Hello fellow fanfiction writers and readers, here is another chapter of this story that I hope you guys will enjoy. As usual I own nothing except new characters and ideas, I make no money from writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners. Thanks for reading, please leave a review!
I looked at Daryl as he stood at Rick's side during the meeting, he looked worse for the wear deep bags hung under his eyes, his face was set in a mask of nothingness. A bible verse came to me, one my mother would say to me many times.
"Song of Solomon 8:6
Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame."
"The world is ours and we know how to take it." I can't take much stock in Rick's phrase, I sit with Maggie and Michonne.
"That is bullshit, Rick, we have a group of people called the Saviors out for blood. We do not know their numbers, we know nothing about them you act as if we are invincible when we're not." I seethe at him.
Rick only sighs as Michonne speaks. "She is right, but right now we need to find Carol and make sure she is safe."
I agreed, Maggie suggests they create hidden caches of guns throughout the community, to guarantee they'll have weapons in the event of an attack, this we all agree on.
Rosita and I stand outside seeing Daryl on his bike. "He is not right in the head right now, he shouldn't be out there alone." and I agree with her, Rick is right there talking to him. I just watched with a frown, it has been a few days since he and I talked, it hurt every day to not talk to him.
Every day seemed like avoid all contact.
Daryl turned back seeing us watching, seeing the pain that was clear as day on my face but when the gates opened his bike came to life and he was gone just like that.
Rick was not smiling. "Rosita and Cami need you to take a car, and look for any sign of Carol. I am sending Sasha, Abraham, Michonne, Carl, Enid, Glenn, Aaron, and Heath out as well."
I gave a nod as Enid was bolting to us. "Maggie is in with Denise, she fell over in pain."
It was like a mad dash to her home, only to see Maggie getting an ultrasound, "She needs bed rest for a while, it's stress."
"Have her in the room next to yours Denise. Rick, Glenn should stay and care for her, we can bring Eugene instead, he has come into his own and we need to trust him."
Rick was worried. "You rest now, Glenn you take good care of her. We will be back we need to at least try and find her."
Maggie was pale, her skin clammy as she held Ricks hand. "You just come back."
"You're in charge, Glenn."
I was dressed and ready, in a charcoal gray knotted oversized tee, some old destressed low-rise jeans and my brown riding boots, last was my knife. I watched as group's disbanded including us. "She doesn't want to be found, this is a wasted trip, but it brings them peace that they tried to find her."
The lush green landscape passed us by, it was nice. "You're right, Carol is gone. Let's see if we can find some supplies while we're out at least."
I asked. "So, you and Eugene?" poor thing was turning pink.
She waited to keep me in suspense. "It was really nice, he even let me vent until I cried. He fucking got a haircut! Well in the end maybe nerds are better; we are giving it a go."
It would be wrong to jump up and down, but I did do a small dance much to her amusement. "Figured you be happy."
I was he was a great guy. "Pulling off looks like a road block up there."
We entered a small shopping plaza, finding a few things, we sit in the dusty shop eating some stale chips. "Thank you, I know how hard I can be and everything with Big Red just made it worse, but you stuck around."
I snorted. "Thank you for trying to rescue me."
She gave her own snort. "Held my mouth closed until he tossed me in the car, nearly put me in the trunk. He took his fears to far, glad you at least got out."
We set the few things in the back seat as we see some house in the distance. "On foot."
The weather held as we marched through the over grown grass, weeds, and flowers making our way to the three houses', I grab her. "Look to your left." it was four men walking from the woods,
She lets out a low curse. "We might be able to flee."
With a glance over my shoulder we could try, but then we might not make it, it was debatable at this point which was the safer option. "Looks like we are screwed either way, the sun is setting. If we run, they might just shoot us." I moved my knife just hoping to keep it.
A man with dirty blonde hair and a very Harvey Dent looking face walked up to us with a smile. "Hello, Ladies. You're coming with us."
We're out numbered and have no escape as our weapons are taken and our hands tied behind our backs as we're marched into the woods. "Such stunning ladies, sure the boss will love you." his eyes lingering on our female attributes.
Rosita and I stick close together now as whistles are echoed, they're signaling each other. "They're signaling to each other." I whispered, she can only nod.
"Keep waking." not like we stopped.
"Have you seen us stop walking, you are just plain stupid." I snapped out in his anger he made to slap me, but Two face grabbed his advancing hand in midair forcing it to a stop.
He spoke low. "Not on my watch, you fall in line or pay the price."
Rosita give me a nudge nodding with her head, it was a clearing with a fire, now we could see a lot more people waiting. Once we get close enough I can see Enid and Carl on their knees hands tied behind their backs, my rage was coming they are children.
A man says, "On your knees." we stood defiant, but that only lasted so long as a man fisted my hair forcing me down next to Enid, who was crying.
