringed to think of what may have happened, "Ed...?" I said fearfully. Sakura began to get very scared, "I-I'm sure everyone's alright...They have to be." As she spoke her voice reduced slowly into a shaky whisper. We all were just plain disturbed at this point and to make matters worse a blood curdling scream broke out causing me almost to squeal in shock. I analyzed the scream in my head, it sounded like Matilda. "Wha? W-What was that?" Al said in a shaky voice, I didn't blame him for saying that because the scream sounded a bit inhuman.
"Matilda? Mom? Is that you?" Sakura yelled. The sound came from the room farthest back into the house on the same floor, at least that's how it sounded. We all carefully walked through the house, jumping at each creak in the floor one of us may step on. To worsen matters, a loud rumble broke out outside making Sakura scream. Those gray skies told no lie. There was definitely a storm out there, a Thunder Storm at that. Last time I checked Sakura didn't like T-storms at all, they scared her and this one only strengthened the fear that was already inside her. I was pretty scared too, I kept close to Ed since for some reason I felt the safest with him. A large flash of light filled the house followed by a gut shaking boom, I quickly grabbed Ed's arm causing him to jump. He looked at me very shocked, we both realized that I was clinging to him. I quickly pulled away blushing not making eye contact with Ed, whose eyes I could still feel on me. We drew closer to the back room, the smell of blood strengthening, the large raindrops drumming on the windows and the side of the house. We all stayed very close, Sakura was clinging to Al, as I remained close to Ed.
Because there were no lights it was hard to see as we finally entered the back room. Everything was black, but the smell of blood lingered on. Squinting I began to think there was a person there against the wall farthest from us. I took a step forward, Ed shifted as if he was about to stop me but he didn't. Another flash of lightning came through the window gave me the ability to see for a moment enabling me to see a bloody body propped up against the wall. I gasped and jumped backwards into Ed almost knocking both of us over. Ed fell back into the doorway with me leaning into him. "Jeeze! What the hells gotten into you?" Ed said, I blushed and got off of him. I looked back over to the wall where I saw the body and tried to see it again possibly even to see who it was. Ed finally realized something was wrong when I continued to stare in the same spot. He came closer to me and began looking in the same area. The lightning flashed again and he jumped, I knew he saw it. He looked at the doorway then kicked it knocking off a chunk of it. "Ed! What are you doing?" I yelled at him. He picked up the chunk of wood and turned to Sakura, "Sakura, do you think you could light this for me?" he held out the wood away from him. She pulled on her glove and lightly snapped her fingers aiming at the makeshift torch in Ed's hand. He carefully moved it over towards where we saw the body, squinting we all attempted to see what exactly was over there. "Gasp MOM!" Sakura screamed, it was worse than I thought. Sakura's mother lay leaned against the wall, her hair obscured her face, and half of her body had entire chunks of flesh missing. Only bloody bones were visible where flesh was not, I quickly looked away not being able to bear seeing the poor woman like this.
Ed lowered the torch taking the light off of the body, "Who?...Who could have done this?" I said with a shaky voice. Just then another scream broke out, this time from upstairs. I snatched the torch from Ed and began running upstairs, "Wha? AH!! Be careful!" Ed protested. I got upstairs and moved the torch around to see if anyone was there. Ed came up right behind me and grabbed the makeshift torch from me. He then ripped a prong from the stairwell and lit it considering the old one was getting low. "You're paying for that I hope you know." I said to him "I know.." he said handing me the new torch he then went downstairs to take the old one outside.
I looked around the room and began to walk further in. Sakura ran up behind me and stayed close, the thunder clapped outside subtly but still startled us. Finally a person came into view, curled up against the wall obviously alive. "Matilda!" I said shocked. She lifted her head and said "Raven..?" I smiled and came closer to her "It's alright now." Fear filled her eyes and she said, "No, stay away." I was confused as to what she meant, but I obeyed. "What do you mean? What's wrong?" She buried her head making it hard to here her when she spoke. "How do I know you're not him? Do just want to feed me to you fat friend too?" Now I was completely confused, "Matilda, it's us!" Sakura said coming out from behind me. "Sakura?" she looked up at her little red haired sister. Sakura nodded, and jumped into her big sister's arms. "So there are survivors." Ed said from behind me. Matilda and I looked at him, Matilda grinned a little "I'm guessing you're Ed, right?" She looked over at Al "And that's Al?" Ed and Al looked at each other and nodded. "Matilda, what happened?" I asked. Matilda looked at me mournfully, "They just came in like they owned the place, Dad asked politely why they just busted in and…He, told…Him to…eat." She buried her face on her sister, she couldn't even finish her sentence it disturbed her so much. "Who's they, and He?" she looked back up again and said. "One was a tall man with long green hair, he could turn into anyone he wanted and sound like them too." I knew who she was describing, but I had never met him before. "The other man was short and very round, he kept staring at me as if he was going to eat me. He's the reason for mom's condition." It seemed to make more and more sense yet at the same time none at all. "And with them also was a tall black haired woman who I noticed had a symbol right here" Matilda said padding her upper chest. I looked at Ed who was angry at this point, knowing exactly who the culprits were, "Envy, Gluttony, and Lust." I stood up "But why did they do this?"
