ᗯᕼEᑎ TᕼE ᗪEᗩᗪ ᑕOᗰE ᗩᒪIᐯE [ ᴅᴀʀʏʟ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ]

- 32 -

            Daryl and I were brought into the large open room where people in the compound were gathered together. We where left alone to wait as people shuffled around the room. I had noticed that to the side of us there was a man sitting down in a chair. I couldn't get a good look due to the large crowd forming around him, but it seemed he was tied to the chair restricting any and all movement.

Just then there was a loud bang against the metal railing of the second level above us. It echoed throughout the room as more bangs followed after the first. Looking up, my eyes landed on Negan walking across the grated floor with Carl trailing carefully behind him. Everyone in the room quickly kneeled at the sight of their boss. Hesitantly, Daryl and I kneeled as well. Negan looked down over all of us as he spoke.

"You know the deal. What's about to happen is gonna be hard to watch. I don't want to do it" he spoke as he looked down at the man tied up in the chair.

"I wish I could just ignore the rules and let it slide, but I can't. Why?" He asked. Everyone on the floor below him responded immediately in unison.

"The rules keep us alive" they said together.

"That. . . is. . . right" Negan said as he walked over, and prowled down to a lower platform on the stairs.

"We survive, we provide security to others, we bring civilization back to this world. We are the saviors, but we can't do that without rules—rules are what make it all work. I know it's not easy, but there's always work, there is always a cost. Here, if you try to SKIRT IT—IF YOU TRY TO CUT THAT CORNER. . ." Negan began to yell. He took a moment of silence before he continued ". . .then it is the iron for you."

"On your feet" he spoke, and everyone quickly rose at his command. Daryl and I lagged behind, slowly following the actions of the crowd around us as Negan approached from behind the crowd. Carl was right behind him. He walked to the center of the crowd, and patted the shoulder of the male tied up in the chair as he passed by him.

"D. . ." Negan said with a chuckled. He looked to the blonde male, Dwight, who pulled a glowing red metal iron out that had been soaking in the opened fire. Negan put on some thick gloves for protection against the heat before he took the iron off the metal rod Dwight held.

"Mark. . . I'm sorry. . but it is what it is" Negan said with little remorse in his eyes as he turned to the male tied to the chair. The surrounding crowd grew antsy in anticipation as Negan held up the burning iron, moving in on the male. Without any warning, Negan pushed the burning iron to the males face who let out agonizing screams from the pain. The nasty smell of burning flesh soon enveloped the room.

From where I stood next to Daryl, I could see the horrified look that overcame Carl's face as he watched. The screams continued until the male inevitably passed out from the pain. Then and only then did Negan pull the burning iron away from the man's face. I felt nauseous at the sight of large chunks of skin pealing away from the man's face as if it was rubber. It was meted onto the iron and barley resembled was what's once healthy, intact skin. Half of the tied up males face was no longer a place color, but now a bright red and filled with blotches.

"Ah~ that wasn't so bad, now was it?" Negan chucked as he looked down on the unconscious male. He turned, and gave the iron back to Dwight.

"Jesus, he pissed himself" Negan spoke disappointedly while looking down at the mess the male had created. He turned on his heal, walking over to Daryl now.

"Clean that up" he commanded Daryl who didn't utter a word as he obediently did as he was told.

"Doc, I'm all done do your thing" Negan commanded another male in a white doctors coat. He walked over and took care of the unconscious male.

"Well, the pussy passed out" Negan sighed, "But it's settled, we're square, everything is cool~. Let Marks face be a daily reminded to him, and to everyone else that the rules matter" Negan spoke as he looked around at everyone in the room.

"I hope we all learned something today because I don't ever. . . want to have to do that again" Negan concluded with an estranged smile. The room was silent as Negan walked back over to Carl and whispered something to the boy before he guided him out of the room with an arm over his shoulder. I shared a concerned glance with Daryl at the sight of Carl being taken off again. There wasn't much we could do as prisoners in the den of a lion. The room remained silent, and still. I felt as if I couldn't move let alone breathe so I just stood there for a while. Dwight, with a saddened look stayed to watch over the two of us until we were finally instructed to leave. I was taken back to my room by a man at Dwight's command while Daryl was taken outside to deal with the undead once more.

I sat in my room silently as I aimlessly watched the movement on the ground from my window in the bathroom once again. I thought things had gone quiet for the day, that was until the metal doors down below me opened quite loudly. I watched as Negan walked out leading Carl over to one of the trucks parked down below. They got in as men entered into another truck to follow them out of the gates. They must be going to Alexandria, I thought. That's when I saw a figure in black and grey crouched atop one the truck Carl and Negan were in. I squinted my eyes to see who it was.  The male had dirty blonde long hair that seemed familiar, and that's when it hit me.

Jesus. . . ? How interesting. . .

The trucks came to a stop in the gated area were Daryl and some others were rounding up the undead. Negan called to Daryl and exchanged some words before he called for Dwight. The blonde male came at the sound of his bosses call before grabbing Daryl by the back of his shirt and dragging him back into the building.

Negan was gone.

.• *Time Skip* •.

It had only been a couple minutes since Negan had left with Carl and a group of his men when I heard some movement by the door to my room. I carefully got down from the counter I was sitting on looking out the window as the door handle to my room began to rattle. I cautiously peaked around the corner from the bathroom, waiting to see if someone was going to enter my room, but just then the rattling stopped. Confused, I began to walk slowly to the door. The sound of something sliding on the ground outside the door caused me to stop as something began peaking out from under the door. Footsteps then quickly walked away from the door, and I swear it almost sounded like heals tapping against the soils surface.

Once I was sure the footsteps were long gone, I walked over and picked up the slip of paper sticking out from the crack under the door. I unfolded the paper to see it was a note written in cursive. It read "𝑔𝑜 𝓃𝑜𝓌".

Go now? I thought, but the doors lock. . . . ed, I trailed off as I had instinctively put my hand on the door knob mid sentence only to find it had turned. . . . all the way.

It was unlocked.

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For anyone who's wondering, as of this chapter I'm on Season 7 ep 7

—Let me know if you want me to put notes on each chapter of what episode/season I'm on from now on?

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Chapter 32: End