Ed didn't know how they got there, but he knew he was surrounded. He glanced down and saw that both sides had sticks pointed at him. Within mere inches of touching him. One stuck sharply into small of his back. He scowled and took a breath, fully intending to swear every single swear word in his considerable vocabulary, when he felt a stick jab him just under his chin. He lifted it up slightly as if the stick were a knife.
"Quiet you. Hands up where I can see them."
Ed knew the voice belonged to Scarface, and he scowled more. Head pounding even more in his anger. Unable to do anything else, he blinked the pain back. Slowly, he raised both hands from his sides and splayed his fingers. The wand moved away from his neck.
"Accio wand."
Seconds stretched into the night. Ed raised his eyebrows, trying to place the command.
"Accio wand!!" Scarface said, anger evident in his voice.
Ed heard someone snicker beside him, and heard Scarface grumble a quick "Shut it."
Ed's left wrist was grabbed by a rough hand from behind him, and his coat sleeve was pushed up to his elbow. His shirt sleeve beneath followed suit. He hissed as the forearm was twisted in an awkward angle. It was held like that for such a long time, that Ed was beginning to wish he could transmute with his feet.
Just then, his stomach flipped. He closed eyes and gritted his teeth. He wasn't about to let these whatever they were see just how bad off he was.
"Enough, Moody. Move the light." That voice was softer...almost kind in tone. Ed opened his eyes and rolled them to his right side, where the voice had come from. There, stood a man, looking very very sick. Kind eyes. Brown hair with flecks of gray. Several feet taller than himself.
'Of course. Just watch those short jokes. There better not be any short jokes.' he thought.
His left wrist was released with such force he stumbled a bit, and a wave of dizziness struck him. He caught himself before he hit the ground. Barely. He noted that if he were more with it, this wouldn't be that much of a problem. When Ed straightened himself, he felt the weight of a hand on his right housing. He stiffened, and tried to jerk it off, but the sickly man moved to squat in front of him. Ed turned his head away, well aware that there were still those sticks at his back. Kind fingers took hold of his chin and pulled, making him face forward. Then those same fingers forced his chin up, and pushed it to the other side.
'He's looking at my..neck?' Ed thought. Ed raised his eyebrows.
"Didn't anyone think to give him chocolate?" The sickly man said.
Ed heard a snort.
"He WAS passed out on a bathroom floor. You really think he'd be able to keep it down?" Scarface said.
His chin was pulled down. Ed winced as a bright light, on the tip of a stick, was shined his eyes.
The sickly man looked in...no...at his eyes.
"Concussion. A pretty bad one. It's a wonder you're still walking, especially after..." He announced. The sickly man looked down and reached into his pocket. He withdrew a brightly colored, foil wrapped something. It looked like a small rock.
"Oh no you don't, Lupin!" Scarface said.
"Shut it, Mad-Eye. He's just a kid." A female voice this time. Ed felt a vein in his temple throb as his temper rose. KID? His mind roared.
"You can put your arms down now. My name is Lupin. What's yours?" Lupin offered the foil wrapped something out to him. Ed scowled, and lowered his arms slowly. He held his hands close to his chest and turned slightly, keeping Lupin in his sight at the same time as he looked at those he knew were behind him.
He stumbled back a step when he saw the hair of the female change colors from orange to green.
His mind screamed ENVY!!! painfully cutting through the throbbing pain he had pushed down in his head. He brought up his hands trying to contain it..Keep it from spilling out onto the ground. Squeezing his eyes shut. Willing it back down...as he always did.
It wasn't working, but it had to. Just had to. He clenched his teeth, hissing. Sound escaped anyway. Little more than a whimper. He wasn't aware of much more after.
He felt the wound in his chest..become a gaping hole once more. Felt his life slipping away from him in a river of blood. He couldn't breathe.
A hand on his back. How can that be if he was lying on his back?
The sick slurping sound of Envy's arm made as it wetly exited from his chest filled his ears. Envy's grin as he licked the blood off his arm right before his eyes. Right before...He had to get up. Can't just give up.
Can't move.
He grabbed the arm and turned, just so. Throwing Envy as far away as he could. Then he stumbled and was on the ground, on his protesting stomach. Breathing hard.
Can't move.
Body Mind Spirit. He did it. Opened the inner gate in place were alchemy didn't exist. He was...
:::
Complete novel available!
You can now access all my latest crossover stories and exclusive content on Ko-fi! Visit ko-fi.com/queenofkings2000 to dive into new adventures and support my writing journey.
Thank you for your amazing support!