constant peril → d. dixon

t h i r t e e n

"I'm Negan, and I do not appreciate you killing my men." Negan held up his bat and turned it in the light.
"This, this is Lucille... And she is awesome! And she is gonna kill one of you tonight."

Everything the man said came out boisterous and emphasized. He moved constantly, swinging his bat as he talked. He was happy to see the fear in the eyes of those who stood on their knees, completely at his mercy.

"Pissing our pants yet? Boy, do I have a feeling we're getting close. It's gonna be pee-pee pants city real fucking soon."

Negan looked around at all the pale faces and made a face of fake concern. "What, was my joke that bad?" Negan asked sardonically, chuckling.

He turned around, his eyes landing on Maggie, another shit-eating grin crossing his face. "Wow, you look like absolute shit! I should just put you out of your misery!" he said, pointing his bat at Maggie and watching her cower.

"No," Rick rasped, looking up at the man. "Leave her be."

"Ricky, Ricky, Ricky, are you the big man on campus here? No? Didn't think so."

"I'm gonna kill you."

"What?" Negan asked loudly, cupping his hand around his ear and leaning towards Rick. "What did you just say to me?"

"I'm gonna kill you," Rick repeated, his voice wavering the slightest bit.

"That's hilarious! Now, give me half your shit before I beat your fucking brains out with my lovely lady here!"

If the situation wasn't so terrifying, Maisie would've laughed at how the man talked about his baseball bat.

"I've got a fun idea," Negan announced, smiling another evil smile as he pointed the bat at Eugene.

"Eeny..."

He pointed the bat at Rosita.
"Meeny..."

He pointed the bat at Maggie.

"Miny...."

He pointed the bat at Rick.

"Moe...."

He pointed the bat at Abe.

"Catch a tiger..."

He pointed the bat at Carl.

"By its toe..."

He pointed the bat at Maisie.

"My mother...."

He pointed the bat at Daryl.

"Says...."

He pointed the bat at Glenn.

"You are..."

"It," he finished, rather dramatically for Maisie's taste, turning around and bringing the bat down on Abraham's head with a heavy swing.

Tears slipped down Maisie's paled cheeks, in sync with the blood the dripped from his hair line and down his forehead.

"Suck... my... nuts..." Abraham uttered bravely, staring into the head of the bat. With a sob, Maisie saw the two fingers he held sideways to her.

"Ho, ho! Takin' it like a champ!" Negan exclaimed, delivering another blow to Abraham's head, leaving him sprawled on his stomach in the gravel.

Maisie felt pressure on her right hand and turned to see Daryl's hand wrapped around hers. He didn't look at her, but he squeezed her hand every time they heard another thump from Negan's bat. It was a small attempt to bring her comfort.

Their hands were still clasped together tightly as Negan straightened up and swung Lucille around, splattering some of Abraham's blood and brain matter across a few of their faces.