I open my eyes revealing the room around me. With the molding wood and the crude smell of smoke and ash filling the air. There is three single person beds all filled with wounded soldiers as the ground is taken up by any soldier small enough to fit.
I am laying atop a hey stack along with one other person whose face is pale with no life at all. On the other side of the room stands a doctor who is dressed in white. After a few minutes of watching him play around with a packet of paper he looks behind himself letting his eyes land upon me.
"Welcome to the living" The doc says. He then looks back down at his paper and looks back at me.
"Thanks" I say while rubbing the back of my head feeling my body regain life. I was knocked out by a drug while the docs took my body and fixed it right up.
"We fixed your leg, as well as the removal of the glass from your arms and chest. I sigh knowing the glass came from John and I smashing through that glass. Though he was bleed more then I was I did not realize I was bleeding myself since there was already so much blood on me.
"Thanks a lot." I say looking over at the guy next to me.
"He is dead, but we cant get his body out of here due to all the people in here." The doc says as he carefully steps over the soldiers on the ground
"You should get him out of here still" I say looking over at the body again.
"That is like me telling you how to kill a Titan" The doc says handing me the packet of papers. I give a short laugh as I take the packet and read over it.
"So just sign the paper so that you are relived of duty. Since you cant fight intell your leg is fixed. Though before you cry tears of joy. You will be going through the graduation process so be sure to show up to that." The doc says, I feel that he is smirking but due to the mask its hard to tell.
I take a pen from his right breast pocket and use it to sign these papers.
"You can go now" The doc says as he scoots to his left to fix up the corpse that I've been sleeping next to.
I grab the two crutches I was given back at the Hq. I then use them to stand myself and wobble past the Soldiers on the ground and out the wooden doorway that leads out to even more chaos.
The first things I see as I step out is soldiers running back and fourth through the street making it impossible to cross to the other side. I look left and right to see if I can find my squad since every soldier is here in these streets waiting for the next order from the commander.
"Hey Alex!" John shouts, I look across the street seeing the big left hand of John waving me me over from across the street. I give a slight nod as I try to trudge my way through all the soldiers walking along the roads.
Though I managed to get half way across the street without eating dirt. I am stuck here. With soldiers ramming into me making me lose my balance.
"Hey move it!" John shouts making me look over to see him slamming into the crowd foreseeing a pathway for me to take.
"Thanks" I say walking out of the crowd seeing my squad is positioned at a wooden table in front of a store.
I take a seat at the table seeing that Loren and Dina are sitting at the right side of the table with Tom sitting on the left side with his head planted into his arms.
I take my seat in front of Tom while John attempts to seat himself between Dina and Tom. Though he slams his knee into the table.
"Oww!" John shouts while he rubs his knee in pain.
"Nice one John" Dina says looking over at him from the corner of her eye.
"Yeah Yeah" John says as he finally takes his seat successfully. Loren and I start to laugh for no go reason making us smile as John scratches his head in embarrassment.
"Why...Why are you all smiling!" Tom shouts making me look over to see his blood shot eyes and Tears trickling down his cheeks.
"What do you mean?" Dina asks
"Our friend is dead and your all laughing and smiling!" Tom shouts having his voice waver wildly.
"Tom! Calm down!" I say
"Why? So I can die like Rein! Oblivious to my own demise because of some idiot!" Tom shouts looking me in the eye with hate.
"Tom shut up!" I Shout into his face making my face warm up with anger.
"Fuck you! I'm not going to die because of you!" Tom shouts even louder making other soldiers look over at us. Suddenly a fist comes out of no where slamming into Toms face making me sprawl onto the ground in pain.
"Tom! Rein died saving his best friend!" John shouts standing over Tom who is now sitting while looking up a John with fear gleaming within his eyes.
"So why must you blame this all on the guy who saved all of our lives! The guy who led us into combat so that we can win for Humanity!" John shouts as he tightens his fists.
"But..." Tom quiets while he rubs his left cheek in pain.
"John sit down" I say pointing back to his spot. John looks at me and nods.
"Tom...Do you really want to know why i'm smiling?" I ask looking down at him. Tom nods to my question as he waits for me to say something.
"Tom I am smiling because I am here with my friends. I am smiling because John, Loren, Dina, and you are all here with me Alive! Thats why I choose to smile because I am able to spend more time with you all while we all still live." I say not only looking at Tom. But at the others as well.
"So when you are all sent back into that hell! Be sure to get out of there alive!" I say.
"And John, you take lead for when commander Pixis calls you all to battle" I say.
"Good luck"
(Hours later)
The wooden boat sways left and Right as we calmly sail our way past wall Sina and into Stohess. I glace around the boat looking at each of passengers who are taking this boat along with myself.
Most of the people have a weird look in their eyes showing that they have all seen death themselves. As my gaze slowly passes each of the people one man made me stop. His eyes are sharp with anger blazing in his eyes. I then look down his uniform seeing that he was part of the Garrison. But as I look down I realize that his legs are gone, along with some of his pants which are stained in old blood.
