**Fractured Existence**

The sun was setting over the walls of Shiganshina, casting a golden glow over the desolate landscape. I stood at the edge of the expedition team, my eyes scanning the horizon for any signs of danger. As a member of the Survey Corps, I was no stranger to risk, and my boyfriend, Hange, stood by my side, his eyes gleaming with a mix of excitement and caution. Our team had been tasked with investigating a sudden increase in Titan activity outside the walls. We had been warned about the dangers, but nothing could have prepared us for what was about to happen. The Titans emerged from the trees, their eyes fixed on us with a mindless hunger. Our team formed a defensive circle, but we were vastly outnumbered. Hange grabbed my arm, pulling me close as the Titans charged towards us. I tried to react, but it was too late. A massive Titan, its body a mass of twisted muscle and bone, slammed into me, sending me crashing to the ground. I felt a searing pain in my neck and head, and everything went dark. When I came to, I was disoriented and groggy, my vision blurry. I tried to move, but my body refused to respond. Panic set in as I realized I was paralyzed from the chest down. Hange's face appeared above me, his eyes filled with tears and fear. "I'm here, I'm here," he whispered, his voice shaking. "Don't try to move, I'll get help." I tried to speak, but my words were garbled and nonsensical. Hange's face contorted in concern as he examined my injuries. His hands moved gently, but I could sense the urgency beneath his touch. "Hange...what...what happened?" I stammered, my voice barely audible. The words tumbled out of Hange's mouth in a rush. "You were attacked, the Titan...it...it snapped your neck. Your C1 and C2 spinal cord are severed. You're paralyzed from the chest down." I felt a wave of despair wash over me as Hange's words sank in. But that was only the beginning. Hange's face went pale, and he whispered, "Your skull is shattered, your brain is exposed. I need to get you medical attention, now." With shaking hands, Hange pulled out a small medical kit and inserted an endotracheal tube deep into my throat. The sensation was foreign and uncomfortable, but I couldn't move to protest. The tube was connected to a portable ventilator, which began to beep and whir, providing me with the oxygen I desperately needed. As we made our way back to the medical infirmary, my body began to betray me. My diaphragm, weakened by the injury, struggled to expand, and I felt my lungs burning for air. Every jolt and bump of our journey caused my heart to skip a beat, and it stopped multiple times, leaving me on the brink of death. Hange's hands moved swiftly and surely, performing CPR on me as we rushed through the gates of Shiganshina. His face was set in determination, his eyes locked on mine, willing me to stay with him. As we burst into the infirmary, Hange turned to the medical staff, his voice urgent. "Prepare everything! The patient is in critical condition. They suffer from severe spinal cord injury and severe head trauma. We need to act now!" The medical team sprang into action, and Hange immediately began prepping for surgery. I was vaguely aware of the rush of activity around me, but my focus was on Hange's face, his eyes locked on mine, promising me that I would make it through this. But as the anesthesia took hold, and I was wheeled into the operating room, I couldn't shake the feeling that my existence was about to change forever.