Mortal Prayer (Levi x Eren Fanfic)

Chapter 5: The Higher-Ups

Eren's POV:
"Who are you scared of? What are you scared of? The higher-ups, yes, the higher-ups. Why are you scared of them? Because of what they did? Because you know the truth? What is the truth that you know? And what is the truth that exists? Is the truth that exists really the real truth?"

"I-I don't know. I just don't know," I cried. "Please, I'm begging you. Please, stop." I could feel his eyes watching me, beckoning me to turn.

"Aw, poor Eren. So lost and helpless. Nothing has changed after all this time, it seems. You're like a newborn lamb trying to suckle for milk and feel loved by our mother, but oh wait, our mother's gone now."

"Shut up! I don't want to hear it anymore. No more, no more, no more," I wept. Yet, he only laughed like bones rattling in the air, cold and shrill like a banshee. A hand caressed my sides as a chill trickled along my spine when he whispered into my ear.

"Why won't you look at me, hmm? Why don't you come and look at me... Brother." I don't want to look at you, Zeke. Just go away. Go away! A scoff was heard, but the heavy presence left. Suddenly, it was replaced by an even colder one.

"Eren," a soft voice said. "Why did you leave me?" No. No. No.

"You're not here," I whispered to myself. "You can't be."

"Eren, look at me. I want to see you." I couldn't stop. I wanted to see her, too.

"Mom...?" I suddenly screamed as I saw what was left of her. Warm eyes were now popped out of their sockets hanging on by a lean string of tissue, blood dripping down her cheeks. Her smile was warped and pulled back to her ears like the Joker, white cheekbones jutting out grotesquely. She hunched over with a crooked back, her joints reversed jangly swaying to and fro. Her ragged hair was unkempt and tangled everywhere, maggots crawling into her teeth. Suddenly I felt my stomach lurch and my vision began to change.

"Why did you leave me?"

"Eren, Eren Eren... Oi, Eren... Eren!" I screeched and bolted awake, my body drenched in sweat as my arms and legs shivered. I hugged myself into a ball, reassuring myself my body was still here. My heart raced like I had just run a marathon. I whimpered and pressed a hand to my head, trying to stop the ringing in my ears. I was suddenly aware of someone else in the room. I slowly turned my head to see Levi sitting on a desk. He was watching me carefully, and yet I was glad it was him and not someone else. He said nothing and simply let me calm down. I took multiple deep breaths before my body seemed to relax. I became aware of a sting on my shoulder. I peeked over to see a small patch on my body. My memory seemed to hit me as I remembered the shooting. Eight gunshots. Three hits. Two beside me and one towards me. I must have gotten hit in the shoulder, and yet I was still alive. I wanted to rip off the bandage, but I knew that it would have been gone. I'm like a lizard, regrowing my body against my inner will.

"You alright?" Levi asked. "You were moving around a lot for someone who's injured." I winced knowing that I wouldn't be injured in a few hours.

"It doesn't matter," I mumbled. Levi hummed in response and let out a sigh.

"You caused a lot of struggle back there. Keeping your mouth shut would have been better than speaking at all. Thanks to you, two people are dead," he explained. "Farlan and Isabel were here because the city officials had taken their homes and arrested their parents. Farlan was a simple boy working in a flower shop peacefully with his family. Isabel's parents were veterinarians in the suburban parts of the cities. Thanks to your big mouth, they can no longer fight. It'll be a sad day when we send a message to the prison that they were dead. What reason do their parents have to look forward to now? Without their children, what do they have left when they leave if they leave? The prison may be the best life they have now." I froze as Levi told me. Was I murderer now?