She closed the book slowly, running her fingers along the edges to her cheeks, wiping away the small tears balling in the corners of her dark brown eyes. The book lay in her lap-being just read aloud to the male alongside her. He glanced away in discomfort, twiddling his fingers nervously. She looked over at him, catching his sight with a smile.
"I'm sorry," she apologized, sighing slightly. He nodded slightly in understanding, turning himself towards her once again in a more comfortable position. She glanced down at the book, placing it beside her. The wind blew slightly, the smell of autumn was nearing day by day. "If only, right?" she laughed, patting the book beside her slightly. The sky began to twist in colors as the sun set, oranges and reds danced around the transparent clouds all around. She stood, her dress swaying underneath, taking the book with. She glanced over at the other, though by expectation he had been standing as well. He glanced away, rubbing his arm nervously.
"Come on," she laughed, running down the hillside to the trail below. He followed quietly behind her, as they began to head home on the cobbled paveway. Shadows grew all around them, as the setting sun lay behind the walls that shrouded them from the outside world. It was dangerous, after all.
The people of Juene lived in constant fear of the outside world-the Titans that lay beyond the wall. Hundreds of feet tall, they could consume a person in less than one bite, or kill them upon impact. The military branch always tried their hardest to fend the Titans away, resulting in many casualties of the people of Juene. The people who volunteered to be a part of the Military were brave-they worked with the knowledge that they may not return home. Women were not allowed in the Recon Corps until a year prior, and only yet one stood proudly among the rankings. In fact, Women were barely accepted past their training years, in fear of losing more of the human population's chances of reproduction.
The two past by a horse stable, the stench clogged their noses. The girl shook her head in disgust, clenching the book in her arms. They hurriedly past, walking among a forked pathway. The two looked at eachother, nodding a final goodbye.
"Wait," the girl muttered, opening the final pages of the book she held so dearly. Suddenly, she tore a page out, handing it over to the younger male. He took the paper in confusion-it was the ending of the story she cared so much for, yet she ripped it from its body. He folded it twice, shoving it in his front pocket.
"I want you to keep it," she explained, holding the book against her chest. "As a token of our friendship." He glanced at his feet, then back at the girl, nodding. She spun around, and began to run down the forked path. "See you!" she shouted, waving back at him. He waved slightly, turning around and started down the path to his home. He opened the door, walking in and shutting it behind him. His mother sat alone in a chair, tapping her foot against the floor. The sound of the door caught her attention, and she jumped up in panic.
"Landon!" she cried, running towards him. Her hands trembling, as she shook her son slightly. Her eyes filled with tears that poured down her cheeks onto the face of Landon. "Your brother..." she mumbled in between breaths. "Your brother has-"
"Has what?" footsteps could be hear walking down the hall, as a tall man draped a dark green cloak over his shoulders. The woman spun around, her face red with anger. Though her anger calmed when he shot a glare at the woman, his eyes as blank as slate, and angry.
"Please..." she muttered, turning back at Landon. "Don't...end up like Daniel." Landon avoiding eye contact with his mother, glancing back at his brother, Daniel. Daniel's eyes shook in pain, his fists clenching in anger.
"I'm fighting for the lives of mankind!" he yelled, slamming his fist roughly on the wall beside him, caving it into a small hole. His mother gasped, stepping back and grabbing onto Landon's wrist. Landon glanced upward at his mother, and back at his brother. Slowly, he pulled his wrist away from her light grasp, walking towards his brother. Daniel looked down at him, then suddenly wrapped his arms around in an embrace. He held his brother close, the cloak draping around the two.
"Boys..." their mother mumbled, reaching outward. Suddenly, a loud smash could be heard close-by. The home vibrated, precious vases and glass falling from shelves. The walls shook, their mother fell to the ground in surprise, though Daniel kept hold of his brother upright. "What was that!?" she screamed, placing her hands over her mouth. "An earthquake...?" she mumbled, pulling herself up again.
