Renegade |Negan|

Chapter Twenty Nine: Finally | END

The plan was a go.

I'd been secretly snagging ammo from the weaponry every day since I'd seen Negan's pistol. First a bullet here and there, then half a box of them, then throwing knives. I'd hid them all in different locations in my room, so if anyone did suspect it was me, I could give up my smallest stash and keep the rest, but thus far nobody had said a word. The day of attack, I piled the whole stash in my closet. I always walked around with my bag, I didn't need it to look more bulky when I went to Negan's room, in case anyone noticed—still, I threw a few extra changes of clothes in before I left my room.

I made my way to Negan's. I'd seen him doing his normal rounds today and knew he wouldn't be done being busy until this afternoon, and even then I didn't know if he'd notice the gun missing immediately. I also knew he didn't keep his bedroom door locked, surprisingly, but even if he did today, I had plans for that too (a couple bobby pins from his wives when I asked for "hair help"). I made my way to his door, sneaking in and checking around, just in case. When all was secure, I shut the door behind me, going to his shirt drawer. I silently cheered when the gun was still there, and stuffed it into my bag in between pairs of clothes. Once I was done, I made a bump in his shirts to make it seem like the gun was still there, only covered—just in case.

Walking back to his door, I pressed my ear to the wood, listening through for any footsteps. I knew I was his wife, but it'd still look strange for me to be coming out of his room on my own. When all sounded clear, I cracked the door open just enough to look down the halls.

Nobody. Good.

I headed out, making my way straight back to my room, but stopped right at the door...

Did I want to leave Echo?

Can you keep him safe? Can they keep him safe?

He'll have a good life here.

He'll start hard labor before he's ten. What kind of life is that?

I'm just being selfish.

Either way, take him or leave him, if he dies it's on you.

I let out a small, annoyed groan at my internal dialogue, marching my way down to the kid's room. It should be naptime, which also counts as Suzanne's lunch, and none of the other kids would even know I'm there.

This is not the plan!

I crept inside the dim room, the only light coming from the hallway and the small window inside. As I suspected, all the kids were asleep and Suzanne was nowhere to be seen. Quickly and quietly, I threw a bunch of the formula tubs in my bag, leaving enough for the other baby. Snatched a couple handfuls of diapers and outfits and anything else I could stuff in my small bag—I had a larger duffle bag in my room I knew I'd have to use. Then I picked him up, keeping him swaddled and doing so carefully not to wake him. He stirred a tiny bit in my arms, but when I began to bounce him he instantly passed back out.

"Where are you going?" I heard a loud whisper and froze. I looked over to see Rose awake, sitting up on her nap mat.

"Just going to update Negan about something," I whispered back, "He wanted to see him. Go back to sleep," I added, trying my best not to wake anyone else. She narrowed her big eyes at me, almost like she didn't completely believe me, before flopping back down on her mat to go back to sleep. I started tiptoeing out of the room.

"Can we come with you?" She asked, and I knew she meant her and her sister. My heart shattered slightly, but I wouldn't be able to keep them all safe. It wasn't possible.

"Not this time," I whispered, leaving the room without another moment's notice.

Now I had to race back to my room without anyone else seeing me. What a stupid plan this was!

Luckily, I was able to slip through the halls without passing anyone who would be suspicious of my actions, and wound my way back up at my room. I laid Echo on my bed while I yanked out the bigger duffel bag, filling it with anything that wouldn't fit in my small backpack bag, as well as loading the pistol fully and shoving it in my back pocket, equipping myself with ten throwing knives, five on each side to finish.

I didn't exactly want to leave Negan completely in the dark. As horrible as he was, I had come to actually care for him, and it felt like he felt a small amount of the same towards me. With a glance around the room, I found a bible and a pen in the drawer of the nightstand. I opened the book to a random page, which just so happened to be on the book of John. I smiled a sad smile as I boxed one of the verses, then left a short note on the white of the page, leaving it open on the foot of my bed—the first thing he'd see if he came in.

When I was done, I went to the window. I'd unscrewed everything last night, so all I had to do was pop it out and climb through. Luckily, I was on the bottom floor of the factory building, which made getting through with a baby extremely easy.

I knew that the man on front fence duty was Joey today, and I knew nobody usually passed the fence with the hole in it—Which I also knew could at some point be the Sanctuary's downfall. Maybe once I was gone, they'd find the hole and patch it up, but who knows. As soon as I checked the perimeter, which was clear as I had hoped it would be, I sprinted to the fence. I threw my bags through the hole first. Then, holding Echo close and making sure none of the fence would scratch his skin, I made my own way under. I felt a sharp pain dig into my shoulder as the fence tore through my shirt and skin, but with all the adrenaline pumping through my veins, I only felt it for a moment.

I picked up my bags, tossing them over each shoulder and across my body before I took off. I was out—I was finally out.

First I ran, trying to get as far away as possible and holding Echo so close, even if he did try to cry, they'd be muffled. I only slowed once The Sanctuary was out of view completely. My next mission, finding a a safe haven to sleep in before nightfall.

I was out. I was done with the Sanctuary—Done with Negan. And I wasn't alone.

Who knows, maybe one day we'd cross paths again, one day much later when the Sanctuary is no longer, or maybe when it's much stronger. Maybe when Negan isn't a ruthless leader, dead set on doing anything for his own benefit. Or maybe we'd meet again in different forms, when anyone and everyone we'd ever cared about is gone, and all there is is the dead that walk the earth.

Maybe then we'd see each other again, and maybe then, and only then, could we be happy together.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 14:27

This will be the End today of the wanted man.

End.

Of Book One.