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Ch. 18 - Broken

"Fuck," I seeth as Dr. Carson cut the final stitch away from my finger, relieving the pressure as he pulls the suture from my skin. He tosses his medical scissors on the cart next to him before he peels his gloves from his hands. I bring my finger closer to my eyes, scanning the scar that stretches from my nailbed to the inside of my middle knuckle. I can't decide if it looks badass, or if it makes me look like a dumb fuck. Dr. Carson rises from his stool and pulls his instrument cart toward his desk, placing it against the wall.

"You're good to go, Jade," he says perkily. I place my hands on either side of the patient table and drop my feet to the ground.

"Thanks, Doc," I say, my tone dull, as I make my way to the exit.

As I pull the door open and cross the threshold, I am met with a pair of Saviors supporting what I assum to be another Savior between the two of them. The injured man in the middle is bleeding from his shoulder. I step aside as one man in the trio pushes the door open with his free hand. I can't hear what they are saying inside the infirmary, only muffled voices going back and forth combined with the clinking and clanking of Dr. Carson's instruments. I continue down the corridor and began to make my way toward the kitchen to help Harry clean up after our lunch shift.

I turn the corner to be met with another pair of men carrying another wounded Savior, dragging him toward the infirmary. I furrowed my eyebrows in puzzlement.

"What the fuck is going on?" I speak to no man in particular as they gain ground in my direction.

"Some fucker from Alexandria shot us up," the man closest to me grunts, struggling to support the larger man in the middle. My heart drops, no no no.

I began to speed-walk through the halls, but as I grow impatient it turns into a jog. The first set of doors that lead outside that catch my eye, I run through, revealing the garden where Willow works. My head snaps to the right before my body follows suit, and I jog toward the front gate.

"Kid, I ain't gonna lie," I heard Negan's voice. "You scare the shit outta me," he continued. Gunshots rang through the air, urging me to pick up my pace. I sprint around the corner, stopping in my tracks as I see a crowd of Saviors surrounding what I assumed was an Alexandrian. My eyes jump from Savior to Savior before landing on Negan, sporting a wicked grin of course, with his tongue poking between his teeth. He shoves the man he's holding onto, who I hadn't seen before, to the side before approaching the middle of the on-lookers.

"Dwight," he spoke again. "Back off. Is that any way to treat our new guest?"

I pushed through the men once I came close enough and my eyes landed on Carl, who was laying on the ground. Negan towered above him, extending his leather-clad hand out for Carl to grab, offering him assistance. I was fearful and irritated. Why would Carl do something this fucking stupid?

"C'mon kid, I'll show you around," Negan instructed Carl to stand.

"Carl?" I call out, the pair in the center snapping their attention in my direction.

"Look, sweetheart," Negan spoke with an iniquitous grin. "Your little friend came to pay us a surprise visit. Isn't that just so fucking thoughtful?" He shifted his torso backward as he began to bend at the knee, resting his weight on Lucille. He looked back down to Carl, "Get the fuck up, kid."

Carl turned back to Negan, looking between his face and his hand.

"Take his hand, Carl," I say as Carl continued to look at Negan's hand. He took hold of Negan before the leader pulled him up from the ground. Carl released his hand and brushed his palms on his black jeans. Negan reached his arm out and around Carl's shoulders, pulling him into his side.