Of Thunder and Screams

Untitled Part 1

He spent most of his time running, carrying his legs as fast as he could as he desperately attempted to escape whatever was coming for him. He glanced up at the sky, startled as he saw a flash of light streak across the grey slab of air, and he ran faster, eager to escape before the thundering growl froze him in his steps.

Pounding each step closer to an unknown location, Ed shot random glances around the surrounding area for the thing that threatened him. He continued running, right into a large unknown object as a loud Boom crackled against the sky.

"Daaaad!"

Ed shot up in bed breathing sharply and erratically, giving his entire room a once-over, finally staring at his window as the pitter patter of rain tapped on it. He felt his entire body go hot, then cold in abject terror. He ran a quick hand over his forehead which had been covered with a thin film of sweat, and he began taking deep breaths as he tried to calm his heart rate.

Another flash of lightening illuminated his room in a light blue, and the crackling roll of thunder followed soon after. Ed cried out again, throwing off the covers and running out of his room, reliving his nightmare in reality, pounding his feet against the quiet house, running toward nothing in particular. He closed his eyes, fearful of what he might find in the darkened hallways, running blindly.

He heard someone running towards him and he continued running faster, still forcing his eyes to stay closed. That is until he rammed into a wall of flesh and bone. The force of impact sent both of them reeling backwards and onto the floor and they both groaned inwardly.

Ed pushed himself up, expecting to see his father on the ground with him, but another figure was laying on the floor before him.

His black coat was pulled back to reveal the militaristic navy blue uniform that adorned him, which he could clearly see in the wavering light that emanated from somewhere. His onyx eyes were widened and dazed as his raven black hair laid flattened on the floor.

"U-uncle Roy! What are you doing here!?" Ed asked. The military man made no answer as the light shifted and a small clink of metal tapped on the floor, and the young boy was hoisted into the air. The boy was turned sideways as he sat comfortably on the other man's hip.

"Alright, what's wrong?" Ed wrapped his hands around his father's neck, and stared vacantly into space.

"I had a nightmare, Dad." As a response, a cool hand was slipped onto his forehead, and then removed, all the while wiping the film of sweat that had reformed there. Two pairs of golden eyes stared at each other, while one set seemed slightly dazed compered to the figure that still lay on the floor.

"Mustang? Are you alright?" Ed's father asked. The raven haired man groaned again and stared the former alchemist in the eye.

"If I had known that your son could send someone tumbling, I never would have come here, Fullmetal." The young boy heard his father just laugh in response, feeling the slight pressure of his moving structure as he reached an arm out for the older man.

Ed buried his face closer to his father, pressing himself closely enough to hear the rumbling vibrations of his voice.

"I've resigned my title as a State Alchemist, remember? You don't need to call me that."

"Nonetheless, what I say still stands." He heard his uncle reply. Ed knew that Mustang wasn't really his uncle. But he couldn't call him "grandpa" because of the way he would look dejected, or maybe it was because of the way his dad laughed after that. Mustang still didn't have enough gray hair to be a grandad though.