LOYAL [TWD] (third book to TROUBLE)

shiva

"Your Majesty!" Benjamin shouts.

"Benjamin! Sakiko!" Jerry cries out in relief.

Benjamin jumps down into the river, holding his hand out for Sakiko who follows behind.

"What happened? Where were you two?" Carol demands.

"Got separated. Found something," Sakiko huffs, looking back.

Hesitantly, Sophia and Siddiq make themselves known.

"Who..?" Carol questions, helping Sakiko across the water before reaching for Benjamin.

"Explain later," Benjamin huffs as he and Sakiko kneel beside Ezekiel.

"What happened to everyone else? Daniel? Alvaro? Brittney?" Sakiko asks, checking the large gash on Ezekiel's leg.

"Explain later," Jerry dismisses, sticking Ezekiel's sword into the mud wall.

"Come on," Carol holds a hand out for Sophia.

Sophia cries out in pain as Carol hoists her up, a gunshot wound in her shoulder.

"Ezekiel!" Carol cries as Ezekiel fights the walkers in front of them, "We can get you away, come on!"

"You can't!" Ezekiel argues, "Save the Prince. Go on without me."

Jerry immediately grabs Benjamin's arm, nearly picking him up and throwing him to Carol.

"We can't leave you, Your Majesty," Sophia denies as Benjamin and Carol help Siddiq up.

"Come on, man! Just go!" Ezekiel shouts.

Sakiko turns, shooting down a walker that got close to Ezekiel when he was exhausted.

"You're my King!" Jerry screams in refusal to leave him behind.

"No, I'm not!" Ezekiel turns, shouting in Jerry's face, "I'm not your King. I'm not 'Your Majesty'."

Sakiko stumbles back against the mud wall, heavy breathing from the fights they've been through.

"Look at what's in front of us," Ezekiel motions to the walkers, "That's what's real. I ain't no king. I ain't nothing."

"Ezekiel.." Carol breathes.

"I'm just some guy. Some guy that found a.." Ezekiel pauses.

Shiva's roar is heard before the group sees her. Siddiq, who was standing beside Sophia, trips over nothing and falls to the ground.

"Shiva.." Ezekiel cries.

"Sakiko," Carol calls.

Sakiko jumps, looking up at Carol. Carol and Benjamin both reach down, helping Sakiko up the steep hill.

Jerry grabs Ezekiel by the back of the shirt, shoving him forcefully up after Sakiko who reaches to grab him as well.

"Shiva! Shiva!" Ezekiel screams as Jerry climbs up.

Sakiko readies her gun, shooting down a couple walkers that Shiva swatted away until her gun clicks- empty of ammunition.

Benjamin takes notice of just how closed in Shiva was becoming, trying to run back down the hill only for Sophia and Sakiko to stop him.

"Shiva!" Benjamin calls, whistling to signal her to run away.

"Run, girl! Shiva!" Ezekiel begs.

Shiva spins in a circle, being forced to the ground.

"No, no!" Ezekiel panics, just barely being caught by Carol and Jerry, "Please, Jerry! Dammit, let me help her!"

"You can't," Jerry states.