Freedom -Negan-

Chapter 23

I blinked my eyes a few times, adjusting to the light that had been on when I was asleep. I sat up in the bed and rubbed my pounding head. Another nightmare. I was frustrated at myself. I needed my mind to be quiet so I could get some fucking rest. I dreamt of my father this time. and it was hard to know if it was a memory or if my mind made it all up.

I heard faint voices out in the hall. I didn't have a clock in my room or a watch, so I had no idea what time it was. I hoped the cafeteria was still open for dinner so I could keep my promise to Angel. My stomach grumbled at the idea of food. Funny, since I could handle hunger well when there was little to eat. It seemed my body was liking this three meals a day thing.

I stood up and stretched my arms above my head, earning a groan from my mouth due to my sore shoulders. I reached down to feel my pocketknife in my left boot. The smooth hilt gave me comfort when I felt it. I grabbed my key off of the desk and turned off my lamp before heading out the door, noticing it was unlocked. I forgot to lock it when I came back to the room and fell asleep. Anyone could have come in and I would have been vulnerable. Stupid, Jesse, you need to do better. This place didn't have the dead walking around, but people were worse in my opinion. At least you always knew the dead's intentions.

I closed and locked the door behind me. I started making my way down the hall, aware of the people milling around. People walked and talked as they passed me. Some went by with no second glance while other conversations completely stopped when they saw me walking past. I said nothing and jogged my memory to get the route to the cafeteria. It was down the stairs, that's as far as I trusted my brain.

I made my way down the stairs and followed the sound of people until I found myself back at the cafeteria for the third time today, except now I was alone. Peter hadn't come around since our incident this morning. A small part of me felt bad, but only a small part that could be shut down easily when I saw all the people looking at me when I opened those cafeteria doors.

I put my head down and kept my eyes on the floor as I walked over to the line. Not too many people were in front of me and I looked around the room where there was a good amount of people, but not as many as earlier. It was completely dark as I looked out the windows. I needed to get a clock or watch to help me with time. Time didn't matter when you're surviving out in the woods, but I had to be on time for a job now, ironically, considering everything.

I shuffled in line as it crept forward. A few people stood behind me and had idle conversation that I listened to as we waited. We moved forward a few more feet and I looked around the person in front of me and saw Angel handing out trays of food behind the counter, hair pulled up in her floral scarf. She had a smile on her face as she spoke to everyone she handed a tray to. I wondered how long she had been in this place and why she was so friendly. It was a few more minutes before I made it to the front of the line. The person in front of me moved aside and Angel looked and realized it was me. Her face lit up.

"Hey! I thought you weren't coming. I've been looking for you all night!" She poured some soup into a bowl and placed a piece of bread on a tray before handing it to me.

"Yeah, I fell asleep and don't have a watch or anything to keep time. I'm assuming the market is closed?" I grabbed the tray from her.

"Peter didn't give you anything?" I shook my head. "Well, yeah, the market's closed for tonight, but you can borrow my watch for tonight and we'll get you one tomorrow when you get back." She fumbled with her watch on her left wrist and held it out to me. "You can even set an alarm on it."

I hesitantly took her watch and put it in my jacket pocket. I wanted to protest but didn't want to hold up the line any longer and had a feeling Angel wouldn't have taken no for an answer. "Thank you! I'll get it right back to you." She waved her hand and smiled. I moved along to Betty in her usual spot. I set the tray on the table and smiled at the older woman.