Rise Up

Chapter 38

The sound of multiple engines could be heard approaching after a few minutes. I looked over at Daryl and he looked right at me. We said everything we needed to say in our stares. We looked forward and waited for the sons of bitches to reach the gates. As one of the trucks got closer, I noticed Eugene with a megaphone.

“No,” I whispered.

“All points are covered. Every contingency is already met. I come armed with two barrels of truth. A test is upon you, and I'm giving out the cheat sheet,” Eugene said through the megaphone.

The trucks had come to a stop.

“Why is he with them?” I asked.

“Shit,” Rosita said.

“H-Hello. I come salved with the hope that it is my dropped knowledge that you heed. Options are zero to none. Compliance and fealty are your only escape. Bottom lining it...You may thrive, or you may die. I sincerely wish for the former for everyone's sake. The jig is up and in full effect. Will you comply, Rick?” Eugene continued.

We weren't backing down. Eugene shouldn't be here with them. He was one of us. Why was he doing this?

“Where's Negan?” Rick asked.

Eugene put down his megaphone.

“I'm Negan,” Eugene replied.

“Dammit,” I whispered.

We had to do what we had to do. I didn't like that Eugene would be caught in the crossfire but there was no turning back. Not anymore. Rick contemplated for a bit. But he eventually gave Rosita the signal. I braced myself for the impact. Rosita pressed the button and I held my breath. A few seconds passed but nothing happened. I looked at Rosita. She was confused. Plan B it was. I aimed my rifle toward the trucks but was quickly caught off guard when multiple guns clicked at one time. I looked behind and saw that the Scavengers had betrayed us. I looked up at Rick and the leader of them held her pistol to his head. I put my rifle down. They were working for them. One of them opened the gate and The Saviors came out of their trucks. Negan made his way to Eugene. I looked at Dwight and glared at him.

“You ever hear the one about the stupid fucking little prick named Rick who thought he knew shit but didn't know shit and got everyone that he gave a shit about killed? It's about you,” Negan said with that stupid grin of his.

“Y'all are gonna wanna put your guns down now,” Negan said.

“No one drops anything,” Rick said.

I held my finger close to the trigger of my rifle.

“You push me, and you push me. And you push me, Rick. You just tried to blow us up, right? I mean, I get me, my people. But Eugene? He's one of yours. And after what he did...he stepped up. You people...are animals. The universe gives you a sign and you just shove your finger right up its fucking ass,” Negan said laughing.

I glared at him.

“Dwight, Simon, chop-chop,” Negan said.

The both of them made their way on top of the truck closet to the gate. They pulled out a coffin and set it up right. I moved closer resting a hand on the car in front of me.

“So, you don't like Eugene anymore. You guys gotta like Sasha. I do, too,” Negan said.

What the hell? What kind of angle was he playing this time? Did this mean that Sasha was still alive? Negan then banged on the coffin with his bat.

“Got her right here packaged for your convenience, alive and well,” he said.

I exhaled in relief.

“Now, I brought her so I wouldn't have to kill all of you, and not killing all of you could get complicated. See, I know there's a lot of firepower left in there, Rick. So I'm gonna make this simple. I want all the guns you've managed to scrape up. Yep, I know about those, too. I want every last grain of lemonade you got left. I want a person of your own choosing...for Lucille,” Negan continued.

He then looked over at Daryl. He caught sight of me and was taken aback.

“Daryl...ooh I gotta get me my Daryl back. And you, sweetheart. I thought you had bitten the dust. This is just fucking perfect. I think I'll go ahead and make you one of my wives to replace the one I lost,” he said with a devious smile.

I flipped him off.

“Fuck you!” I said.

He smiled wider. He looked back at Rick.

“She’s got me tingling all over. She is a force and I’d love to feel that force between my legs. If you know what I mean," he said with a wink.

I turned away in disgust.

"And I want the pool tables. And all the pool cues and chalk. And I want it now or Sasha dies, and then all of you. Probably,” Negan continued.

I clenched my teeth.

“Come on, Rick. Just because I brought her in a casket doesn't mean she has to leave in it,” he said.

We weren't standing down and I knew it. Negan sighed.

“You know what? You suck ass, Rick. You really do. I don't want to have to kill her, but that's exactly what you're gonna make me do,” Negan said.

“Let me see her,” Rick said.

I kept my eyes glued to the coffin. I needed to see her. I needed to make sure she was okay.

“Oh. All right. Just give me a second. I might have to get her up to speed. You can't hear shit inside this thing. Sash. You're not gonna believe this crap,” Negan said knocking on the coffin.

He opened it up and growling came from it. My heart sank. Sasha came out and knocked Negan off the truck. I held up my rifle and turned around. It had started. I took out the assholes that had betrayed us and then we started firing at the Saviors. They fired back and Rosita got hit.

“Tara get her out of here! I'll cover you!” I shouted.

Daryl and I continued firing at them. Rosita and Tara had gone. They started to advance us.

“Get back!” Daryl shouted.

We quickly moved behind some of the cars nearby. We dodged the gunfire.

“You stay close to me you hear?” Daryl said.

I nodded. I looked up right when the head Scavenger shot Rick and threw him off the post.

“No!” I shouted.

Daryl quickly grabbed me because he knew I was gonna start to head over to him.

“I need you here. We have to keep going,” he said.

Tears were coming down. I cleared my throat and nodded.

“Okay…okay,” I said.

We made our way further into our community.