Deep Slumber

Chapter 25

My mind kept wandering, everything had a place, pieces of a puzzle, a puzzle with out an actually purpose or picture to create and form.

I decided that I wouldn't dwell on the matter and return back to the others before they noticed I was gone. I had no idea of the time, the darkness in the hallways seemed to trick the mind into believing an alternated truth.

I kept on walking, expecting to see a faint light, or the sound of voices, yet nothing came. The ominous darkness seemed thicker, reaching my hand in front of me it was completely engulfed within the dark matter.

I kept on trying to find my way back, keeping in a straight line. Knowing I had gone in the right direction and would soon find my friends.

I kept on doubting the situation, what if I had gone the wrong way? No, I certainly didn't. That's for sure, or is it? I would have found them by now, did I truly walk this far away from them?

The sound of something being crushed under my right foot broke my trail of thoughts. Bending down I found that it was a wrapper, a granola bar, the ones Ymir keeps deep within her backpack.

A sign that I'm traveling in the right direction, letting out a sigh of relief I immediately stood up straight and kept walking.

That is, until I bumped into a solid wall.

"No, no, no....!" I muttered frantically, flinging my hands onto the wall. My nails digging into the joins where the stones meet each other, moss and loose stones tumbled to the ground due to my fast clawing actions.

My heart was pounding, I had to have gone the wrong way, but I didn't, I know I didn't. My mouth was dry and I felt sick to the core.

"Mikasa... Reiner.... Ymir...." I heard myself whisper, then their names came out as a yell.

"MIKASA! REINER! YMIR!" I stood away from the old wall, I tried to look around the blackness, my eyes not concentrating on anything anymore.

"... E-Eren...?!" A voice yelled quietly, my mind started racing. Was it coming from behind the wall? No it couldn't be, the voice, familiar yet unrecognisable, called out again.

Turning I started to run back the way I came, then turning down the first hallway I reached. A thin netting of cobwebs smothered my face, wiping them off I continued running.

Soon another sound joined my noisy footstep symphony, this was the sound of whimpering. The whimpering grew in volume and soon I saw the faint glow of a torch. There, holding the source of the light was no other than Krista.

She sat, leaning against the one of the walls. Her head tilted back with her eyes closed, dirt and dried blood was smeared across her cheeks and forehead.

"Krista...?"

"Eren...? Is that you..?" She mumbled, her eyes slowly opening. Looking around the poorly lit area, she finally saw me.

"Yes, it's me..! Oh my god, are you okay?"
I asked as I slowly approached her crumpled figure.

Then I realised me question was stupid once I could see that her foot was bent at an odd angle, her clothing plastered to the area, her blood acting as a glue to the fabric.

"You're here... Eren, get me my bag... Over there, please..." She motioned to a backpack several metres down the hallway, its outline barely visible by the torches faint glow.

I did as she asked, going to grab the discarded bag. I went back to her, instantly her face lit up as she saw it.

"Here.."

"Eren... I need your help, my foots completely busted... In the middle zip, yeah there... There should be a pair of scissors, I want you to cut off my jeans from my knee down..."

I did as she asked, cutting the fabric with the scissors then taking it off her. I threw the useless fabric away, the taking off her shoe and sock carefully.

Small yelps of pain and a few tears slipped down her cheek, mingling with the dirt and blood. I kept my focus on trying remove the clothing without causing any more pain to her.

"Okay... Now what..?"

"In... In the same compartment should be a small bottle, can you see it...?" She ask as I rummaged though her bag, soon finding a small plastic bottle a lilac liquid swished about inside.

"Got it, is this it?" She nods her head in reply an then instructs me to spray it over her wounds.

A disinfectant, herbal, spray she made, Krista said it was to stop anymore swelling, to prevent and remove any current infections and those which may develop in the future. I think...

"Do you have any bandages of some sort?"

"Yes, there in the back compartment, you can't miss them..."

Unzipping the back compartment open, my eyes immediately were drawn to the white rolls after rolls of bandages. Pulling a roll out I started to wrap her wound up with them, until her whole foot was covered in the medical fabric.

I put the scissored back into the bag and my fingers brushed against a slightly crumpled plastic surface, curiosity got the better of me and I pull out the object.

It was the same brand of granola bars Ymir had, only then, having food within my clasp, did I realise how hungry I was.

I chucked her the bar and then went I scavenge for another for myself. Once I find it, I rip open the packaging with my teeth, spitting out any packaging which is torn completely off the main body.

I bit into the crunchy bar, dry flakes of fruit and oats crumbling into my mouth. I glanced up to see Krista happily munching on her own, her eyes occasionally looking at her foot then to focus on nothing in particular.

"Mm, so, how the hell did you end up here?" I asked her between bites, until soon the bar was gone and only half of my appetite had been satisfied.

"I don't know... I remember falling and not hitting the stairs which should have been below, instead I fell here..."

"That's freaky, I'm no scientist, but I either think physics is fucking with us or god knows what."

"When did you start to believe in god?" She chuckled, finishing off her bar with a sigh of refreshment.

"I don't, not what after I've seen. I just wanna get outta here and rescue Armin, he must be shitting his pants due to fright.... On a more serious note, I think we should rest before we look for the others. When we wake up, I'll pop you on my back and we'll get out of here."

"That sounds like a plan." She smiled and yawned, lifting her head up so that her eyes were directed at the dark ceiling.

Shuffling along the floor, pulling the bag with me. I slumped agains the wall with Krista, folding my arms across my chest before hearing her quiet voice whisper:

"Goodnight, Eren..."