VILLAINESS [TWD]

➴82

"If this is about the missing fuel.." the Savior begins.

"No, it's not. But, I am still out here looking for that," I lie.

"So, what's up?" he asks.

"Daryl was calling for a quick meeting. He sent me on the rounds to gather y'all up."

He sighs and sets his fork down, standing up. "He's a quiet leader. Don't think I've heard him call for more than five meetings this year."

"I don't think you'll have to worry about him being leader for much longer," I shrug.

"How's that?" he questions, wary.

"I think he's stepping down. I don't think he's too excited about bossing people around is all."

The man nods and I continue leading him through the woods.

"You're Rhee's daughter, right?"

"I am."

"Listen, I uh.. I was.. I was there.."

I look around the woods. "There for what?"

I stop walking and turn to face the man in full.

"That night.. The lineup.."

I push aside the immediate glare and tilt my head.

"I was just.. I think about it a lot. I uh.. I have nightmares about it. I just wanted to say that-"

Cyndie delivers a blow to the back of the man's head with her gun. He falls to the ground in front of me, clutching his neck and shoulder.

I take out my knife and crouch to the ground by him. "What was that you were saying?"

He grumbles and wriggles in pain. A small trail of blood oozes down the side of his neck.

"Don't tell me you lost your words now," I urge.

"I.. I. was.. I was gonna.." he gasps. "Say I'm.. I'm sorry."

I look up at Cyndie and nod. She returns the motion and jogs to the treeline.

"Oh, yeah?" I ask the man.

I put the tip of my blade to his neck, pushing just enough for him to lean back until he lands on his back.

"Why.. are you doing this..?" he asks.

"Why are you sorry?" I deflect. "I wouldn't do this without a purpose. Tell me what your reason for being sorry is."

"Following.. him.."

I nod with a hum. "Good boy."

Cyndie, Bea, and a few others make their way out of the woods.

"What happened to not torturing them?" Bea asks. "Quick kills, right?"

"I didn't torture him," I promise. "Cyndie's the one that hit him."

"I was just slowing him down," Cyndie defends.

I stand up straight. The man goes to sit up. I put my boot on his neck and push him back to the ground, keeping weight on him so he didn't go anywhere.

"Nattie," Cyndie calls. "This one is your's."

Nattie steps forward. She was just a couple years older than Cyndie. This man, the Savior, had killed her uncle that she lived with while her parents were getting a divorce. She told us about how her uncle was the most important person to her.. then, this guy took him away without thinking about it.

"I'm okay," she promises me.

I relent and step off the man's neck.

Nattie crouches to the ground beside the man's head.