Fic- The Scent of Smoke

[cornerofmadness]

Title --The Scent of Smoke
Author-- cornerofmadness
Disclaimer -- Arakawa owns all
Rating -- teen
Characters/Pairing -- Alphonse
Word Count -- 354
Warning -- angst
Summary -- He should be able to smell smoke
Author’s Note -- written for October Third day.

XXX


He should smell smoke. He could picture it, acrid and harsh, hurting his lungs. There was so much of it billowing around. At least the day was very still and the hungry fire devouring his home wasn’t in danger of spreading. He and Ed had thought of that and waited for a calm day.

He should feel the intense heat roiling off the inferno, but there is nothing. How could he see and hear but everything else be so dead to him? Al knew he shouldn’t question that and just be thankful for what was left to him. That didn’t stop him from wishing things were different. So very many things.

At the very least they should have given some mementos to Granny before they left, but Ed had been adamant that they couldn’t save anything. If they had even the smallest thing to cling to, they might be tempted to not move forward. Al didn’t really believe that. Ed might be able to live with the automail Winry and Granny had made for him, but how long could Al live inside his metal shell? Was he really even alive? Could he come back? Might there have been answers in their father’s alchemy books, the same ones that had been the author of their misfortune? Those thoughts had made Al sneak some of the books out and he posted them to Teacher. She would know what to do with them. Maybe one day he would get a chance to look them over again. Al wished Ed would have let him save Mom’s pictures. They wouldn’t have held him back.

No, Al had no way to go but forward, whether or not they obliterated every trace of their life here. He needed his body back. Having a home to return to wouldn’t have made a difference, but once Ed got an idea in his head, there was no dislodging it. He swiveled his big metal head toward his brother. Were his eyes red and swollen? If Al asked, Ed would just tell him they were irritated from the smoke.

Al knew he should smell smoke.

Comments

[ishte.livejournal.com]

Nice job.  I like the full circle nature of it.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Oh good, that part worked. I wondered.

[ishte.livejournal.com]

yep.  It worked just fine for me. 

[ishte.livejournal.com]

I tend to love stories that have this circular element to them. It also seems pretty appropriate to the FMA realm since arrays are generally circular in nature.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

that's a good point

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Oh good, that part worked. I wondered.

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Your story and mine kind of dovetail. Which is pretty cool.

I like this a lot. There's a lot of anguish in not very many words.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Yes, mine is the beginning and yours the end.

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

You're welcome!