Shorter Than Me

20 Levi

"Please don't leave, Daddy." Petr pulls on my arm, still clad in his blue pajamas. I don't know how he managed to wake up at the same time I did, but he did. And now he doesn't want me to mount my horse.

I kneel down next to him and look him in the eyes. "I have to go back to my job."

"But why can't you stay?" His sad eyes bore into mine and he looks about to cry.

"I have a job."

He looks down. In an urge to get him to be a little more happy, I walk quickly back to my room and take a piece of paper from where I left it on the bed. He followed me inside, so I turn around.

"Here." I hold it out to him. He stares at the bad drawing of his mother. "Every time you see this picture, remember that she's watching over you. And remember that I'm doing my job helping prevent more deaths like hers." But when she died, I wasn't doing my job. I wasn't there for my squad when I should have been. He doesn't need to know that.

He stares at the picture for a few seconds, then looks at me. He runs across the three feet of floor between us and hugs me. I hug him back. Then I have to pry him away from me. He follows me out the door.

"Will you come back soon?"

"I hope so."

"Can you take me with you?"

"No." I turn and mount my horse, finally. I start riding back into the forest. I glance back and he's waving. I wave back.

Then I am swallowed by the trees.

I push the horse to a gallop, trying to get back as soon as possible. I hear Petr's voice echoing in my ears, saying, "Daddy" over and over.

***

Everyone is still gone when I get back, so I go to my room. I feed Ferret, and he climbs up my arm again. I pet his head for a second before removing him and taking my jacket off. I watch him run around until dinner.

***

The next morning, everyone has breakfast. Then I find my squad outside. I'm about to ask Guiin what she did yesterday, but I hear my name.

"Captain Levi?" I turn to see a cadet I don't know the name of. "Commander Erwin wants to see you in his office immediately. He said it was very urgent."

"Fine." What could he possibly need right now?

Before you read any more, I'd like to hear what you think Erwin wants.

I walk inside and go to the commander's office. I knock on the door, a bit annoyed.

"Who is it?"

"Levi."

"Come in." He's voice sounds worried. Barely after I open the door, he starts talking again. "I thought I'd let you know before anyone else."

I close the door. "What?"

Then I see her. Genta. She's here.

"It's Petr. He's gone."

My breathing stops.

So maybe you didn't notice, but I'm putting the POV in the chapter title now. I think it might be easier to navigate through parts, at least for me, so I will eventually do that for all of them.

So anyway, what did you think about this part?