TWD: Just Another Boy to Discover (Carl x Reader)

~25~

Chapter 25 // This Ain't A Child's Game

     "Nope. Get outta my face. If I have to hear the sound of your voice one more time, I'll kill you," Flare stars intensely at Negan.
     It was so silent; anyone could hear the familiar sound of a pin drop. The tension keeps rising moment after moment, second after second. Finally, the silence shatters like glass breaking. Instead, Negan's loud laugh echoes all throughout the building, sending deep chills down your spine. Flare's eyes turn in to an amber colour, full of anger and rage. She withdraws her gun and your ear rings for a brief moment. Without hesitating, Flare pulls the trigger. A shot. Your heart skips a beat. A shot that missed. Negan's fellow worshipers restrain Flare from moving. They take her to a large van, readily waiting for another victim. They kidnapped her. You were just watching the whole scene unfold as it took five men to bring the tiger down.
     "If any of you move, you will die," Negan stops laughing. "Not only did she threaten me, but she did almost kill me. And that...is absolute bullshit. For that, all of you will have to pay. Stand in a row in front of me. Wait. No. I want everyone to kneel."
     No one moved. Fear. For the first time in your life, you felt it. You hated the feeling. It kept bothering you. It's eating you alive. Fear knows. It knows you are completely helpless at this very minute. Only the sound of heavy breathing was heard. No shuffling feet, no kneeling, no moving.
     "I want you on your knees. All of you. Don't make me repeat myself once more," Negan yells. Immediately, everyone was on the floor, kneeling. At first, you did not want to move and you stood there, looking off in to the distance, but he looks at you. Carl. He's calling you. You find a spot in between Carl and Ryan. "Let me teach you about how things work around here. You see, every time a new group joins us, we sacrifice a member so that all of you know your place. This group will supply..."
     Shock. It overwhelms you. They were going to kill someone. Someone that is alive right now will not be breathing the next. Anyone. Everyone is a target. You feel a warm touch. Carl's hand. He's holding your hand. You get a rush of relief and glance at Carl who's too busy listening to the rules.
     "Got that?" Negan smiles as if he was not about to commit murder. "Alright! Let's begin. Eenie, meenie, miney..."
     Negan goes across the line, pointing at people randomly with his signature bat. Fear is spreading like a contagious disease. Carl's grip on your hand tightens, but he does not let go. Rick, Michonne, Carl, Enid, Daryl, Abraham, Rosita, Glenn. He stops.
     "Mo," the bat is pointed towards Ryan. "Alright, it has been decided! No one talks, no one moves, no one attacks. You can breathe, you can blink, you can cry, hell you are all going to be doing that."
     Your body begins to tremble. Ryan is the last of your sister's group. She would blame no one but herself if anything were to happen- you hear a sickly crack that disturbs you from your thoughts. It was the familiar sound of a skull breaking. Carl's hand grows tighter as you keep hearing the cracks of bones being crushed. No, no, no. Flare. She'll kill herself is she knew what Negan did and wasn't there to prevent it.
     "Tell Flare..." Ryan spits out blood and gathers the strength to endure another attack. Negan hits the side of his face, making sure the metal wiring engraves in to his flesh. "I love her."
     Negan hits Ryan's head like a golf ball. It rips right off in a single blow. You watch Negan. Every single hit. Every single punishment. Every single fucking one of it. Blood covers you, your face and stains your clothes. However, you could not seem to tear your eyes away from the scene. Emotions flood you. Guilt, anger, pain. You finally make up your mind and turn to Carl. He has blood splattered across his delicate face and forces a weak smile. He mouths "it's going to be okay".
     A gunshot. You jolt. No, no, no. You are dreaming. No one tried to kill Negan. That would end up in severe punishment. You slowly turn towards Negan who was staring at Daryl, not surprised at all. Instead, he was grinning. Almost as if he knew it was going to happen. Negan's men grab his gun and any weapons or armory he has. They begin to take him to the truck.
     "Wait. He should stay," Negan orders his men to let go of Daryl. "I want him to witness what he has done. I did warn him that attacking would result in an unnecessary loss of another group member, yet he chose to make a stupid mistake. Let's start again, shall we? Eenie, meenie, miney..."
     It was torture. The loud sound of his voice beams with excitement. It was a sickly feeling. Black. Everything was slowly becoming black as you were losing consciousness. This was too much for your body to handle. You feel a sharp squeeze on your hand and remember. Carl. He was holding on to you tightly this whole time. Again, the bat goes around. Eugene, Maggie, Beth, Carol, Rick, Glenn, Enid, Carl. You feel your stomach drop as the bat stops.
     "Mo," Negan pauses and continues. "Take away everyone's weapons. Make sure none are left behind."
     You are it.