hoax - Jean Kristein

1.2

843 , Marley

I had been tortured to the point where my mind was broken, I was so tired.

"You poor little thing, but you see, this is what is going to prepare you. Inheriting this titan isn't quite the same as the other, you don't need to turn into a mindless creature. Think of it this way, mother nature experiences so much pain constantly, and yet she still thrives. She still provides for her children, no matter the pain she endures, in fact she thrives under it. She fights it. The Tellus Titan isn't very different. To inherit it, you must experience so much pain that it breaks you, so that you can build yourself up. So that you can heal." he walked to his table, pulling out a syringe. "And you, my dear, are worthy of this titan, I'm sure of it. I can smell a fighter when I see one, even if it's not so obvious now."

Even the thought of moving hurt my body, so I couldn't do much when he approached me. My body wanted to flinch away, but it wasn't responding to my mind.

He took the syringe, and injected it straight into the back of my neck.

At that moment, I could feel it all.

I could feel the cool substance travel up and down my spine.

I could feel the subtle breeze of air somewhere.

I could feel the cold, hard ground under my feet.

I could feel it all.

My senses were so overwhelmed that I didn't even notice when I blacked out.

The following days,I was on bed rest, my injuries slowly healing. It confused me, how I didn't heal like the other bearers did. It felt a little unfair.

The commander came and visited me, and gave me a file that held all the details of the mission I was to complete with my new team; Annie, Reiner, Marcel and Bertholdt.

My blood ran cold when I read the file.

I was to go to Pardis. The island of devils, and seek out the Founding titan.

How did they expect kids to do this? Titan beares or not, this mission was suicide, I was sure of it.

I was on bed rest for 2 weeks, and a few days later, I was to be 'deployed'.

On that day, I stood on the pier, looking at my home one last time, before facing the sea. Somewhere in the horizon was Pardis. I swallowed thickly, and Annie came to stand next to me. She seemed unfazed, as if this was a normal day for her. Reiner and Marcel stood on my other side, looking stoic as well. Bertholdt was the only 'normal' one, anxiety written all over his face. He came and stood next to Annie.

Reiner's mother came and stood in front of us, camera in hand, and snapped a quick photo. As it printed, our families gave us one last goodbye, before leaving to retrieve their new Marleyan citizenship.

My parents goodbye was tearful, I however, shed no tears, my mind still broken in pieces. My brother came as well. He was older by 4 years, yet he acted like a 6 year old, his emotions were wild. I loved them, of course, and I would miss them so much, but I couldn't help feeling like I would never see them again.

I blamed the nervous pit in my stomach for that.

Reiners mother handed Marcel the picture, to keep safe in his bag, and quickly left the pier to cry in peace.

This was it, we were actually leaving.

As the boat departed the pier, I looked back, and sucked in a breath.

Zeke stood there, chest heaving as though he ran.

My heart hurt.

I hadn't seen him in weeks, he never once visited me, and now he couldn't be bothered to show up in time? My heart filled with anger.

He probably never even cared for me.

I turned away.

I turned away before seeing him wave something in the air.

I turned away before seeing him fall to his knees, crying.

I turned away before seeing him crumple the letter in his hand.

I always valued him as a brother, the best brother anyone could ask for. What I didn't know was that he valued me as his sister, his only living family member. The only person he cared for. The baseball felt heavy in his hand now.

Once we made it to Paradis, the commander simply told us to head North until we found a wall, and to succeed in the mission.

The first few days were hard, we only saw a desert wasteland everywhere.

"Hey, guys I think I see trees." Marcel said excitedly

"No way." Bertholdt ran to where Marcel was standing, and a large smile crossed his face when he saw the green too.

"Finally, we get to be out of this sun." I groaned.

"We better camp here, it's getting dark." Reiner said he was the 'self appointed' leader of this mission. We all agreed and set up, started a fire and brought out supplies from Marcel's bag.

What we didn't know was that we set up right above a titan, who was sleeping under the ground. We didn't know until it was too late, until Marcel sacrificed himself to save Reiner. I grabbed Marcel's bag, and we all ran. We ran all night until we were sure we lost the titan. By that time, we had reached the green, and in the distance, we saw walls.

We had no time to mourn Marcel, his screams would haunt our minds, and his face would haunt our dreams, but his name was never mentioned out loud.

We never stopped once, we didn't dare set up camp again.

When we reached the walls, we devised a plan. Or rather, Reiner thought of a plan. I tried to ignore the guilt of having to take so many innocent lives.

No.

They're devils.

We're supposed to do this.

To save humanity.

Funny, how people from different worlds can have the same goals.

Bertholdt transformers first, followed by Reiner, who charged to the wall, successfully breaking it in. He didn't stop there, he continued charging, all the way to the other side, breaking another hole there as well.

Annie and I were hidden on the wall, protected from the dangers that lurked below. I grabbed her hand when I heard the screams, and to my surprise she tightened her fingers around my hand.

That was the start of our mission, and we were far from the end.

We snuck in from there, claiming to be victims. The lie felt like acid on my tongue.

We camped out with the refugees.

Ate food with them.

Slept next to them.

Little did they know the murders they welcomed in with open arms.

We had heard about the devil's military, and planned to join the cadets.

It's easier to get information as someone who is part of the government.

Isn't it?