I WILL PROTECT YOU

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟑

Reader's POV

Everything was dark. I couldn't see anything except for the silhouette of the little girl. She sat next to me as her arms were pressing down on something. From my line of view, I couldn't make out what exactly she was doing.

I wasn't in the forest anymore, Mikasa wasn't by my side. It wasn't warm. It felt uncomfortably hot, yet cold. All was silent...Where am I? Keeping my eyes on the girl I wondered why I was able to see her if everything else was black. Why was she here in the forest? And how come I could still see her but not Mikasa?

My body felt limp, turning my head around I felt a gritty texture touch my cheek. Hm? Is...Is this sand? Soil? Closing my eyes I rubbed my cheek against the soil. My head was the only thing I could move. Opening my eyes I turn my head back around to face upwards. Widening my eyes I finally saw something else rather than darkness.

Lights colored the sky, bluish-green clouds illuminated the starry sky. It looked so beautiful, the clouds appeared to run a long distance. Seeming to content to something bigger I wasn't able to see.

Did I leave the forest? Thinking to myself I suddenly felt strength in my body, it didn't feel limp anymore. Lifting my hand I reached up at the sky, I have never seen the night sky look like this before. It felt so welcoming. The lights moved around, dancing slowly as they lit up the darkness.

Lowering my hand I touched my face. Glancing at the silhouette of the girl I saw that she wasn't by my side anymore. Lifting myself I noticed where she was now. She walked off in the distance, carrying a bucket.

"Hey! Little girl! You shouldn't be going all by yourself! Huh-" Calling out to her I blinked, reopening my eyes she wasn't there anymore. Everything was gone, the lights, the stars, the sand, everything except this empty darkness.

"What happened?" Placing my hands down I was able to feel the solid ground underneath me, it was hard and cold. It had an eco to it when I knocked my hand down on it.

Stumbling up to my feet I waved my arms around to feel my surroundings. Taking steps forward I realized that there wasn't anything here. I began walking around aimlessly in silence, only the sound of my boots hitting against the floor.

Am I here all alone? I couldn't have left the forest...I don't think I'm anywhere.

I continued to walk for who knows how long. How long does this go for? I'm probably walking in circles...If I couldn't feel my eyes open then I would've thought I was walking with my eyes closed.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" Shouting out I heard my voice echo throughout this place. I didn't get a response. "Hm?" As I walked I felt a pair of eyes on me, turning on my heel I face the area where I felt watched. Nothing there...But then I felt another pair of eyes, it began to feel like a crowd was watching me. "Um...Is anybody there? Why is it so dark?" Asking out I waved my arms around in hope of feeling what was there.

Although being watched would be uncomfortable for others...This felt oddly comforting, I didn't know what exactly was watching me but it was like I knew them.

It continued to stay like this for the rest of my journey. Walking with the company of these stares. I had stopped asking them questions, knowing that they weren't going to respond.

In the distance I saw a light, it was pure white and seemed out of place with the surrounding black. Widening my eyes I picked up my pace and went towards the light. The closer I went to it the less I felt the stares. They were no longer there when I reached the white abyss. Giving a glance behind me I wondered what they could've been.