Hey TheHeartlessNukia here!
I'm back with my second story to The Forgotten Wife, it's still work in progress though and I will be taking my time with it while I continue writing my Death Note fanfictions. I've only got a few ideas in my head for this fanfiction, but I'll get more ideas while I'm writing it. I may rewatch the whole of Attack on Titan again for ideas, it will be based around the first season of the anime but with my special twist to it.
Thank you for the kind reviews, favorites, alerts and to the unknown people who read my story too.
I hope you enjoy the opening chapter, if not I'm sorry! I'm not the worlds greatest writer, I'm more of a storyteller lol
Chapter 14!
I felt a cool breeze gently blowing onto my face as I slowly opened my eyes, it was so eerily quiet and the atmosphere around me was tense. I wasn't sure what had happened not long ago, but I knew it was something bad because I could smell blood and alcohol in the air. I felt my stomach turn as the smell hit my nostrils, I needed to get outside and get some fresh air before I brought up the contents of my stomach.
I carefully got up onto my knees and groaned as I leaned on my hands for support, they both felt so painful. I took a look at my hands and panicked when I saw fresh blood dripping from one of my hands, they were both badly cut. I slowly looked around at my surroundings and realized I was in the tavern, my thoughts then quickly turned to the Landlord's wife.
I quickly turned my attention to where she had been lying, but she was no longer there. I slowly got up from the floor and wrapped my arms around myself as I began to walk over to the spot where I had seen her last. But I had to stop after a few steps because my body was starting to ache again, she was nowhere to been seen in the bar area.
" Hello!" I yelled with an hint of panic in my voice as I looked around the room. " Is anyone here?! Please answer me, I need help!"
I listened and waited for a reply, but no one answered my calls. I turned my full attention to the giant hole in the wall on the other side of the tavern, I needed to get outside and find some help. I slowly began to make my way through the rubble and the broken objects of the tavern, but I stumbled slightly when I got to the hole in the tavern's wall.
I had to grab hold of the remains of a broken barrel to steady myself before I stepped through the hole in the wall, but the sight that greeted me outside of the tavern was devastating. There was dark smoke raising to the sky and a partly destroyed building on the other side of the street, but then I noticed something even worse. I covered up my mouth when I saw a body of a man with both of his legs missing, his was blood running down the street's cobbles and his eyes were wide open.
I began to tremble as I stared at the dead man, I could see fear in his eyes even though he was stone cold dead. I couldn't help but feel sorry for him, I don't know what had happened to him and I don't think I want to find out either. I quickly glanced both ways down the street and noticed that there was only one way I would be able to go, the street that led to the market place. The street leading to the inner wall of Wall Maria was blocked by fallen debris from house, the whole of the street looked like a war zone.
I took one last look inside of the tavern before I began to slowly walk down the street that led to the market place, hopefully the Landlord's wife had gotten out and found some help. But I stopped dead in my tracks as I thought for moment, what if the Landlord's wife had gone to find help for me. She would return back to the tavern and I wouldn't be there, she may worry about me if I wasn't inside of the tavern.
I looked back down the broken street that led to the tavern, maybe I should go back and wait there in case she returns. But my thoughts were interrupted by running footsteps, I turned by full attention back towards the street that led to the market place and I saw male solider running along the street towards me. He looked panicked and anxious, this was my chance now to find out what was actually going on in the Shiganshina District.
I yelled to the solider as he got closer towards me and took a few steps down the street, he began to slow down as he acknowledged me. He stopped next to me and gently took hold of my arm as he panted, he told me to give him a moment while he caught his breath. I did what he asked until his breathing steadied, he then told me we both had to get to safety because Wall Maria has been breached by a Colossal Titan.
The solider explained to me what had happened not long ago as he began to led me back up the street where the tavern was located, he said he had seen it all and he needed to get word to the guard of the inner gate of Wall Maria. I stopped him and told him that the street up this way was blocked by fallen debris, I told him that he would have to find another way to the inner gate of Wall Maria.
