surrender. (aot)

chapter 2

We arrived on land. It was morning, which meant it took us a day to get here. Eren was asleep. Everyone stepped off of the boat. Mikasa picked Eren up and carried him off the boat. We took shelter under a barn-looking tunnel. Eren woke up by the loud sound of the church bells ringing. Eren's eyes opened wide while he gasped for air.

"Eren, you're awake!" I laughed.

"Eren. It's okay, you were just dreaming." said Mikasa.

"I think I was with Father..." Eren rubbed his head.

"It was a dream." Mikasa replied.

"Eren, are you alright?" I asked.

"Y-yeah." He answered.

"Come on guys, I think they're handing out food rations." said Mikasa. Eren looked down at the necklace his father gave him and tucked it into his shirt, then he got up.

"Where did Armin go?" I wondered to myself.

Me and Eren followed Mikasa outside. She lead us to a stone hall with a bunch of giant windows without glass showing the outside of the town.

"I think this used to be where they stored all the dry goods," Mikasa began, "Now it's where they corral the refugees."

I gazed into the distance putting my hand in front of my forehead. I saw soldiers giving bread to the refugees.

"Hey, Get in line!" A man shouted while pushing a villager.

"Shut up! I haven't eaten in 2 days!" Another man shoved him.

"Eren! Nika! Mikasa!" A familiar voice called out. I looked to my left, it was Armin running with a bunch of bread in his hands.

"A-Armin." said Eren.

"Glad I found you." Armin sighed in relief, "Grandpa scrounged a little extra by saying he has kids." Armin handed each of us a slice of bread.

"Thank you," I said, "I was starving."

Eren eyed the bread then looked up at a soldier that was giving him a dirty look. The soldier scoffed and walked away.

"What's his deal?" Eren asked, annoyed.

"There's nothing we can do about it." Armin replied, "There's a shortage of food. That is a whole day's ration."

I looked at my bread. "There are too many refugees. They were already dealing with famine before we got here." I sighed and looked up hoping to see my mom. I think she died because I couldn't see her on the boat. I looked down to prevent my tears from falling down.

"There's strife between the locals and outsiders." said Eren. I looked where Eren was looking, there were men fighting over food.

"Why are we giving our food to the refugees?" The soldier who gave us a dirty look asked another soldier. We all gasped looking at him.

"Since the Titans broke through, they should've eaten a few more people so there would be fewer refugees." The soldier smirked.

Me, Mikasa, Eren and Armin looked at the soldier in anger and disgust.

"H-Hey!!" I shouted clenching my fists I was about to throw my hands at the soldier, but Eren stopped my by putting his hand on my shoulder.

"Wait here." He said while walking towards the soldier.

"Eren!" Armin shouted.

"It's for certain we'll have less food." The soldier explained.

Eren went up to him and violently kicked him in the leg.

"Ow!" The soldier cried, "What are you doing, you brat!?" He punched Eren in the face, following another soldier kicking him to the ground.

"You don't know what it's like!" Eren shouted, "You haven't even seen it happen!!"

I widened my eyes wondering how Eren had the courage to do that.

"How a Titan eats a human!" Tears filled Eren's eyes while he argued. 

"Shut it!" The soldier was close to kicing Eren but Armin went in front of him. 

"He's sorry!" Armin shouted, "He's frustrated because he's hungry." 

"Y-Yeah just leave him alone!!" I screamed at the soldier. 

"That's why he lashed out! I'm really sorry!" Armin cried. 

"Yeah, well..." The soldier began, "You all won't starve because of what we're doing for you." He stormed away, "Even kids need to have some gratitude." 

Mikasa sat beside Eren on the floor while I stood beside Armin in front of them. 

"Okay!" Armin smiled. 

"Damn it." Eren grumbled, "I'm not going to be grateful for someone like him." 

"Come on Eren let's go." I extended my arm to help him up. He took it and I helped him get up. 

We all walked back to the stone hall. Eren sat down up on one of the stones. 

"I'll go back to Wall Maria. I'll kill all those Titans." Eren promised. I looked at him concerned as he looked down on the ground. 

"Eren, you're not serious, are you?" Armin smiled. 

"I'm serious!!" Eren jumped in anger, "I'm not like those stuck-up soldiers!" 

"Eren, do you think you can fight all of them by yourself?" I asked.

Eren looked at me. "I don't want this!!" He threw his bread at Armin. 

"E-Eren, you're going to starve!" Armin stammered. 

"Aren't you frustrated?" asked Eren, "You can't beat those Titans by accepting food through charity!!" He screamed at Armin. 

"That's impossible! You can't beat them!" Armin argued, "We have no other choice but to live within these walls! If you're unreasonable, you'll die just like my mother and father!" 

"So you're going to bow your head to those bastards?! Aren't you embarrassed?!" Eren shouted. 

"I have no choice right now!" Armin cried. 

"People are just saying that!" Eren replied, "Why don't you continue living like cattle, you coward!!!" 

Armin gasped.

I flinched back of how loud Eren's tone was. Mikasa ran up to him and punched Eren in the face, making him fall to the ground. 

"Mikasa." Me and Armin gasped. Mikasa stared at Eren on the floor. We all looked at him. 

"If Armin is a coward, then we are all cowards." said Mikasa, "We've depended on other people to flee from the Titans. The food we have today is because of charity." 

Eren pushed himself up and sat on the floor. I just stood there and watched like I didn't know what was going on. 

"There's no way that cowards like us could kill a single Titan," Mikasa began, "Just like what your mother said, surviving is the most important thing." Mikasa snatched the bread from Armin and shoved it in Eren's mouth. 

"Mikasa!" said Armin. 

"Eat it. You have to survive. Eren, I'm not gonna let you starve." said Mikasa. Eren started crying. Tears streamed down his face. I went up to him and squatted down to his level. 

"Don't worry." I said, "We will beat them once and for all one day." 

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Authors note: 

Hello! So half of  what these characters say is from Episode 2 of aot! I hope you are looking forward to this series :) See you in chapter 3.