Chapter One: That Day.
As the walls of the Shiganshina District fell, Twelve year old Claudia Rain stood helplessly in fear as the titans began to emerge from the outside world, the world she had never seen before. "M-Mother!" Claudia screamed as she pointed towards the horizon. There was a 10m Titan moving towards their direction. "Klaus! Take Claudia and Thomas and run back to Wall Sina!" Her mother shouted. She cried as she kissed her infant son, her hands trembling as she passed her baby to her eldest son. "Please be safe, I love you all so much!" She gave her three children one final hug, crying hysterically as she did the hardest thing she had ever done, leaving her children.
"Claudia, let's go!" Klaus shouted, grabbing the girl's hand as he began to run. "Mother…" Claudia began to sob, trying to release her brother's grasp. "Klaus! Mother…she's getting eaten by that monster! Let's help her!" Claudia cried, tugging her brother's hand so hard that she tripped. "We have to run!" Klaus bent down and grabbed the kicking girl, tears running down his face. Claudia wailed as she witnessed her mother being torn apart, limb by limb.
"We have to hurry!" Klaus panted as he ran. The boy was asthmatic but he forced himself to run. His heart was beating unusually fast as he ran. The baby in his arms refused to stop crying. "Klaus-A monster is coming after us!" Claudia screamed. His heart nearly skipped a beat. There was no way he could outrun a titan. If they all stayed together, they would all die. He placed Claudia on the ground, his arm shaking from running. He could hardly breathe nor see clearly at this point. "Claudia, run ahead and get help okay? I promise you I'll find you!" He tried to give a smile at the frightened girl. "Run?" Claudia asked, her voice faltering slightly. The girl's face was red and wet from all the crying. "Yes, I'll catch up, with Thomas." He gave his sister a kiss on her forehead before giving her a little push. "Just run and don't look back,"
"Okay," Claudia nodded as she began to run. She ran a few metres before hearing a loud thud. She spun around to see her brother on the ground, with little Thomas shrieking by his side. Klaus's face was white as he opened and closed his mouth in a vain effort to breathe in more air. "Klaus!" Claudia screamed, tempted to run towards him but the sight of a 15m titan coming their direction made her stay rooted on the spot. Claudia stared, unable to turn away as the titan moved towards Klaus. The titan grabbed Klaus with a smile as it watched Klaus struggle helplessly. With a grin, he twisted Klaus's arm off. There was a sickening crack as his arm tore off. Klaus's face was twisted in pain as he locked his eyes at Claudia. "Run and don't look back," He mouthed as the Titan swallowed him.
As much as she wanted to turn away, she couldn't. She watched as the titan moved towards Thomas, picking up infant and with a grin, the titan crushed her brother, blood spurting everywhere, even on her face.
That Day, she lost her family.
That Day, she lost everything she had.
That day, She died inside.
Claudia gasped as the titan turned its ugly head towards her, eyeing her every move. Claudia screamed, turning to run as fast as she could. She ran and ran, not daring to look back.
Run and don't look back. Run and don't look back. Run and don't look back.
Claudia repeated to herself as if in a prayer. She could feel the ground tremble at the weight of the titan. "Kyaa!" Claudia screamed as she felt the giant's hand hit the hard ground. She flew several metres away from the impact and, as if fate wasn't cruel enough, she landed facing the monster. Her eyes widened at the sight of the titan's outstretched hands came towards her, closer and closer.
And just as she thought she was doomed, she was saved by a man. He was wearing a cloak with a symbol of wings on his back, as if to represent freedom. Claudia watched as he used his swords to slice the nape of the titan's neck. The titan gave a wild cry before dropping down on the ground. "Are you okay?" A low voice asked. Claudia looked up to see her saviour, a rather short man with shaved sides and black hair. He had eyes that looked permanently unpleased and a pout.
"Y-yes, thank you!" Claudia stammered.
"I'll take you to somewhere safe," He said. "This place is full of titans."
"Okay,"
…..
"I told her to go back but she came back after a few hours," A medical staff said to Levi. "Apparently she went back to her house but her relatives chased her out," The nurse said sympathetically, looking at Claudia quietly seated on the chair. Her knees were bandaged up from her fall, her arms heavily bruised after the titan attacked her. Levi stood at the side, eyeing her quietly. He knew her father, a powerful business man from Wall Sina. Levi sighed. The girl was an orphan and although there was other soldiers who were willing to take her for medical care earlier on, something in him told him to take her himself. He had gone back to the Shiganshina District to finish up his job but he came back to check on her. He felt obligated to do so, she looked dazed, and her eyes…there was something about them that he could not figure out. He turned to leave, tired from the day's work when he felt a tug on his cloak.
"Sir,"
The voice was dull and lifeless, as if there was no hope or emotions. Claudia stared at the ground, awkwardly shuffling about as she spoke; "Where should I go now? I have nowhere to go," She said this in a voice so low that he could barely hear her. "You can stay with me, if you don't mind," He spoke before he realise what he had said.
"Okay,"
….
"So, this is my house, you can sleep here I guess," Levi scratched his head as he let a sigh escaped him. Why did I allow her to stay with me? He thought annoyingly to himself. He glanced at Claudia, who stood by his door. Throughout the whole journey she was silent, only speaking when he talked to her. Levi gave another sigh as she stood unresponsive. "I'll just go change my clothes-and find something for you," He left the room.
Claudia examined her new living quarters; it was small compared to her old house. Speaking of which, her uncles and aunties had driven her out, saying it was theirs now. Claudia's fists curled up in anger. Why me? She thought, her lips trembling slightly. She was the only one in her family of five to survive, and she was forced to live outside of Wall Sina. She could feel a lump at the back of her throat as she struggled not to cry.
It hurts. It really hurts!
Claudia fell on the floor, tears running down her face as she struggled to catch her breath. Her arms quivered as she tore her bandages on her knees, pressing on her wounds so hard that she yelped in pain.
You deserve it! For surviving when everyone else didn't! Weakling!
Levi returned to find the girl sobbing uncontrollably, the floor bloodied and bandages all over the floor. "Sir-" Claudia whimpered. "It's Levi. What happened-"
"Levi," Her voice was broken and full of sorrow, her eyes expressing her pain.
"I'm weak, I don't deserve to live. I didn't even feel sad that they died, I was just thinking why didn't they let me follow them."
The tears began to fall even more, as her voice broke into a wail. "I can't do anything,"
Levi stood rooted, unable to say anything nor think straight. "Look," He moved towards her, trying to ignore the dirty floor. "You lost everything but you're alive. You couldn't protect them because you are a weakling. This is life, not a funfair. If you want to protect the ones you love, become stronger, fight those who hurt you. If not, you'll end up a loser."
What the fuck Levi, yeah bash on the girl who just lost her family. Call her a weakling, good call.
Claudia winced at his words and for a moment, there was silence between the two.
"Levi?"
"What?"
Claudia turned to face him, and that was when he saw it. Her eyes, her beautiful grey eyes that seemed to capture everything and everyone. He felt afraid of those eyes, it was as if he could almost feel her eyes peering into his soul, looking at every nook and cranny.
"Could you give me a hug?"
Whew! Hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter! It would mean the world to me if you took the time to write a review, please do so! :D