The fire crackled softly, casting flickering shadows on the castle's curved brick walls. We sat in a loose circle around the flames, their faint warmth pushing back the chill. A narrow staircase spiraled upward in the corner, disappearing into darkness, while a torch on the wall added a steady glow to the dim space.
I sat between Reiner and Connie, my knees pulled to my chest. Reiner's steady presence beside me was as comforting as the fire, while connie slouched to my left, staring absently at the ceiling. Across from us, Ymir and Krista huddled together against the wall, and behind us, Bertholdt sat hunched on a crate, his eyes fixed on the flames.
just wanted it all to end. the walls secured, life resembling something normal again. most of all, I longed to return to eren
And then there was mike. the thought of him was a steady anchor, something unshakable in the chaos. he'd promised to show me my room, and I clung to that promise as if it were my last thread of hope.
Gelgar emerged from the storage room, holding up a dusty bottle with a triumphant grin. The liquid inside glinted in the firelight as he gave it a little shake.
"Hey, take a look at what I just stumbled on!" he said, his voice cutting through the quiet.
Lynne's eyes widened as she glanced at the bottle. "You're kidding! Is that what I think it is?"
I stared at the bottle and wrinkled my nose. "That stuff smells bad enough even when it's closed," I muttered, "I don't even want to think about how it tastes."
Gelgar raised an eyebrow at me, clearly entertained. "What, never had a drink before, penny?"
I shrugged, keeping my eyes on the fire. "No, and I don't plan to. It's not exactly appealing. I just don't get the point."
He chuckled, shaking his head "Well, I'll save it for later then. Don't worry, I'll keep it far away from your delicate senses."
Gelgar then looked around at all of us, "I want you kids to try and get some rest," he said, his voice calm. "There shouldn't be any Titans crawling around at this time of night, but we'll take turns keeping watch. Be ready to leave four hours shy of daybreak."
"Excuse me," Krista said, her soft voice carrying across the room. "What if it turns out that wall rose isn't actually compromised? where else could the titans be coming from?"
Gelgar paused at the base of the staircase, "It's our job to find out, starting tomorrow," he replied, his tone grimmer now. without another word, he walked up the staircase, his heavy boots echoing faintly as he disappeared into the darkness above.
