MAKNAE [twd]

【33】

Waking up in the room I knew Glenn was held before was a horrifying thought- especially with the ropes that bound my arms to the chair. But, as I felt Taeyang seated directly behind me, his own limbs tied, I somehow calmed down a bit. He was alive- thank God.

I wasn't sure how long we were both out, before waking up. But, Taeyang explained that he woke up to Doctor Stevens patching him up silently then leaving once more. His gunshot wound was in his shoulder, but there was an exit wound and they bandaged him up. Though thankful, the gesture was more unnerving than kind.

After everything we did, they hadn't killed us. Why?

From there, I lost track of time again before the Governor, Martinez, and a man I hadn't recognized walked in.

"Can you read English?" the Governor asks, towering over me.

Confused, I nod my head back and forth- 'so-so'.

He moves closer, holding a notebook up in front of my eyes for me to read.

'As you may not trust words, here is your physical evidence. We have Hana. Your girl for the one I want. An even trade.'

"You right handed?" Martinez asks, pulling out a knife.

I nod and he bends down, cutting the rope on my right hand that was still sore from the Governor's weight on it.

"Sign it," Governor demands.

The other man steps forward, his eyes to the floor as he sets a pen in my hold.

"Sign?" I repeat.

"Your name. That way your brother knows it's you."

That ache in my chest returned at once. 

He had mentioned he was meeting with Rick and that Hershel and Daryl were going with them when Taeyang and I were on our way in. He was going to give them this letter to prove I was with them. To Glenn. And the knowledge was going to destroy him once he found out.

Governor sets the book down at the chair's arm rest, staring at me with a deadly look. Martinez sets his gun's aim on Taeyang- a warning that if I tried anything, Taeyang would be the one to suffer the consequences.

My hands shake as I write my name in Hangul, pausing before going through with my idea. Something. Anything to comfort Glenn once he was given this.

"A sun?" the new man asks, seeing the small doodle.

The Governor looks to the paper, seeing I wrote my name with a small drawing of a sun beside it. His eye trails over me before spotting my bracelet that Sophia and I share. He hands the book to the other man, grabbing my arm and pulling it up to inspect.

With his other hand, he pinches the small sun pendant between two of his fingers.

"Not a trick," he figures, not thinking anything more of the drawing.

He drops my hand, giving Martinez a nod. Martinez places his gun back in his holster, tying my arm back to the chair. Once settled again, the men begin to leave.

"Who's the girl? The one that you want?" I ask.

The Governor stops, looking over his shoulder to me, "Are you in any position to ask questions?"

"No," I admit, "But, I'd like to know who's life is worth trading for mine at least. I'm a kid to them- you, too."

"You're a kid that snuck into my town and killed my men. Your age doesn't matter in this scenario."

He turns around fully, his hands on his hips, "You were here that night, weren't you? Your brother and his woman?"

I only nod, keeping as quiet as I can otherwise.