Brother's Keeper ¹ || The walking dead

59.

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Tara was still unconscious when nighttime rolled around. Riven was still in the infirmary laid out on one of the beds near Tara with Oreo lying beside him.

The infirmary was empty and silent, a bit cold, but Riven had a thick jacket on, a similar one to his, but just without the angel wings on the back.

Carol had all but forced that jacket on him once she noticed how bloody and dirty his jacket was, she told him that he will have to wear that jacket until his jacket was washed, clean and dry.

He didn't really agrue with Carol. He was thinking about what Esme said.

He didn't know if it was true, what she said to him that She was his mother, but she knew his father's name, and Daryl would never tell some random lady what their father name was.

She knew that he had two older brothers, but Merle was dead, and Daryl hadn't mentioned Merle, never really speaks about him.

Riven let out a small sighed, running a hand over his face before flinching in surprise as Oreo suddenly woke up, growling.

He sat up, glancing around in confusion, "What's wrong, O?"

A small noise was heard from outside, and an anxious feeling settled in Riven's stomach as he stood up.

"Stay with Tara, O." Riven said, and Oreo jumped over the bed, heading over to Tara's and jumping on hers.

Riven walked over to the front door, and he reached for the handle, opening the door, but the streets of Alexandria were empty, completely dark.

Everyone was sleeping or at least supposed to be sleeping. He walked out of the infirmary and closed the door behind him, wanting to hurry up and head back to Tara.

He quickly checked outside of the infirmary, but he didn't see anything or anyone.

He let out a sigh of relief before he headed back inside, Oreo was lying next to Tara when he came back inside.

"O?" He walked over, and Oreo was still breathing, but she wasn't waking up, and a creak came from upstairs, and he cursed under his breath.

He should stay with Tara and Oreo. He knew that, but he couldn't wait until whatever was in the house to come to them.

"Shit." He walked towards the dark hallway, reaching his hand out to switch the light on, but the light wasn't turning on.

He flicked the switch a few times but nothing. He's never seen a horror movie before, but what Merle had told him, people usually ended up dead when they investigated a strange noise and the lights stopped working at the same time.

He shook his head. He wasn't scared, and Merle was definitely trying to scare him that one time when he told him about the horror movie he watched.

He took a step into the dark hallway, holding his breath as he walked further in, and up the stairs,

He quietly walked up the stairs, not making any noise, and his heart was beating in his ribcage, trying to burst out of his body.

Alarms were ringing in his head, telling him something was wrong. Something felt off about this whole thing.

The logical part of his brain was telling him to get the fuck out but the stupid part of his brain was telling him to continue investigating.

It might be nothing. It could be an animal that broke in.

He took a deep breath before taking the last step, reaching the top of the stairs. The only light was the moonlight coming through the window,

Something wet dripped on his face, and he brought his hand up, wiped his cheek, and pulled back his hand. With the moonlight, he could see it was something red.

More of the red stuff dripped on him, and he moved out of the way in disgust, but he bumped into something, and he stumbled back, then he flinched in surprise when the lights suddenly turned on, but his eyes widened as his eyes landed on the scenery in front of him.

First, he saw the legs, and then he titled his head back, and he saw the rest of the body.

It was a body. A dead body hung with a rope around their neck from the ceiling above the staircase, dripping blood, and that's what landed on him, blood.

But that wasn't what caught his attention. What caught his attention was the knife sticking out of the body. He recognized his knife anywhere.

"What the actual fuck?"

⭐️

"..is this really necessary?" Riven questioned, gesturing towards Nicholas and Spencer, Deanna's other son who were standing beside him.

"Cause I gotta tell you, this guy, "He jabbed his thumb in the direction of Nicholas, "is a coward, and I can totally take that guy."

"Riven." Maggie threw him a look, and Riven sighed,

They were currently in the infirmary. Riven was being held accountable for the murder he didn't even commit.

"What? I'm just saying. Look, I didn't kill this guy, I don't even know who he is." Riven said, and Maggie nodded,

"I know, but they don't. Don't worry, we'll prove your innocence." Maggie replied with a small smile on her face.

Footsteps approached them, and soon Deanna stood in front of Riven with Michonne standing on the left side of her and her husband, behind her.

"My hands are murder free-ish, alright?" Riven told them, raising his hands with a small grin.

Michonne threw him a look, and he lowered his hands, and he sighed, "Look, I didn't kill the guy."

"It was your knife that was used to murder Alex." Deanna spoke, her voice sounding exhausted, but she remained strong.

"I checked the armory," Spencer spoke up, "the other set is missing."

"Well, I don't have it." Riven said, and he rolled his eyes when everyone just stared at him.

"I returned them to the armory," he stood up from the chair he was sitting on, "but if you want to search me, then go right ahead. I got nothing to hide."

"We're not searching you." Michonne spoke up, and she turned to face Deanna, "he didn't do this."

Deanna looked at Riven, staring at him for a moment before nodding, "And I believe you," she turned to Michonne,

"Find me who did."

⭐️

1060 words

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