I got this published relatively *on time*, which is a major achievement for me! Your comments are my sustenance, thank you for those.
Sorry for the short chapter. Please enjoy!
Chapter 5: Foreshadow
The days passed, and Edward made his best effort to live life as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. He knew what the scientist freak was trying to do—to get him to return to the laboratory, most likely so that he could become a living experiment again. Unfortunately, Ed knew he would indeed have to return to the lab at one point in search of the antidote; every hour, racking pains seemed to compress his muscles and shift his bones. He was, however, conflicted by the resolution that there was no way he could tell Al about his plan to return to the abandoned lab. However, if he did end up being captured at the lab and managed to eventually escape, Al would never trust him again. Heck, even a week after he had been found, Al still would stare at him, as if worried the mirage of his lost brother might disappear. To leave again without warning would take such a toll on Al; the armored soul was not strong enough to bear that much trauma.
So he procrastinated. The memories would often return to him in his sleep and in his waking. He'd been pricked, tested, and had his DNA altered through hundreds of shots that burned like fire. Stubbornness was a dominant trait of his, though, and he resolved to ignore the unpleasant sensations that tore at him more often with every passing day.
One afternoon, he could no longer fake being "perfectly fine". Al accompanied Ed on a trip to the library. Less than an hour after arriving, Ed cried out and fell to the floor, thrashing, shivering, and clutching at himself as if he were falling apart. A pile of books clattered to the floor as Al quite literally dropped what he was doing and ran to his brother's side. Ed's eyes shot open, glassy and distant.
Cages lined the walls, each housing shadows that growled and shrieked. A shaft of moonlight lit up one of the creatures, and it shied away from the light. It seemed to be some kind of bird, but it was enormous. Its wings were battered and broken, likely from trying desperately to escape its cruel confinement. Ed stared at it; there was nothing beautiful about it, it might as well have been a physical representation of misery and pain. The bird stared back. Then it spoke.
"It's raining…"
Ed gaped, vaguely aware of the absence of echoing raindrops, more entranced and horrified by the creature.
"It's raining," it repeated,
"No it's not," Ed said hesitantly.
"It's raining. Don't go outside…don't go out…don't go… rain…"
Ed felt as though his heart were made of lead. The bird spoke in a soft croak that nevertheless screamed of its internal agony. Ed felt the familiar prick of a needle, and his senses began to shut down. The last thing he registered was the empty eyes and voice of the mutant bird.
"Don't go…"
"BROTHER!"
Ed became aware of a stinging on his cheek; Al had slapped him, back to the present. Although the memory was no longer keeping him captive in an elaborate replay of trauma, he was unable to shake it from his mind. A fury rose inside of him. Those innocent creatures, captured and experimented on, then thrown into cages like so much trash. Ed half-hoped they had died; he, for sure, would rather die than live in such despair. Al's voice shook him from his thoughts.
"We need to get you to a hospital."
"I'm fine."
Al slapped him again.
"Fine? Fine?" Al yelled, attracting some startled gazed. He continued. "You act like things are fine, but I'm not as dumb as you think. I hear you moaning, I hear you panic as you relive memories that you're somehow so pressed on keeping secret. I want to help you, but you apparently don't trust me. Well, fine, at least you can trust a doctor! Trust someone! You're stupid and naïve enough to think you're immortal, apparently! You're a human, Edward; I don't care how much you want to be something else, humans need support and help and…" Al sighed and dropped to his knees with a clank. Ed stared at the floor like a dog that had been shamed.
"Al…I just…I hate to see you worry. I'm sorry. I'm naïve, and stupid, and I won't do that again. I'll get help. In fact, I'll go fix this first thing tomorrow morning. For now, I just need a nap."
So, the procrastinating was over, apparently. He'd head to the lab tomorrow.
He'd fix things. For Al's sake.