"I want you to sing me a song."
"What?" the girl had asked, incredulous. None of this was making any sense. This strange, fearsome man before her was nothing like what she'd expected him to be, not after all the horror stories whispered throughout these lands. She'd done her best to avoid him and his people while passing through, but it had gone south when she'd stumbled into the wrong store for scavenging, and come across two rough-looking dudes. There had been no choice- she'd killed both of them, but more were close by, and had taken her down quick. Luckily, their leader was close too, and had spared her. Taken her home, shown her around. She knew his type, she'd seen them before, killed 'em too.
"You popped two of my men with your little pistol there." he replied, an edge to his voice. "I want something in return for that. Sing me a song."
"I... I can't think of any." she said weakly, after a moment.
"Bullshit!" His voice was sharp and echoed in the room. "What'd your mom used to sing you? What'd your dad play in the car?" The girl's mind drifted to windshield wipers in the rain, reading comics in the dim light, tinny cassette music. Why don't you try and get some sleep, alright? The man stood, breaking her thoughts. He leveled his barbed-wire bat, gross looking thing, right at her, and spoke low. "Start. Singing."
"Okay, okay..." She murmured, palms sweating. There was one song that came to mind. She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, calming the tremor in her hands, and started, nervous and quiet at first, but slowly gained momentum.
I walk, through the valley, of the shadow of death,
and I fear, no evil, 'cause I'm blind, to it all...
The man had wandered over to the other side of the room, swinging the bat playfully as her voice grew louder, soulful.
And my mind, and my gun, they comfort me...
'Cause I know, I'll kill my enemies, when they come.
He paused mid-swing, raising an eyebrow and turning his head to regard her. She continued, more confident.
Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell on this Earth forevermore.
I walk beside the still waters and they restore my soul,
but I cant walk on the path of the right because I'm wrong.
He was staring at her, and she paused, wondering if that was enough, but he made an impatient gesture. "Go on." She just sighed, and continued with the next verse.
Well I came upon a man at the top of a hill,
Call himself the savior of the human race.
Said he come to save the world from destruction and pain,
but I said how can you save the world from itself.
He chuckled a bit at that, looking thoughtful, and hoisted his bat on one shoulder, a slow smile breaking across his face.
Cause I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
and I fear no evil cause I'm blind.
I walk beside the still waters and they restore my soul,
but I know when I die my soul is damned.
She finished quietly, his continued attention finally unsettling her, but he placed his bat under one arm as her voice trailed into nothing, and gave her a raucous round of applause. "Shit!" he exclaimed, "Damn, girl, you can fucking sing. What did you say your name was again?"
The girl met his gaze, unflinching, "It's Ellie."
He just stared back with that shit-eating grin on his face. "Well hello there, Ellie. I'm Negan."