LIfe's Too Short

Chapter 2

Levi turned around to see Petra breaking down, covering her ears tightly and screaming hysterically.

He did his best to get out of his seat, but with his injured ankle it was no easy task.

"They're dead!" she wailed, sobbing uncontrollably. "They're all dead because of me! It's all my fault!"

"Petra!" he exclaimed. "Listen to me!"

She looked up at him, a bewildered look in her eyes. "Y-You.. You left us... And then-"

Petra then began to scream again, as if she was being attacked.

Hanji suddenly bustled into the room, yelling, "What's with all the noise?"

Her gaze focused onto Petra, her eyes widening.

"What's wrong?" she addressed Levi.

"How the hell am I supposed to know?"

"You were supposed to be taking care of the poor girl!"

Petra then eyed the shards of ceramic, and began to grasp for them.

"Th-They're dead!" tears flowed from her eyes. "So I should be, too!"

Her finger barely grazed one of the sharp edges when Levi quickly kicked the remnants of the mug away towards the wall with his good foot and assisted Hanji in restraining Petra as she squirmed against her grip.

"Petra, calm down!" Hanji said, trying to keep her arms in check.

"No!" Petra screamed, further resisting. "No!"

Finally Levi was forced to ask Hanji to pacify her with an injection, and she fell unconscious on Levi's lap.

"That'll keep her down for at least a few hours," Hanji panted. She turned to face Levi. "What on Earth happened to her?"

"I don't know," he said, looking down at Petra. "She woke up, and apparently forgot what happened with the Female Titan. She acted like it was a normal day. And then, she suddenly remembered everything that happened and started going crazy."

Hanji pondered over this. "Seems like she had amnesia of some sort. As for her going crazy," she shifted uncomfortably.

"Go on," he said impatiently. He eyed the mess on the floor. Disgusting. It was killing him to be left uncleaned.

"She's probably suffering from post traumatic stress disorder."

"Post traumatic stress disorder?"

"Yes. "

The corporal looked down at the girl resting on his lap. I should've been there. Maybe I could've saved them. Then none of this would've happened.

He shook his head. No, he couldn't let the survivor's guilt get to him. He'd seen plenty of soldiers die in the past. What makes this any different? Because they were your squad.

Levi pounded his fist on the floor angrily, then remembered that Hanji was watching him, estranged.

"I'm gonna bring Petra to her room," he said, but then remembered his ankle. He could manage fine on his own, but with another person's weight it was too much for even him to handle.

"Good luck with that," Hanji said, mopping up the coffee with a rag.

He gritted his teeth. She was so annoying.

"Help me carry her upstairs."

"What's the magic word?"

"Help me carry her up the damn stairs now."