A Choice with Regrets [Levi Ackerman]

17

One Week Later...

In the middle of the night, I woke up to a sound, assuming the source was coming from the window of my room. As I sat up in bed, the room was completely dark, and no moonlight peering through the window, so I turned to the left to climb out. Right when I did, I immediately regretted it.

The window revealed a large face, showing its teeth at me. A titan.

That haunting grin shook me to the core, and I stood there... paralyzed in fear. The next thing I knew... the glass shatters and its gigantic hand gets ahold of my tiny body, nearly squeezing the life out of me. I then recall that dreadful day when I was grabbed by a titan and Levi saved my life in a flash, but now, my screams could not reach him. It brought me to its gigantic mouth as I've once remembered and let out a piercing cry... until I sat bolt upright, relieved it was only a dream.

The scream was loud and invasive, suffocating my mind and making me unable to sleep, consuming my every waking moment. In my bed, I've noticed the room is bright and warm because of the sunlight beaming in. My face clenched as I held my forehead, wondering if anyone had heard me scream. My heart was still beating rapidly and I took deep breaths to remain calm, but it was helpless. But then I remembered what day it was today.

This is it. Not knowing what lies ahead, this may be my final day to live in peace before encountering the titans again. But this time, the expedition is within Wall Maria, which where titans claim as their territory now.

Climbing out of bed, I feared to glance out the window, expecting a titan to come out of nowhere. But I was only hallucinating.

I was relieved when I could finally open the window to take in some fresh air and the wind blew my hair, imagining myself as a bird soaring in the sky. The sun glistens on the pond below me; the light breeze, the cool temperature, and the clear blue sky, but the one thing I truly miss is the sounds of kids playing and laughing.

Children... when they're little, they believe everything you tell them about the world. These young minds are filled with innocence and optimism, so we must protect their future. And as of now, I miss their glistening eyes of seeing the beauty of the world. Sometimes we make decisions not for ourselves, but for the ones before us. Decisions are hard, but in the end, children are the ones who benefit from them. They are brought into this world not to suffer for our wrongdoings, but to mimic our lives positively. Since I didn't live a normal childhood, I will do my utmost best to see them succeed. They are our future.

A leaf gently fell on the surface of the pond and the water ripples so smoothly. Once the ripples dissipate, all is still... and my mind is still.

I just want to stay in this moment forever...

Since today is the day before the expedition, there is no training. This is a day for us to prepare ourselves mentally and physically. This is a day to enjoy every last drop of joy before facing the titans once again, but this time is a little different. We will be ripped away from peace and risk our lives to fight against humanity's worst enemy. We should at least enjoy everything in our lives and share our last moments together before ending up in a titan's stomach.

After getting dressed, I exited the room in silence, but then Levi reappeared in my head. In the hallway, I come to a halt, wondering if Levi is awake. His office was not too far from my room, so I arrived in a matter of seconds. Just when I was going to knock, the door was pushed open and my eyes widened when Levi stepped out. All my uneasiness evaporates and is replaced with relief when I see him standing in front of me.

"G-Good morning." I stuttered, wishing I hadn't done that. Spotting me, he seemed to be surprised, but then he regained his composure. Even without his uniform, Levi still gives off a strong, uptight feeling. He looked at me remotely, like he was inspecting a strange new being and the way he watched made me a little uneasy. Levi didn't even acknowledge my existence and I was starting to feel awkward, so he averted his gaze before darting around me.