Man with the Bat || a Negan novel

Chapter One: The Arrival

It was early in the day when the peace was abruptly disrupted. The heat was just beginning to swelter, the sun shining bright in the sky, the birds melodically chirping. Myself positioned on the ground, examining Eugene and his casual handiwork. Eugene had always been bit of a damaged good. A sweet, innocent soul, but at the same time did the strangest things. 

"So, what exactly are you doing?" I ask, genuinely interested in whatever the hell he was doing. Myself taking notice of the car slowly approaching the gate. 

"Repairing this audio system for them" Eugene mutters, busying his hands with his work. I nod in response, not questioning his odd mindset. The car stopped, Rosita leaning out the window and eyeing Eugene and I. Spencer sat in the passenger seat beside her.

"Could you open the gate?" Rosita asks, her eyes focused on Eugene. 

Eugene ignored her, continuing to fidget with his device.

She inhaled sharply, making eye contact with me and rolling her eyes. I smirked at her in response, Rosita's sass had always been an admirable trait she carried. At times I wished I could've been as relentless and sarcastic as her.

"Eugene!" she snaps, himself looking up.

"Yeah?"

With an exasperated sigh, Rosita said, "Open the gate."

Eugene reluctanly rose from his chair. 

"Goin' out to see if we can find anything for when they come. You want to help?" Spencer questioned Eugene. It was kind of him to include Eugene, but I was almost positive Eugene would reject that offer.

"I don't believe I'd be up that."

"Yeah, sounds about right" Rosita sighs in annoyance. 

"How about you, Mia?" Spencer asks me.

Scavenging wasn't my favorite pass time, but I didn't have any other plans today. Yet as I open my lips to speak, I'm cut off by Eugene. 

"I'm repairin' this portable audio system for them. We'll have a perfectly respectable music player when they arrive. I'm dealing in certainties, and I'm doing my part to give them what they want."

As I go to tell Rosita and Spencer I'll come with them, another interruption takes away from me, this one worse than Eugene's endless ranting.

The clamor of vehicles and motorcycles approaching our compound was fast and unnerving, the engines loudly revving, as if they were trying to prove some kind of point. Heads raised, necks turned, all in the direction of the commotion. I swung my rifle over my shoulder, its gentle hug comforting me. Rosita and Spencer got out of the car, both alert as to who could possibly be here. But we all knew who it was.

Then, the ruckus all stopped, but another noise began. 

A whistle. 

Just a melodic, spine tingling whistle, echoing throughout our ears. It was like a tune in a horror movie before the killer popped out of hiding. 

"Dun, dun dun." 

The simple rapping at the front gate made all of our hearts clench in fear. We all knew who it was. Though nobody dare spoke. Perhaps we were thinking if we all remained silent, maybe he would leave. Or maybe we were all so stricken in fear we couldn't find words to say.

"Little pig, little pig, let me in!" His gruff, sarcastic tone calls from the other side of the gate. The gate rattled from the impact of what looked to be a bat, or perhaps the shaking of the gate was just as afraid as we were.