I look away from the man and over the railing seeing a village. seeing my home. Stohess. The boat slows down as we arrive at the wooden docs with plenty of people standing on it with worried faces. Most of them are waiting for any news about their loved ones or friends who are stuck in battle.
"I hate this part the most." The man I was gawking at earlier says. I look over seeing his eyes are locked with mine. I stay silent not knowing what to say.
"Hmm? A silent one huh?" The man asks now showing a smile.
"You better treasure your time off kid. Because you will only just get sent back to hell." The man says. The boat stops moving as something splashes into the water.
"You all can get off now!" The boat driver shouts. The passengers quickly get off the boat allowing the wounded to get off the boat without struggle. I sit for awhile thinking. Thinking about Rein. Thinking about my friends who must be fighting for their lives out there.
"Kid get off" The man says.
"Sorry" I stand up on my left leg as I bend over to pick up my crutches while using my right hand to hold me up by pushing onto the seat. I stand back up as I wobble my way off the boat with my crutches holding me up.
Three single bell rings come from the boat signalling its departure.
"Im home huh?" I say looking around the place seeing that their is plenty of new buildings around. But not enough to keep me from finding my way home.
As I walk along the streets of Stohess a very familiar voice shouts from behind. Catching my attention. I stop and turn around to see my uncle. The one who did not kill.
"Alex!" Uncle shouts waving his hand cheerfully. I smile and wave my right hand back while still keeping my balance.
"Haha! Its been a long while." Uncle says as leans over in front of me panting.
"You ok?" I ask looking down at my Uncle.
"Sorry..Hahaha! I was talking to some business partners and noticed you getting off that damned boat." Uncle then stands properly up while wiping some sweat from his forehead.
"Anyways Why are you back so early?" Uncle says looking me in the eyes.
"Look a bit lower" I say looking down at my broken foot.
"Oh...Wait you broke your leg! How!" My Uncle shouts sounding distressed.
"I broke it while fighting a Titan" I say. I feel my face drag downward with sorrow staining my face.
"Whats going on! Why are you fighting Titans?" Uncle asks sounding even more worried.
"Did you not hear the news? Wall Rose was breached."I say making my Uncle take a few steps back.
"I'm guessing Trost was hit right?" Uncle says regaining his composer.
"Yes" I respond.
"Go see your family then. I need to see whats going on" Suddenly Uncle sprints off down the road dodging pedestrians left and right. He was always the quick type, weird for a Businessman.
I start to walk towards my house readying myself for whats to come. Since my mother stopped sending me letters suddenly while I was in training.
I stand at the doorstep of my house feeling my heart race for a bit. Since I have not seen my family for three whole years. I set my right crutch against the inner wall of the doorway. I raise my hand and curl it up into a ball to knock on the door.
*Knock, Knock, Knock* I wait for a response. I hear movement coming from within the house, then a clink comes from the door knob. The door slowly opens with a harsh creek ringing in my ears.
Then from behind the door a face emerges. My mom.
"Mom!" I shout smiling. But she just stares at me.
"Umm...Who are you?" Mom says. My heart stops. I felt shocked and scared.
"H-Hey Its me! Your son!" I shout again trying to sound cheerful even though I know something happened.
"I don't have a son. I'm so sorry but you need to leave." My mom says as she closes the door. I quickly slam my hand against it the door keeping it from closing. My heart starts to pound harder and harder from this news.
"Y-your joking right?" I say trying to laugh it off.
"Leave now or I will get the Military Police!" My Mom says with worry toxicating her voice.
"Who is it mom?" A young feminine voice asks from within the house.
"Its no one." My mom says
"It does not sound like no one." My sister says forcing the door to completely open revealing my little sisters face.
"Alex! Your back!" My little sister shouts as she flings herself at me. I slam against the ground as she gives me an ultimate hug.
"Get away from him!" My mother shouts making me look back up at her. My sister quickly stand up looking over at my mother. Though my Little sister sure as grown over the years.
"Mom its Alex! Your son!" My sister shouts.
"I never had a son and you never had a brother now get away from him!" My Mother shouts once again.
"Let me talk to him before he goes. Since I remember him." My sister says looking back over at me. But for me, I feel like shit. Not physically but mentally. My own mother thinks I'm nonexistent after all.
"Hows it been?" I ask showing a small smile.
"Shut up..." My Sister says.
"What happened?" I ask trying to figure out my problem. Though my sister stays silent as she stares at me.
"She was raped..."
"What!" I shout. Tears start to form in my eyes.
"Then stabbed seven times...." Only silence fills the air now. A long, still silence.
"I'm going now." I say forcing myself up onto my feet with my crutches holding me right up.
"Why! You just came back!" My sister shouts.
"I'm sorry Maya! But I cant be here with that person." I say pointing at the doorway where my mother's husk stands. She stays silent.
"I love you" I say giving her one last hug with my crutches holding me back.
"Bye"
Why is a word that keeps reappearing in my head. Why? Why? Why? Why did this happen? Why did my mother forget me? Why? Is a word that is far to common now. It comes from each soldiers voice. Why?
"Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength." - Arnold Schwarzenegger
(Star me and fallow if you enjoy! It helps me know if I'm doing things right or wrong. Thanks for reading!)