𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟔𝟏𝟕

𝟏 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫, 𝟖 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐬, 𝟏 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝟓 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬

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We were surrounded. The whistles continued, ringing in my ears. I looked around, and it was clear. We were screwed. At least a hundred people surrounded us, weapons in hand. Vehicles were scattered around the clearing, and the camper was in the middle. Eugene was kneeling in front of it, the headlights shining on him. 

"Good. You made it." A familiar voice called out, walking forward. The savior we had seen at some of the stops, walking towards us. "We'll take you weapons, now." His voice was oddly calm,  but still scared me. I knew there was no choice, so I slowly reached for my pistol. Rick tried to bargain, but I already knew it was too late.

More people came forward, taking our weapons. Rick and Abraham continued to hold Maggies cot. "Okay, let's get her down and get you all on your knees." The savior called out. He had a large mustache and a receding hairline. I helped Rick place Maggie down, but let him carry her over. We all kneeled, I sat on the far end. I got a better look at Eugene as they carried him over, placing him on the far side away from me.

"Dwight!" The man called out, and he came forward. I wanted to fucking kill him so bad. He had to of done something to Daryl. I knew as soon as this was over, I'd be the one to end him. He walked over to a van, and opened the doors.  

I felt my eyes widen and my heart drop as he pulled Daryl out. "Daryl!" I screamed, as they threw him in the floor. He had a blanket wrapped around his shoulder, his hands were bloody. He kneeled next to me, and I started to crawl over, but was quickly stopped. 

"Stay where you are!" A voice yelled, and I quickly stumbled back. I kept my gaze glued to Daryl until the door opened and someone stepped out. He was tall, clean, wore a leather jacket and had a bat wrapped in barbed wire in his hand. "Pissing our pants yet?" He spoke. Negan. I already knew it was him. Nobody had to say anything, I just knew. I also knew he was gonna be one more person I killed. I barely knew him, but I knew I wanted him dead. 

Negan spoke to Rick, and I watched. His tone was weird. He didn't sound angry, but he didn't sound calm. It was like a mix of sarcasm and frustration, but not like the yelling kind. Like the talking down to someone kind, and it scared me. 

We walked around the line we were in, waving his bat around. Daryl sat on the ground, while I kneeled so for once I was actually sitting taller than him. He continued to talk, but I wasn't listening until he stopped. I looked up, and he resumed his ramble. "So now... im gonna beat the holy hell outta one of you." 

I only thought one thing. Don't let it be Daryl.  I didn't know why I wasn't scared about my safety, but I knew Daryl was strong. Such a man like that didn't deserve to die in such a way. He was made for this world, and this inconvenience shouldn't ruin that. 

"This, this is Lucille." He waved around the bat. This guy had named his bat. Was he fucked up in the head? He had to of been, because who would do something like this. "Jesus, you look like shit!" Negan stood in front of Maggie, waving the bat around as he looked at her. "I should just put you out of your misery!" And suddenly Glenn lunged for him, but was quickly brought back down. Daryl sat next to me, seemingly unaffected and unbothered. He wasn't an emotional man, and I knew that. But I was surprised he didn't react at all. "Don't any of you try that again! I will shut that shit down, no exceptions!" Negan pointed at Glenn. 

"I simply cannot decide!" Negan remarked, taking a step back to look at all of us. "I got an idea!" And he walked over to Rick, holding the bat up. "Eenie." Was he seriously playing a game? This man was fucking insane. Crazier than I was, and trust me, I wasn't really right in the head. "Meenie... Miney... Moe.." He walked around, stopping in front of people and holding the bat up as he spoke. "Catch.. A tiger.." He stopped in front of Daryl, right next to me. 

"By.." and then he stopped in front of me, only for a second,  but I got a good look at him. He was put together, a red ribbon tied around his neck and a fancy looking belt around his waist. I was gonna kill him. He continued on, slowly walking around and stopping in front of everyone. "And.. you.. are.. it."  

Abraham. He stopped at Abraham. I didn't know Abraham that well, but he reminded me of Daryl in a way. He was strong, gruff, brave, and sarcastic. He would say things that often made me laugh, those few times I was around him. "Anybody moves, anybody says anything, cut the boys other eye out and feed it to his father." Sick. This man was totally fucking sick. If I had access to any weapon right now, i would drive it into his head as hard as I could. Maybe I was sick too, but I wasn't heartless. Not anymore.

