A/C: So much for faster…

*12*12*12*

Monstrous gaps appeared in the stone of the road, again the morbid scars were apparent. Alphonse griped the armed plank tightly, playing the scenes that took place on this road only a few hours ago.

Goal, go to hospital find some things that might help, and make a speedy return to their unpleasant makeshift camp. Walking alongside the buildings, spotting a pole straight ahead. Reaching it, there was a town map bolted to it. Perfect! Looking all over the little signs, and titles to them. His eyes roamed over the large '' glancing at the key, sure enough it was the hospital. According to the map there would be at least another dozen map poles like this on his way there. So, just remember where the last one was and make his way from there.

Drifting away from the spot he once stood a fizzling sound could be heard not far from where he now stood. Looking all around, there was nothing. What was making that terrible sound? An ally seemed to be echoing the horrific waves, cautiously drifting in the direction, raising the board just in case. On a barrel sat a little red radio, it was making all that ruckus. Picking the obvious scarp up, the on/off switch was found rather quickly. The eerie part was that it was in 'on' position. How could it have been left on? Shouldn't it be flat out dead because of the rain? At least it hadn't been 'off' that would have just been-. Just then a box in front of him moved. Shifting back, running into a figure, twisting his head with a crack, he was surrounded by two figures. They had no arms and in the center was a black oozing hole. The rest of there decayed figure was thin skin with there dead veins showing bright through. None of that was what struck horror in to poor Alphonse though. These things had no faces. Just knurled lumps on there heads.

No. No, those were their heads.

Suddenly they both lurched back and the black hole puckered, foreseeing what to come, Alphonse ducked pulling his white button up tunic up over his head. Black goo erupted from the demons' chests' at one another. Bodies writhing in pain upon the ground. Al took this opportunity and ran off away. Suddenly he realized he still had the radio in hand as the white noise began to fade the farther he got away from those wretched things. Stopping at a point that the fuzzy sound was almost inaudible, swinging his arm up in the direction he came from. The noise got slightly louder, so was it a detector or what? Fizzling began to get more obnoxious again, why? In the distance from the ally he had been in, they were coming back. Frightened and unwilling to beat a creatures brains out unlike his brother, Alphonse ran to the next post rather quickly from the stumbling demons.

Running allowed time to think, and boy was he thinking. 'What the hell was that? There aren't supposed to anything during the day is there? I didn't see them… wait yes I did! I saw those things last night. This isn't good, I don't want to have to beat its simplified brains out!'

Lost in thought Alphonse did not hear the radio begin to fizzle again. Looking down at the polls' map, focusing on the next to the location of the hospital, and where he had just come from so he could get back. 'Okay, there's a map every few blocks and the hospital is about half a mile to the north. So if I keep running like this-' Suddenly the sucking, bubbling drawing back sound in his ear he had heard only a few minutes ago came once more. Whipping his head to the right, there the damn thing stood yet again. Twisting away 'flipsh' the pole started to violently decay and scream as it fell. Right on the demon 'splat'. Well, that was mortifying. That pole just saved Alphonse from killing something, despite its impurities. Turning, only another half mile and he can start getting back.

*12*12*12*

As the sight of the decaying hospital entered Alphonse's view something dawned on him. 'If there are those creatures out during day still, are there more in the buildings where its dark?' He just scared himself to the core, tremors erupting from the pits of his soul. He had to do this, for his brother. As well as for himself, so they could finally leave this place. One night has already been far to long to stand. Stepping up to the heavy old metal rusted doors, Alphonse peeked in. Scents of rotting corpses, vomit, and stale air filled his lungs. Turning quickly gagging heavily, his stomach clenched cripplingly as stomach-acid spewed abruptly. Slowly regaining his composure Al thought about and what the best way of doing this was. Opening his long sleeved button up once white tunic to get his undershirt. Ripping the short sleeves off of it, and tying the ends. Making a rather rough makeshift mask. Hopefully it would help little if at all.

