Dead Silent

Chapter 3

Kirsty sits with her feet up, reading a book. She'd purposely taken the last two late shifts, knowing Negan would be due any day now. She wanted to avoid him at all costs. She had told Rick about her encounter with Negan in the woods, and Rick hadn't been best pleased about it.

"I'm sorry. I know he's the last person you wanna see. Next time he comes, just stay home. I'll give him his shit at the gate," Rick had said.

So she had swapped shifts with Carol. "You were alone with him?" Carol had said. "You should have taken him out while you had the chance."

It's not as simple as that. Taking him out doesn't take out all the saviors, if anything, it'd just start a war, and we don't have enough men for that, Kirsty had written. Carol had unwillingly agreed with her.

~

Negan pulls up at the gates of Alexandria. He'd thought of little else other than Kirsty, and was disappointed not to see her patrolling the fence. He exits the truck and heads inside. "Hey, Rick! You miss me?" Negan smiles. "Because i missed you."

"I got your stuff," Rick says, straight faced.

"Straight to the fucking point i see. You know, it wouldn't hurt you to engage in a little conversation once in a while," Negan chuckles, as he follows Rick.

Negan tuts as he looks over Rick's offerings. "Rick. Didn't we talk about this? I mean, what the fuck even is this? It's a damn, fucking, insult, that's what it is."

"We need more time," Rick says.

Negan turns to him. "You need to get your damn ass out there, and find me some better shit, that's what you need, Rick!" Negan rubs his temples.

"We'll do better next time," Rick promises.

Negan runs his tongue over his teeth, letting out a tsk. "Where's Kirsty?"

"She's sleeping," Rick says.

"I didn't ask what she was fucking doing. I asked where she was," Negan frowns.

Rick stares at him, gritting his teeth.

"Well?" Negan asks.

"Does it matter? She's sleeping," Rick scowls.

Negan moves closer to him. "I decide what matters, prick. Now, you either point me in the right direction, or i'm gonna have all my little soldiers, strip your damn house's bare. So what's it gonna be, prick?"

~

Kirsty hears a knock at the door. She gets up from her seat, assuming it's Rick coming to tell her the coast is clear. She opens the door, and is greeted by Negan.

"Kirsty!" He smiles. "Would you look at that, Rick. She wasn't asleep after all. You wasn't lying to me, was you, prick?" Negan asks, turning to Rick.

Kirsty looks at Rick, standing nervously, at the bottom of her yard.

"I thought she was sleeping," Rick says, glancing at the ground.

"Sure you did. Any fucking hoo! You gonna invite me in, sweetheart?" Negan asks.

Kirsty stares at him, then she steps aside. Negan walks in, shutting the door behind him.

"This is a nice place you got. Beats the shit out of my place," Negan chuckles.

Kirsty stands in the hall, writing in her pad.

Negan walks over to her, as she holds the pad out to him.

What do you want? He reads.

"Well a drink might be fucking nice. If it's not too much to ask," he grins.