" Damn it, this was the only clear way that wasn't crawling with many titans..." He said with a frown while he looked back down the street. " Listen to me, this is a serious situation. The Shiganshina District is under attack, the titans have somehow breached Wall Maria and the townsfolk are in danger. We are evacuating the district by the usage of the canal system, you must get yourself to one of the barges before it's to late. Do you understand me?"
" Yes sir..." I replied.
I looked back down the street and listened to the solider as he continued to talk to me, he said I needed to be quick in case the titans made it to the canal system. I turned my full attention back to him when I heard him ask me if I would be able to walk to the canal, I gave him a slight nod of my head and asked him if he would be able to send some for help to find my Landlady when he reached the inner gate of Wall Maria.
" You will find all the help you need at the canal system, I suggest you hurry..." He said while he let go of my arm. " Get yourself to safety while the coast is clear, I have an urgent errand to deliver..."
" But sir, I need to find my Landlady..." I said as I grabbed hold of his arm and dragged him towards the tavern. " She was in the tavern with me before a boulder crashed through the back wall of the tavern, I remember seeing her before I lost consciousness. But when I came around she was no longer in the tavern, I'm unsure of her location right now and I think she may have left the tavern to seek help for me..."
The solider told me not to worry, he said he would advise me to make my way to the barges and see if she had turned up at the canal. He went onto tell me that there had been groups of soldiers in this area not long ago rescuing trapped civilians from their homes, he said she may have been rescued and taken to one of the barges at the dock area.
I thought for a moment about what he had said to me, if that was the case then why was I left behind? I may have not been seen by the soldiers though because I remember taking shelter underneath the tavern's bar, I had no other choice but to go to the canal. I thanked the solider and wished him luck on his errand, he then told me to take the back passages behind the houses to the canal's docks in case any titans were still roaming the area.
I watched the solider hurry back along the street and disappear into a side street, I then quickly made my way down the street at a steady running pace. I turned right into a small side street by the old bakery and hurried along the street until I got to the end of it, but there was many broken barrels blocking the end of the side street. I cursed to myself as I ran back along the side street, I had no other choice but to use the street that led to the market place.
It wasn't long until I reached the market place, it was empty and the market stalls items were all left on display. There was a few broken market stalls though which had been crushed by the falling boulders, it felt strange seeing the devastation that the falling boulders had caused and even more frightful was the fact that titans had been seen roaming this very area. I couldn't help but look around at my surrounding as I hurried through the market place, it felt like I was in a different world.
When I got to the end of the market place I stopped at the top of some stone steps and shielded my eyes from the sun as I looked along the street that led to the canal of the Shiganshina District, I could see crowds of people forming at the docks already. I could see five large barges from where I was standing, it looked like one of the barges was getting ready to sail down the canal to the district between Wall Maria and Wall Rose. I carefully hurried down the stone steps and ran along the street, it wasn't long until I was standing at the back of the crowd of frightened people.
I got onto my tiptoes and tried to look over the crowd of people, I was very far back from the dock area. I wouldn't be able to see any of the Landlord's family from here, I needed to get to the front of the crowd. But that was going to be impossible, the people of the Shiganshina District were all shouting and panicking. I had no other choice but to wait for my turn to get onto one of the barges, hopefully there would be enough room for everyone.
It wasn't long until crowds of people gathered behind me, I was pushed forward now again by random people who kept barging past me with crying children or injured people. The Garrison's soldiers were doing their best to control the salutation, but people were to scared and anxious to get onto the barges. I myself couldn't wait to get on one of the barges, I needed to sit down because my body was aching and my hands were covered in dried blood.
" Lorna!" I heard someone shout. " Hey, Lorna!"
I quickly glanced around the crowd of people, it wasn't long until I noticed April with her Brother, they were standing more to the front of the crowd. I waved to them and they beckoned me to come over to them, but I shook my head at them. I didn't want to push in, it wouldn't be fair on the other people who were waiting to get onto the barges.
" Lorna, come over here now!" Yelled April this time with fear in her voice as she waved to me. " Please come over here, we need you!"
I glanced at the people around me as I quickly made my way through the crowd, I apologized constantly to everyone until I got to them. Jacob wrapped his arms around my waist as he cried and April pulled me into a hug, she told me that they were both waiting for their parents. I asked them if they had seen their Father, I was told that he had told them to come and queue for the barges while he went back to the tavern to fetch us.
