They say that when you die, though your body is completely turned off, your brain stays functioning for the last seven minutes of your life. It can be a scary feeling, considering the potential dangers that could be around you, but that isn't what Petra focuses on.
Instead, she focuses on the forest around her.
Her body broken beyond repaired, her spine snapped completely, her blood caked on the tree she is sprawled against, she's not really functioning. She can't move, can't breathe, and yet.. her brain is moving at the speed of light. Her ears, capturing the sounds around her, are almost missed in the commotion within her thoughts. There's birds in the area, making their beautiful chirping.
Seven minutes left.
There's the faint sounds of the wind as it breezes through the trees, the green leaves rustling, swaying with the rhythm the wind provides. She can't feel anymore, but her thoughts are saying that she's warm, as if someone wrapped a blanket around her.
Six.
Petra's thoughts shift then, not to the thoughts of the forest anymore, but of people she cares for. Her father, the only family she had left, the constant worrying and nurturing he had to his only daughter was comforting. She hadn't seen him in so long, and she had plans to visit him after the expedition was over.
Five.
Her team. The four men whom she'd gotten to know in her five years of being part of the Scouting Legion. Auruo. Gunter. Erd. Levi. Despite the lack of women in the group, she'd always felt at home. They were like family to her, people that she'd held so close to her heart it hurt.
Four.
To Hanji, whom she'd grown to admire during her time. Taken to research, they'd always been constantly on the move, to see exactly what made Titans tick. Many thought of them to be weird, even dangerous, but Petra was fond of them. They were almost like an older sibling to Petra. Then there was Erwin, the commander, the man who had every potential to lead humanity to victory. She'd always make tea for him, and assist him in any way she could. She had a deep respect for him, and though it was hard to trust some of his calls, he knew what he was doing.
Three.
To the new cadets that joined. They were veterans, in a way, considering the incident in Trost. They'd already had a taste of the horrors beyond the wall as they penetrated within and created chaos. Like Petra, many of their close friends were killed, and they survived. They were the next generation, the best of the best. She regretted not spending enough time with them, but she still took them in like her own children.
Two.
Eren. Someone who she had feared initially after discovering his ability to transform into a titan. Despite all of that, she eventually grew comfortable with him, even looked after him. He was determined, and reminded her of Levi. She wondered if he made it out of the forest alright. She was protective over him, and the very thought of him getting hurt would of made her blood boil.
One.
Humanity. If there was one thought she would leave this world with, it'd be humanity. She believed that she had contributed to saving it, even if it was a small part. No matter what, she would fight until the very end. She was prepared to lose her life for it since the very beginning, and she had no regrets about her decisions. Even if she couldn't live on to see a brighter world, she could rest in peace knowing that others will have that chance.
Fin.