The Aftermath - Ch.1

The wind blew softly outside; the sun had chosen to hide behind the dark, gloomy clouds and the wind turned colder, angrier. But Winry wasn't complaining about how cold the sudden weather changes were – it couldn't possibly be colder than how she felt inside at the moment. The book in her left hand fell to the floor and her fingers didn't even try to grasp it. They didn't even flinch. She didn't bother to pick up the book even as it landed with a loud song onto the wooden floor. Which was a bit weird since it was her favorite; it contained sketches of her ideas – only twenty minutes ago, she had smiled with triumph as she finished a sketch that she was proud of. It had came out so nicely.

She didn't hear the loud sound. The woman stared at the doorway in muted shock as dread made her go numb. Her widened, dark blue eyes focused on Al, who stood in the doorway with panic badly disguised in his young face and features. She breathed a breath. And Al's face turned firmer as he said in the heavy silence that had darkened the very bones in Winry's soul:

"Do you want to see him? They have this stupid five minutes visit, but don't expect he will be talking to you."

The way too loud words made her shiver and she took a step back, as if it would make them go away, that they wouldn't be true. And Winry highly disliked that she reacted this way; that Al watched. She could see the sympathy in his eyes and she hated it. With that thought in her mind, she clenched her trembling fist and narrowed her eyes. She walked forward, nodding to the younger Elric that yes, she wanted to see him. But she didn't make a sound because she couldn't trust her voice.