Anime High

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-

Edward stood up and flung his clock against the wall, shattering it into a million pieces. One piece hit a picture, knocking it off the wall. Edward leaned down and picked it up. The smiling faces of his brother, Winry, and himself, looked at each other. The picture had been taken on Al's birthday by their mother.

(See Above)

He ran his finger over Winry's face. A drop of water hit the frame. Ed touched his face and felt tears. He brushed them away and replaced the photo on the wall.

The silence that filled his room was almost as loud as the clock had been. He sank to the ground and covered his ears. All he could hear was the blood pounding in his ears.

He wanted everything to stop.

He wanted the whole damn world to crash and burn.

He couldn't understand why everything was the same.

Suddenly there was a knock on his door.

It opened slightly and he saw Petra's caramel eyes staring at him.

He took his hands away from his ears and looked at the floor.

Petra didn't say anything. Instead she limped into his room and with some difficulty, sat on the floor next to him.

Neither of them moved for five minutes. Then slowly, Edward shifted so he could lean his head against the red heads shoulder. Petra spread her hand out towards him and he laced his fingers with her's. Petra almost gasped in pain as he squeezed her hand but she held it back. Instead she kissed the top of his head.

Edward felt tears fill his eyes again but this time he let them trickle down his cheeks.

"I got a call form your mother." Petra muttered. "She wanted to talk to you but I said you were asleep. I didn't tell her what happened yet, but I can if you want me to."

"No." Ed chocked out. "Don't tell her anything. Not until this is over."

"I had Mikasa tell me what's going on." his teacher said. "The old Sins are the ones who took Winry right?"

"I have to find her, Petra!" Edward cried. "I don't know what I'd do if she never came back!"

"She will!" she assured. "We have the whole town looking for her. She can't be that far."

Edward nodded but still felt miserable. Winry had been in the ambulance on her way to the hospital when it was attacked. The medics were all tied up in the back but Winry was gone.

Petra sat with Edward until she felt him fall asleep on her shoulder. She lloked up and saw Levi watching her from the doorway. She beckoned to him to help her, and the two of them lifted Edward onto his bed with out waking the boy.

The two adults stepped back and Petra frowned at the boy. He looked even smaller when he was asleep. His face didn't look angry or scared. His hair was out of his normal braid and some of it fell into his eyes. Petra leaned forward and brushed it away.

After a second, Levi took Petra's hand and led her into the hall. When they were alone, Levi pulled her against his chest. Petra let herself feel safe inside the man's strong arms.

"It's going to be okay." Levi whispered.

"Right." Petra muttered.

Then the phone rang down stairs.