angelic | jean kirstein

chapter fourteen

ANGELIC – CHAPTER FOURTEEN

There were plenty of things Isabel was thinking as she allowed herself to be dragged further back in the tunnel by the collar of her shirt, but the only one she could place her finger on was a harsh vile feeling of betrayal. Isabel was never a friend to Annie, she was a pawn, and she had been used.

She swallowed the bile that rose in her throat and balled her fists, the tears now streaming down her cheeks like streams. She couldn't believe that she considered Annie family only for her to turn out to be the enemy, she couldn't believe she had been so stupid. Her mind wandered to the plans the pair had said they'd do once they were ready - move to a quiet village and start their own families, have their kids become friends just like they had many years ago, live free once the titans were gone.

Isabel shook her head as she forced her eyes closed, her head shaking in denial. They were never Annie's plans, she had never suggested them, she merely just nodded her head and changed the subject. "I'm so stupid!" Isabel cried loudly as a bright green glowed from the entrance, dead bodies being flung.

"She tricked us all, Isabel." Armin said quietly as he slowly released his grip on Isabel, instead taking her hand in his and pulling her further back, out of the way of the large hand that was now reaching down the passage. "You're not stupid, come on, we have to get further down." He said softly, looking up at the taller girl as they jogged down the dimly lit passage.

Mikasa turned her head to face the bawling soldier, pity in her eyes but her face remained cold. She truly felt bad for Isabel, she had lost her best friend and learnt she was the reason so many of her comrades had died in one day. "Try to compose yourself, Isabel. I understand it's hard but we need you to help us take her down, can you try to do that for us?"

Isabel inhaled sharply and nodded before she pulled up her spare hand and wiped away the tears, she looked back at Armin and gave him a nod and he released her hand from his, a sad smile on his lips. Mikasa's right, she thought, she'll kill us all if I can't get my emotions in control.

"We're switching to plan B, Eren." Armin stated as he looked over at the titan shifter. "She's all yours. Got it?"

Eren nodded his head hesitantly. "Yeah."

"Over here!"

Isabel turned her head away from Eren and looked over at one of the soldiers waving them over, "what happened? Is plan A a no-go?"

"I'm afraid so." Armin shouted back. "As of now we're going with the backup option."

Isabel's eyes slowly lifted to the beams of light that slowly shone down on his head, her eyes widened as realisation kicked in. "Wait! Get back-" Her fingers hooked around Armin's hood quickly and yanked him back from the light as Annie's large foot kicked a hole in the ceiling, instantly crushing squad 3.

A large gust of air mixed with debris flew towards the quartet, bits of stone sliced through her skin, leaving a small trail of blood to slide down from below her eye. Isabel raised her index finger and swiped it along the cut, tinting her finger red. She groaned, again? The last one just healed.

"Thank you." Armin whispered quietly before he turned his attention back to the hole in the roof. "She caved in the ceiling. . ."

"We've got to pull them out of there!"

"Eren! Get back!" Mikasa scolded as she yanked him back by his hood.

Isabel shook in anger as she looked up through the hole to see Annie standing looking down at them, she could've sworn steam was coming out of her ears from how angry she was. The silver-haired girl took a deep breath before she took a few steps back, her attention back on the trio behind her. "I need you guys to listen to me."