Brother's Keeper ¹ || The walking dead

10.

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"..we'll find her." Carl spoke as he walked beside Riven.

The group had decided to split up, half went back to the highway to see if Sophia came back, while Rick, Shane, Carl, and Riven continued searching.

Riven glanced at him, but he didn't reply. He's been silent since he yelled at Rick for losing Sophia.

He didn't blame Carol or Rick for Sophia missing. He blamed himself, and a part of him blamed Sophia.

She should've listened to Rick. She should've stayed hidden and waited until Rick or someone's came to find her, but she didn't, and now she's missing, and she's probably dead.

A part of Riven didn't want to find Sophia because he was afraid of what of what state they would find her, but the other half was determined to find her.

A twig snapping made Riven pause, and he held out his arm to stop Carl, who looked at him confused.

Riven took a small step forward before huffing as he saw a deer.

"Wow, cool." Carl whispered, and Riven looked down at him,

"You know, my brother skinned a deer once," Riven quietly spoke, and Carl's amazed expression turned into disgust.

Riven let himself smirk as he leaned down, "Then he drank its blood."

"Ew. Wait, which brother?" Carl questioned, and Riven stands straighter, his smirk disappearing.

"Daryl." It was a lie. He just wanted to spook Carl, distract himself from worrying about Sophia for a bit.

Carl shivers in digust, "I actually believe he would do something like that."

The deer was closer to them now, and Carl was standing in front of Riven, reaching his hand out to touch the deer when a gunshot rang out.

At the same time, the deer and Carl fell, and Riven stumbled back but quickly recovered as Rick and Shane ran past him towards Carl.

"Carl!"

"I didn't see him!" A man rushed over to them, frantic and panic, his eyes wide as he stared at Carl,

"Help.. help us!" Rick was in shock, and Riven couldn't tear his eyes away Carl, he was breathing, he was still alive.

"..Riven, come on!" Riven snapped out of his daze as Shane grabbed him by his jacket and started pulling Riven,

Rick was running ahead of them, and Shane was practically dragging the man as they ran.

Riven ran beside Rick, who was carrying Carl, who was unconscious in his arms, his arms swinging around.

He looked like a ragdoll in Rick's arms.

They ran out from the woods and into a field, ahead of them was a farm house,

"Hershal can help you!" The man yelled,

"Go! We'll catch up!" Shane shouted as the man had stopped, breathing heavily as he tried to catch his breath,

Riven and Rick made it to the house where they were met with people.

"Help..please." Rick said, eyes teary, and Riven panted beside him,

"Your man fuckin' shot him." He breathed out, leaning against the railing,

"Bring him inside, quickly!" An elderly man demanded, and Rick rushed inside of the house, Riven followed,

They put Carl in a room, and Riven watched from the doorway as they cut his shirt open,

Riven could feel all the adrenaline that was running through his veins fade, and he felt a pulsing ache in his side,

"There's an exit wound." The elderly man said, and Riven looked down at his side, his grey t-shirt was soaked with blood, and he let's out a small laugh that caught everyone's attention.

He lifted his head and looked at them, "Well, I guess we know where the bullet went."

Riven stumbled forward, and Rick rushed out, catching him, and Riven groaned, gritting his teeth as his injured side made contact with Rick's,

"Son of bitch!"

Rick led Riven to a chair, helping him set,and Riven slapped away the hands that were touching him.

"Stop! Help him! Help the kid, I'm fine!" Riven snapped,

"You are literally bleedin' in my dad's guest room. You are not fine." A young woman snapped right back at him,

Riven glares at her, "I am not the priority here, he is." He gestured to Carl, who was paler than usual.

He groaned as he shifted a bit to make himself comfortable on the soft chair. He grins up at the women,

"I am comfortable, and if you touch me before you help him, I'll stab you." He threatened, and the women huffed at him, turning to face Rick,

"..Riven.." Riven shook his head,

"Don't. I am fine, I've literally survived way worse than a gunshot wound, trust me. Worry about your kid, and I'll worry about myself." Riven replied, pressing his hand against his wound, holding back wince.

"Here, if you insist on taking care of yourself, then you need this." The young woman passed him some medical support.

"We have some to spare," The elderly man spoke, turning to face Rick, "your son will be fine, he'll need some stitches and some blood."

Rick nodded, "We're the same blood type.. someone has to tell Lori."

Shane appears by the door with the man.

"..what took you so long?" Riven grumbled, his blood soaked fingers, lifting his shirt just above his wound.

"You were shot too?" The man questioned in shock, and Riven huffs, blood squirting out of his wound,

He laughs as he sees it, "No , my body just decided to become a water fountain that squirts blood every time I huff,"

"Yes, i was shot." Riven mumbled, his eyes were feeling heavy,

"Dad!" A young man pushed himself between Shane and the man, pausing as he took in the scene in front of him.

"Great.. more people." Riven grunted as he tried to stand up,

"Whoa!Whoa! You've been shot. Where do you think you're going?" Shane questioned, stopping Riven from standing up,

Riven glares up at him, his skin pale, the chair he was sitting on soaked in the blood that dripped from his wound,

"Riley, help him. Be warned, he's stubborn." The elderly man demanded, and the young man, Riley, walked over to Riven, who leaned back against the chair.

"Too many fuckin' people." Riven mumbled, feeling suffocating being surrounding by strangers.

His hand was removed from his wound, and his other hand went to his knife at the forgein touch, but Riley was quicker, taking the knife from him and passing it the women behind him.

"There's no exit wound," Riley spoke, "I think the bullet still might be inside of him."

"Shit, someone has to tell Lori and Daryl about this." Shane spoke up, and Riven looks at him, narrowing his eyes.

"No, nobody tells Daryl..I swear to god..if..if you.." Riven's eyes closed, his head lowering, his chin touching his chest.

Riley checked his pulse, "he's still breathing but I don't like how he's lookin',"

"We need to take that bullet out."

⭐️

1154 words

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