I moved closer, to her whispering. "You will be fine, hunnie. You will survive this, you listen to me; show them no weakness, men crave that, well men like this. You dry those eyes on my shirt, come one Enid, we are scared but give them nothing." her eyes bore into mine even as she wiped her face on me.
"Show them nothing." she repeated when Rick, Spencer, and Eugene are tossed down, next is Big Red and Sasha, this was not happening.
The one I took as a right hand just scoffed at Rick's attempt at negotiation, these men are about surviving not friendship.
Two-faced opened a van door dragging out Heath, Michonne, and Daryl who was covered in his poncho his face so pale as blood poured down his right side. I felt fear, I felt over whelming panic, Daryl was holding on to a thread, his eyes down cast.
I let out a small sob while calling his name is such a low tone. "Daryl…" he heard the sob but not his name, he was swaying side to side next to side next to Eugene.
The leader guy just banged on a door saying. "Let's meet the man." he was not the leader but his right hand.
A guy in his early 40's maybe, with some gray stepped out in a black leather jacket, jeans paired with a worn red scarf. A spiked baseball bat on his shoulder as he walked towards our group.
He had a deep voice. "Hi, you're Rick, right? I'm Negan, and I do not appreciate you killing my men. Also, when I sent my people to kill your people for killing my people, you killed more of my people. Not cool. Not fucking cool. You have no fucking idea how not fucking cool that shit is. But I think you're gonna be up to speed shortly. Yeah." He takes a breath with a slow shake of his head, he closed his eyes for a moment. "You are so fucking gonna regret crossing me in a few minutes. Yes, fuck yeah you are. You see, Rick, whatever you do, no matter what, you don't mess with the new world order. And the new world order is this, and it's really very simple. So, even if you're stupid, which you very may well be, you can fuckin understand it." this man was a killer, early in life he was a bully you could see it shinning through.
He continues, "You ready? Here goes. Pay attention. Give me your fucking shit... or I will kill you. Today was career day. We invested a fucking lot, so you would know who I am and what I can do. You work for me now. You have shit, you give it to me. That's your job. Now, I know that is a mighty big, nasty pill to fucking swallow, but swallow it you most certainly will. You ruled the roost. You built something. You thought you were safe. I get it. But the word is out. You are not fucking safe. Not even fucking close. In fact, you are pegged, more pegged if you don't do what I want. And what I want is half your shit. And if that's too much, you can make, find, or steal more, and it'll even out sooner or later. This is your way of life now. The more you fight back, the harder it will be. So, if someone knocks on your door..." this man loved to hear his own voice.
I was scared no doubt. "You fucking let us in. We own that fucking door. You try to stop us, and we will knock it down. You understand!?"
Rick is shell shocked, he gives no answer.
Negan moves around very dramatic in his movements, making a show for his people. "What, no fucking answer? You don't really think that you were gonna get fuck through this without being fucking punished now did you? I don't want to kill your fuckin people. Just want to make that clear fucking from the get-go. I want you to work fucking for me. You can't do that if you're dead, now, can you? I'm not growing a garden. But you killed my fucking people, a whole fucking damn shit load of them. More than I'm fucking comfortable with. And for that, for that you're gonna fucking pay. So, now... I'm gonna beat fucking the holy hell outta one of you."
"This- this is Lucille, and she is awesome. All this, all this is just so we can pick out which one of you gets the honor." I try and protect Enid my body moving in front of hers.
"Fucking sucks, don't it? The moment you realize you don't fucking know shit. This is your fuckin kid, right?" the bastard chuckles, "This is definitely your fuckin kid."
"Just stop this!" Rick snapped out.
"Hey! Do not make me kill the little future fucking serial killer. Don't make it too fuckin easy on me. I gotta fucking pick somebody. Everybody's at the table waiting for me to order," He just whistles like this is a game and to him it is. "I simply cannot decide." he chuckles again it is a cold sound. "I got a motherfucking idea."
He moves pointing the bat again and again repeating a nursey rhyme, "Eenie... meenie... miney... mo... catch... a tiger... by... his toe. If... he hollers... let him go. My mother... told me... to pick the very best one... and you... are... it..."
"Anybody moves, anybody says anything, cut the boy's other eye out and feed it to his father and then we'll start. You can breathe, you can blink, you can cry. Hell, you're all gonna be doing that."
We screamed as the bat with, so much force came down on Big Red, he was bleeding from a large open gash, but he did not crumble to the ground, he flashed a peace sign to his girl, as we just screamed.
Negan smiled in glee. "Ho! Ho! Look at that. Taking it like a champ!"
