Blank thoughts

Chapter Twenty Seven

The morning sun shines bright on the damp grass. The world zooms past me. I urge my horse forward. Armin is at the back, admiring the world passing by. I smile. Armin looks at me and smiles. We had been riding since the rise of the sun. I stare up into the sky and smile. I didn't care how sick I was or will be. I'm going to enjoy every moment. It had been two days since we and Armin met up again. I hoped for the best of our safety. I see titans in the distance. I urge my horse a bit to the right and enter a small bunch of trees. The trees block out the sun. In the middle of the small space is a small pond. I urge my horse to stop.  Armin hops off and lands in the squishy mud. I take my horses reins and hop off. I lead my horse to a nearby tree and tied the reins to the branch. My horse shakes its head and gnaws on the leaves above him. I slowly walk up to the pond. Armin unlaces his boots and sticks his feet into the cold water. I smile and enjoy his happiness. I walk across the edge of the pond. I find a ginormous patch of long grass. I wade my way into the grass and sit down. I throw off my jacket. I see Armin approach a tree and take hold, slowly climbing up. I throw off my shirt and let my body fall into the cool water. I slide in deeper, slipping off my pants. Blood flows into the water. I look up and slowly close my eyes. I finally have a chance to relax. "EREN" I hear Armin yell. I sit up. Armin slides back down from the tree. "The titans are gone". I nod and stand up. I grab my jacket and dry myself with it. I tuck it under my arm and slip on my pants and shirt again. I tie my jacket around my waist and slip on my boots again. Armin does the same. I suddenly feel weak. I stumble for a sec and fall to the ground. "Eren....are you okay?" Armin frantically asks. I kneel and cough into my fist. "Just tired" I lie. Armin hold out his hand. I grasp his hand and he pulls me up.  "I'll take control over the horse" he states. I nod and he supports me as he hoist me onto the horse. We ride on.

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It's almost dark out. Armin rides on. I feel weak. I cough into my fist and shiver.  Armin looks back at me and slows down the horse. "No....not now" I croak. Armin looks away. I see tears. He urges the horse to go faster. Then it all happens so fast. A tree comes crashing down. "ARMIN!" I scream. I grab his hand and jump off the horse. The tree lands on the ground, fortunately hitting none of us. Our horse runs away. I desperately whistle, but it was already too late. "Armi-" I gasp. Armin's legs are crushed under the tree. He's unconscious, blood trickling from his lips. I fall to my knees. "No" I stutter. Then I scream. I see a titan loom over us. I can't move. The titan reaches down. Then I hear him. "Live on" Armin chokes. Then he goes limp. I stop breathing. Then it all comes out. "NOOOOO!!!". I stand up and scream. The titan lunges for me. I feel my skin go aflame. It burns the titan's hand. I screams and fall back. More titans are approaching. I kneel down and touch Armin's cheek. Red flames burst out and runs through his veins. I clench harder. "LIVE ON!" I scream, tears falling from my cheeks. "LIVE ONNN!!!!" Armin suddenly slides out from the tree, not a scar in sight. The fire extends around me. It wraps around me in a ball. I toss my head up and scream. Flames tower up like a beaken. All the titans freeze and begin to burn. Lightning strikes down. Then I see it. Wall Rose. Trost. I begin to cry. I reach for it. The fire suddenly stops and it's all gone. The titan's dead bodies burn away. The sky is gray. I look down at my hands. They are scorched and black. I clench them and begin to sob. How? How did this happen? Then I feel myself become weak. I hear something. I look up and see scout legions approaching me. One of them.....was Levi. I slowly look up. Levi....was crying. He walks closer. Then it happens. Pain. I choke and fall to my hands and knees. The pain is unbearable. I fall weak. Levi runs up to me......right as I close my eyes......surrounded in lonely blackness.