ELEANOR . NEGAN

020.

Eleanor was surrounded by people as she stuffed her face with food. It was garden-grown stuff, some vegetables and fruits and a can of beans but she didn't give a single shit. She was starving. When Carl died and she knew she couldn't do anything to prevent it, she started to lose herself a bit. Forgot to eat, forgot to talk, forgot to do anything.

So she was fucking starving. Point proven as Carol came over with a small pastry that Elle ate in seconds. She didn't care if it was unladylike—it's the apocalypse! This was a meal fit for a king.

"Oh my, God." She moaned as she finished the crumbs of the pastry. "I feel like such a scab right now." A couple of people laughed but it was half-assed and they didn't really mean it. She understood though. A lot of people were shaken up, and a lot of people looked at Eleanor like she was a problem. She didn't like it.

It started to make her feel small, in a way, so she hunched her shoulders and made her body as tiny as she could. Carol placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and shook it a bit. "Hey, are you alright?"

Elle looked at her hand, then at her face, and smiled a bit. "I uh," She looked around. "I don't know these people."

Carol looked up at the surrounding people and shook her head. "Give her some space." Some shuffled out the doors, the rest took as slow as they could to get out. "Now, please."

When the room was empty, Eleanor's whole demeanour changed. She felt more relaxed, and comfortable, and she could eat without feeling judged. "How are you?"

Eleanor shrugged. She didn't know how she felt. It wasn't like she was mistreated at the Sanctuary, if anything she was extremely lucky. But it still... it still wasn't home. Never was home. "I'm okay. I wasn't- I wasn't hurt or anything like that."

"Really?" Carol asked, sitting down in front of the woman and holding her hands in her own. "So, they treated you well?"

She cringed a bit. "Maybe not well. I was in a cell for a couple of days... with Eugene. He took the offer of working in seconds, I never did."

"Maybe because you have a backbone."

Or maybe because Negan couldn't leave me alone.

Elle chuckled, "Yeah, I guess. I dunno, it was weird up there. No one liked me but they all thought I was a joke, something to laugh at. Especially Simon." Carol raised her brows. "He was the one who set up tonight. Not Negan."

"Negan didn't do this?" She asked.

"He isn't even here." Elle looked down for a split second. "I uh, yeah. He ain't here."

Carol was quick on her feet to call the others. Elle went wide-eyed at the sudden moves and watched as familiar faces walked in. "Hi." She said, "Are you guys okay?" Stupid question, you dumb cunt. Elle cringed. "Sorry. This is all just... horrible."

Carol shook her head, and sat back down in her original seat with Maggie, Glenn, Rick sitting as well, and the rest surrounding. "Tell us what happened, Elle." Carol was sweet, and quiet and her words held comfort and zero judgement.

Elle told them everything—partially. "Negan thinks I'm shit at fighting, so now half the Sanctuary knows the same thing." Rick nodded with her words. "I thought Eugene was gone, but he helped Carson and Gabe escape. But... they didn't get far. But now he's making bullets for them. Got a whole station and everything."

Rick cleared his throat, "Do you know any of their plans?"

"Negan was preparing for a big overall fight. They're gonna be down in numbers now that Simon came here."