And then, he drove the bat into his head. Abraham slowly sat up, but was quickly put down with another hit.. Negan mocked him before hitting him again, and again, and again. I winced as every time I heard Negan grunt, every time the bat hit his head. until his head was just a pile of bloody mush. It reminded me of when I was alone. After my sister died, after I was all alone. 

He slowly stood up, and stopped in front of me. Was he gonna kill me? Was I gonna end up like Abraham?  "Well, you're a pretty little thing, aren't you?" He leaned back, dangling the bat by his legs. He slowly picked up Lucille, and crouched in front of me, holding her only a few inches away from my face.

"Y'know, Lucilles getting kinda jealous!" He laughed while saying it, but nothing was funny. Sick. "Wouldn't it be a shame if she were to just..." And he hit the bat against his hand, like it was my head. I wanted to scream, I wanted to shout. I wanted to do something, but I was frozen. I slowly looked towards Daryl, and his gruff expression slowly darkened. Suddenly, Negan reached his hand out. He cupped my cheek and turned my head back towards him.

I felt sick. Suddenly, Daryl got up and drove his fist into Negans face. He was quickly pulled off, and put against the ground. A few of the saviors held him there. Was he gonna kill Daryl now? I stared at him in horror as his face was forcibly pressed against the ground, gravel sticking to his cheek. "Daryl.." I mumbled, unable to bring my voice above a shaky whisper,

He looked at me, a new expression I haven't seen in him before. He was sad, but he wasn't just sad. Like he loved  me. I was confused, I was scared, I felt so many things I had never felt before. "Now, I know there's something going on between you!" Negan yelled, and I was brought back to the current situation. "But that is no way to act! And I told you, I would shut that shit down!" Negan crouched in front of Daryl, and Dwight slowly walked over. "Want me to do it? Right here?!" Dwight had Daryl crossbow in his hand, aimed at him. Negan pulled Daryls hair, forcing him to look up.

I was gonna kill both of them. Daryl didn't deserve that. He looked scary, but he wasn't. I was scared of him when I first met him, but now? He's the only person I truly trust. The only person I love.  I didn't know what he thought about me, but I knew whatever it was special. He cared about me, and I knew that. I still know it.

I winced as I heard Daryls rugged breathing, as he was held against the ground. "No." Negan slowly stood up. "You don't kill them, not until you try a little." Try what? What was he gonna try?  I wanted to do so many things to Negan, and none of them were even remotely good. If I had my way, he'd be dead by now. But I didn't, I just had to sit and watch them pull him back into the line, not giving a shit how he felt. 

"Now, I told you I'd shut that shit down. And I, well im a man of my word! I don't know what lying assholes you've been dealing with, but im not one of them! First impressions are important." I looked back towards Daryl, and the saviors weren't holding him against the ground, but Daryls head hung low. I could tell they got a few hits on him, and I felt bad. Was it my fault? He went for Negan, because of me, right?

"So... back to it!" And before I could react, he drove Lucille into Glenn's head. I wanted to throw up. I wanted to scream, to kick, I think I honestly wanted to die a bit, too. Maggie. Maggie would be left alone now, her kid wouldn't have a father. I didn't know Glenn too well either, but he was innocent. He was a sweet man, but knew how to handle himself. I looked towards Maggie, who was sobbing. 

He drove the bat into Glenn's head again. I looked towards Daryl, he was sitting up, and crying. I had only seen him sad, a few times, and those times I was worried about him. This time wasn't any different. I knew he was the type to blame himself, and after this? Would he try and hurt himself, again? 

I remember following him into that field. Infront of that barn, and to that tree. Watching him rub the hot cigarette on himself. I remember.  I never truly forgot. What would he do now?

Slowly, Glenn sat up as Negan took a break. I was horrified as I looked at him. His head had a bloody dent, his whole head was bloody. One of his eyeballs was popped out of his skull. He was gasping for air, as he shakily spoke. Negan mocked him, and I felt sick once again. 

