The People You Meet in the Afterlife

Franz Kefka

His last thought was Hanna, before he lost consciousness he saw her running up to him screaming for help. But he knew there was no helping him. His lower half was in the gut of a Titan.

"Franz!!!!!"

"Hanna!!!!", Franz's eyes popped open. His hand was reaching out, but there was no one there.

He reached down, relieved that he had his lower half back, at least he wouldn't wonder whatever this place was with half a body.

Thinking now to his surroundings, his eyes adjusted to the bright blue sky and the sunlight. He sat up and realized was sitting on the shore of what looked like a very large lake.

"That's a lot of waves for a lake" he muttered to himself.

He took a deep breath in. It smelled salty, the breeze was salty, it made him thirsty. So he shakily stood up and headed to the waters edge, cupped his hands and took a big gulp.

If he could die twice he would have choked to death.

"What the hell?? This water is so salty!!, What kind of lake is this?!?", Franz said out loud.

Exhausting from dying, and then vomiting sea water, Franz sat at the waters edge. The horizon looked so close yet so far.

He thought of Hanna, and his heart sank. He cradled his head in his hands. "I couldn't protect her, I left her behind, facing that hell all on her own".

He remembered when he first met Hanna. They had all spent all day in training.

Franz had decided to take a walk in the woods near the cadet camp, really think about what he had gotten himself into. He came upon Hanna in a clearing, she was staring out at a lake, she looked upset. He sat down next to her on the log, the lake was illuminated by the stars in the sky.

"You seem upset", Franz said.

"I think it just hit me what I've got myself into", she said. She turned to look at Franz.

He was taken aback by her soft brown eyes and the light freckles that dotted her face.

"I mean we are just kids, and we will still be kids when we graduate, but I honestly feel like I had a choice, joining the military is the only way to survive her, if you are  alone". She said quietly.

"You don't have family". Franz asked.

She shook her head. "My mom died when I was young, and my dad was killed by a Titan when Wall Marie fell, and titans found their way into my village, and now here I am."

"I'm so sorry about your family...."

"Hanna, Hanna Diament", she said offering her hand.

He took her hand, "Franz Kefka".

"You know it seems like a lot of cadets feel like they were forced into this, losing family and such, except that Eren kid, he's so intense", Hanna said with a morbid laugh.

"So why are you hear Franz?", Hanna asked looking into his eyes. He felt as if Hanna was staring into his soul.

"I think it was to make my dad proud, but now I feel like I've just caused more worry for him and my mom, rather than pride, also with food being a scarce as it is for citizens, I thought it would help take some of the burdens off of my family".

"That's very noble of you, but also it just feels so messed up that kids have to fight these monsters, just to have food", Hanna said with a sigh.

"What branch are you going into?" Franz asked.

"Well I know I'm not going to make it to the top 10,  not with people like Annie and Mikasa in the running, so probably the Garrison, definitely safer than the Survey Corps, they have a pretty high body count".

"Yeah it's going to be a tough time getting into the top 10. I thought about the Survey Corps, but to be honest, I'm not really super concerned about what lies beyond the walls, I just want to live ya know, I'd like to make it to 18 at least", Franz said with a laugh.

Hanna return the laugh, and Franz found her laugh comforting.

The 2 talked a few more hours about anything and everything, and had agreed to meet here every so often.

As time has passed, their friendship had grown into love.

Franz felt the tears in his eyes. "Hanna, I'm so sorry I couldn't keep my promise, but please just stay alive", he began to sob into his hands.

*******************

The afternoon sun was starting to get low in the sky. Casting a warm orange glow across the water. The sobbing had stopped, but Franz was still lost in memories. He didn't even hear the horses approaching him.

"Oi you there?? You new here??", a female's voice called out.

Franz turned around, a young woman with dark red hair was trotting towards him on a horse.

Before he could answer, 3 more people rode up behind her.

"Franz!!!", Mina called out to him. She hopped off her horse, and ran towards him.

"Oh Franz" she said throwing her arms around him. "I'm so sorry your here, please tell me Hanna is alright".

"Right, Mina and Hanna had become close friends  during training", he thought to himself. "Wonder if Hanna knows Mina's dead now"

"Mina, it's good to see you but I'm sorry too, as far as I know Hanna is still alive, the last thing I remember was her running towards me". Franz said.

"Franz!", Milieus and Thomas soon joined them. "What the hell happened man?"

"Honestly, it happened so fast, I can't remember, one minute I'm going to start my attack on a Titan, then next I'm missing my lower half bleeding out"

Thomas turned pale, "you....you were bitten in half?"

Franz nodded, "yeah, but I think I was in so much shock it didn't really register to me what was happening, but I know Hanna is devastated, and will be heartbroken to learn that Mina is gone too".

"Well your not alone here", said the woman he first saw. "Name's Isabel Magnolia, pleased to meet ya!"

"Franz Kefka, you seem a bit perky for being dead", He said.

"Well when you've been dead for a while, you kinda get use to it. Plus you don't have views like this behind the walls" Isabel outstretched her arms to the ocean.

"As long as you don't try to drink from the water", Franz said, "it's so salty".

"So it is the sea then!" Milelus said excitedly.

"The sea?"

"Something Armin used to talk about, stuff he read in a book" Thomas said. "We actually were out here to show Mina"

Franz took in the sea, the salt air, and the sunset on the horizon. He was glad to not be alone here, but he really wished Hanna could see this view.