Daughter of the Fallen

The Day Will Come When You Won't Be Part 2

Around an hour later, I saw the RV slowly roll back to us.

I hadn't moved since it left. I didn't let go of Carl's hand, nor did I plan to. He was the only thing anchoring me to reality.

I watched as Negan came out. He dragged Rick with him and threw him to the ground in the middle of our little semicircle.

He smiled. "Here we are. Let me ask you something, Rick. Do even know what that trip was about?"

Rick didn't answer as he looked around at all of us. A tear rolled down my face and I quickly swiped it away.

"Speak when you're spoken to," Negan ordered.

Rick hesitated. "Okay," he complied. "Okay."

Negan nodded. "That trip was about the way that you looked at me. I wanted to change that. I wanted you to understand. But you're still looking at me the same d*mn way. Like I sh*t in your scrambled eggs, and that's not gonna work." He squatted down next to Rick. "So do I give you another chance?"

His breathing ragged, he answered. "Yeah. Yes. Yes."

Negan pat his back and stood up. "Alright. And here it is, the grand prize game. What you do next will decide whether your crap day becomes everyone's last crap day or just another crap day." He addressed the men behind us. "Get some guns to the back of their heads."

I immediately felt the barrel of a gun be pressed against the back of my head, making me squeeze my eyes shut for a second.

"Good. Level with their noses so if you have to fire" he imitated an explosion coming from his face "it'll be a real mess."

He looked in my direction. "Kid."

I thought he was talking to me for a second, but he wasn't.

He was talking to Carl.

He gestured for him to go over to him.

No. God, please don't kill Carl. Please.

Just take me.

I looked over at him in fear and he gave me a quick reassuring smile before getting up and letting go of my hand.

As he walked over, a fresh set of quiet sobs racked my body.

Carl stopped in front of Negan as Negan took off his belt.

"You a southpaw?" Negan asked.

"Am I a what?" Carl responded, his tone jabbing.

"You a lefty?"

"No."

Negan raised his eyebrows. "Good." He wrapped his belt around Carl's bicep and secured it tightly.

"That hurt?" Negan asked.

"No."

"It should. It's supposed to. Alright. Get on the ground, kid, next to Daddy. Spread them wings." He took his hat off and tossed it away.

As Carl got on the ground, my eyes widened as I realized that Negan was gonna do.

No, no, no, no. Please.

"Simon," Negan called. "You got a pen?"

Simon seemed confused for a second before nodding. "Yeah." He got out a Sharpie and tossed it over to Negan.

Negan uncapped it and kneeled down. He pushed back Carl's sleeve.

"Sorry, kid. This is gonna be as cold as a warlock's ballsack, just like he was hanging his ballsack above you and dragging it right across your forearm. Gives you a little leverage."

He drew a line across Carl's forearm and I leaned forward, wishing I could get up and stop it.

"Please don't," I whispered, more to myself than anyone else. "Please, please, please."

Rick echoed what I was whispering.

"Me?" Negan asked. "I ain't doing sh*t." He stood up. "Rick, I want you to take your axe. Cut your son's arm off, right on that line."

My heart beat quickened until I felt like it was gonna burst out of my chest.

"I know you're gonna have to process that for a second," Negan continued. That makes sense. But I'm still gonna need you to do it or all of these people are gonna die. Then Carl dies, then all the people back home die, and then you, eventually. I'm gonna keep you alive for a few years, just so you can stew on it."

Feeling a rush of adrenaline, I spoke up. "You don't have to do this! We understand. We understand." I didn't understand, nor would I ever. But it was what I thought I had to say.

"You understand," Negan agreed. "Yeah. But I'm not sure that Rick does. I'm gonna need s clean cut, right on that line. I know this is a screwed up thing to ask, but it's gonna have to be like a salami slice. Nothing messy, clean, 45 degrees. We got a great doctor, the kid'll be fine...probably." He squatted down. "Rick, this needs to happen now. Chop, chop. Or I will crush the little fella's skull myself."

"It could be me," Rick mumbled. "You could do it to me, I could go with you."

"No. This is the only way. Pick up the axe. Not making a decision is a big decision. You really wanna see all these people die? You will. You will see every ugly thing." Rick started to cry. "Oh, my god, are you gonna make me count?? Okay, I'm counting. 3!"

"Please," Rick pleaded. "It could be me. Please!"

"2!"

Rick continued to sob.

"This is it. 1."

Rick yelled and put his hand on Carl's.

Carl's whispered something to Rick, causing him to, after a struggle, raise the axe.

I squeezed my eyes shut, not having the strength.

Suddenly, Rick's sobbing stopped. I opened my eyes to see Negan kneeling next to Rick.

"You answer to me," Negan stated. "You provide for me. You belong to me. Right?"

Rick nodded, his breathing shallow.

Negan grabbed his face. "Speak when you're spoken to! You answer to me! You provide for me! You belong to me! Right?!"

"Right," Rick whispered.

"Right. That is the look I wanted to see." He stood up. "We did it, all of us, together. Even the dead guys on the ground, they get the spirit award for sure!"

The mention of my dad and Glenn made tears spring to my eyes and I hugged my arms as my stomach started to hurt again.

"Today was a productive d*mn day! Now I hope, for all your sake, that you get it now, that you understand how things work. Things change. What you had going for you, that is over now. Dwight!" He pointed at Daryl. "Load him up."

Dwight immediately grabbed Daryl and shoved him into the back of a van.

"No," I whimpered. "No."

He kneeled down next to Rick. "He's got guys. Not a little b*tch like someone I know. I like him. He's mine now. But you still want to try something? I will cut pieces off of..." He looked at Simon. "H*ll's his name?"

"Daryl," Simon answered.

"Wow," he chuckled. "That actually sounds right. I will cut pieces off of Daryl and bring them to your doorstep, or, better yet, I will bring him to you and have you do it for me."

He chuckled and pat Rick's back before standing up. "Welcome to a brand new beginning, you sorry sh*ts! I'm gonna leave you a truck. Keep it. Use it to cart all the crap you're gonna find me. We'll be back for our first offering in one week. Until then...ta-ta."

He walked off, leaving all of us in complete, utter shock.