My Safe Space

four

annabelle walked down the steps negan had lead her up only an hour ago and walked out the front doors. her skin immediately absorbed the sun that beat down on her face with the mixture of a nice breeze coming through. the strong smell of soil filled her nose from the garden to her right. it was such a comforting feeling. she couldn't believe a place like this existed in the apocalypse.

annabelle nervously approached the woman who was sat on her knees. "hi,"

the woman turned around and shot her a confused look. "hello, can i help you?"

"actually i was hoping you'd let me give you a hand, i'm pretty good with gardening." annabelle sheepishly offered. she woman then smiled and gestures annabelle down. "is it just you out here?"

"yeah, i'm the only one here to tend to the plants so i appreciate your offer." the woman laughed as the two got to work. "i don't think i've seen you around before, are you new?"

"something like that i guess," annabelle didn't know how to explain the circumstances of which she was here so decided to leave it at that. "i'm sorry, did you say gardens? as in more than just this?"

"oh yes, we have more in the back. you don't know what you've got yourself into sweetie," the woman laughed. "what's your name? i'm alexis."

"i'm annabelle," she smiled. "i'm more than happy to make round with you and help."

"thank you annabelle," the woman smiled.

the two chatted as the continued working. annabelle couldn't be happier than she was doing this. it was the strongest sense of peace. the two finished up and began waking around to the back to hit up the other plantations in the back. on her way back though, she saw a group of women dressed in matching black dresses. the women stared at annabelle as they whispered to one another. she shrugged it off, though found it an extremely odd outfit choice considering the worlds current situation.

"no way," annabelle laughed with her new friend alexis as they walked toward the back.

though alexis immediately went silence when they cornered the building. annabelle followed her gaze to see negan stood in front of a frightened man. the veins on megan's forehead were strained, his eyebrows were furrowed and his right hand was clenching the barbed wired bat over his shoulder. negan's deep voice broke out, "and you thought that was.. what? you thought that was the best decision? you thought you could go over my head?"

the emphasis on go over hit annabelle like a truck. negan was furious, and he was about to lash out.

annabelle had an idea of the 'punishment' negan mentioned for breaking his rules. but nothing could have ever prepared her for what she was about to see. for what he was about to do.

BAM.

BAM.

BAM.

over and over the bat bashed into the man's head. each hit dug the barbed wire of the bat deeper into his head, breaking off bits into it.

annabelle quickly turned and just rushed to the garden a few feet away. she dropped to her knees and grabbed the hand fork. her hands trembled as she tried to get to work, trying to push out what was going on behind her. but the tears that slipped down her cheeks made it nearly impossible. she felt a hand on her back and the voice of alexis trying to comfort her in a whisper but she couldn't focus on it, all she could think about was what she just witnessed.

"annabelle?" the voice that was so angry a minute ago was now so soft. negan. alexis hesitantly backed off from her as his heavy footsteps came closer.

she heard him sigh. "you weren't supposed to see that, i told you to stay in the room."