Heart of an Inmate

Chapter 2

To his delight, he didn't have to stew for a few days. When Gabriel came down with his food the new woman was with him.

"This is Negan. You might be asked to bring his food to him. Set the tray down here and use this stick to push it." He glanced up and his brows raised slightly to see Negan casually hanging on the bars with a shit-eating grin on his face.

The same grin he had worn when he had bashed in Abraham and Glen noggins with his trusty barb wire encrusted bat, Lucille.

"Hi, I'm Negan. I don't bite unless I'm asked to." He winked at her.

Gabriel frowned. "That's enough of that. This is Teresa, she's new to our community and she'll be helping me with some of my chores."

"Is that what I am Gab? Your chore?" He laughed softly, still staring at the woman " I thought we'd gotten closer than that."

The expression on the woman's face didn't change. "How long is he in for?" Her voice was throaty and it sent shivers up Negan's spine.

"Till he dies." Gabriel said briskly " He murdered innocent people. Some of them were our people."

"I beg to differ..." Negan said coldly " MIght I remind you Gab your people blew my people up first? Your people attacked one of my outposts?"

Gabriel shook his head at him " We're not having this discussion again."

"When is he brought out for exercise? Who watches him?"

"He isn't," Gabriel said shortly after trying to guide her to the stairs.

"That doesn't seem fair. Even before the world ended prisoners were allowed out for fresh air and they were used for labor. He looks..." She eyed Negan who had gone back to grinning at her "...sturdy."

Gabriel hesitated " Well I have been thinking about it but it's up to Michonne."

Theresa nodded and went back up the steps not giving Negan another glance. He sighed and stood there a moment longer. Her eyes had been blue like Lucille's. She was going to be a person of interest tonight during his lonely hours. He grinned as he hunched down to grab his sandwich and drink.

Teresa didn't give the big man in the cell much thought. She was trying too hard to remember the layout of the community. Right now they were going to the church. Gabriel was talking to her about the things that had been improved on and how it had been rebuilt after Negan had blown it up. She paid attention to the times he gave her, where he got his sermon's ready, and what he wanted done before everyone came in.. In the back room, she had spotted a bookcase with a meager selection of books.

"Please feel free to borrow one," Gabriel said. "It's important to try to keep a connection to the past. It's the only way we'll be blessed in the future."

For some reason now Negan came to mind. She picked up a Louis L'Amour book.

"Thank you, father." She said standing up. He eyed her.

"Have you been out there alone all this time?"

"I've been alone for a long time," Teresa said, glancing around. "I'm not even sure I'll be able to stay here...I feel safer out there."

Gabriel nodded sympathetically "Yes some of my flock have felt the same when they first showed up. I do counseling and I'm here to talk to if you need anyone.

Teresa nodded without committing. "Of course. Thank you, father."

When she was presented to a house where she'd be staying Theresa kept mainly to herself. She didn't think being friends with any of these people was a good idea because people died and when they did you had to put them down like rabid dogs.

She was a bit haunted by a school she had broken into for shelter. There had been a group of elementary school kids practically still babies and she had been forced to kill every single one.

She bitterly remembered sitting over them and weeping. Before the world had gone to hell she had been a teacher's assistance while she went to school hoping to become an engineer. With a plan of working on rooms for special needs children who had tactile issues. They could use a carpet with different textures including a smooth stone one to encourage them to walk around. Walls that had activities like locks and cogs and handles to encourage them to interact with the world. She shook her head briefly.

Why was she even thinking about it? It was gone.

The room they gave her was nice. She put her worn and patched bag on the bed and looked out the window. She was little chagrined to find out she was in a room that looked across the plaza to the building that had Negan's cell. She grabbed the shade and pulled it down although she knew he couldn't possibly see her from there.

Theresa didn't bother to unpack much. She changed her clothes and stuffed the bag under the bed there in case she had to grab it quickly and run.

She liked the shirt she had on. It was cinched at the waist and the green probably made her look like a watermelon but she liked the flowing sleeves and long tail that floated around her knees. The jeans she had one were loose in case she had to run or squat to hide; she didn't want to have any problems that came with tight clothes. There was a beep over the intercom signaling dinner.

Teresa pressed the book into her jeans under her shirt and headed out to get her food. For some reason, she kept seeing Negan's grin. It reminded her of the Cheshire cat and everyone knew from the story you didn't trust the Cheshire cat if you wanted to make it safely through wonderland.

She glanced around at the community as she made her way outside. That's just what this place looked like. Wonderland, and now she was going to go and eat whatever they told her to eat.