Note: This is going to be my first multi-chapter story for snk! This was originally posted on my Ao3
I own nothing.
Eren Jaeger sighed, He and is best friend, Armin Arlet, had been on the way to the movies when it began raining. It had been a long time since the last downpour; it normally rained 24/7 in Oregon. Due to the fact that there hadn't been much rain, so when the drops started falling, everyone panicked. The result, the traffic he was currently stuck in. Eren longed to turn on the radio and listen to music while he waited but he knew Armin couldn't stand pop.
"Hey Armin, how long have we been stuck in this traffic?" He asked, turning to is side to face the small blond boy.
"I don't know. It's been about five minutes since anyone moved. Do you think there was a crash?" The boy nervously answered.
"Nah man, I don't think so. We would have seen if any ambulances or police cars came by." Eren answered.
"Hmm..." Armin considered what Eren had said. "Yeah that is true hope this Traffic lets up soon! We're going to miss our movie!"
Eren chuckled. Armin had just turned 18 a couple of weeks ago, as a gift, he insisted Eren go with him to see Frozen. The boy was absolutely obsessed with Disney, and Eren, being the loyal friend he was, went along with Armin to see all the new releases. His friend Thomas had warned him that after the movie saying "let it go" would be dangerous. He doubted that was true, but knowing Disney, it might as well be.
Just then the car in front of Eren moved. He let out a sigh of relief at the thought of finally going forward, but the car did something strange. For some reason the car was backing up, Eren had already hit the gas and was desperately trying to stop the car. The rain slicked roads kept him from stopping, and the car sharply lurched into the one before it. Eren's face paled as he heard the sickening crunch of metal against metal. As he felt the shock of the impact rock through him he just had time to look to his side and see Armin's equally terrified face. The impact nearly knocked him unconscious, but he remained awake long enough to register that Armin's air bag hadn't released. Armin's head was hung but he still appeared to be breathing. Eren began to try to recollect himself, but he felt a sharp jolt come from his left. He was dimly aware of the car flipping over and had a sensation of falling. He opened his eyes to see that he was plummeting into the icy waters of the river; his car had been knocked off the bridge. He screamed in desperation and turned to Armin just in time to see the boy's air bag inflate. He heard a sickening crack next to him and time seemed to slow down.
Eren was falling to his death into the river. His best friend next to him was already dead. The suddenness of the situation had not even given Eren time to cry. The last thing Eren was aware of was icy suffocation, and then the world went black.
Eren felt like he was floating. The feeling of weightlessness washing over his body in never-ending, sickening waves. He was lost in a world of no up or down. He tried moving forward, but nothing changed. Everything was just pure white silence. He felt peaceful. A little voice in his mind told him that maybe if he stayed here he could be happy. He believed that voice. He wanted to stay.
Suddenly his surroundings changed, white walls were switched out for mirrors. Eren still couldn't move from his place but he tried stretching out his hand to touch the mirror. His hand moved but instead of simply remaining on the mirror it was pulled through. Eren felt himself panic; he was being pulled away from the peaceful zone
He pulled his hand back but it didn't move. "Eren, you have to go." He heard a voice whisper.
"No! I want to stay here!" He cried out.
"Oh, but you can't. I'm sorry; you do not have a choice. Give in to the pull." The voice resonated through the room. It appeared to be coming from the mirrors themselves.
"No way! I'm staying! LET ME STAY!" Eren was franticly pulling at his arm. By now, cool glass had encased him up to his elbow.
"Just let yourself fall through. You don't have a choice. Why not make it easy for yourself? Besides you will leave here one way or another. Just give in." The voice was starting to scare Eren.
"Who are you even? Why do I have to go through the glass! I like it here!" Eren said.
"Who am I? I am merely an escort. A gate keeper if you will. Why do you have to go? You will find out in do time. I'm surprised though. Your will is exceptionally strong. Most people would have fallen through to the other side ages ago." The voice sounded almost impressed.
"Why don't you show yourself? You say you are a gate keeper, and yet I see no gate! What kind of place has a gatekeeper but no gate! On the matter of place, where am I?" Eren was struggling to keep his face away from the suction of the glass. His left side was entirely encased in the stuff.
"All these questions but no time. Your clock is running out. I must warn you. You're hardly taking the desired gate. But, no changing that now. Looks like it's just about done, Ah, Wake up now Eren!"
"Hey how do you know my-"Eren didn't get to finish his sentence before slipping entirely into the glass and loosing consciousness.
Eren's eyes jolted open and he sat up with a start. What had happened? Where was he? Eren stood up and immediately sat back down, a head ache pounding in his skull. Holding his forehead in his hands he turned his head around. He looked down and noticed he was sitting on some kind of plant. It looked frail and thin but appeared to be supporting his weight with ease. He tried to get his bearings and remember how he got here. His memory was a bit hazy.
"Let's see," He muttered. "I was in a car driving Armin to- ARMIN! Where is he?"
The pain nearly made him black out, but he managed to slide down the huge leaf of the strange plant and land on the ground. He took a step forward, fighting against the black spots dancing in front of his vision.
"ARMIN! Where are you! Come on stop playing games!" He shouted. The black spots began to overwhelm him. He sat down in attempt to ward of passing out, but no such luck. Eren slumped over on the ground and was out.
Armin found himself at the verge of tears. All he wanted was to see a simple movie with his best friend! Now he was sitting out in the middle of nowhere with not even a shimmer of an idea of how he got there. He reached into his pocket to pull out his phone but it was out of battery.
"Ah yes, the modern miracle that is technology abandoning me in a time of need. Just perfect" He muttered.
He stood up and began pacing. Where was he? He remembered asking Eren to drive him to the movies, standing in traffic and listening to Eren get pissed, and then... Then what? It was like someone had wiped his mind clear of anything that happened after that incident. Looking around at his surroundings he realized he was standing in a field. That made no sense! He had been on the highway! How did he get here! It looked nothing like any of the parks Armin had ever been at.
Oh god where was Eren. Armin was suddenly horribly aware of how alone he was. Did Eren even know he was missing? His pacing sped up as he began to consider these thoughts.
Armin, calm down. Just walk a few steps forward and you'll see Eren and the car right there. No need to be worried!
Yes, that was right. No use in worrying. How stupid. Armin began walking through the strange grass. Come to think of it, what plant was it? Armin couldn't recognize it from any of his books. Deciding to pluck one of the blades to examine later, he knelt down. Grabbing hold of the strange blue grass, he tugged. The plant wouldn't budge.
"Wha-?" Armin was severely confused. The odd plant was not moving an inch. He gave it another experimental tug, but once again the plant remained steadfast.
Interesting, I wonder what this is?
He wished his phone was still working so he could take a picture of the plant. Standing back up he continued forward. He still hadn't seen any sign of Eren or his car. The field of grass seemed endless, was he ever going to find Eren?
Oh Eren, please be okay.
He thought. The blond boy continued on forward completely unaware of the piercing eyes that followed his movements.