RUNNING FROM GIANTS (EatUrFarkinMeat)

1. >ALONE<

"I'll try be brave..." Mari said as her father walked out the door. "There's been another titan attack... Hasn't there" Angelo asked his older cousin. Mari just simply nodded. "Father is gone. We must fend for ourselves now." Mari said while walking to the fire place and gathering the wood inside. "He's going to die." Angelo said in a sad voice. Mari knew he was right, but she didn't want to believe him. "He'll be back" she answered as confident as she could. She pulled the match box out of behind the fireplace. "He'll be back." She whispered to herself. She pushed the match toward on the box. The friction between the two caused the match stick to catch fire. She held it in front if her face for a few moments before throwing it onto the wood.

"Mother!" Mari called. "Mother!" She called once more. "come on mom! Hide and seek is over!" Mari giggled. She ran through the hall into the living room. "Mom! I'm not playing any more!" She yelled starting to get a bit frustrated. She turned around observing the room, trying to make out why her mom wasn't answering. "Mom?" Mari's facial expression turned from annoyed to worried. She tried looking under the couches and beneath the pillows, but there was something wrong. She looked up at the ceiling and sighed. "She's probably waiting for me somewhere. She walked into the kitchen. The four year old stood on her tippy toes and grabbed a cup. She walked over to the sink and put the cup on the counter. She walked over to the table and dragged a chair back over. She climbed on top and poured some water into the cup. She took a sip and looked out the window. She looked at the old tree rooted in front of the balcony. She was shocked at the image she saw, her eyes started to water. Soon her hand started to feel weak, and she dropped her glass. She saw her mother.

Dangling. Lifelessly. From the branch.

"Mari! Wake up!" Angelo cried. "It's just a bad dream!" He started to shake her. She was crying, screaming, in her sleep. Mari viciously sat up. She was drenched in sweat and tears. "you had another nightmare" Angelo explained. "It wasn't. It actually happened. If it were a dream; my mother would still be alive!" She wiped her forehead. "Are you alright?" He asked. She nodded and sat on the end of the bed. "we should wash up, we have to search for any adults." "Good idea." Mari agreed. She then stood up off the bed and walked to the dresser.

Angelo crept up behind and tapped her on the shoulder. "Happy 12th birthday!" Mari smiled at him. "thanks." She hugged him and he hurried out to his room. "eight years ma, eight years," she picked up the framed photo of her mother and kissed it. "I'm sorry" she whispered to herself. Mari believed she was the reason why her mother hung herself. Although, it truly wasn't.