hopeless | jean kirstein

9 | ashes

Eren had succeeded in sealing the broken gate, thus marking the battle as humanity's first ever victory against the Titans. Since then, the forces had taken to eliminating all the ones remaining in the city, and the sounds of the canons could be heard booming day and night.

But even though they had won over the Titans, there were far too many losses and casualties for them to celebrate. For them, things felt more of a defeat than a victory.

Cleaning up the city of Trost was no easy task. It had been two days since the battle and the place was littered with debris everywhere, making it all the more harder for them to make any progress. Letting out a sigh of exhaustion, Taryn wiped the layer of sweat starting to form on her forehead, before moving to adjust her mask, securing it. She, along with a few others, had been tasked with what must be the most difficult job of all—cleaning up the bodies.

Rather, what was left of them.

She felt sick to the stomach as she stared at the mountain of corpses they had gathered, their mangled limbs and mutilated bodies presenting themselves as a horror that would surely haunt her until the end. She wondered whether any of these people were her parents, but she had no way of knowing as most of them were too disfigured for anyone to try and identify.

Turning her attention to the other corner, she came face to face with another pile of bodies covered in a yellowish slime they were told was Titan vomit. Since the Titans had no means of digestion, they resorted to throwing up everything they had in their stomachs to make room for more, something that made her blood boil in anger. They took so many lives, only for them to puke them out when they've had their fill? As if all these people were nothing?

She took a ragged breath and forced herself to look away. It was no use mulling over things that had already happened. Titans will be Titans, and they will continue to prey on people until humanity decides to fight back. Or until they've devoured each and every one of us, she thought grimly. Whichever happens first.

Pulling on her gloves, she began to make her way to the few people they had left to take care of. She suddenly caught sight of Annie standing over the bodies, muttering things and looking seemingly frightened.

"I'm sorry..." Taryn heard her say. "I'm sorry." At the sound of approaching footsteps, the girl instantly looked up and met her gaze, the sheer emotion shining in her eyes making her take a step back in slight surprise.

Annie was never known to be emotional, she always looked bored and uninterested in everything that happened. Yet this time, her gaze looked regretful, maybe even apologetic. To say that her state came as a shock to her was an understatement.

"Annie," She started, hesitantly taking a few steps toward her. "Is something wrong?"

Annie shook her head lightly at the sight of her approaching, stumbling back a few steps away from the girl. She then started to tremble, but whether it was from fear or another emotion, she didn't know.

"I'm sorry," She said again, this time sounding a bit more sincere, thus making Taryn all the more confused at her strange behavior. "I'm sorry—"

"Apologizing won't help," A voice cut in, revealing Reiner with Bertholdt following shortly behind him. "Just mourn his passing."

"You're a warrior, Annie."

As if a switch, Annie stopped shaking. His words seemed to bring her back to reality as Annie's face immediately twisted into her usual stoic expression. It looks as though there was an unspoken agreement between the two, and Taryn could only dart her eyes between them as she wondered what was happening.