This was worse than any other time. My head was throbbing, my stomach felt like it was slowly getting torn apart, but I couldn't do anything. I had still seen worse, still done worse. But just like that time at hilltop, I felt sick. Blood dripped from his open mouth as Negan continued to mock him, and he tried to speak. "Maggie.." His voice was a shaky gasp, as blood still dripped out of his mouth. "I'll find you..." And Negan stood there and watched. Why didn't he finish him? He was suffering, so much. But he didn't kill him. He stood there, slowly talking but I didn't hear what he said. It reminded me of something.

Elliot. It reminded me of Elliot. His bloody head reminded me of her bloody stomach. Of her getting torn apart while I stood there and watched. While I ran away like a pussy! But I was changing. I knew that. And I would run away. I would kill him. I'd kill him, unlike the walkers that tore apart my sister. 

He went back to hitting Glenn, and I watched as his head slowly became a lifeless pile of mush. I watched as Daryl shook, as Daryl cried, as he sat there. It was disgusting, everything about this man was gross. But I needed to protect Daryl. I was going too. Even if Negan didn't physically hurt him, I could see how hurt he was. I had never seen him this broken. I'd seen him sad, but nothing like this. I wasn't completely sure how he'd react to this, but if it was like before, I would have to be there for him. 

And I felt the tears come out of my eyes, dripping down my cheeks already sweaty cheeks. Suddenly, he crouched in front of Rick. He talked to Rick for a few seconds before pulling him into the RV and driving off.

✦

The sun was up and Negan had just  come back, dragging Rick back into the line. It had been a little over an hour, and I had slowly gotten closer to Daryl. Negans voice rang in my ears as he spoke up. I hadn't really anything while he was gone, just peoples cries. "Now, what you do next decides if this crap day becomes everyone's last crap day or just another crap day!... Get some guns to the back of their heads!"

I had subconsciously been holding his hand, only realizing it when a savior pushed me over with the tip of his gun. I let go and stumbled over, sitting back up once I caught myself. I felt a gun hit my head, but I didn't care. It couldn't have been worse than this, right? And honestly, part of me kinda wished the gun would fire. "Kid.. right here." Negan motioned towards Carl then the ground. He took a belt off of his waist and wrapped it around Carls arm. 

He made Carl lay against the ground, and handed Rick his axe. I already knew where this was going. He was missing an eye, and soon an arm. I couldn't really hear what he was saying, my head hurt too much to make out the words. 

I could think, though. And I thought a ton. I thought about what happened, what was going to happen,  and what could happen. What would happen to Daryl? To Carl? To me? To the whole group...?

I watched as he stepped back, taking the axe from Rick. And, Carl still had his arm. I still couldn't hear much, wrapped too much in my thoughts. But I could very well hear when Negan called out Dwight's name. "Dwight, load 'em up!" And he pointed towards Daryl.

My heart dropped again. Would he kill Daryl? What would he do to Daryl?! "No! Don't..!" My voice was a low, shaky mumble, I just couldn't muster up the strength to yell. I watched as they picked him up by the shoulder, dragging him to the van. He tried to fight back a little bit, but I could see how he had almost given up.

I could feel the tears that had slowed down over the past hour return, as Dwight threw him into the van. Dead.  That man was already dead. At this point, I didn't even care if it was me who killed him. But I knew somehow, he would be dead. And I would do everything I could to make sure. 

I watched as Dwight aimed his crossbow at Daryl, treating him like he was some kind of animal. And he looked like it, too. The way he stumbled back. The way he looked at me as Dwight shut the doors. I felt so many things. I wanted to die, I wanted to scream, I wanted to kill that man. I wanted to protect Daryl. 

"Don't.." I mumbled through my tears, even though it was too late. I felt Negan walk over, and crouch behind me. I didn't turn around, I was too scared. "He's got guts. I like him. He's mine now. I don't know what you guys had going on, but it's over now! He's mine." 

I didn't know how to react anymore. But I didn't need to, because Negan stood up and walked away. "Welcome to a brand new beginning, you sorry shits!"  He yelled. 

"I'm gonna leave you a truck. Keep it. Use it to cart all the shit you'll find me!"

And with that, the saviors slowly packed up, taking pictures of Glenn and Abrahams dead body like it was some kind of historic museum. Everyone had given up, and I was one of them. I sat and stared as the truck with Daryl drove off. And soon enough, it was just us sitting in a semi-circle with two dead bodies. Two dead bodies that were once people, people that were important, people that had families and meant something. 

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NOTEPAD

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