VILLAINESS [TWD]

➴54

Negan took Rick into the RV. They'd been gone for about an hour.

The Saviors around finally allowed us to not be on our knees. I stopped that before, though. Mom's legs were bent and I was still halfway in her lap. Her arms were still wrapped around me, my hands were holding her forearms. 

Mom didn't look at Glenn's body.

I couldn't stop looking at Glenn's body.

Mom and I held each other through the night and into the morning.

I think by morning, mom ran out of tears. Instead, she just gasped for air every now and then and cried- though nothing came from her reddened, bag heavy eyes.

Mine was still a constant stream. My hair stuck to the tears and snot on my face. Tears were still falling. As soon as one left, another took its place in my eyes.

We sat there for hours. Glenn's body was so close. Abraham's was even closer- right next to me.

Finally, Nega and Rick return. Negan drags Rick by the back of his shirt, tossing him carelessly on the ground.

"That trip was about the way that you looked at me," Negan tells Rick.

Negan wouldn't see my eyes. The way I would look at him. Looks would kill.

"Do I give you a second chance?" Negan asks.

"Yeah.. yes," Rick forces out, maintaining control of his anger somehow.

Negan makes the Saviors put guns to the back of our heads. Mom and I stuck close despite the threat. 

If they said to hurt her, I would simply move in front of the bullet. 

"Kid.." Negan calls.

For a split second, I thought he was talking to me.

Carl stands.

Of course. Because, I'm just the 'little girl'. Carl is the guy. 

Men. I think about my talk with Daryl. Men were real pieces of work.

Negan ties his belt around Carl's arm and forces him on the ground. My stomach churns.

Carl was my best friend. But.. There was something else.

Abraham was killed.

Glenn was killed.

Carl.. was he not going to do anything?

"Rick, I want you to take your axe and cut your son's left arm off."

A tiny voice speaks in the back of my head.

Glenn was murdered because Daryl got up.

Carl was lucky. Compared to Glenn and Abraham.. he was getting off free.

"Please.. Please, don't," Rick begs Negan softly.

I squint.

Rick was pushing it. His first words to Negan after Glenn was a promise that Rick would kill him. Now.. he was being a coward. 

"You don't have to do this. We understand," Michonne speaks up. "We understand. We-"

Carefully, I raise out of mom's hold. The Savior behind me presses the metal closer to my head.

Cut Carl's arm off or we're all going to die. Daryl got Glenn killed because he got up. 

Now.. After all of this, Michonne dared speak up? 

I try to push the nasty thoughts away.

Rick and Michonne don't give a shit about you. They would kill you to save Carl without hesitating.