Morphed

Chapter Twelve

Hello. I'm leaving tomorrow to spend my week in Hell. Yay. Here's the next chapter, which I managed to pull through and write. It's not quite as long as the last one, but it's still longer than my general standard, so you're welcome. ;)

This chapter's lyrics are by Breaking Benjamin, a song called Fade Away, which, if you think about it, suits not just this chapter, but practically the entire story, more or less. So there you have it.

God, after my week in Hell I have school to look forward to again. My break will be over. Ahh...my last term as a year nine student. Can't wait for it to end.

I'm rambling again. -_-

Enjoy \/ :D

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I'm cold and broken

It's over I didn't want to see it come to this
I wonder if I will ever see your face again
And I know that I will find a way to shed my skin
It's simple I know that I will suffer in the end

Fast I fade away
It's almost over
Hold on
Slow I suffocate
I'm cold and broken
Alone

~Fade Away (Breaking Benjamin)

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"Elric, get your ass out of bed!" Hakuro shouted, throwing open the door with a bang and a squeal.

"Yes, sir." Edward groaned. He hadn't slept a single wink the last night, because he had spent it trying to find some sort of comfy spot on the stupid mattress, as well as thinking about pretty much everything that had ever happened to him ever. But the main reason was because he had coughed consistently throughout the night. He didn't even want to know how much blood he'd left, because he was sure if he did he'd wonder how he was even still alive. His chest and abdominal region ached like Hell itself thanks to it, and his eyelids felt like they were trying to lift lead weights. Hauling himself up out of the corner he'd huddled into at some point during the night, he rubbed his sore neck. He couldn't remember how long ago he'd finally lost it and taken off that stupid collar, but it wasn't long enough ago. The skin that had been pinched by the buckle was throbbing painfully still, and he was pretty sure that it had broken a little and bled a few droplets. That might have been when he'd taken it off...he still wasn't sure. The night had been so long it might as well have lasted a month and a half.

Month and a half Ed! What does that mean? Do you remember? Pain, that's what it is! A month and a half of it! The little demon in his head laughed like a maniac, and when Ed closed his eyes and tried to picture it, the little demon became some sort of demon-wolf hybrid. Goddammit, he was so sick of wolves. The entire night he could have sworn he'd heard dozens of them howling. Hell, it might have even been him. He was so tired he could barely tell left from right without double checking. It was amazing how many tricks the mind could play on you when you went too long without sleep. It could make you hear things that weren't there. Voices. There had been so many voices trying to tempt him last night. First it had been Winry. Telling him that he was pathetic. Then Alphonse had told him that he was a terrible brother. That he had let him down. He had whispered at them to go away, to leave him alone, but they had stayed, of course. You couldn't chase away what wasn't there, after all. Then Maes had joined the conversation. Oddly, no matter how hard he listened, he hadn't been able to make out what the man was saying. Just that he was, in fact, saying something. But just his voice had been soothing, while it lasted. And it lasted for a while. While Imaginary Maes had been talking, no coughing fits bothered Ed, not even one.