Too Good to be Bad | Negan |

70 - It's really you?

Just when we think the worst is behind us, we enter a night of horror. In the middle of the night, shouting wakes us up and we find out there's walkers in the building. Under the cover of darkness, nobody noticed when the injured were caught by the familiar fever and blew out their last breaths, to wake up as walkers.

The night is one big chaos of trying to take out the walkers and keep the living safe. Fortunately, we manage to lead all the children out of the house safely and Max and Priya protect them while I jump in to help take out the dead. Somewhere in the middle of the confusion, I run into Kieran, who tells me some kid came into the cage to take out his brother's killer. He got overrun and some of the Saviors escaped. Others stayed behind to help defend the Hilltop. Of course, so did Kieran.

So the only good thing to come out of all of it is that Kieran and the other Saviors that stayed behind are permanently released from their cage. But the night has been brutal and the graveyard of the Hilltop grows more and more. We find out the Saviors dipped their weapons in walker guts, infecting anyone that got hit. Even knowing how ruthless Negan can be, I am still stunned by the cruelty of it all.

The next day, our little group is sitting outside, trying to recover from the restless night when Rick approaches us. Or actually, approaches me.

'I need to talk to you.'

My heart sinks. I remember the last time he told me that. That's when all the shit started. But I don't protest. I know our position here at the Hilltop is insecure at the least so we do our best to be cooperative. He takes me to a room where several people are waiting. I've learned their names in the meantime. I recognize Maggie, Michonne, Jesus, King Ezekiel, Daryl, Morgan and Carol. Rick the Prick, the King and the Widow, all in one room. Everyone looks at me as I enter so I linger in the doorway uncomfortably.

'Negan has made contact', Rick says, holding up a radio. 'I need you to tell him you're not dead.'

'So he's alive?' I ask. I'd heard that Rick was the one to drive him off the road. Apparently they had a fight in an abandoned building and no one knew what happened to Negan after that.

Rick shrugs and raises his eyebrow. 'Apparently. He's back at the Sanctuary.'

Then I hear a familiar voice through the radio. 'Come on, Prick, how much longer are you gonna keep me waiting? We're a little too old to be playing games, aren't we?'

Rick holds the radio out to me and I take it a little hesitantly. Then I press the button to speak.

'Hello?' I ask unsurely. On the other side, Negan remains silent for a moment.

'It's really you?'

'Yes.'

'I thought you were dead.'

'Sorry to disappoint.'

I hear him chuckle for a moment. But when he continues to talk, his voice is soft. 'Lara, what the hell happened out there?'

'Didn't Dwight tell you?'

'I want to hear it from you.'

'Well, I don't want to talk about it anymore', I say. I've already told Jesus everything and answered all of Rick's, Maggie's and Ezekiel's questions. I'm done revisiting everything that happened. 'Simon lied to you, that's all you need to know. Daryl and Rosita brought me to the exchange and let me go as promised. Simon wanted to make you angry. He wanted you to kill everyone.'

'And you tried to kill him.'

'I hope you don't expect me to apologize for it?'

'Hell no. I told you didn't I? If anyone tries to hurt you, kill them. Don't hesitate.'