Destined to Lose: The 5th book

Chapter 13: Stuck

"Negan!" I call for help, my arm stuck underneath my weight. I don't know what other damage is done but I can feel that arm already going numb.

"What- what the—" he mumbles, as he moves.

"I'm stuck" I mutter, trying to wiggle free "I can't—"

"Stay here, stay quiet!" He yells to me. And before I could say anything else he is out of the car with his bat in hand. I hear gunshots go off. A lot, and recognize it as a machine gun. I hear the sounds of walkers as well and know my best chance of survival is then following whoever ambushed us and Negan and staying quiet as can be. The gunshots shorten out, then stop all together. I take the time I'm laying sideways to stuck to move and evaluate my injuries. Luckily most of the guts and blood from Negan's bucket landed on my lower half, but so did some glass shards from one of the windows. It's sticking out of my thigh and that's when the shock starts to settle and the pain picks up. The growling of the dead gets faint and I'm relieved they are following the sounds of the gunshots and whoever from whatever community is going after Negan. I decide to keep wiggling, try to free myself from where I am stuck and get out. After a few minutes of struggling and moaning through the pain. I set myself free, and crawl out of the car. I look around, and see one meathead heading towards the car, and a ton of gasoline pouring out of the car. I stand up, and scream out in pain. The shard moving in my leg as I move. I hop a few feet towards a curb and plop down. Not a clue of what to do next. I look around, trying to figure out where Negan went. I wait another 5 minutes or so before I see two bodies heading in my direction. I stand up, ready to put distance between us. I start to walk around the building hoping they don't see me. But one gun shot hitting a tree to my right stops me cold. I limp 180 degrees and I see Simon and Dwight heading my way, "where do you think you're going?"

"Negan was going to let me go at the Hilltop. I'm leaving." I inform them.

Simon laughs, "and we're just suppose to believe you?" He looks behind him and asks "what happened back there? Where's negan?"

I shrug "I don't know. He got out, told me to stay quiet. Someone was shooting after him."

Simon says to Dwight, "just 'cause he walked away doesn't mean he's breathing. We can keep looking, maybe find him more alive than dead, but then what? We could face a distasteful moment. Or we could walk away. Get back to our people and make things even better. This is a critical point in our history, Dwight. This is something we could tell our grandkids about." I eye the two of them, wondering what conversation or two I missed. Dwight gives him a head nod and Simon replies, "good answer. Let's get Sadie here back with everyone else and fill everyone in." Although I want nothing more to argue with them about Negan's plan, the bar of glass in my leg puts a rest on any time of escape plan of my own. If I do make it back to the sanctuary, I'm sure Negan will honor his original plan with me, once he gets back as well. It's only as I stumble back with the help of Dwight, do I realize I do want to see Negan again, if only to get me back to where I'm supposed to be.

When we get to the ally where the rest of the crew were waiting, one of them ask, "where's Negan?"

Simon responds, "Gone."

"You couldn't find him?" Another inquires.

"Just blood." Simon answers.

I go to say something but Dwight slightly elbows me on the side and I know to keep my mouth shut, for whatever reason. The same person asks, "now what, hmm? What are we supposed to do now?"

Simon asks, "who are you?"

The man looks down but replies, "Negan."

"Who?!" Simon pushes louder.

"Negan! I am Negan!" He chants back.

"Damn right you are!" Simon encourages, "we all are! Don't matter if the big man ain't here. We're still Negan. We don't know if he's "gone" gone. He could very well be back. Our plan... Negan's plan... Was to go on to Hilltop and put the fear of God in these people so that, finally, once and for all, they get with the program." He takes control of the people around him, "but after what just happened, what they did to Negan, that tells me that what we need from them is beyond them. It's time we come to accept that." I eye Dwight who is eyeing Simon, "and once we do, it'll become crystal clear there's only one thing left for us to do. We must expunge them. We must redact them!" He continues to build up everyone around him with his new plan, the very same one he did at the junk yard, "they are a mistake that we shall now erase." I watch in horror as Simon signs everyone up there to go to the Hilltop to kill everyone, "we are moving on. For Negan! Yes?"

Everyone but me cheers back, "for Negan!"

They all break apart to get into their trucks and convoys, and Dwight helps push me up to his truck. I sit in between him and Simon, wondering how I'm going to get myself out of this situation.