Clap. Clap. Snap. Boom.
Was that how it went?
No. That's wrong. There was some sort of shuffle or extra snap in there somewhere. He couldn't quite remember, it was Winry who had remembered it each every time. Of course, she'd become upset when he'd forget. Especially when they were going to surprise Edward with the rhythm every time he was feeling under the weather. Edward himself could never remember the tune, although it would make him giddy with joy whenever his brother and Winry performed the tune for him.
The song was created by Aunty Sara and the Elric's mother when they were teenagers. They had taught Winry, and she had shown Ed and Al. Edward seemed to be mesmerized by how the claps and snaps matched perfectly with the rhymes. It was then that Winry and Alphonse had decided to create a secret ritual.
"Al, it isn't very hard! Just follow after what I do!"
"But, Winryyy! Can't you do the whole thing first so I can see?"
"Sure, silly!"
He remembered perfectly the way her face would light up while skipping and dancing to the beat of her own body. It was entertaining to watch, as the little girl had such passion in everything she'd do. It made Alphonse green with envy, but the feeling would fade quickly when she'd flash that brilliant grin, and call out 'now it's your turn!'.
Although Alphonse didn't manage to memorize the actions, he memorized the words within an hour. His accomplishment earned himself a freshly made candy apple from Uncle Urey, and one of mother's infamous praising head pats. There was also the fact that Winry was happily jumping up and down, and Brother had cheered up. He'd killed a number of birds with one stone proudly.
Winry made sure to remind him the rhythm before he set off on his quest to find his brother again. Sometimes, when he was feeling down, Alphonse would begin chanting the words of the song. He'd leave out the clap-snap actions that spiced it up, of course, but it always made him feel at ease. It reminded him he had a sister waiting for him back home.
Home.
Something he no longer felt as though he had.
Now, all he had was a drafty old apartment he and his brother were soon hoping to abandon in order to buy a better, well suited one that they could stay warm in.
Sometimes he'd catch himself crying. Sometimes, Edward would catch him catching himself crying. It wasn't the fact that he couldn't return to Resembool. No, it wasn't Resembool that made him feel at home.
It was her arms. No matter where of the world they were in, when Winry would hold Alphonse while he wept, he felt as though he could smell the scent of calla lilies, goats, and burn wood planks from the remains of their old house. It was the comfort of knowing his best friend was still somewhere in the world, waiting for him to come jumping into her arms once again.
Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap.
Dance in the silent meadows, down by the road
Snap, snap.
Dance, little rolling child, waltz away back home.
Clap, snap.
Your feet are no longer heard, your words scratch away.
Clap, boom.
In your mind wanders helpless beings to stay.
Snap, Snap.
Now we prance far from darkness
Clap, clap.
And we fear the names of home.
Boom, snap.
Because we stare in the eyes of wild.
Clap, clap.
Oh, waltz on home, little rolling child.
Jacob Willis had finished signing the release of yet another patient. His doctors had helped someone else live another day. Jacob was always uncertain as to why someone would want to take their own lives away, when there were so many precious things to look forward to. Of course, he erased the thought out of his head quickly upon remembering that he should not question the behaviour of others. After all, Jacob Willis had always lives such a happy and content life. He had a loving wife, three successful children, food, a magnificent home, and friends galore. The mere thought of any of those things being taken from him created an odd pit in the centre of his stomach in which he never had the decency of discovering.
"Excuse me? Mr. Willis? May I come in?"
"Ah, Harriet! No, that's wrong... Bunny right? Please do!"
The joyful young woman entered the impressive office with her usual smile shadowing across her face. She nodded her head in a quick greeting manner, and lowered her thin body onto one of the maroon chairs facing Jacob's desk, taking a quick gander at the room before snapping her eyes back at her boss.
"Good day, sir. I came to talk to you about... Uh. I don't even know what to call her."
"Direct as always, Bunny. I believe you're talking about the young lady we've had join us two weeks ago?"
"Yes. The amnesiac. I'm having quite the difficult time with her..."
Jacob leaned back in his chair with a frown, studying Bunny's face intently. "You, Bunny? You're one of my best doctors. Surely you've gotten something out of her."
"Well," Bunny mumbled, scratching the back of her neck. "She only says 2 words. And that's all. 'Will be'. If you try talking to her, she merely shrugs. Doesn't even shake her head or nod. And what worries me is that she doesn't seem frightened or confused in any way. The other amnesiacs I've dealt with show obvious signs of panic, anxiety, intense confusion, and struggle to escape. It's as if she knows who she is, but just can't respond when talked to."
"Will be?" Jacob asked in a whisper. This was certainly strange. He'd run the institution for nearly 40 years, and had never heard of such symptoms in a patient before. And a young, beautiful lady who can only speak two words, and isn't frightened of anyone coming near her, at that? It was certainly strange.
"Bunny," he said in a stern voice, straightening his back and staring menacingly in the young woman's eyes. Bunny shifted nervously in her seat. She had always disliked the way he would do that, it felt as if he were eating her soul out.
"You say she says only those two words, and she is unable to speak. Perhaps she is trying to say something else, and is unable to."
"So... kind of like a speech impediment?"
"Yes and no. Here's what I want you to do. Forget trying to make her remember things. Teach her how to speak. If she shows signs of inability to speak other words properly, we know what's wrong. It's a step closer to her recovery."
Bunny rose up from her seat and nodded. "Understood. Thanks, Jay!"
And with the she bolted out of his office eagerly, leaving Jacob with a rather phony grin plastered on his face.
She reminded him of his own daughter.