Negan's Daughter

Chapter 72

Standing in the main room of the Sanctuary I examined everyone below me as they worked hard to meet Negan's standards. Negan was supposed to meet me a half hour ago to start his 'lesson' of the day. I leaned over the railing and let a sigh escape my mouth. I closed my eyes, reviewing the memories from the previous couple of days. Yesterday Negan had me fight off a group of walkers to try to save a kid, when I failed he revealed that he hadn't expected me to succeed and only wanted to prove to me that trying to save people was useless because it just tore you up when you couldn't. The day before that he had me go with the saviors to a town for their usual raid. Negan didn't accompany me but when he heard I had tried to prevent the saviors from taking what was left of people's food he decided I would learn what it was like to be hungry and without supplies. Therefore I wasn't permitted to eat from that day since until Negan granted me the right again. The lining of my stomach pinched, my legs felt weak, and a constant throbbing in my head kept me irritable. Abruptly, one of the saviors, a man with flat black hair, white pasty skin, and one eye missing who Negan called 'Busch', approached me.

"Negan sent me to tell ya' there ain't gon' be a lesson today. Alright?" I furrowed my brow at his message.

"Do you know why?" I ask and he cowered slightly under my gaze.

"Can't say mam." He responded before rushing off. I watched the man leaves before stopping a savior on her way towards the exit.

"Do you know where Negan is?" I questioned causing her to tense up.

"No," she answered quietly then practically ran towards the exit. I exhaled trying to think of what to do on my day off. The thought of practicing my fighting techniques came to mind but I was already sore from the extra work Negan had me doing every day. It occurred to me that maybe this was his plan, break me down day after day until I couldn't fight back. I bite the inside of my mouth. Had it been working? I haven't thought of a way to get out the situation because I was always preoccupied with trying to keep myself together. With the day off I decided to create a visual map of the inside and outside of the building for future reference.

As I searched the top of the building I became aware that inside the top rooms was the saviors stored the supplies that they stole from other groups. I scanned each room in awe; there was enough supplies to last for years just stored away like a hidden treasure. As I examined the collection of collected objects my hands instinctively picked up the familiar book with seven greasers on the cover. I closed my eyes as I remembered giving the book to Max. My chest tightened. The memories I had of Max was all I had left, and those were slowly getting murkier each day. Soon I would forget what he sounded like. That was the worst part about losing someone, outgrowing them. I set the book back down then turned to leave the floor.

Upon setting foot on the second floor I noticed footsteps stop a second after mine had. I paused in the middle of the stairway and strained my ears. After a minute of silence I preceded to the second to the tops floor's room. In these room, to my luck, were various weapons they had collected. However, each room was guarded by a savior with their own weapon. As I started towards the stairway again I thought of a way to get everyone off of the floor, a fire came to mind but this building had everything to prevent the spread of a fire quickly.

I chose to skip the third floor because I had become aquatinted with it seeing as it was cleared so I could stay there. The next floor down had Negan's room, and his wives. As I approached Negan's door the savior guarding it stepped forward.

"I can't let you in there." He stated.

"Why the hell not?" I asked as the savior tensed up.

"Negan's orders." He responded. I nodded and thought of threatening the man to let me in or else but decided against it. Turning around, I discovered a savior leaned against the wall next to the one guarding Negan's wives' room. He was having a conversation with the guard as I passed so I shrugged it off but as I continued down the stairwell the sound of a second set of footsteps became apparent. I stopped and swung around. My eyes landed on the same man as he tried to hide behind the staircase. I rolled my eyes before charging up the stairs, grabbing the man by the collar and slamming him against the wall with my gun raised under his chin.