UNSTEADY .. n

07

Amelia's eyes were glazed over as Negan led her into an open room in the warehouse. Several people were busy sorting through boxes and creating piles of supplies. There were others writing things down on clipboards, some even barking orders. But as soon as Negan entered the walkway above everyone, the working stopped.

"Well, it seems there's a certain someone who's busy with some work here... Someone who was told, no, ordered, to swing by the rule court earlier this morning. But guess what? They didn't show." Negan sneered, eyes soaking up the view of the people kneeling before him. "Samuel Owens." His voice echoed. "Where is Samuel Owens?"

The room was silent as eyes were turning, searching for the Samuel that Negan spoke of. Silent whispers echoed in the room, causing a nervousness to rise in Amelia's throat. She knew what would happen when Samuel was found.

Negan led Amelia down a staircase as he grinned. A muscular man was shoved forward, a glare upon his face. He snarled, breath hitching in his throat. Amelia could have cut the tension with a knife if she had one, watching as a battle of visual dominance played out between Negan and Samuel.

"Well, well, well Sammy... You decided to drop by the workplace today. Now that is what I call dedication!" Two men appeared, trying Samuel to a chair. He struggled slightly, but he knew what was coming. "You made a big mistake today, pal. You did something real shitty." Negan looked around at his people. "This man stole a portion of our food reserve, of my food reserve, and took it out to the cages for the prisoners. Aw, what a sap." He pretended to pout. "But as you all know, each act of crime deserves its own punishment."

Another man showed up, pulling a hot iron from out of a burning fire place. Negan pulled on a glove, smirking as he took the iron. Samuel thrashed in his seat for a while.

"Who hear wants me to press this hot, fucking iron on their face?" He waited for an answer. The room was dead silent. "No one? There ain't nobody in this room who wants to spare this thief of his fate?" He waited. No one moved. Then, without warning, Negan smashed the iron onto Samuel. He let out an agonizing scream. Amelia flinched, but her eyes stayed glued to the sight in front of her.

The iron slowly pulled away, bits of skin and flesh remaining on the hot metal. Samuel screamed again, pulling against the restraints. No one spoke. Negan smacked the back of his head against the iron, knocking him out cold.

"Our little buddy here just took a big one for the team." He paced a few steps, hands folded behind his back. Amelia was still shaken by what she had just seen. "Samuel is an example of a true savior. He took the punishment for temptation. He took a damn iron to the face, and didn't protest a bit. Sam is a trooper." Negan squared a punch at Samuel's unconscious face. "Let this be a lesson to all of you. What's mine is mine. This is my world, you're just living in it!" The people remained kneeling, some of their eyes averting to the floor.