PARTING OF THE WAYS

Unchanging

In the crystal, Annie couldn't feel anything. She couldn't move or speak. But she could see a blond boy looking at her. Him. He looked so sad and solemn. He called her name again and again while holding a conch shell. First he annoyed her because she couldn't respond. But then she was so lonely. Him coming to see her was when she would feel much better. She would hear his thoughts and feelings. Sometimes he told her of what was happening around. Hitch was there too. But the constant one was him. Her angel in green, with golden hair and soothing voice. There was a gap of time when he didn't come to see her at all and it made her miserable. Then she realised, was this love? How could she still love while being like this? Would he ever know? She wanted to tell him so bad. She wanted to tell him what he meant to her, from the beginning, until now. Until one day she heard Eren's voice and the crystal shattered...

"Annie, Annie, wake up. Don't scare me darling, please wake up"

It's the same pleading voice she heard when she was a crystal for 4 years.
She wanted too but her head was heavy. But she managed to force her eyes to open a bit. She saw her husband looking at her with a worried look. Annie called him 'husband shuush...my head hurts' Armin immediately looked confused. Then Annie remembered he was no longer his husband.

"Annie, I need you to wake up" he said strongly. Then panic struck his face "Are you hurt somewhere Annie? Can you move, did it hurt anywhere..?"

Yes dear, Annie answered groggily. She didn't feel anything except shards of glasses scratched her. Annie looked at her surrounding and realised she was in a car. She remembered now. But something was wrong. The car was slanted downward towards the front. She saw the driver limping and lifeless. That really shocked her eyes wide open. Armin had a gash of wound on his head because he slammed into the front window. Blood trickled his forehead. Annie heard shouts outside. Annie tried to move but the car was creaking. Armin stopped her from moving. Apparently, the driver was shot to the head and the car that had been following them rammed into their car. The car turned and almost fell off a cliff but they were saved because there was a tree beside the cliff. The problem was, the tree held the front part of the car and the back part of the car was still on the cliff. Annie was seated at the back while Armin was still next to the driver's seat. Annie started to panic. She started to breathe heavily.

Armin carefully told her to take a few deep breaths. When he saw she had calmed down, he called her softly,

"Annie, I have a plan about this."

Annie listened intently.

"The back window was smashed. Now you could unbuckle your seat belt and climb out"

Annie realised something was wrong with that plan.

"Wouldn't that create an imbalance and this car would fall off the cliff?" she said in horror.

"It won't. The car is ok. I just need you to get out first and then I will follow you"

"I moved a bit just now and the car was creaking like crazy. Are you kidding me?"

Armin still insisted it would be ok. Annie unbuckled and moved towards the front seat. Armin shouted telling her to stop. They were quite near to each other that Annie thought she could at least hold his hands

"Don't lie Armin. I can always see you when you lie"

Armin gave her that look that he always had when he's annoyed. Ha!

"Ok Annie, ok. Now listen, I'm going to talk about this logically and sensibly. It can be done. I mean, I need you to save yourself. We are in a precarious situation. I don't know the car's situation right now but I assume you and me are keeping it afloat. Which is good cuz we can save ourselves. I need you to climb out first so that then I could climb out"