Attack on Titan / Interactive Story

51

You awake drenched in sweat. Nightmares. So many nightmares. You dreamt of the Titans, the blood, the screams. It all felt so real again.

"You okay, Y/N?" Someone said through the dark.

You couldn't put a face to the voice, but it was soft - caring. You nodded, swallowing a dry lump inside your throat before realizing the person couldn't see you nod in the dark.

"Yes...yeah. I'm fine. Thank you."

You adjust the thin sheets over your legs and turn on your side again. You just wanted the morning to come. You just wanted the dark to end.

~ ~ ~

The morning is cruel. Cold, wet and muddy weather was a morning gift to all the trainees. And guess what came along with that? Work. In the mud.

"You look pretty terrible." Calum said as you walked up to your usual group, your gear hanging from the sides of your thighs and the buckles all tightly wound around your clothes.

"As you usually do, Calum."

Ballard raised his pale eyebrows at you and held back a laugh. Winona nudged him with her elbow, pointing to the trees. Everyone's eyes scanned the area, looking for anything out of place. In the trees were bunches of Titan-cutouts with bread along the neck of each. Their heights were all different, scattered along for what looked deep and far.

"Today," the captain said, grunting, "we're practicing with the gear and non-moving targets. It'll be a race for the targets."

"I'm assuming we get higher ranks if we hit the targets?" Calum broke in. He was unusually talkative this morning compared to how he usually is. No one in the group answered him.

No one really knew how to use their blades so the whole thing was destined to be sloppy. It had been about a week of using the gear, though, and everyone had gotten used to it.

Everyone shot up into the trees and the Captain gave some more information.

"Why are you acting so weird?" You asked Calum, setting your hands against the blade handles inside your gear.

He looked at you and almost laughed. He wasn't used to you speaking to him directly, let alone anyone else in the group.

"Valencia asked me out."

You raised your eyebrows in amazement, directing your attention to the trees. "And you said?"

Calum huffed, buttoning the top of his shirt because of the cold breeze. "You kidding? I said no."

"Wait, why?"

Calum turned to you, his dark eyes scanning your face for some sort of sarcasm. His eyebrows are thin, his skin gleaming from the humidity that was forming on his cheeks.

"You seriously don't know?" He waited and got no response. "She stabbed her brother with a pair of scissors."

The Captain blows his whistle. The trainees take off.

Continue (chapter 53)