Born To Die | Attack On Titan

Chapter Four |

I had one singular thought in my head: It was too damn hot to be out here.

The clothing I had covered every inch of my body. Leather reigns strapped along my chest and thighs. The leather boots came up to my knees and the simple jacket they gave us upon our arrival carried the symbol of a cadet-in-training. The layers of clothing burned beneath the sun's rays and I itched with the desire to take it off.

Although I had a distaste of the choice of clothing and the direct hit of the sun, I kept my grimace from showing. At least my hair was pulled into a braid. The thought of that little great thinking almost made me pat myself on the back. Almost.

I thought more about it. I couldn't be the only one to hate the situation. If the others around me hated the situation as much as me, they had a good way of hiding it. Though, now looking at the people around me, I couldn't help but wonder why they were truly here. They were not from the same district as I. They seemed to have lived a lot lavisher than me. Most importantly, they didn't experience that fateful day as I did. My only guess is that they could live flourishing and basking in the rewards for doing the bare minimum when they choose the Police regiment after their training. Well, if they ranked that high.

I thought back to the Garrison at Wall Maria. They wasted away their days with liquor by their sides and a deck of playing cards in front of them. They were too drunk to even care for the various fights in the streets before them. And when the time called for them, they were nothing more than drunken cowards in a wolf's den.

I don't know if that fateful day opened their eyes. I could only hope that it did and if it didn't, they're more nauseous than I thought.

I'm starting to sound like Eren.

I felt myself cringe as I thought of the little green-eyed boy, who always causes a ruckus anywhere he goes.

It's only been forty-eight hours since I left the trio. In those forty-eight hours I've thought about the trio and their well being. Were they okay? Have Titans invaded them yet? Are they having to do harsh labor already? Has Eren started trouble again? Are they sticking together like I asked them to? Are they surviving?

I shook myself from those thoughts. There's no point in letting these thoughts overcome me. They're fine. It's only been two days since I separated from them. Nothing has happened to them. They're okay. And they'll continue to be okay once I get through this training and get the answers I need for everything that has happened. No matter how long it takes to do so.

"Straighten up your spines, pig-shits! The 102nd Cadet Corps Boot Camp starts now!" A loud booming voice rang out. Ahead of us were a singular man. He stood tall despite the growing dark circles beneath his eyes. From where I stood, I could see the harsh lines on his forehead, which I'm guessing came from the years serving the military.

"Allow me to introduce myself: I'm Commandant Keith Sadies; And you will grow to hate me. Training is gonna be a white-knuckle ride through Hell. If I've done my job, you'll be waking up in a cold sweat from memories of this place every night for the rest of your miserable lives. Right now, you're nothing. Livestock. But over the next three, soul-crushing years, you'll learn to take down your own Goliath. Remember this moment when you come face to face with him, 'cause here's where you ask yourself: Am I a fighter, or am I feed? Am I gonna be ground up to pulpy human grist 'tween boulder-sized incisors? Or am I gonna be the one to bite?"

It was silent as everyone gathered the speech into their thoughts. Still keeping the atmosphere silent, we all watched the man step down from his podium towards us. His eyes skimmed each and every cadet.

"Hey, you!"

Commandant Sadies stopped in his tracks in front of a boy who seemed a little bit older than me. His hair was as bright as ginger and although I could only stare at his back, I assumed his eyes were just as bright.