LOYAL [TWD] (third book to TROUBLE)

saving saviors

"I haven't really come out here.. But, you know that I don't really believe all this," Sakiko waves around.

She sighs in the night air, pulling her jacket closer around her.

"I don't have to come talk to a pile of dirt to talk to you. All that's here is skin and bones.. You're in my head. My heart," she says, running one hand over the grave as the other rests on her stomach, "You're always a part of me, Ry."

She leans back, crossing her arms and legs to stay warm.

"If I wanna talk to you, I'll just talk to you. I don't have to come here when you're already within me. But, I don't know when I'll ever be here again."

"I'm leaving Hilltop. Not now, I mean.. When all this is over. I'm going back to Kingdom. You'd want me to be happy. Us," she reminds herself that she is now two people instead of just one.

"I'd feel better raising a kid in Kingdom. It's.. More lively there. Training comes earlier than others. It's safe. More.." she rolls words around in her head, "More kid-friendly."

"Maggie and Glenn have Hilltop under control. That was the deal, right? Take care of Maggie until we found Glenn? Well.. I found Glenn. They're leading Hilltop just fine without all of us around now."

"I think it's time for me to step back. Like Ezekiel said. I don't have to be center of the fight.. I don't even want to be. Not after the Governor. I just.. I need to go to a place that feels most comfortable. Somewhere I don't have to fight, but will if I have to. Not where I feel obligated to always stick my neck and ass out on the line for."

For once, Sakiko was able to air out her feelings. She'd talked to people, yes. But, talking to Ryan always helped get those words out in the right order and tone she needed them to.

"Kingdom makes me feel safe. Hopeful. I haven't felt hope in awhile. Not since you were taken from me. Kingdom helps, though."

She laughs a little.

"It doesn't cure it.. But, it helps," she adds.

"I've gotta do what's best for me and them, right? That's what you'd do. That's what you'd say. So, that's what I'll do now."

Sakiko smiles and for the first time in a long time, her words don't bring tears. There's release. Healing.

"I love you, Ry.." she pats the grave, "We're gonna keep living for you. We'll just take you with us wherever we go."

Sakiko basks in the silence for a few seconds. Her mind wasn't racing, her body was calm.

Then, a walker growled behind her.

Her guard flies up, standing up with a quick motion.

"The hell?" she asks, taking out a knife, "Who the hell invited you to my fucking pity party, rotting ass bitch?"

The walker snarls, reaching for her. Sakiko side steps, grabbing it's arm and twisting around it's back until she sinks the knife into it's head from behind.

She drops the body just as a scream rings through the air. Then, a chorus of screaming.

"Shit," she curses, picking up her bow and running into the main lawn.

"Hey! Hey!" one of the imprisoned Saviors call, "There's people turning in here!"

Sakiko looks at the main house. Gunfire was causing flashes in the windows and people were running out screaming about walkers.

She curses to herself, heading to the pen.

"Get down!" she demands, letting an arrow fly into a walker's head.

"Look out!" the same Savior shouts.

Sakiko ducks just as a walker reaches for her. It stumbles into the barbwire of the pen, skin ripping. One of the other men shout in alarm, making a huge mistake as the walker is spurred on by the noise. 

Another walker lets itself be known and Sakiko sets her aim for it.

"Hey!" a Savior shouts.

Once she shoots the other walker down, she looks back only to be backhanded and forced to the ground.

"Jared! What the hell are you doing?" the earlier Savior demands.

"The gates open, let's go!" Jared shouts, taking off to the walls.

Sakiko flinches in pain. When she touches her head, she feels a bit of blood.

"Shit, are you okay?" the Savior asks.

He steps through the barbwire that had been shredded by the walker- kneeling beside Sakiko.

Sakiko pulls her knife up, setting the blade against his throat.

"Whoa! Whoa!" he startles, holding his hands up, "I'm on your side here. I'm just tryin' to help."

A few Saviors had gotten out. The rest were in circles, beating the walkers to death. There was even two that had gotten out just to defend Sakiko- one of them had the arrow she'd just shot, stabbing any walkers that got close.

"My name is Alden," the Savior at the end of her knife greets, "I ain't running. I'm helping. If you'll let me, that is."

Saviors were under Negan. Negan had to go.

But, not all Saviors had to be bad people, right?