The Month Of May

Chapter 33

"PLEASE, HELP ME!! HELP!! HE-GHP-"

I winced as the camera was overtaken by the crashing waves everywhere. It was swept up in the overarching flood, the same one that had isolated us within these walls. The person who had been screaming for help was long gone. After a couple of minutes, her body floated past the camera, her eyes blank and wide open, her limbs limp.

The camera suddenly cut once more, this time to a crowd of people. Their faces were sunken, their eyes completely white as their face sagged, their bodies moving dreadfully like corpses out of a grave. They moved as one unit, their mouths moving, but no words came out; only grunts and moans of pain. They were missing patches of hair, their clothes were battered and ripped, and boils covered their blotchy red faces.

"Help...We need...help..." Their voices filled the air, but no one remained. Corpses surrounded them, scattered on the ground as one by one, the unit grew smaller and smaller until there was no one left standing. I could feel Annie's eyes glued to the screen, and I couldn't even muster up the strength to squeeze her hand. I was frozen. The month of May had a tendency to remove any trace of anything in your body aside from fear.

The screen changed once more, to a room of skeletons. Upon closer inspection, I could see that these bodies were still alive; their skin was nearly nonexistent as their bodies lacked any source of nourishment. They tore at each other, desperate for any source of food...Blood flew across the room, flesh torn out as the fight for survival continued. Suddenly, the screen turned black, a scream echoing through the entire screening.

"What's happening?" Annie whispered next to me. I found it strange that she didn't know already; this was the most dreaded part of the entire month of May. The other events changed. This one did not. The screen flickered back, revealing a room full of bloody carcasses and one woman, a large butcher knife in her hand as she sliced and diced on someone's now lifeless body. The head lolled over as the lady moved the body, revealing the now dull gray eyes of a young boy. Black hair spilled over the table. His complexion was similar to Mikasa's, a fact that chilled me to the core every time. I could feel Annie's hand clutching against mine, the crowd of people all huddling together in fear while wanting to look away, physically unable to tear their eyes off of the screen.

The chaos continued, about twenty more images and gruesome videos playing before the screen finally disappeared. It was over...for today. Yet, I could hardly move. Fear gripped through my entire body, and it seemed to be the same for everyone else as no one made a move to leave.

These walls...we needed them. Without them, everything I just watched would come to fruition once more...I couldn't allow that to happen. Hopefully, I'd be on the field soon...to prevent this from ever happening.

"...None of this is true."

I turned my head, confused at Annie's words. Her eyes were still glued to the black screen. I could see the venom in her glare, and I furrowed my brow.

"What do you mean-?" I tried to ask, but Annie just abruptly stood before leaving. After a moment, I followed her. She was standing in the debris, not near any remaining standing buildings. No one else was around us. "Annie-"

"...Why did you follow me?" Annie's gaze shifted to me. I hesitated, shifting from foot to foot.

"Well, I wanted to know what you meant. How would you know?"

"...It's...just a hunch," was all Annie replied with, her eyes shifting toward the walls around us. "That's all."

I didn't think it was. But how? How would she know what was there? I was missing something...but what? Mikasa's suspicions echoed in my memory about Annie...but how would Annie even know? How would she have the opportunity-

She came out of nowhere without any place of residence, no knowledge of even the most basic understandings of our cultures...

No. There was no way she could even be responsible for it. She was just a girl. Her blonde hair framed her face as the wind blew all around us. I glanced around at the debris, my eyes landing on the one house that was still standing; mine.

Mine...why was mine the only one left standing?

Annie's eyes met mine, and suddenly, something clicked.

A detail I hadn't thought too much about.

The color of Annie's eyes...

They matched the Titan that had ravaged the town.

That Titan had blonde locks like Annie, the same blue eyes, was smaller than the previous one...and it had spared my house...was it possible...was it...?
No, it didn't work out with the times...

But it most definitely did.

The assassination of Niles...she had taken a sick day, the perfect opportunity to slip away and...do it. The Titan's rampage, I hadn't been home for.

"Annie-" was all I could manage, a shocked expression on my face. Her features remained neutral as she played with her ring. I somehow managed to sputter out my words, "you...you're leading all of this...?"

Her eyes remained on mine, her blonde bangs falling in her face.

Then, she threw back her head...and laughed.

My blood ran cold at the sound of it.