Chapter 9 – Echoes And Ripples

The steady lines of rain streamed down the bedroom window, with the pale curtains half drawn. Outside, the wind assailed the trees and their branches, violently swinging and tearing the leaves off. Thunder crashed in its own distorted rhythm miles away, as its companion, lightning, lit up the sky; albeit only for a moment. But it was only now that the storm was reaching the pinnacle of its strength, and decided to exercise what power it had.

With a flash of lightning, Mikasa bolted upright in bed confused by what had woken her, with her heart beating violently against her ribcage. But the deafening rumble of the thunder, that followed sounded like it came from directly above her house, confirmed to her that it was just the storm. Sighing with relief she outstretched her hand, searching for her phone. There were two message icons blinking back at her, and she knew who they would be from. She did not want to hear from that person ever again in her life. Those bridges were burnt, and for good reason.

Her phone also showed her that it was only three in the morning, and she threw her phone onto her bedside table on top of a heap of letters, and knocked over one of the many empty medicine bottles. Mikasa heard the sound of something clattering outside her window. She eventually found her way over to her bedroom window and drew back the curtain, only to see the old gate of the front garden off its latch.

The wind was sending the gate battering against the fence, again and again with small splinters falling off with each new gust. She also saw that her garden gnome had been knocked over, and her front garden was in a general state of disarray. The rest of the world was blanketed in complete darkness, as the dense shapeless clouds veiled the plethora of stars above. It would be hours before there was any source of daylight.

Mikasa drew the curtain so that it completely covered her window, and went half stumbling in the dark to try and find the bathroom. A wave of nausea washed over her and she could feel the familiar ache in chest, her heartbeat racing as she made her way over to the sink, and splashed cold water onto burning her face.

Nice big deep breathes. It's just a storm.

She declined to look at herself in the mirror, but she knew her hot cheeks would be red and flushed. Instead, she opened up the cupboard looking for something that would help her. She didn't want to feel like this anymore. Suddenly there was a crash in the distance, and Mikasa found herself doubled over on the floor.

"What happened?" Levi asked.

But Mikasa did not hear him. Her arms were wrapped around her sides, it was an instinctive reflex, but it did not help the searing pain. She let out a short breath and sucked in new air as she rocked back and forth on the floor, as if nursing the pain away. She opened her eyes, and pulled on the long zip of her dark green jumpsuit.

With her upper body now exposed, she could see her abdomen and the tight bandages that wrapped all the way around her waist. Instantly, she started unravelling layer after layer of bandages until she came to the primary dressing. She pulled back on the padded dressing and found a large scar running up past her belly button. She could smell the dried blood on the dressing, and see some fresh crimson beading forming along the stitching. There was another wound that started at her collar bone and disappeared underneath her black sports bra, but this one had no bandaging and looked as though it was nearly healed.

"What happened to you?" Levi asked, the tone of his voice was careful.

Only moments before Levi had been deep in concentration, trying to listen to the others in the library, and Mikasa, who was still handcuffed to him slept beside him on the couch. Levi had thought that he had heard something from the other side of the bookcase, when to his surprise, Mikasa woke up and dropped to the floor and started writhing in pain. She had not answered his questions of concern, when she abruptly exposed herself in front of him, as if she did not even realise that he was there.

Mikasa blinked in a quick flurry and looked up at Levi. She detected that his expression was that of confusion, and maybe concern. Quickly she looked down at her uncovered body, and instantly pulled her jumpsuit across her bare body. Only realising now that he was staring at her, Levi turned his head away from her.

"Sorry," he said quickly.

Mikasa knew that she was going to need his help.

"Levi," Mikasa said in a low voice. Yet he did not turn to face her.

"Levi, I need your help."

"With what?" he still hadn't turned to face her.

Her hand reached for his angular jaw, and she guided his face in her direction.

"I need your opinion… on whether you think these happened recently?" Mikasa asked, though she thought she already knew the answer.

Finally, Levi looked down at her wounds, for that was what they were. Not scars. But wounds that were still in the process of healing.

"They still look new, especially this one – it looks deep," Levi replied and pointed out the wound on her abdomen, "But how did you get them?"

Mikasa sat crossed legged on the floor, looking down at the bandages.

"I didn't get these wounds in this maze. No…I had them before I got here."

Levi's brows furrowed in confusion.

"You didn't feel the wounds, the pain, the whole time that we've been in here?" Levi asked, incredulous that it could be true.

Mikasa shook her head, and then used her fingers to prod at the flesh of her abdomen.

"It's numb. I can't feel anything. I can't feel my fingers on my stomach at all." Mikasa said in a breathy voice.

Levi noticed that Mikasa's breathes were becoming more frequent and shallow.

She's starting to panic.

"At least you can't feel the pain." Levi said, not knowing how to help her.

"I couldn't feel the pain before, but just now when I was sleeping I felt a sharp pain. The pain is starting to come back," Mikasa's words were hurried and she was beginning to go pale.

I hope she doesn't vomit on me again…wait-

"Mikasa – how do you think we got here?"

"What are you talking about? We lost our memories, how am I supposed to know?" Mikasa said curtly.

"Exactly."

Levi gave her a few moments to think about it.

"Anaesthesia?" Mikasa asked?

"I believe so."

Mikasa nodded, the more she thought about it the more it made sense.

"The people that brought us here drugged us into an unconscious state…using general anaesthetic." Mikasa said.

"Yes, and local anaesthetic could explain why you never felt anything before now. You said that you still have numbness – that sounds like a local anaesthetic. I'm guessing that it's effects are starting to wear off now though." Levi said.

Mikasa carefully looked at Levi before she spoke.

"Do you think we will start to regain our old memories? Do you have any memories of before? Be honest with me, like I have been with you."

Levi ran his fingers through his undercut.

"I… don't know if we will regain our old memories. And no, I don't remember anything from before. But I do keep getting really bad headaches. It could be a side effect from the anaesthetic though..."

With a look a deflation, Mikasa reapplied the padded primary dressing over her wound. She held the long bandage in her hands, not sure where to start, when Levi went to take it from her. His fingers brushed along her hand, but she flinched away from him.

Shocked by her reaction, he dropped the bandage on the floor.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't going to hurt you Mikasa."

Mikasa was frozen in place, her breath ragged and her heart pumping furiously.

"No. It's not you." Mikasa managed to say.

Something inside her told Mikasa that something terrible had happened to her. But it was locked away somewhere in her memories. Mikasa was not even sure that she wanted to know what had happened. She grabbed the bandages from the floor and began wrapping it around her wounds and waist, and tied a firm knot.

Levi had turned away from her while she worked the bandage and zipped up her jumpsuit. He was confused more than ever.

"Do you think we knew each other before? On the outside, before the maze?" Mikasa asked.

The question surprised Levi.

"Who knows." Levi said, stumped. "But we will find out what happened to you Mikasa. We will find whoever did this to you,"

"And then what?"

Levi shrugged his shoulders.

"That decision will be up to you."

Mikasa sat back down on the sofa that she and Levi shared.

"I have to tell you something Levi, although I'm not sure if what I'm about to tell you means anything."

Levi said nothing, waiting for Mikasa to continue.

"I was dreaming just before I woke up now. I can't be sure, but something tells me that it wasn't a dream – but part of a memory."

"A memory-"

Suddenly there was shouting at the other end of the library, and a three noted chime sounded throughout the library. Levi was sure that he heard the chime echo throughout the whole maze.

"TARGET ACCOMPLISHED; CARD TWO"