CHAPTER TWO

The female Titan could talk! That didn't sit well with me. I threw up. Again.

"Lara, where is Lei?" Her voice was commanding, authoritarian even.

Then it got me.

"MOM?!" Jaw on the floor.

"Yes honey it's me."

"MOM?!"

"It's me Lara."

I screamed."Oh my goodness, oh my god...what..MOM?!"

"Okay Lara, where is Lei?"

"A man is taking him to the wall."

"Why isn't he taking you?"

I tried avoiding her huge eyes."Well...he said the O.D.M. was running out and I wanted Lei to be safe first so I jumped off."

She stared at me. I couldn't avoid her eyes after all. She sighed and folded the hand I was in, just enough to not squish me. "You have to get to the wall too."

There was motion and the breeze went through her fingers to my face. The breeze came faster and I heard the stomps of her feet grow louder.

A swarm of Titans were chasing after us like flies. All of different heights and shapes. Goosebumps. But then I saw something. Something that gave me hope.

The Titans were dropping dead one by one at a speed I had never seen before. A group of people wearing O.D.M. swung above them, blades ready and the ground drenched in smoking blood.

They didn't attack my mom. I noticed that half half way to the wall.

"How are you doing in there?"

"Oh the nerve you've got. I don't know, I'm only in the hand of huge person who, by the way, happens to be the woman who raised. So there. I'm not fine."

"I will explain everything when you are safe. Not here."

"No one wants to tell me anything."

We eventually reached Wall Mikasa. A person in O.D.M. took me from mom's hand. I watched her go off to fight.

Almost every one on the wall were children, teenagers, people below the age of nineteen. And some old people. Some missing a leg or an arm and others just soaked in blood.

I couldn't breathe. Where was Lei?

The dizziness must have knocked me out, because I found myself in the arms of a boy.

"Hey. Hey, are you ok?" He looked a bit older than me. About fourteen with tan skin. Slim, with blue eyes. Slap on black hair instead of brown and he would have been my dream boy.

"Yes. I'm ok."

"I am Reed. You just fell. I do not think you have eaten yet."

"I haven't. Thanks Reed, I'm Lara."

"Short for what?"

Short for what?! What did he need the full name for?

"Laramie."

"Beautiful name."

"Whatever. I already thanked you. What do you want?"

"You are still shaking and running a temperature."

"I'm fine Reed."

"Okay. If you say so." He stood up to leave.

What was I doing? He just wanted to make sure I was ok.

"Wait."

He turned and smiled.

"I need your help."

"What is it that you need my help with?"

"What do you know about the walls?"

"Well before my parents died..."

"Oh God I'm so sorry. Mine are dead too."

"Sorry. Well they told me the walls were once built with Titans in them. But the Chief generals for all forces, General Ackerman and General Jean, demolished the walls around all the districts and killed the Titans inside. It was rebuilt again with the diamonding skin of Titans they had killed."

"Isn't diamond impenetrable."

"Well there are blades that can cut through it now."

"Ackerman. I..I know that name. I think it's deja vu."

"I do not think it is."

"Thank you. So what were you doing when the Titans attacked?"

"I was in the market..." He cleared his throat in a nervous way "...stealing some cakes."

"Wow. Life got you good."

"Yes. I was being chased when I heard the first crash. The man chasing me stopped so I stuffed my coat." He reached for his pockets and pulled out cakes. Small cupcakes. He handed them to me.

He laughed as I put the cupcakes in my own pocket.

"People were running shouting MONSTER!Then I watched the man get smashed to pieces by a boulder."

I took out the cupcakes from my pocket.

"No, you need to eat."

"They belong to a dead person."

"And so you should waste it. Someone's life's work." He narrowed his eyes. Mischievous but right.

"Fine. So where are you going to stay? Where have you been staying?"

"My parents died last week. I have been in the house since. As for here..."

I inhaled and exhaled. "Maybe an orphanage?"

"No."

"Well I don't know then. I don't even know where I'm going to stay. Me and my...Lei!"

"Hmmm?"

"Oh my god, I forgot."

My legs were shaking but I took off to search for Lei. Still weak, so I started eating the cupcakes.

My eyes caught Lei, lying on a mat. Next to him was paramedic.

I shook him but he didn't wake. His eyes wouldn't open and his skin as pale as sand on the school playground. My head spun.

"LEI!"

"Mam. Is this your brother?"

"Yes. Leicester Smith."

"And your name?"

"Laramie Smith."

"Your brother is in a coma. He was brought here by force captain of Shiganshina, Paul Grichké. Seems he lost a lot of blood and the shock must have damaged a part of his brain."

"Oh god." Said a voice from behind. Reed's voice. "Sorry to hear that."

"It's my fault."

"I am pretty sure it is not. At least he is not dead."

At least wasn't good enough. I had to do something to protect Lei, forever. I wasn't going to let him get hurt again. I'd have to die before that would happen.

"Lara you are pale! You have to sit..."

I passed out.