Spider Monkey

Chapter Fifty - Eight - Big Bad Wolf

"Little pig, little pig, let me in!" Negan sang as he knocked on Alexandria's gates. Rosita and Spencer went to the gate. Negan smiled at them, "Well?"

"Um, who are you?" Spencer asked.

"Oh, you better be jokin'. Negan, Lucille. I know I had to make a pretty strong first impression." He saw Rick coming up with Daryl at his heels, "Well, hello, there." No response and the gate was still shut, "Do not make me have to ask."

"You said a week. You're early." Rick said, opening the gate for Negan.

"I missed you." A walker growling was heard and Negan saw this. "Oh, Rick, come on here. Watch this." He went to the walker and swung his bat, "Calling it!" The body thuds as it falls, head caved in. "Ha ha ha! Easy peasy lemon squeezy! All right, everybody. Let's get started. Big day. Hey, Rick, you see that, what I just did? That is some service! I mean, we almost get turned away at the gate. "Who is that guy, anyway?" Do I get mad? Do I throw a fit? Do I bash some ginger's dome in? Nope. I just take care of one of these dead pricks that could've killed one of y'all. Service." He went up to Rick and gave him his bat, "Hold this."

Rick looked at the bat in his hand. It haunted him. Imagining Glenn's brains all over it. Merle's. Abraham's. His fingers shook.

"Hot diggity dog! This place is magnificent! An embarrassment of riches, as they say. Yes, sir, I do believe you are gonna have plenty to offer up."

Hedley was brought in with Dwight and Fletcher guarding him. Blood from his chest wound soaked the yellow shirt he was forced to wear, his eyes were red from irritation, his lips chapped and around his wrists were horrid green and red bruises from where the chains were.

Daryl saw his son and went towards him, "Hedley, hey--"

Hedley reached out for his father but Negan stepped between them, shaking his head.

"No. Nope. He's my little pet now. You don't look at him, you don't talk to him, and I don't make you chop anything off of him. Same goes for everyone. Especially his little boyfriend. Right, Rick? Where is Grimes Jr, anyways?"

"He's with his sister." Rick answered.

Daryl forced himself to step back, Rick squeezing his shoulder in comfort as every step killed the archer.

"A lot of suspense there. I don't think she even knew how much. All right, let's get this show on the road. See what kind of goodies you got in the cupboard." Negan said.

"We put aside half the supplies-" Rick explained but was interrupted.

"No, Rick. No. You don't decide what we take. I do." He told them, sending his men out to collect anything they wanted. He turned back to Rick, "You gonna show me around or not?"

Negan strolled around Alexandria as his men looted the homes. "You see this? This is the kind of thing that just tickles my balls. A little cooperation and everything is pleasant as punch. You see, we really are reasonable people once you get to know us. Honest." He takes a can of Soda and drinks from it before throwing the can on the ground. "Damn, I love this place!"

Hedley was beside him, Fletcher holding his arm. Hedley looked at Daryl and blinked in Morse code - something Merle had taught him.

'I'm okay'.

Daryl read the message, eyes watering as he wanted to desperately hug his child.

One of Negan's men came up, holding something, "Negan. Somethin' you might wanna see."

It was a video camera.

"Well, well, well." Negan cooed, taking the camera and turning it on, "What do we have here? I got my fingers crossed for a little freaky-deaky." The camera beeps, showing Rick's audition video. "Jee-hee-sus! Is that you, Rick, underneath all that man-bush? Shee-ot. I would not have messed with that guy." He turned the camera off, throwing it for Fletcher to hold. "But that's not you anymore is it? Nope."