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“It was a great movie, but I had a brief moment...”
“...Where it felt as if I was there.” Mikasa and Armin say, simultaneously.
“Kind of like, we were floating, for years and years and it never stopped.” Eren turned to them, the wind sending shivers down their spines. To Eren’s confusion, Mikasa and Armin began laughing.
“I wouldn’t go that far Eren.” Armin laughed, Mikasa nodded her head in agreement.
Annoyed, Eren began marching away, muttering to himself as if he was plotting his friends demise. He knows what he felt, he wasn’t crazy, so why were they acting as if he were?
“Come on Eren! We were just joking... please don’t make us walk up the hill again.” Armin said, panting. Mikasa was far ahead of him by now, Armin swore she had endless amounts of stamina.
At the top of the hill, there was this giant tree that stood out among the others. Each of them had a perfect view of it from their house. One day Eren decided to venture up to the tree, he then showed Mikasa and then they took Armin. It became a peaceful place for the three of them.
Looking up at the tree always made them feel small, since it was so huge and overbearing. Usually Eren would stop once he reached the tree, then they would all sit and talk together. But today, he continued down the hill.
“I found something yesterday! I just remembered!” The two reluctantly followed Eren, until they reached a patch of land covered by moss and brambles. Eren stuck his hand right into the bramble bush.
“Eren!” Mikasa scolded him for being so careless, she attempted to pull his arm out.
“Wait! Let me show you!” He insisted. It took a few seconds, but an almost entirely decayed door flung open revealing a staircase. Although they could only make out the first three steps since everything else was crumbled, consumed by nature.
“Oh cool! An old basement?” Armin asked.
“Probably. My grandmother said when she was a kid there was a huge demolition of a historical city... maybe this was it?” Mikasa replied.
“If it was a historical city, why would they destroy it?” Eren asked, with a melancholy kind of tone.
“I guess.. they just don’t recall it’s history.” Armin placed a hand on Eren’s back before covering the basement again.
“So many forgotten memories.” Eren continued, he pointed out into the abyss. “If you keep walking straight forward there’s this huge crater, like a footprint shape crater. Although it’s not very clear now.”
Of course, Eren took them there. Just as he had said, there it was, a huge footprint shaped crater that ended just before the edge of the cliff. It was as if a giant had once resided there.
“This reminds me...” Mikasa thought, placing a hand on her forehead. Sometimes she would get a pulsating feeling in her head that would arrive unexpectedly, usually it was accompanied by a sense of deja vu.
“Of the movie right? When the huge Titans arrived and the door back there was like the basement in that kids house.” Eren continued Mikasa’s sentence. Everything was too similar, like it was based on reality or past events.
A flock of birds flew overhead, their silhouettes painted in the evening sky, one singular feather landed between them. It was as if it had been placed purposely, as if the action of the feather falling had been carefully thought out. The three remained silent, momentarily hypnotised by this feather.
“I guess this is a sign to start collecting something new, since my sea shell collection is kinda full now.” Armin picked up the feather and placed it in his bag, he liked to document things. One day, he dreamed of being an author.
Eren smiled, glad his life was filled with these small moments of happiness.
“I really enjoyed that movie, let’s do it again sometime.” Eren stated.
“Of course.” Mikasa smiled.
“We go to the movies every weekend Eren.” Armin said, raising an eyebrow in confusion.
“I’m so glad I have you guys.” Eren suddenly embraced them, a moment of warmth surrounded the trio, everything was peaceful.
In this life, you are free, Eren.