Finally stepping into the horrific building, the mask helped little, but enough. This was the first room meaning that was the only one with any real amount of light. Maybe he could find a flashlight or something in the file cabinets behind the desk. His steps were rather careful as he eyed behind the counter on legs.

To his increasing relief there had been nothing sitting and waiting. Bending down and yanking at the cabinet. It wouldn't budge. 'Probably rusted shut by now. What could I use to force this open?' The answer was in his hand gall darn it. Mildly annoyed already with a swift stand the decayed nails smashed into the lock of the metal casing, nails braking, ricocheting about. Narrowing missing Alphonse. That wasn't the brightest thing to do.

Great, now he didn't have a weapon, all the nails were either in the lock and metal or on the floor. Glancing upon the desk, there sat keys. Gawking at them, Alphonse proceeded to 'facepalm'. How could he have been so headstrong without thinking to look around first! Ripping the keys from there once rather peaceful spot only to re-occupy them within the lock. That is after wrenching out the little spears jutting out. Dead wilted files lay at rest within the cabinet, in front of it all a large metal police flashlight. A pang of guilt ran through Alphonse as he took the heavy item, he didn't want to steal anything. Then again this was a ghost town, strike that. Zombie Town.

Gulping loudly the sound of his taping steps echoed down the abyss like hallway. Just barely did this bright flashlight pierce the darkness. Slithering, moaning, groaning, beating, and much more could be heard clearly to him. For a moment Alphonse thought about running back, when he reached the end of the hall. A large map of the hospital on said wall, scoping it out a bit, the storage room for everything was in the basement.

He had half a mind to turn around right now, and pray that something else might not pop up.

Clunk. Clunk. Clunk.

Alphonse's head spun around quickly fallowing where the sound continued to emanate from. Nothing from the darkness, but it was defiantly on the other side of the hallway. Shoe rubber creaked in protest, even inanimate objects objected his moving away from the wall. Then suddenly, a little girls laugh? With that Alphonse took off down the hall. The hissing radio growing louder as he made his way down. Taking slow heavy breaths, silent prayers being softly spoken in his mind. Forced to stop momentary with the length of the corridor.

Then one step, two step, three step. A single shiver ran up his spine. Feeling breath run along the back of his neck. A single word touched the inside of his ear, 'Boo'.

Like that Alphonse rushed down the hall again, squeaking moments of panic. His shoes slapping the tile floor loudly. Feeling that single creature following him still. Flying down the first flight of stairs he could find. Then one more flight, then just one more until a sign told him he was as far down as he could get.

Having turned on the flashlight ages earlier, panting heavily as his weary figure slumped against the wall. Looking back up the staircase, there came soft steps. Quickly bolting up to the only door, yanking it open about to walk in but stopping in his tracks. Thousands of beetles poured out from a doorway within the storage room. Behind them stood a massive man with a metal pyramid like head. Not having noticed Alphonse yet he slammed the door shut. Turning around to see what had been following him. Shrieking at the very top of his vocal cords.

*12*12*12*

Edward sat there writhing in pain. Clawing at the mattress beneath him. Tears building at the corners of his eyes. His whole body felt like it was being eaten away by the acid that now coursed through him. Sweat had drenched his entire being ages ago.

"Al-Alphonse…" Panting out desperately as his vision blurred. He had broken, needing some sort of living grip on reality. But his reality was gone, it had left to help him find his head again. His health.

Finger's twitching to do something, violently they contracted and stretched. Becoming rhythmic so that Ed could focus on something. Suddenly heavy heaves escaped his lungs. Coughing so violently the sacks of air filling his chest burned.

Burning with such an intensity that it brought hot tears to his eyes. Hot liquid covering his face all over again, but no longer was it just his tears. With each heave same forth a thick paste from his throat. Bringing up a trembling hand did he lightly touch the substance leaking onto his features. Pulling back to inspect did he stiffen.

Thick black, blood?