Big Red took another hit before he cocked out. "Suck my fucking nuts." then it was a blood bath, he just kept at him the sound makes my stomach turn, the thud, the wet sound of every hit. Enid was shaking like a leaf and at this time I was fairing no better. Daryl was looking at the scene unfolding, he in no way saw me, I was hidden by Rick and Carl, both taller than us.
Negan was laughing now, Abraham was gone, Sasha was sobbing, Rosita was too but her eyes are on Eugene who is also crying. "You guys, look at my dirty girl!"
His people even laugh as Negan moves around again, now to look at us, making his way around his eyes lingering on the females. Sasha, Michonne, Rosita, Enid, and last was me, he was smiling the entire time. "By fucking damn, Dwight you brought me a stunner, nice and thick. What do guys call that, an hour glass figure? Hey, there sweetheart, what's your name?" it wasn't a question either, he moved the bat towards Enid even if it was only a fraction of an inch, I got his meaning loud and clear.
I say. "Cameron." trying to be braver than I felt my words sounding just as I needed them, but one the inside I was screaming and crying.
"Lay your eyes on this."
I just looked him in the eyes, I was not much but I could give a dirty look "That just made me hard, but you should fucking know there was a reason for all this. Red - and hell, he was, is, and will ever be red. He just took one or six or seven for the team! So, take...a damn look. Take a damn look!" I never looked away from him, and in no damn way was I looking at that bat that was now covered in my friend.
"Fuck you." I spat in anger, but it was the movement from the side that caught me, Daryl even injured jumped up.
I screamed trying to get him to stop, "Daryl!" but he was already on Negan, his fist laid into him not once but twice before he was subdued.
Wiping the blood from his face. "That? Oh, my! That... is a fucking no-no. The whole fucking thing - not one bit of that shit flies here.
Two-faced held Daryl's bow to his own head. "Do you want me to do it? Right here." I looked at Daryl, tears falling now, he just looked at me a fact that didn't go un-noticed by Negan.
He spoke. "No. No, you don't kill them... not until you try a little. Now this stunner, and this guy, well I will be some monkeys fucking Uncle. That ain't going to stop me one bit."
"I won't take her now, but I fucking will. And anyway... that's not how it fucking works. Now, I already fucking told you people - first one's free, then - what'd I say? I said I would shut that fucking shit down! No exceptions. Now, I don't know what kind of lying assholes you've been dealing with... but I'm a man of my word. First impressions are important. I need you to know me. So... back to it."
She was gone, my friends gone, she died along side her man and Negan never knew, Sasha and Abraham gone, I just tried to hold Enid as I looked at Daryl, I could see his anger at me not tied to our kitchen chair, I mouthed. "I am sorry, I love you." he was smart, he understood just fine.
"Oh, hell. I can see this is hard on you fucking guys." walkers are coming, you can hear them, they came because we screamed. "I am sorry. I truly am. But I did say it. No exceptions!"
Rick leaves with him, Michonne snarls next to us, but they aren't gone long, and we have no idea what has transpired between them. But the tides have changed, changed for now, we know more know about them we need more people to take them out not down, mercy was not shown so mercy can't be given.
He was going to hurt Carl, Michonne sobbed, "You don't have to do this."
I add, "We understand."
Negan winked. "Not so sure Rick does, sweetheart."
"You answer to me. You provide for me. You belong to me. Right? Speak when you're spoken to! You answer to me. You provide for me. Provide for you. You belong to me, right?!" he goes on. "Right. Right. That... is the look I wanted to see. We did it... all of us, together... even the dead guys on the ground. Hell, they get the spirit award, for sure." sick fuck.
Negan sighs. "Today was a productive damn fucking day!"
Negan touches my face. "Now, I hope, for all your sake... that you get it now... that you understand how things work. Things have changed. Whatever you fucking had going for you... that is fucking over now. You will be mine, might even kill off my other girls for you, sweetheart."
"Get your paws off me, mutt."
"Damn she got some spunk! Ah. Dwight... load him up."
I gasped. "NO!"
"You sweetheart don't belong to him, you're mine."
I paid him no mind my eyes move to two-face dragging Daryl into the white van "That is my girl." he bellowed before the doors closed.
Negan smirked, "He's got guts - not a little bitch like someone I know. I like him. He's mine now. But you still want to try something?"
"Not today, not tomorrow."
"'Not today, not tomorrow'? I will cut pieces off of... Hell's his name?"
Two-faced called out. "Daryl."
"Wow." even gives a chuckle at this. "That actually sounds right. I will cut pieces off of Daryl and put them on your doorstep - or, better yet, I will bring him to you and have you do it for me."
"Ahh! Welcome to a brand-new beginning, you sorry shits! I'm gonna leave you a truck. Keep it. Use it to cart all the crap you're gonna find me. We'll be back for our first offering in one week. Until then... ta-ta sweetheart."
He was gone…