" I just came from the tavern, I saw no sign of your Mother or Father..." I said while I pulled April away from me. " They must be on there way to the dock, we should wait here for them and get onto one of the barges. I know for a fact that your parents would want you both out of harms way, your safety would be the most important thing to them both..."
" But we can't leave without our parents..." Said April.
" I know, but I will look after you both until they get here..." I said while I rested my hand on April's shoulder and put my arm around Jacob. " I will keep you both safe, you both have my word..."
April gave me a nod of her head, but it wasn't long until she took hold of my hand. I quietly hissed under my breath as her gripped tightened around my hand, I don't think she had noticed that my hand were covered in dry blood. I had to tell her in the end that she was hurting my hand, she apologized to me and took a look at my hand. She had some clean handkerchiefs in her waist jacket's pocket, she wrapped both of my hands up in handkerchiefs for me and told me they would keep my hands clean until a doctor took a look at them.
It wasn't long until we were at the front of the crowd of people, the barge wasn't that full yet and the soldiers of the Garrison were telling people to leave their personal belongings behind because they needed to make as much room as possible on the barges for the civilians. The soldiers were throwing people's bags onto the canal's bank before they got onto the barge, but we were allowed straight on the barge because we had no personal belongings with us.
We found ourselves a place to sit on the floor of the barge, we made sure we got a place to sit where we could keep an eye on the crowds of people. April was sitting on her knees as she looked over the side of the barge, she wanted to make sure that her parent's saw us from the crowd. Jacob on the other had was sitting quietly next to me, I put my arm around him and asked him if he was feeling okay.
Jacob told me that he had seen the Colossal Titan breaking through Wall Maria with his Sister, he said it was nearly as big as the wall. I listened to him as he told me what he had seen, it sounded terrifying. He went onto tell me about the giant boulders destroying houses and crushing people who were running away in fear, he had seen so much horror for one little boy to handle.
" It's okay Jacob, you're safe now..." I said in a soothing tone as I took hold of his hand and pulled him closer towards me. " I won't let anything happen to you, I promise..."
" Lorna, what's happened to your hands?" He asked while he looked up at me. " You don't look very good, your clothes are filthy and you've smell like a brewery..."
I gave him a small smile and told him that I had hurt my hands on some broken glass when I was leaving the tavern, I didn't really want to tell him the truth about what had happened to his home. He had already seen so much terror and destruction, he didn't need to know the truth about the tavern right now.
I looked at April sitting next to me, she was still looking out for her parents. I just hope that the landlord and his wife were safe, I couldn't bare if anything had happened to them. We were all jolted forward as the barge began to move, I then heard people yelling from the docks as the soldiers of the Garrison told them that this barge was now full. I knew there was another two barges left at two of the other docks on the canal, but I'm unsure how many more people would be able to go on them because this barge wasn't that big.
April sat down next to me and leaned her head on my shoulder, she told me that she hadn't seen her parents yet. I told her it was okay while I took hold of her hand and comforted her as best as could, I didn't really know what else to say to her right now. Jacob on the other hand told his Sister that their parents would probably be on one of the other barges, he said they would be waiting for them in the district on the other side of the inner wall of Wall Maria.
I watched as April took hold of her Brother's hand, she told him that he was right because their parents wouldn't abandon them without a good reason. I couldn't help but feel proud of Jacob, he was keeping calm for his big Sister which was very brave of him. But I on the other hand was worried about the Landlord and his wife, I didn't see either of them at the tavern which concerned me since that solider told me about the titans roaming the area where the tavern was located.
I heard Jacob telling me that he was getting cold, I didn't really have a cloak or anything to give him. So I told him we should cuddle to keep each other warm, he did pull a face over my idea at first. But after a while he cuddle up close to me and I rested my head on the top of his head, he then told me he was happy that I was here with him to keep him safe. I couldn't help but smile at his words, but it didn't stop me wondering about what our futures would now hold since the outer wall of Wall Maria had been breached by this so called Colossal Titan.