Red Swan

845: The Fall of Shinganshina

I'm Greta Jaeger. My parents are Grisha and Carla Jaeger, and I have an older brother named Eren. Although my life wasn't remarkably normal, I had a happy childhood. After all, we lived in the outer Wall. We had a lot of adventures together around the District with our friends Mikasa and Armin. After the bandits killed her parents, Mikasa Ackerman came to live with Eren and me. He saved her life. In our group, Armin Arlert was the brains and a fellow book reader; this was one of the things we had in a joint. Although he struggled with not standing up to the bullies, Eren, Mikasa, and I were always there to help him. My friends were important to me, and I put Eren in that category, too; not only was he my brother, but I also considered him my best friend because we were so close in age. He promised to always protect me from the world's dangers, including the Titans.

Eren was my hero.

All of a sudden, everything changed when I was eight. The people in Shinganshina District dealt with the unimaginable. A gigantic skinless Titan raised his head over the Wall, which was fifty meters high, and then he kicked a giant hole through it, killing dozens, maybe thousands. Another massive Titan with bright yellow eyes and armored skin approached. At this moment, the power of two Titans broke through the Wall, protecting our people. Our safety and security was obliterated in a millisecond. It was as if the skinless Titan was kicking a rock. "This is the end! We're all going to be devoured!" Armin screamed, his blue eyes wide in fear. I looked at my brother with total terror. Almost instantly, people were becoming Titan fodder. Others were crushed under the fallen debris of the Wall. Children becoming orphans, spouses becoming widows, and innocent lives were lost. All I could hear were the roars of the Titans, destruction, and screaming. I suddenly started hyperventilating from the fear that overtook my body. The unthinkable had happened...

Mom was left alone by herself, and Eren realized this. "We need to find Mom and get out of here!" Myself, Mikasa, and Eren ran down the street to our house, which was crumbled to nothing, and Mom lay limp among the destruction. A large rock had fallen on top of the roof which had caved in on our mother, it seemed like she was severely injured. I was hoping it was just a nightmare. "MOM!" me and Eren shrieked. We didn't like seeing our mother broken like that. "Eren? Greta? Mikasa?" she was shaken up by the sudden attack.

"Grab that end with everything you've got." Eren ordered me and Mikasa. "Hoist!" we strained and tried to lift the fallen roof on her. It was far too heavy for us kids to raise. "Hurry up!" my brother yelled. "We're trying," Mikasa grunted. "Eren, listen to me. My legs have been crushed, so even if you could free me, I couldn't move. I need you to take Mikasa and your sister and run," Mom told him with a shaky voice. "NO! I'm not leaving without you. I'll carry you!" Eren screamed. "WOULD YOU JUST SHUT UP AND LISTEN TO ME FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE?!" our mother screamed hysterically. I had never seen Mom react to a situation like this before; because she was usually calm. Then again, her life wasn't on the line before all this happened. "Do you want all four of us to die?" "No, that's why we must get you out of here!" Eren gritted his teeth as he desperately tried to move the broken roof with strength.

"Mommy, I don't want to leave you," I cried fearfully. "Sweetheart, everything will be okay. As long as Eren is with you, nothing bad will happen," tears dripped down her face, making me cry even more. "It's them," my mother's eyes were suddenly wide with fear, and suddenly, loud footsteps followed.

A gigantic Titan with shoulder-length blonde hair and a horrible smile was slowly walking toward us, and it was on the hunt for the kill. Everything was about to take a turn for the worst. I screamed in terror as the giant creature was inching closer and closer.