Misery Looms

Chapter 8 - Concealing Truth

Last Night

A strip of golden light lined the middle of the floor fluttered from the edges of the curtains. Though no matter the time of day the strip of light could not do damage.

Dreams still clouded Ed's mind when opening a sleepy eye and then the other. Eyes caught the golden line. Ed had to resist opening the curtains to watch the sky merged with pinks, oranges, and purple to a dark blue. To watch the last bit of people wondering the streets before the homes swallowed life up.

The thin strip of light slowly despaired that was as close to a real sunset as Ed could get. The thought didn't linger for long before Ed got up. The house was silent and growing darker with every minute.

Mustang was still working. Ed thought while walking down stairs and was about to walk to the study, but stopped.

He found it strange that his stomach wasn't pleading for food, considering that yesterday he didn't eat. Ed struggled and walked to the kitchen, it wouldn't take long to make something, then it was off to finish that book. Ed opened the fringe to discover that dried cheese made a home on the bottom shelf with lucid turning brown. On the top shelve was a half empty wine bottle.

Would it kill the colonel to once in a while go shopping?

Ed closed the fringe and opened the cupboards one by one to see nothing edible expect a loaf of bread that still looked good and a box of cereal. Ed was unhappy dragging a chair across the floor, making a loud screeching noise as wood met stone and climb on the chair in order to reach the half empty cereal box.

Ed hopped down, poured the cereal into a bowl and sat at the table. Before taking a spoon full, eyes drifted over to the note that asked for books. Ed hoped that Roy wasn't going to be a bastard and follow through with the request.

Ed took a spoon full of cereal but spat it out as it tasted stale and was rock hard. Then, decided that eating was out of the question. He wasn't ever going to see if the bread was still good or not. The bowl was put into the sink and Ed walked into the study.

The thought of not being able to eat for another day didn't bring dread as it should, which planted a seed of worry in the back of his mind, but there was no use fretting about it, getting lost in a book would take his mind off of the worry. Ed opened the door and found the book. He was about to sit down when Roy's car pull into the driveway. The front door opened and closed, then there was a knock on the study door and it swung open.

"You do know it's considered rude going through other people's stuff."

"These books were collecting dust. Someone had to read them from time to time." Ed said, flipping to the next page.

"I saw the note and decided to be nice. The books you asked for are sitting outside this door." Roy said.

Ed nodded and flipped another page.

"Is there anything else?"

"Yes, you need to go buy food."

Roy sighed, "I'll have to do that tomorrow when the stores are open. Anyway, I'm off to bed."

Before the door closed Ed uttered a little thank you. Ed sighed and closed the book, letting it drop to the floor. Hoping the books waiting outside would hold the answers.

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Present-day

Late afternoon sun fluttered through the windows as Roy signed another document. A loud, shrill filled the room and eyes bounced from the document to the phone wondering who was calling? He picked up the phone.

"Colonel Roy Mustang."

"It's Sarah from the hospital. I have information about the murderer who's after Edward. If you want to know more, please meet me at Angle's cafe beside the hospital, no later than six." Then the phone went dead.

Roy listened to the dial tone unable to put the phone down as the words swirled around and around. Why six. Roy thought while glancing outside at the sun kissed city, but shadows crawled from under cars and homes, nicking street corners as they stalked everyone in town. Then, the phone was put back on the hooks at the thought that Sarah could be working with the murderer and this meeting could be a trap.

That was one possible way she learned the information, but there might be another way, maybe she was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. However, if that was true, then Sarah could be in danger and she wasn't the type of person to think anything differently, but then why at six and not now.

Even with the possibility of this being a trap Roy still decided to go because something would come out of this no matter what.

5:45 PM

Roy sat at a table out in front of Angel's Cafe. The sun was setting and it cast an eerie orange glow on the polished white tables. A half empty coffee cup was nestled within Roy's hands. Questions kept his mind preoccupied when waiting. Every couple of minutes eyes would glance down at his watch, checking the time.

6:05 PM

There was still no sign of Sarah and an anxious feeling was silently tugging at Roy's mind. Where was she? The thought played on repeat which made dread sink to the bottom of Roy's stomach, but a couple deep breaths calmed those nerves. Sarah was running a bit late that was all.

7:00 PM

The eerie orange glow was dead, it was replaced with shining silver and the low warm glow from the street lamps. The questions that were preoccupying Roy's mind was replaced by anxious foot tapping while toying with the thought of going to look for Sarah just in case she really was in danger.

"Excuse me, sir, but our shop is closing for the night." A waiter said.

Roy nodded and placed the money on the table, then got up. The decision was made. Roy walked in the direction of the hospital hoping Sarah simply got caught up with work. A scream tore through the night, stopping Roy then he turned to the right to see a crowd forming. All thoughts disappeared, leaving only a cold chill while walking over to the crowd and little by little conversations started to form.

"She's the second one today."

"When will this stop?"

"Who do you think did this?"

"I heard that the military doesn't have any leads or suspects."

Roy waved through the crowd, hoping his thoughts made by suspicion weren't true, but once in front of the crowd the thoughts were confirmed. Sarah was lying on the ground. Blood dripped from two puncture wounds on the neck. The blood had pooled on the floor, but what sent Roy running home was the message written in blood on the brick wall.

My spy was going to tell, it read.

Once home the key was put in the lock and the door burst open.

"Edward, I need to talk to you."

Roy walked over to the study door and opened it to find it empty. Then, it was off to the kitchen, but the lights were off and it was empty as well. Roy hustled up the stairs and over to Ed's room. Roy knocked once, no answer, knocked again, still no answer. The door burst open, but the room was empty. Edward wasn't here.

Damn it. Roy thought while rushing down the stairs and over to the kitchen phone and dialed the hotel Al was staying in, hoping Edward was there.

"Hello," Al said.

"Alphonse, is Edward with you?"

"No. Isn't he with you?"

"No, I don't know where he is. Sarah, the nurse was just killed and it looks like it was the murderer.

There was a little bit of silence, then Al said. "Do you think the murderer has him?"

"I don't know." Roy answered.