For What it's Worth
Darkness swallows Shane whole. He hears voices, but cannot see; the burlap sack blocks his vision. Michonne and Jacob are not nearby; Shane fears these bastards killed them and are moving on to him.
Boots circle around him in slow, calculated strides. He feels eyes burning into his back, smell the scent of generic-brand hand soap. He feels hands scratching a beard and clearing a throat.
"So," the boots speak, "what brought you to my territory?"
Light and colors nearly blind Shane. He takes in his surroundings and sees a tall, white man, well into his late forties/early fifties. His piercing blue eyes almost make him squirm.
"We never intended to. Turned around and you sons a' bitches popped our back tires." He keeps it short and sweet: enough to explain himself but enough to not give everything away.
"Well, from what I've heard, you went into our territory, rolled out of your car like you were the military, and took out five of my great men. Hate to say I'm pissed. And impressed."
He crouches down to Shane, their eyes meeting.
"I could use your military skill, your leadership, and even your samurai wife. How would you like to work for me?"
"You're going to let a stranger work for you? You obviously lack common sense." He chortles.
"We were all once strangers. I'm no spring chicken when it comes to recruits. If I find someone who's not to be trusted, their stay in my town will be terminated. Right now, we have food, water, electricity, security, and a community we need to protect. You'd be a fool not to accept this offer. Think about your family, think about your woman…"
"She ain't my woman," Shane barked, "She's just someone I travel with who brought a goddamn brat along."
The man nods in understanding.
"Well, a woman and child roughing it outdoors versus living in luxury with every need tended to sounds like an obvious difference, no? I'm sure the woman would love living here and not have to worry when the next meal is coming or where to sleep for the night. We even have a nice school here; the boy can go to school and learn the basics of ABC's, Arithmetic, and science."
"We were doing fine on our own. She ain't some dainty flower that needs rescuing. And the boy needs to learn how to fend for himself, not learn some useless math or how to spell 'cat'."
"I understand that. But don't you think the woman and child would think otherwise? Here, in Woodbury, you can have a fresh start. They can have a chance to start over and live like they used to do back in the old days. The only payment is you working for me."
"I don't work for anyone anymore. I'm sick of following someone else's orders, conforming to someone else's rules. Right now, I'm working and living for me, the brat, and the woman. Every decision I make will be for the good of my group and mine alone."
"You still can, here. What if I let you rule over the new recruits? Merle isn't exactly the best pill to swallow with his…Southern charm."
He snorts.
"I don't trust you. You look like you could shake my hand and gut me with the other."
"Hmmm…" Before Shane could react, the man's fist collides with his face.
"I respect you staying true to your beliefs, but right now, I could actually just gut you. And I don't think you'd want that."
His knife comes into view.
"You're in my territory, in unknown waters that could swallow all of you whole. You're staying here, following my rules, if you don't want to drown. Catch my drift?"
The knife is scratching a sliver of flesh off Shane's Adam's apple.
"We're prisoners here, aren't we?"
"Not prisoners, heavily monitored guests who can leave when they choose but will face severe consequences. Sound fair?"
They were being held captive. Shane's eyes greet the man's and he fights the urge to tear out of his bindings and pummel the man into the ground.
"You have a quaint little home three minutes from here. Michonne and Jacob will be waiting for you."
Just as Shane is about to ask how he knew their names, he feels a burst at the side of his head and then, darkness.
It's been roughly eight weeks since Shane, Michonne, and Jacob settled into the new…normal. Shane goes to work killing walkers that come near the gates and trains recruits, while Michonne stays at their home tending to Jacob. He should feel happy that he and his companions are safe, that they are not under the constant threat of flesh-eaters and survivors, but he isn't satisfied. He's forced to conform under someone's heel, to abide by rules he'll never agree with. And God forbid he watches those…gladiator fights as means of entertainment.
The Governor is by far the most hated man that is on Shane's shit-list, with Rick ranking #1. He's hiding numerous skeletons in his closet, hiding glaring flaws Shane can sniff out. Michonne can sense it too; she's been planning to leave this place since they'd gotten here. They've been putting it off since Jacob is enjoying the change of pace. He's already going to school and making friends; it'd be cruel to yank him back into danger when he's just getting used to a safe environment. But now, it's no excuses. They need to get out of here and quickly; they can no longer be prisoners here.