A Long Dream

Names

While the others cut Daniel from the tree, Sarah sat on the steps of their cabin. The old wood creaked when Reiner stepped across the porch. He peered to the men gathering Daniel, then turned away. With a sad sigh, he removed his coat and placed it around Sarah's shoulder.

Startled, she jumped from her thoughts.

"Sorry. You looked cold," he said. The step shifted beneath his weight as he got comfortable next to her. His golden eyes focused on the men. "Some life, huh?"

Sarah curled into his jacket and turned away.

"He just left his kids behind... can you believe it? What kind of a man does that?"

"You weren't part of the invasion, were you?" she asked. Reiner leaned forward onto his fists. With a slight shake of his head, he gave his silent answer. "I was," she said. "The fear it... it makes you do things you never thought you would. I'm sure he thought his family was behind him. We're only human after all... we make mistakes."

"Some mistake," he scoffed. "Only a devil would do something so heartless."

She wiped a tear as it fell. With a sniff, she straightened. "He wasn't a devil. He was just a man." Their eyes met. "A man who made a terrible mistake."

He slowly turned away. The hardness of his eyes became softer as he contemplated her words. "You were in the invasion? You... saw the titans?"

She crossed her arms to hide her scars, though they were covered by his jacket. "My brother was crushed to death by a piece of the wall. My mother, she... she was torn from my arms and eaten alive."

He closed his eyes. Becoming stiff and angry, he exhaled a deep breath. "I'm... sorry..."

"Yeah," she wiped her nose. "Me, too."

"I saw you staring at him this morning. You must've been out there for hours." He fell silent as she turned away. "That isn't the answer, you know? What he did. Life is tough, but if we just hold on, it can get better."

"What if it doesn't?" Their gaze met, and he was speechless. "Until you've lost everything... you can't judge him for the choice he made."

"No... but I can still try to save you." She avoided his gaze. "So, you saw the colossal titan?"

She nodded. "He was far away. The armored was closer. He broke through the wall just after I escaped it." She paused with thought. "The funny thing is that, when I looked at him, he felt human. Like he was sad for what he had done."

Tense and repressed, Reiner became silent. Turning away, his jaw clenched and he stared unblinking. "That's stupid. The titans are mindless killing machines. They don't have thoughts or feelings."

"I know."

"Someone in the refugee camp was saying they must've been intelligent. Doing it on purpose. Caused such a riot they hanged him in the streets." He turned to witness her terrified expression. "It's best to keep your mouth shut about that. Wouldn't want anything happening to you."

Their attention moved to Bertholdt as he quietly approached the home. "Reiner," he said. "We should get to work."

With a nod, Reiner stood and followed his friend. With a glance to Sarah, their eyes connected, and he was overcome with sorrow.

Later that evening Sarah worked with the others to make vegetable soup. Annie passed her the potatoes, while Reiner and Bertholdt cut the corn and green beans.

The house was eerily silent. Only having been in the home for one day, Sarah wasn't sure how to act around them. When the sound of a cork popping echoed from the table, Sarah turned to find Reiner pouring a cup of wine.