Falling into Darkness

The beeping machines and antiseptic smell of the infirmary were the first things I noticed as I slowly regained consciousness. Hange's face was still inches from mine, his eyes red-rimmed from lack of sleep and worry. I tried to speak, but my voice was barely audible, even with the ventilator helping me breathe. Armin stood beside Hange, his expression grim as he surveyed the equipment surrounding my bed. "We're lucky to have you back, Levi," he said, his voice low and serious. "Hange here saved your life. You're a hard person to kill, it seems." I managed a weak smile, trying to acknowledge Hange's efforts. He smiled back, relief washing over his face as he squeezed my hand. The medical staff bustled around us, adjusting my medication and monitoring my vital signs. One of the doctors, a middle-aged man with a kind face, approached me. "Levi, can you hear me?" he asked, his voice gentle. "I'm Dr. Kyosuke. We've been working hard to stabilize your condition. Your spinal cord injury is severe, but we're hopeful we can restore some function to your lower body." I nodded, or at least tried to. My neck was stiff, and I wasn't sure if I could move. Dr. Kyosuke continued, "As for your head injury, it's...complicated. You've suffered significant damage, but we're doing everything we can to minimize the long-term effects." Hange's grip on my hand tightened, his eyes welling up with tears. I knew he was scared, and I couldn't blame him. I was scared too. Days passed, or maybe it was weeks. Time lost all meaning as I lay in the infirmary, trapped in my own body. I couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't do anything but lie there and wait for...something. Recovery? Death? I didn't know. Hange was my constant companion, talking to me, holding my hand, and crying when he thought I was asleep. Armin visited regularly, bringing updates on the outside world and reassuring me that the city was safe. But despite their efforts, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was falling into darkness, that I was losing myself in this sea of pain and helplessness. One day, as Hange was feeding me through a straw, I managed to whisper a single word: "Hange." He looked up, his eyes locking onto mine. "Yes, Levi?" I took a deep breath, trying to form words. "Titan..." Hange's expression changed, a mix of concern and curiosity. "What about the titan, Levi?" I strained to speak, my voice barely above a whisper. "Want...to...know..." Hange leaned in, his ear inches from my mouth. "I'm listening, Levi. Tell me." I closed my eyes, focusing all my energy on speaking. But as I tried to form words, I realized that I had no idea what I wanted to say. Was I trying to tell Hange something about the titan? Or was I just trying to hold on to something, anything, that would keep me connected to the world outside these hospital walls? All I knew was that I had to keep trying, no matter how hard it got. For Hange, for Armin, for myself – I had to keep fighting.