There was a silence broken by a voice, that wasn't from the five of us, it wasn't even human. "Well, Gluttony kept whining about being hungry, so we stopped at a random house. If I had know this house had anything to do with you, Fullmetal, I would have steered clear of it." I looked over at Envy who was right next to the window with a mischievous look on his face. This could not be happening, they just randomly came to my friend's house and ate her parents? "Grrrr! Envy you bastard!" Ed yelled. Envy only grinned in amusement, just then I was pushed from behind and I heard a scream. I quickly looked behind me and saw Gluttony staring at Sakura as I he was about to eat her. Matilda held Sakura, obscuring her as much as possible from Gluttony "Stay the hell away from my sister!" she yelled as she swung her leg towards him. Gluttony just caught it with his mouth and began gently nibbling. "Hmmm, your meat is tender, I should have eaten you first" I jumped up and created a hand blade from my left hand, charging at Gluttony full speed. I awaited him to jump out of the way and let go of Matilda's leg, but he didn't and something drove deep into my stomach, something black and very sharp. "Raven!" Matilda and Ed screamed at different times, I looked up to see a woman smiling at me. She was pretty, I'd give her that, but the insane look in her eyes revealed the lust and manipulation inside.
She lifter her hand and gently took my hair out of my face, and began to look into my eyes. I was sort of dazed from the blood loss, but my train of thought was intact. "….You're a lovely girl, why do interfere?" Lust said. Still a bit weak I answered her "Because….I'm trying to protect my friends" She smirked, "Don't you have a family of your own? You shouldn't play Super Girl and try to save the day. You'll get killed that way. Then what will your family do?" I scowled at her "They are my family. Not by blood, but definitely by spirit." I said flatly. She smirked again and the thing in my stomach began to twist slowly. "Grrr.. Eh… AHHHHHHHHG" I yelled from the pain, I tried as much as possible not to scream. "It hurts doesn't it? That's what happens when you interfere, have you learned you lesson?" My eyes began to water, but I wasn't about to cry. I wasn't sure what to do and time was running out. She was going to have me dead, and my brain was too worried about the hole she was boring into me. "GET THE HELL OFF OF HER!!!" Ed yelled and before I knew it, the black thing once in my stomach was gone, no longer inflicting pain on me. I nearly fell over, but Ed had caught me "Are you alright?!" Ed said franticly.
I stood up, collecting my thoughts "I'm fine.." We looked over at the three homunculi who were staring at us. Envy smirked again "Oh don't tell me you've gone soft and fell in love, Fullmetal…?" Ed and I remained silent slightly blushing but not taking our eyes off of them. We all stared at each other for a while, then Envy shrugged and said "Well, no reason for us to be here anymore, we will see each other again soon Fullmetal, don't worry." They all jumped over the balcony, skipping the stairs and actually used the door. I cocked an eyebrow, "Okay…..Now don't tell me that wasn't a bit random" Ed merely stared at the place where the three homunculi stood, contemplating their sighting.
Luckily, Matilda wasn't hurt just disgusted by Gluttony slobbering on her leg. My wound wasn't to bad, I don't think she really had any intention to kill me, just to toy with me. The entire time we were home Ed and Al were totally quiet, not saying a word unless needed. It seemed as if the two brothers were avoiding even making eye contact with the three of us, even at dinner.
Ed sat there and ate silently, I began to really wonder what was going on in that blonde head of his. "Hey! Heeeeeellooooo! Ed!" Matilda said. "Yo! Short person!" Sakura said to him waiting for the 'I'm not short' routine. Nothing, absolutely no words could get a rise out of him, he just kept his face obscured by his hair. I attempted a different approach that didn't involve abusing him, "Hey Ed?" I said gingerly. No response. "Edward? C'mon I know you can hear me." Again, silence. "Will you at least move your arm? Or say something?" There was nothing, not even motion now. I was silent for a moment, then I said "Ed! Why won't you just-" I was interrupted by Edward abruptly standing up and leaving the room. "Jeeze, what's his problem?" Matilda said lightly. I looked down at my plate feeling as if he may be mad at me. The two sisters could tell I was worried and sort of hurt. "Hey, don't worry about him. Y'know some psychologists think that men sometimes go through emotional PMS." In my mind I was laughing my butt off, and I knew that was a lie she was just trying to be funny. I merely looked up at her and watch her face go from smiling to sort of disappointment that her joke didn't obtain the results she wanted. Sakura smiled and said "Don't worry, I doubt its you, maybe he is just troubled right now" Sakura turned back to her food and put another chunk in her mouth. Little did she know, her sister was mouthing 'Male PMS' and nodding like she was right. I smirked a little and shook my head, then I looked back to my food only to find I wasn't hungry anymore.
After dinner, I found Ed in the back room reading. He didn't look nearly as into it as he usually is, and I had proof when he looked at me. He looked into my eyes and little did I know, my expression was rather worried and pained, what I did notice is that the longer I looked at him the more I felt like crying. We kept staring into each other's eyes, until I looked away, feeling I had been staring for too long. Ed stood up right when I turned around to face away from him, "I just came to check on you." I said, I felt I should have explained but he completely understood what I meant. "Listen, I'm sorry." Ed said finally, "Not just, for how I acted. But for what happened earlier" I turned around and said "What do you mean?" He glanced up at me with his head still down, then he said "When you got hurt…" I relaxed a little "Ed, is that what this is about? It wasn't your fault I got hurt. I'm glad that's all it was, I thought you were mad at me." Ed smiled a little "No, I'm just in a bad mood" I smiled, he about gave me a heart attack. "They'll be back." Ed said extremely serious now "I don't know why but every once in a while we run into each other. I think they may be following me and Al" I came a little closer to him "That's the other thing you've been thinking about isn't it" Ed nodded.
End Chapter Eight