Dark Valentine:

Simone’s Notes:

Numerous early Christian martyrs were named Valentine. The Valentines honored on February 14 are Valentine of Rome and Valentine of Terni. Valentine of Rome was a priest in Rome who was martyred about AD 269 and was buried on the Via Flaminia. His relics are at the Church of Saint Praxed in Rome, and at Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church in Dublin, Ireland. Valentine of Terni became bishop of Interamna about AD 197 and is said to have been martyred during the persecution under Emperor Aurelian. He is also buried on the Via Flaminia, but in a different location than Valentine of Rome. His relics are at the Basilica of Saint Valentine in Terni. The Catholic Encyclopedia also speaks of a third saint named Valentine who was mentioned in early martyrologies under date of February 14. He was martyred in Africa with a number of companions, but nothing more is known about him. No romantic elements are present in the original early medieval biographies of either of these martyrs. By the time a Saint Valentine became linked to romance in the 14th century, distinctions between Valentine of Rome and Valentine of Terni were utterly lost. In the 1969 revision of the Roman Catholic Calendar of Saints, the feast day of Saint Valentine on February 14 was removed from the General Roman Calendar and relegated to particular calendars for the following reason: "Though the memorial of Saint Valentine is ancient, it is left to particular calendars, since, apart from his name, nothing is known of Saint Valentine except that he was buried on the Via Flaminia on February 14." The feast day is still celebrated in Balzan where relics of the saint are claimed to be found, and also throughout the world by Traditionalist Catholics who follow the older, pre-Second Vatican Council calendar.

Valentine’s Day is supposed to be sweet and romantic. Not this year. The poison of malice was raining on such a romantic day. Damon still couldn’t face Carole. Meanwhile, Mustang had other things on his mind. He stood at the train station, waiting with the file in his hands. He looked over at the clock. It’s just about noon. “She should be here by now,” he thought. The train pulled in at noon. Mustang watched as the doors pushed open. The people flooded past him. The general kept his eyes locked on the people. Finally, he spotted her.

The woman looked more like a Barbie doll in a military uniform. Her strawberry blonde hair was tied back into a ponytail. She seemed to be looking around for someone. Mustang fought his way over to her through the crowd. The woman looked up and noticed the Flame Alchemist pushing all the way over to her. She quickly raised her arm and waved him over. Mustang spotted her and hurried right over to her. The woman quickly straightened herself up. Pretty soon, the man was standing right in front of her. She flashed him a sexy smile as she saluted to him.

“Afternoon, sir!” she said. “I am Lt. Stacy Oldman!”

“As you were,” Mustang replied. Stacy lowered her hand. Mustang looked her up and down. She looked at him in an odd way.

“May I ask what is wrong, sir?” she asked. Roy shook his head.

“Sorry,” he replied. “You’re just not what exactly I was expecting for this investigation.” Stacy raised an eyebrow at him.

“What were you expecting?” she asked. Mustang shrugged at her.

“Nothing,” he replied. “Just an older woman, I suppose.” Stacy giggled at him.

“I’ll accept that one just this once,” she replied.

“Really now?” Mustang questioned.

“If you take me out to lunch in return,” she added on. The major general raised his eyebrow at her.

“Are you asking me out on a date?” he asked. Stacy laughed again.

“Do you want it to be?” she asked. Mustang gave her a blank stare. A woman is bold to her superiors. He might have to watch out for this one. All reasons and more.

Meanwhile in the hospital, Alex was coming close to the core of his prison.

XXXI:

Heavy. It all looked the same. Alex kept walking and walking. The thin pink wall looked all the same. Where was he coming from? And where was he going? The lamb couldn’t understand it himself. But, he knew that he couldn’t stop. There was a reason for that.

I have to get home!” he thought. “I have to get out of here!” Then, came her giggling voice again. Her voice caught him off-guard this time. A little girl wasn’t laughing at him. This sounded more like a woman, but not really. The lamb paused and looked around.

“Who’s there?!?” he shouted. The giggling became more shrill.

“How many times do I have to tell you?” she asked. “You can’t leave!”

“That’s not true!” Alex cried.

“But, it is!” she said. “You can’t ever leave!”

“No!” the lamb cried. “I can get out of here! I heard Ella outside of my head, talking to me. I can get out of here, I know I can!” She laughed at him again.

“You poor little fool,” she said. “You may hear her, but she can’t hear you. You won’t get out of here, ever.”

“NO!” Alex shouted back. “I will get out of here! I will get home! I will! I will!” Alex began to try and run away along the pink walls. This maze kept going on and on. But, the lamb didn’t give.

I have to get home!” he thought. “I’ve got to get out of here!” The lamb began to run even faster. His pink-wall surrounding didn’t help him either.

XXXII:

Cold. Alex opened his eyes and saw his breath. He could feel himself lying down somewhere. Metal wires as far as the eye could see. He kind of laughed to himself. “This again?” he thought. “They could at least change some of the things in this place.” Be careful what you wish for is an understatement for this level.

Alex tried to get up, but found that he couldn’t. “What a surprise!” he thought in sarcasm. But this time, he felt something holding him down. Alex froze at the sensation. “W-What’s this?” he thought. Against his better judgment, the lamb slowly looked up. Spiked wires were holding his wrists and ankles down to the long, metal chain fence. His eyes darted around in different directions.

“Okay, I’m sorry I thought that!” Alex cried. “Please let me go! I won’t get cocky again, I swear!” Silence. A little hope sprang to life within the boy. “Maybe they’ll let me go now!” he thought. Keep on dreaming, lamby boy!

Suddenly, a drop fell onto his cheek. Alex slowly glanced above him. Another drop landed on his cheek. And then another. And then another. It didn’t end there. One drop became two following each other. Then two into four. Then, four into eight. This pattern continued until a whole flood poured down onto the boy. Alex struggled with no chance to escape.

“Please stop this!” he screamed over and over again. “I’ll be good, I promise! Please let me up from this! I won’t try to escape again! I promise! I promise! Just let me go!” His cries were drowned out by the water around him. Pretty soon, the cruel Valentine’s beast in liquid form subdued him and sank him under her heavy body. The lamb cried out no more.


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