Chapter forty seven
I run as fast as humanly possible, Tommy gripped to my chest. "Home" I hear Tommy whisper sadly. I squeeze him a bit to show I was sorry as well. The town was in ruins. Titans were everywhere. "Almost there" I whisper. Tommy grips my shirt. "I'm scared Armin". I look down at him. "It's gonna be okay buddy" I assure. "Armin" Tommy begins. "Thank you...for helping me.....you're kind of like my big brother". I look at him in shock. That's what he thought of me? I feel tears in my eyes. I smile. "I swear I'll protect you" I promise. "And we'll have a great time....Eren, you and me...I swear". Tommy smiles. I look around. "We should probably find some place to rest...It's a long walk to base". Tommy nods and yawns. I pat his back and hoist him a bit higher onto my shoulders. Tommy rests his head on mine. His soft breathing puts me at ease. I smile. I was glad I decided to take in Tommy. I see a clear opening in the distance that was titan free. I squeeze Tommy's hand and dash quickly to see a building. I close my eyes and let the wind blow at my face. I open them again and slow down, the building closer. Tommy stirs in his sleep. I slow to a walk and stop at the open door. "Hello...anyone in there?". My voice echoes through the door. I peek inside to see it was an old warehouse. "Hey Tommy...Tommy wake up.......we're safe now" I announce happy. Tommy rubs his eyes and climbs off my shoulders. He look up at me and smiles. Suddenly, Tommy freezes. "Armin...do you hear that?". I go quiet. I hear nothing. I look around the area. Still nothing. Tommy...I don't know what yo-". Tommy suddenly gasps."ARMIN LOOK OUT!" He screams. Suddenly, with all his might, he pushes me back....as the building right behind us explodes. Tommy screams and I fly back. I hit the ground and tumble til I hit the wall of another building. I couldn't move. I feel unimaginable pain in my leg. I gather all my strength to see a large piece of metal lodged in it. Blood is pouring out. Suddenly, I realize Tommy wasn't here. I sit up and grab the metal piece. I hold my breath and rip it out. "ARMIN!" I hear someone scream as I fall again, screaming in pain. I grab my leg and scream harder. I sit up. "TOMMY!" I scream. I throw myself forward and get up. I begin to limp forward. I look around the area. "TOMMY!" I scream. No response. Then I see something that makes me scream in fury. A little hand sticking out from a pile of debris. I ignore the pain in my leg and dash forward. "TOMMY!!" I scream. I slide to my knees and begin to throw away debris from his body. As I remove the last bit, I freeze. Tommy was laying there in a pool of blood....a metal beam stabbed through his stomach. I fall to my knees. "T-T-TOMMY!" I sob. Tommy slowly opens his eyes. His gaze meets the metal pole. He doesn't panic. He looks up at me. "ARMIN!" I hear someone scream. I turn around to see Annie, carrying someone who looks like they'll pass out at any moment. I look back at Tommy. Tommy's hand is shaking, slowly arching its way toward mine. "run" he croaks, blood dribbling from his mouth. I shake my head. "I'm not leaving you here!". I turn back to Annie. "YOU HAVE TO HELP!" I beg. Annie looks down at the person she was carrying, to my shock was Eren. Eren looks at me, tears in his eyes. Eren suddenly wriggles from Annie's grip. "EREN NO YOU'RE TOO WEAK!" Annie gasps. Eren stumbles to my side. "Oh god" he gasps. Tommy looks up at Eren. "E-r-e-n....j-a-e-g-e-r?" he whispers. Eren looks at him in shock. "You know my name?". Tommy smiles. "Y-o-u a-r-e m-y h-e-r-o.... I-'-v-e a-l-w-a-y-s w-a-n-t-e-d ....to m-e-e-t...you". Eren's eyes are shiny with tears. I grab Tommy's hand. "I'm not leaving you...I PROMISED I'D SAVE YOU...LET YOU LIVE WITH US.........I PROMISED!". Tommy gathers all his strength and squeezes my hand. "I-t-'s...o-k-a-y" he coughs, struggling for breath. My shoulders bounce up and down as my sobs get stronger. "No Tommy...don't you give up on me.....be brave... I can't lose you!". More blood dribbles from Tommy's mouth. "Thank you" he croaks. "Thank you Armin....b-e...b-r-a-v-e...b-r-a-v-e". I hold his head to my lap. "No Tommy....YOU HAVE TO LIVE!". Tommy shakes his head. He His hands are shaking as his smile grows smaller. His arms fall to his sides. "T-h-a-n-k....t-t-h-a-n-k...y-o-u". He grins, then his smile slowly disappears. Tommy's chest rises...and falls.....for one last time. Tommy's head rolls to the side, his eyes forever opened, staring. "T-T-T-Tommy?" I stutter. Nothing. I look at him. Tears fall onto his forehead. My tears. I sob into Tommy's chest, his blood staining my face. I can hear Eren muffling his sobs. I cry harder and wrap my arms around Tommy's dead body. "No...please don't leave me" I sob. I hug him tighter. I can barely breathe. I fling my head up into the air. "TOMMY!" I scream. "T-O-M-M-Y!!!!". I feel arms wrap around me. I look up to see Eren and Annie hugging me. I hold Tommy closer and cry harder. Eren places his fingers on Tommy's eyelids, and closes them. I look at Eren. His face is glazed with tears. Annie buries her face into Eren's chest sobbing. Eren hugs me tight, his tears dribbling onto my shoulder. There was no use crying anymore. I was too numb with sadness. Eren gets up and rips away the metal piece from Tommy's stomach. My lip quivers as I unbuckle my cape, then my jacket. I wrap the jacket around Tommy's body. I wipe away more tears and lean down to kiss Tommy's forehead. I slowly drape the cape over Tommy's dead body. "Be brave" I sob into my hands. "BE BRAVE TOMMY!".
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In memory of Thomas Wilton, age 6
God bless his soul and what he did for Armin
May his blessed soul forever rest in peace, sleeping above the harm of earth
May joy be remembered for him and his brave deeds of surviving
May he be forever blessed for his peaceful soul, remembered by his close family and friends
May he rest in peace
Dear Tommy,
You are the bravest boy I've ever met. May your soul rest in peace. I was blessed to have someone like you with me. I'm sorry I couldn't help you enough. I'll always be your guardian and may you forever be in a land with no pain
God bless your soul,
Armin Arlert
To all readers I am VERY sorry you had to go through this pain. I just about cried writing this chapter. I finally cried my pants off when I wrote these final words for Tommy. The story shall go on so thank you all!
May all of us bless Tommy's soul and rest in peace dear boy
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