Who's Screaming So Loud?

"EREN!"

I was so close, so close to the shadows that I almost didn't hear the voice calling to me. So forceful, so insistent, so utterly terrified, it makes me feel like I'd been punched in the stomach. I wrench my arm away from the dark spindly threads that had latched on. I must get to that voice. I rush towards it, using to last of my willpower to get to him. Because if I just get to him everything will be okay. We'll get back behind the wall and everything will be fine. I'll make his tea just the way he likes it, and he'll yell at me just because he hasn't found the right way to express his feelings. And I'll be okay with that, because I know that he cares. I just need to get to him.

I force my eyes to open, only to see red. Why is everything red?

"Eren."

His voice is weaker than the first time he called out. As if all his strength is slowly leaving him. I rush forward looking for the one face that I know will stand out amongst the red.

What a horrible colour. It's too bright and sickly. The colour of blood, and I've seen too much of it in my lifetime, too much for any lifetime.

I'm almost there, almost to the voice that is slowly fading amongst the screams that surround me. Why is someone screaming? What's happened? Just get to Levi, everything will be fine. Everything is going to be fine.

Would that person just quit yelling for one second, I can't hear Levi.

"Fall back!" Someone shouts from behind me in the opposite direction to where I'm headed, but I can't pinpoint their exact location. "And will someone shut Eren up; he's going to bring a whole hoard done on us."

Shut me up? What am I doing? Should they be focusing on getting the person with the piercing scream to shut up? At that my throat feels dry and overused. No it can't be me screaming, I would know if it was. I clamp my mouth shut, and the noise ceases. So it was me, but why am I screaming? I can't even see anything.

"Reiner grab him!" There's that voice again.

I can feel a solid arm wrapping around me. No don't, I haven't gotten to him yet. I trash and scratch at the person holding me, pulling me away from where I need to be, but they don't budge, the don't even flinch as if I was a child who is only acting up. They can't do this to me.

"Levi!" I shout out, my voice breaking as I continue my struggle.

There's no reply, not from anyone as the arm pulls me back in the direction I came from. I continue my futile escape plan until my arms and legs feel as though they are dead weights hanging off my body. My vison never returns and my mind follows soon afterwards, pulling me into complete darkness.

~~.~~

"Has anyone told him yet?"

What are they talking about? Told who what?

I force my eyes open, staring straight into a white light that momentarily blinds me. I close them again on instinct, shrinking away from the offensive light.

"Eren?"

I slowly open them again at the sound of my name, is that Levi?

"Levi?"

They grab my hand; there touch is almost too hot, scorching my skin as they hold on too tight.

"Eren? It's Armin. How do you feel?" His voice is too strained to be anywhere close to comforting.

"Burning," I mumble, my throat feels as if it's been stuffed with cotton.

He says something to someone else in the room that I can't make out. There's only one thought on my mind.