Responsible (P. 2)

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I followed Negan and his wives down the staircases slowly. The women didn't cover up or anything, which was strange. They instead just crossed their arms in front of their chests. Amber was in hysterics, with her face blotchy and wet. It was sad watching her.

We got to the cafeteria and I saw Jordan, running to me, relieved. I held her tight in my arms, crutches shifting under my arms, as Negan watched, smiling slightly. 

"Where were you?" she whispered and massaged my shoulders during our embrace.

"Negan invited me out while you were asleep. I'm sorry," I whispered back. She nodded.

We separated and continued to walk along with them. I had a pain in my stomach about touching Negan's wife. I really didn't want to tell Jordan all the awful things he'd done, so she wouldn't get worried. She eyed the women in front of us.

"Um...?" she questioned quietly.

"I'll tell you later," I said quickly, not realizing what I was saying. 

"And, you're walking?" she said excitedly.

"My foot healed and I got a prosthetic. I can't believe it," I smiled at her. 

"That's amazing," she smiled very wide. We got to the middle of the cafeteria, everyone bowing to Negan, and then to who I guessed was Dwight when he entered the room. He had a pink, blotchy mark on the side of his face and around his eye. I had no clue why he looked so disfigured like that. He reminded me of myself.

All the people were crowded around us, since Negan told me to stay close to him. So it was Jordan and I, Negan and his wives, with Dwight. Everyone was eager to hear what Negan was about to say, even though a sobbing Amber was in the background.

"First off, I have an announcement. We've recruited these two yesterday, and I've made the choice to have this young man, Carl, to be my right-hand man," he said. He nudged me forward and everyone stared at me.

"I expect you all to treat him with the same respect you gave Dwight. Also, I want that same respect given to his woman, Jordan," he continued, and Jordan stood beside me, smiling, but then looking confused at me. I mouthed 'I'll explain later' to her, and she nodded.

"No fussing. Now, let's practice being respectful. Bow, motherfuckers!" he yelled happily, and everyone went to their knees. It felt so cool, but wrong-ish. I usually never got treated with any respect.

Dwight looked at Negan so confused, even kind of hurt, but he waved him off.

"Anyhow, I'm sure you all know Mark here has been a bad, bad boy," Negan said in a mocking tone. A dirty-blonde man shakily went up to the front.

"He made my wife cheat on me. Now, it's time for his punishment. Get the fuck in the chair, asshole!" he yelled, and Mark sat down in a metal chair. The crowd gasped softly. Dwight strapped his arms and legs to it. Amber whimpered.

Negan got really close to me. "Get the iron from the furnace, please. Dwight will help," he loudly said the last part. I did as instructed, unknowing. Dwight got me gloves and I balanced the crutches underneath me. Negan stood by me, and Dwight pulled an iron out with a pipe-looking thing.

"I can't walk. I can't carry the 'iron'," I whispered.

"You can. Just walk slowly and you won't fall," he said, and took my crutches. I stood there, stiff as a tree, as Jordan watched along with everyone else. I took the hot iron carefully off of the pipe. It was so heavy, and I was scared to drop it. Why was I doing this?

I carried it slowly as I limped to face everyone.

"Go up to Mark," he said. I nodded, and resembled a walker as I tried to make my way just a couple feet to him. Dwight was visibly cringing.

"Now, everyone, why do we have rules?" Negan yelled.

"Rules keep us alive," everyone replied back. Mark was sweating and shaking. What the hell was happening?

"Carl, being my right-hand man has its responsibilities. This is the only chance to prove to me that you can keep your title and that I can respect you. Otherwise, Dwight takes his job back and you have to pay for fooling me into making you my best friend. There isn't a way around it," Negan spoke. I stared at him, jaw dropped slightly.

"Press that iron on Mark's fucking face or you're paying for it," his words echoed throughout the cafeteria. I knew there was a catch. Everything was too good to be true.

I shook my head no. I began to sweat.

"For fuck's sake, prove yourself! Make me have a shit ton of respect for you. Make me scared of what you're capable of!" he yelled. I began silently crying once again. I heard Jordan whimper like Amber. I looked at her for a second and saw that she was being comforted by Negan's wives along with Amber.

I hesitated silently. Negan screamed at me to hurry up and a shiver went up my spine. I couldn't do this to anyone.

Swallowing my feelings, I trudged close to Mark and without a pause, I forced the iron onto a side of his face. People gasped. Amber cried harder. Mark screamed. Negan laughed. Dwight looked away.

I pulled the iron off and some skin came off along with it. He passed out. I dropped the iron on the hard floor and leaned over, crying into my hands. Negan clapped.

"You did it! Fuck yes, now someone mop that up. He pissed himself," Negan smiled and patted me on the back. I hated how I felt now. A doctor came over, and with help, carried Mark away, still on the chair. Someone started mopping. I hadn't moved. I was mortified.

Jordan broke away from the women and ran to me. She held me up and supported me as we walked away quickly from everyone, who was too caught up in conversation about Mark. Nothing bad about Negan was said. Negan was talking to his wives.

We practically ran out of the building to our house. She slammed the door open and helped me inside quickly. I staggered to the bedroom alone and flopped on the bed, head buried into the covers. I sobbed extremely loud as I heard Jordan follow me into the bedroom. She cuddled up beside me, and we cried together. I entwined our fingers together and used my free hand to throw my hat across the room.

I couldn't believe what I had done. Even if it was milder compared to my other crimes I've done throughout my life, I felt terrified of myself, like I had once before.

I didn't like who I was becoming.


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