I fell into a dreamless sleep until I woke up in an underground cell once again.
It brought back horrifying memories, but it didn't haunt me as much. After taking a man's life, I grew heartless. The only thing that scares me now is eating meat and I feel guilty about it. Just seeing a human in front of me makes me want to vomit.
I wish I had known his intentions from the beginning, but I was gullible back then. All the memories we made together are meaningless to me now. He never loved me. I was just his livestock.
Not knowing how many days had passed, my body slowly grew thinner in the sunless cell. The chains weighed down my arms and made my wrists ache, the blackened iron clanging noisily. My ears perked up when the door opened and the figure standing before me was an officer from the Military Police, who was surprised to see my current state.
"So you're still alive?"
I did not even bother speaking and breathing was all I could manage to do. Not only that, I was also starving and thirsting for water. The officer chuckled before kneeling to level his eyes with mine.
"What you did to your father, who was a talented doctor, was unforgivable. Since you are the titan's child, this is definitely an end for you."
I avoided making eye contact with him and spoke in a raspy voice. "What are you people going to do to me...?"
"Your punishment was made public, so we reserved a special exile for you," he smirked gruesomely. "You will not be publically sentenced, so in other words, you are going to be exiled beyond the walls."
My dream was to explore the outside world beyond the walls, but not like this. "I did nothing wrong..."
"That's what they all say. But where did they end up, you might be wondering?" he speaks the obvious, but I didn't want to hear from this annoying man anymore. "In the titans' belly."
"You people are crazy..." I hissed at him. "The Military Police only sits back just to watch people suffer and get eaten..."
Then, his palm flies across my face, leaving a burning sensation on my cheek and I fall to the ground on my back, almost drifting away in a haze.
I held my breath in fear when he raised his fist in the air, expecting this next blow to knock the life out of me, but he stopped. "Don't you ever talk trash about the Military Police with that filthy mouth of yours, you titan!"
I did not regret what I had just said and it only made him go batshit crazy, so he stormed out.
⚔︎
The sentence was carried out in secret before the break of dawn.
I was sent to a wagon with all the other men who were criminals themselves. The military tied us up with ropes around our wrists and a cloth to keep us from speaking.
The horse started moving and the wagon carrying us moved along with it. Knowing where the wagon will lead us, I realize that I will finally leave the walls to see these so-called titans. Even though I want to see one for myself... I do not want to get eaten by one, but I already know how it will all end with me. My purpose was to go beyond the walls to find a new meaning in life and possibly change the world if I could in any way possible. I even considered joining the Survey Corps, to see if I'm really one of those man-eating creatures.
These prisoners around me had already given up on life, but I felt determined.
We were starting to leave Wall Sina and before leaving the gate, I forced myself to jump off the horse wagon whilst tied up.
The cloth from my mouth came undone except for the ropes around my wrist and I got on my feet. Looking up, the wagon took off without me and I took this opportunity to run. With my dear life, I stumble down the dark cobblestone street in bare feet. I run aimlessly around the dark city and if the Military Police find me, I'm done for.
While panicking, I see a tunnel that leads to a very dark place. Not knowing where it might take me, I did not hesitate. During the process of running away from the Military Police, I lost my footing and fell into the dark tunnel, sliding down until I reached the end of it.
In a haze after hitting my head, I glance up to find a city.
"No way, this is..." The Underground District.
Below Mitras is the Underground District, a city right below the brilliant capital itself, more prone to criminal activity and poverty.
For the past two days, I couldn't help but think of the sadness and rage that plagued my life. The last thing I saw through that demon was no remorse. Lacking the sense to look for a better life, I lay down in the dark alley and the rope still tied around my wrist was rubbing me raw. I was helpless, like a stray dog.
The story of Aziel Vogel spread by word of mouth like a disease through the capital city including the Underground ever since the dreaded day arrived in the mansion. I kept telling myself that the Underground was safer than the surface, but I was wrong. Nowhere is safe. This is my life now, but I still hopelessly yearn for freedom.
Hungry... need food...
I can't just lay here forever. I refuse to die like this...
"Oooh, what do we have here?"
My thoughts were interrupted by a group of three drunk men finding me in a dark alley and staring down at my frail body. My eyes widened in the darkness, my bottom lips quivering as I focused my gaze on what stood before me. Their faces were flushed upon seeing me and their breath reeks of alcohol.
"What a beauty." one of them hiccuped. "She looks new around here."
"Her dress is covered in blood..." the other tried to find his balance. "She's dangerous... I like that in a woman."
"Who cares? Let's have some fun, shall we?" the third man was biting his lips at me and the feeling of fear rippled inside me. I gasped when their hands started rubbing against my body, then down to where they shouldn't be touching. I couldn't defend myself at this point. One squeezed my breasts while the other teased me down there, and I yelped at the pinch... which seemed to excite them even more. "What a lovely sound she makes! We want to hear more..."
I sucked my teeth, trying to compose myself while keeping my lips sealed shut from making any more sounds. Sweat starts beading on my creased brow and I shiver when they rasp filthy words against my red ears.
"Stop resisting..." one of them hums and they all slump over me. Over a defenseless woman who is already weak and has given up on life.