Landon looked up into his brother's eyes, which were focused to the outside of the window. He followed his gaze, then froze. Titans. Pieces of the wall scattered about outside, as screaming of people could be heard all around. Daniel let go of his brother, pulling the hood over his long pulled back hair, a shadow growing around his eyes.
"No.." their mother shook, running toward Daniel in fear. "It can't be-" she stopped in mid-speech, her attention focused outside the window as well. "Th-the cellar! We have to go to the cellar!" she screamed, shaking Daniel. He looked slightly at his mother, shaking his head.
"I have to go," he muttered, patting Landon on the head. "For the sake of mankind, I must fight." He walked past the two, his cloak flowing behind him as he stepped. He picked up a large, heavy metal at the door, attaching it to his belt. His 3D maneuver gear. Opening the door, he looked behind him, smiling. "Goodbye," he nodded, running out into the open.
"The cellar!" she grabbed Landon, pulling him outside. They ran around the backside of their house, though froze in their tracks. A menacing face looked down upon them, the body of a neighbor writhing in the jaws of the beast. Landon pulled at his mother's hands, though she wouldn't budge. "A...a...Ale..." she muttered, staring up at the sight before her. Suddenly, the jaws snapped closed, the body bit in half, blood squirt all around, down the monster's face and dripped down below. Landon pulled at his mother once again, though this time she moved along as he ran along the pathway. "Where do we go..." she muttered, running alongside her son.
He stopped at a forked path, looking back at his mother, then the path. He let go of her, nodding a goodbye. Quickly turning, he ran down the pathway, towards a home of one he knew.
"Landon!" she screamed, hugging herself. "Please don't go!" she continued screaming, being pulled away by a crowd of people heading to safety. She followed them until they landed upon a boat, turning around. She stood, hands at her side, waiting for Landon's return.
He ran up the path, keeping his eyes before him, running past any scenes of death or sadness on his way. He slowed as he walked up to a house that had not been a victim to collapse. He swung open the door, seeing a dark haired girl standing before him-the girl before. She looked up at him, book clenched against her chest.
"The story told," she mumbled, "Of one that would destroy the wall that protected us from the outside world." Landon walked up to her, taking hold of her hand. "I'm not leaving," she stood, pulling her hand away. "My parents are dead in the other room."
His eyes widened in surprise, glancing down the hall.
"But the house is in tact," she stated, opening the book. A blood-stained blade fell from its pages, landing on the wooden floor beneath. A large smile lay across her face, as she dropped the book down onto the ground as well. "Go."
Landon turned, dashing out of the home. He continued running, the loud smash against the ground behind him propelled him into the sky.
He looked around, his arms spread out like a birds wings. For once, he felt free. He could see a slight image of a treeline beyond the wall, though looking downward, people ran from all directions in attempts to evade the Titans. He began to fall, his body slamming against a rooftop, landing awkwardly on his right arm. A large snap could be heard, his open mouth gaped in pain.
He turned on his back, holding his twisted arm, his breaths shortened upon hearing the roaring footsteps of a beast before him. He looked up at the monster, that looked downward back to him, reaching its disgusting hand out to take hold of his young life. Suddenly the Titan fell to the ground, a familiar figure in a green cloak landing beside him.
"Landon-!" he ran over, sheathing his blades to pull the boy up off the rooftop. "Where's mother?!-No matter, I have to get you to safety! Didn't you hear?" he pulled the younger boy against his chest. "Wrap your legs around me, and hold on." He unsheathed his blades, aiming them and pulling the wire triggers. The two soared through the air, twisting throughout. Daniel landed in front of a ship, at almost full capacity. "Get out of my way!" he shouted, pushing other citizens chance of safety out of reach. He brought his brother up to the boat, gently dropping him on the deck below.
"Be safe.." he whispered, pressing his forehead against the others, running his fingers through his bobbed blonde hair. "Be safe..." he repeated, pulling away to the crowd of screaming people. "No more!" he shouted to the others, as they began the pull up the bridge leading to the boat. He stepped across, glancing a goodbye at his brother.