The Last Flame

Season 7/ Chapter 1

Bell was in her living room, back at Alexandria, she was standing in front of her fireplace, looking at the wall up above the mantle. She gazed at the pictures, some from the prison, some before the world ended, and even a few from when she go to Alexandria.

Her gaze went over them all, each one reminding her of someone she loved, now gone; Beth, Hershel, Tyrese, Smith, Andrea, even her daughter Katherine.

Her gaze then came across a familiar scarf, the one that Abraham had given her so many years ago, sitting on the mantle itself. She hadn't worn it in so long, it was always a comfort to her when he wasn't around, but ever since they'd been reunited, she had put it to the side.

She grabbed the familiar clothing, and stared at it, before her eyes gazed back up to the pictures that littered the wall. Her eyes landed on a picture of the two, it was more recent, he was smiling, throwing up his signature peace sign with one hand, his other arm thrown across Bell's shoulder. In the picture, Bell just smiled widely, throwing up a peace sign, also.

Bell's mind felt foggy. 'How did I get here? Where even is here?'

Her thoughts felt hazy, her whole mind felt like a cloud of fog. Then, as Bell lifted the scarf to her face, everything rushed back to her at once, every bit of it.

Flashback

"...are...it. Anybody moves, anybody says anything, cut the boy's other eye out and feed it to his father, and then we'll start. You can breathe, you can blink, you can cry. Hell, you're all gonna be doing that."

Bell watched as the man lifted up his bat, preparing to bring it down, she felt like everything moved in slow motion. Her breathing, blinking, even her thoughts. She gave a quick glance around, looking at everyone's horrified faces, this was happening, this was the end. And before she could make a move or say anything to try to stop it, it was all interrupted.

As she heard the crack of a skull and blood splatter her face, her whole mind went blank. Besides the ringing in her ears, the only thing she could really hear were the horrific screams of the one's she loved.

Bell looked to her left, where Abraham was. Blood poured from his head, his head was cracked open, but he still looked defiant as ever. He sat up straight, looking Negan in the face.

"Suck...my...nuts..."

Bell just watched, as the bat came crashing down onto his head again, knocking him to the ground. Abraham didn't get up this time, instead he lay with his cheek down, his face toward Bell. He slowly gazed up to her, giving her an attempted smile. For a second, it looked like he was gonna try to say something to her, but it was cut off, as the bat continued to be brought down onto the mans head, turning it into nothing but mush.

Bell just stared down at the gruesome scene, blood continued to splatter onto her face and body.

She thought back to the day the Governor had killed Smith right in front of her, she was on her knees then too, she remembered the way her friends blood coated her face, how she cried and how shocked she felt. Only this time, she couldn't even cry, all she felt was shock.

Even after his head was gone, Negan still continued to bring his bat down, showing no mercy or restraint. With each blow, Bell just felt her body drift further and further away, the flame she tried so hard to keep going at all times, got smaller and smaller.

Suddenly, Bell was brought back for a second, as Negan put his bat in Bell's face. "Would you look at that? Lucille's a ginger too now! Y'all are practically siblings!"