EIGHTH RIDE ✦ ANONYMOUS TEXT

[diamondo]

What's the worst thing you've ever done? How did you recover from it?

I did something awful back home and the guilt's been eating me up ever since. I have some days where everything's fine and I don't even think about it. Other days it's all I can think about and I can barely do anything. I'm not saying I want to get rid of the guilt entirely because that's not possible, but how do you cope with it? I think it's about time I try to deal with it in other, healthier ways.

...Actually, while I'm on the subject, what's the worst thing someone's ever done to you? Did you forgive them? If so, how? I'm not the sort of person that can forgive easily, but holding onto a grudge forever is pretty awful.

[Look at that, he even went to all the trouble of typing properly so as to hide his identity! He even took out the numerous foul words that originally peppered the message!]

Comments

[diamondo]

Wait, devoured? How did that even happen?

I guess I can understand that sort of situation. I've been on the other side of that though; I lost control and did something awful to someone. It's not something I can ever forgive myself for.

You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but I've done some pretty awful things myself, so I don't think it'll bother me or anything.

[bertall]

My world is full of monsters called titans. They've more or less pushed humanity to the brink of extinction and they eat humans just for the sake of killing. This person was trapped inside one of them for... I think they said sixty years? Titans have only been around for about a century. Because of them, humanity lives behind three walls that keeps these titans out.

Are you absolutely sure?

[diamondo]

Oh shit, that sounds awful. So this person uh, ate your friend but didn't have control over themselves. That's awful. I can get why you'd forgive them for it, but it must have been hard.

Yeah. I am.

[bertall]

I don't think Berik would've wanted me to hold a grudge over his decision anyway.

I was responsible for the deaths of over 250,000 people within a year.

[diamondo]

I know how that feels.

Oh shit, that is pretty bad. Is it because you're one of those titan things? Or were you like, a commander or something? I can't think of how anyone could do that otherwise. Shit, sorry, I don't mean to sound like I'm trivializing it or anything. That must be rough to deal with.

[bertall]

The first. I, uh... I was a year too young to join the military at that time - I was only eleven.

I broke the walls that protected humanity.

[diamondo]

Oh god, that's awful. I'm so sorry to hear that. You feel bad about it right? I mean, I doubt you would have brought it up if you didn't feel bad about it.

[bertall]

Of course I do. I'll feel bad about it until the day I die.

[diamondo]

Well at least there's that. I wish I knew what to tell you, but I can't even figure out my own issues. I hope things get easier for you, at least.

[bertall]

I wouldn't hold my breath. It's... weird right now. Back home, I mean.

...What did you do, if it's okay for me to ask?

[diamondo]

Well, at least you're still alive back home. That's something to celebrate, right?

Ah, I killed someone. I lost control and I killed someone.

[bertall]

For now, I guess.

Was it in self defense or to protect someone? Or, um... a friend?

[diamondo]

No. I lost control of myself.

[bertall]

...What caused it?