"Her body's so soft..." one of them slurred, then circled his arms around my slim waist to keep me from escaping and my body was gradually being crushed against his hairy chest. "Lay still would ya? We're trying to have some fun!"
I sucked in a sharp breath when they pressed their fat lips against the soft parts of my body, a tear beading at the corner of my eyes. I wanted to escape and all the uneasy feelings from the mansion were pointing to this moment. Their strength is frightening and their taking over my weak body is overwhelming me.
"Stop, I don't want this..." I finally spoke, but they ignored me by sucking on my neck and ears. I resisted the urge to scream, swallowing the little pride I had and enduring the treatment I never asked for. Pinning me down on the cold, hard ground, one of them hovered over my body just to force my legs apart, positioning himself between me and leaning down to slide his slimy tongue over my exposed skin, causing me to shiver in disgust. My arms were above my head, and they didn't even bother undoing the rope around my wrist. Their calloused hands brushed against my arms and down to where they could fumble under my dress and began massaging my breasts, painfully squeezing them. I shuffled around below them, whimpering, as I tried to force my head to the side. This man uses his weight to pin my waist down, slowly grinding his groin between my legs and I squeeze my eyes shut in defeat.
Their heavy breathing made my face hot, and I nearly vomited at the pungent smell of alcohol burning my nostrils. When the man above me shook off his shirt, I almost gagged at the hideous figure that sweated over his body.
Then, his lips crash into mine, using his tongue to pry open my mouth for it to slither in. His free hand smoothed over my left leg and pressed down on my womanhood, rubbing the nub as he attempted to squeeze another sound from me. I force myself to bite down on my lower lips until it draws blood.
The other two were tearing my dress just to expose my body, trying to pleasure me with their disgusting, meaty hands. As the man continued to kiss me, I voluntarily bit his tongue and he screamed in pain.
"You damn slut!" he then punched me across the face until I was half-conscious.
The man suddenly stops to stare down at my glistening body, and I crack open my eyes with a dazed look to see the lump between his legs stiffen, even more, the corner of his mouth drooling as he watches my breasts rise up and down from panting. I force back a fierce sob when he starts undoing his belt. At this moment, my mind starts racing.
In deep despair, I want to survive just to see another day.
In a split second, something grapples into the ground on each side of us, and suddenly...
...a foot kicks the man square in the face, causing him to fly away.
"What the!?" The men grew alert and encountered an intimidating figure standing before them.
When I hesitantly opened my eyes, a heroic man stood between us and I noticed mysterious steampunk equipment attached to him, then I stared into the darkness. Not knowing what was happening, I fumbled around a mantle that landed on my head as it covered the rest of my body.
"Oi,"
The man who was significantly shorter than the rest tousled his raven hair to the side and straightened his white cravat that hung over his gray buttoned-up shirt. His black undercut was freshly cut and he was looking over his shoulder to find me trembling on the ground. "Were these rats messing with you?"
I looked up at him through the strands of my dark hair and sat there for a moment, drinking in his face as he stared at me with equal bewilderment. Before I could even explain the situation, I was still shocked that this man had just knocked him out in one blow and I saw two more landing beside me with the same steampunk equipment.
"Are you okay?" a man with silver-blonde hair asked with a concerned look on his face, his hand squeezing on my shoulder for comfort.
"How is she okay after being sexually assaulted!?" a teenage girl in a reddish-brown pigtail yells at him in annoyance before turning to the short man in front of us. "Finish those perverts off, aniki!"
"Tch. Didn't I tell you to stop calling me that?" he responds to her in disgust.
Fearing for their lives, the two men did not want to leave their injured friend who was already down, so they took out their knives to defend each other. The short man showed no signs of emotions and the two charged at him with their knives but ended up getting kicked in the chest, knocking the air out of them. Then, the short man bent over to grab their unconscious friend by the shirt and flipped open a pocket knife to gently press the tip across his neck.
"Run now or I'll slit his throat nice and clean." his voice threatens, enough to make the two shiver in fear and possibly piss their pants.
"Sh-Shit!" they finally make up their minds by running away until they are out of our sight. He then released the unconscious man by dropping his body to the ground and I have a long sigh, putting my hands over my chest in relief until a male voice calls out to me.
"Hey, did they hit you? Does it hurt?" the pigtail girl points a finger on my left cheek and I assume there is a large bruise on my face. She also helped me cut the ropes and I've never felt this satisfied. My hand gently brushes over it since I feel embarrassed. "I-I'm fine..."
"Oh! So you can talk!" the silver-blonde man lets out a burst of surprising laughter until the short man kneels on one knee in front of me, but I immediately break eye contact. I even feel guilty for getting them involved... but they just saved my life.
"Get up," he demands me. "It's not safe to sit around here, so go home."
Home... I thought to myself. I no longer have a home, and I don't know where to go.
The two support my arms on their shoulders and with a great amount of effort, I finally managed to stand on my feet again. I hold onto the mantle hoping it wouldn't slip off my naked body. Everything was blurry as could be, but I could not make out the dark alley around us.
Holding consciousness was not easy; however, I soon felt myself slip away into the void of darkness.