My Sweet Eren | Book One

Chapter Five

We've entered the forest. This is where things get more exciting, because when we make it to the end, we see what life is really like beyond the walls.

The horses are riding at a fast, but steady pace and I'm surprised that Eren hasn't spoken yet. So, I decide to start a conversation.
"How are you feeling?" I ask, looking at Eren, who puts his hands in the air.

"I feel great! I'm so excited to see what's out there. I've not been this thrilled in my life!" He says rather loud.

I smile not expecting him to continue speaking. "What about you?"

"Well... Let's just say I have mixed emotions. I just really hope that we're prepared."

"Oh, come on, Mikasa, we need to stop being so tense and relax a little."

Then, I blurt out, "This isn't a holiday, Eren! We're going beyond the forest, and we don't know what's there!"
Damn, I raised my voice.
"This is real." I say more quietly, and he probably didn't even hear me.
As soon as I say those things, I immediately regret it.

I now expect Eren to respond, but he stays silent.

"Eren... I-I, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that. I was just-"
He still doesn't reply to me or look as if he acknowledged what I just said.
I feel so embarrassed now, I need to stop babying him. I need to give him independence, I don't want the fight incident to replay.

A while later, we see that we're coming to the end of the forest.
This is where I take a deep breath to try and stabilise my shaking. The sun shines through the gap in the trees and we're getting closer and closer.
In a matter of moments, it's as if a blinding light beams on our faces, causing us to squint and shield our eyes with our arms.

When the light dims... It's not what we expect.

* * *

Dust goons fly over us and the land is uneven. Trees have no leaves and the sky suddenly turns grey with hints of brown.

We're on a higher land to what we see, quite a lot higher and we look downwards to see...

Dead Titans.

"I...I don't understand. I didn't know that they could die... Without slitting the neck." I say.

I turn to Eren and I see that he's sweating.

"This is bad..." he says, "Do you think that there's-"

"No. No, I don't. I believe we're safe."

Eren turns to me with a worried look, but I smile to lighten to mood.

"Like what you said earlier, I need to relax. This is going to be an adventure."

He doesn't quite smile, but he turns away from me to continue walking.

"All Titans are dead, right? They must of died from... Something." Eren says, clearly clueless about the whole thing.
"Yes, yes. You're right." I say "Let's go, we need to find away to get on to lower ground."

He nods and we start walking.

I said all those things when really I am as afraid as him.
I now realise, that by the looks of things, the scientists were wrong about Titans. Or... They weren't really the top of the food chain.
I truly have no idea. But, I won't worry, not for now.